"Ngh~, no peeking!"
Back in the lowest level of the Underworld, Li Lin, who had returned in the meantime, was intently watching the stone tablet. Suddenly, his vision went dark as a pair of soft little hands covered his eyes.
Ereshkigal pouted, a blush on her delicate face, her voice sour. "Pervert! Hentai! Is another woman's body that fascinating to you?" Her red eyes flashed with jealousy; she clearly had a big problem with him staring at Ishtar.
To this, Li Lin shrugged and said something that nearly made Eresh explode on the spot.
"Well, it's a rare opportunity. When I'm looking intently, I'm also looking at [you], my goddess."
"Me, you, huh?—"
Ereshkigal was stunned. But when she realized what he meant by [you], her face turned bright red, and steam started puffing out from her golden head. She had turned into a steam engine!
Wow, Li Lin's move of retreating to advance really has her wrapped around his finger!
Since Eresh and Ishtar were twin goddesses, they could even be considered [symbiotic] deities. So when Li Lin framed his watching of Ishtar as watching [you], Ereshkigal's mind naturally connected it to herself, letting her imagination run wild.
This, Li Lin declared, was the charm of language. A love triangle? Non-existent. He was the great Demon King of the Seven Sins. Although the ranking of Lust had somehow skyrocketed for unknown reasons, it didn't change his essential nature. And how could a Demon King allow himself to get into an awkward situation?
Not to mention, the Age of Gods was a time when the concept of romantic relationships was quite liberal; you could pretty much sleep with anyone you fancied. But since coming here, Li Lin had only been intimate with Eresh. Didn't that prove his pure love?
[Pure, it can all be pure~]
"Mmph~, s-since you put it that way, I'll forgive you," Ereshkigal said, finally calming down after a long internal struggle. She turned to look at the naked figure slowly approaching outside the temple, planning to vent all her frustration on her.
[Ishtar: Meow meow meow??? O_O]
With a wave of her hand, several chains materialized and swiftly bound the unsuspecting Ishtar, hoisting her into the air.
Σ( ° △ °|||)︴ Wh-what's going on? Why am I being strung up again?! Ishtar's lip twitched. It seemed she and the word "hanged" were inseparable. She struggled against the chains but found them just as strong as the ones in the Cedar Forest. Plus, with all her divinity stripped away, the sense of déjà vu was overwhelming.
"Mmph~~." Ishtar gave up struggling, a pitiful whimper escaping her lips like a small animal. She turned her head, her red eyes looking pleadingly at Li Lin, as if to say, Save me~
Li Lin's lip twitched in exasperation. 'This goddess has so much power, yet she always messes up at the most critical moments. You could have just lied your way through the seven gates. It's not like you would have lost anything. But no, you had to be as stubborn as an ox.'
He looked away, indicating that he was powerless to help. You're on your own.
Ah?! Oh no!
Seeing Li Lin reject her plea, Ishtar felt her world crumble. Her descent to the Underworld had been a gamble—a bet that if the black-robed man was indeed Li Lin, based on their previous encounter, he shouldn't dislike her. And since he was surely being coerced by Ereshkigal in this godforsaken place, if she just acted cute, he would likely help her again.
But seeing him flatly refuse, she suddenly realized... she might have overplayed her hand.
"Haha, um, Goddess Kigal, what if I told you this was all a misunderstanding? Would you believe me?" Ishtar finally forced a smile and said to Ereshkigal.
"Hehe, a misunderstanding?" Ereshkigal sneered, a classic arrogant smile on her face. "I don't recall any goddess coming to my Underworld and cursing me seven times in front of my gates." She stepped forward and pinched Ishtar's chin, her red eyes glinting dangerously. "Tell me, should I impale you with thorns first and then throw you into purgatory? Or should I burn your body and soul with the merciless crimson lightning of the Underworld and then throw you into purgatory?"
"Ah?! Th-that's terrifying!" Ishtar was about to wet herself. She clamped her snow-white thighs together, the movement making Li Lin's eyes swim.
Seeing this, Eresh's cheeks puffed out. In the liberal Age of Gods, Ishtar was her other half; they were practically the same goddess. But even if it was another [me], seeing her try to seduce her man right in front of her made her incredibly sour. Even if it was unintentional, it's not allowed!
The next moment, Ereshkigal shifted her position, blocking Li Lin's view. A smile appeared on her face, but there was no warmth in her eyes. "Very well, I've changed my mind. To punish a wicked personality like yours, ordinary methods won't do. By the way, you enjoy being served and looking down on others from a life of luxury, don't you? I bet the high and mighty mistress of heaven has never served anyone tea before, has she?"
A wicked smile spread across her face. "In that case, let's switch roles. If you can satisfy me, maybe I'll be in a good mood and reduce your punishment by a layer or two."
Her red eyes glowed with a faint light. With a wave of her hand, the power of the Underworld manifested. A great black tide spread from her feet, and the power of illusion began to engulf everyone present.
Li Lin: 'Σ(OдO|||)ノノ, H-hey, wait a minute, why am I included in this?!'
P.S. Cute author's butt, oh my tickets.
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