Before long, the next day arrived.
Leonidas and the other two, each with their own duties and having been summoned as Servants by Gilgamesh, were naturally dispatched to hold the front lines across various battlefields.
While the terror of the magical beasts was overwhelming for ordinary people, for Servants, it was merely a question of how quickly they could cut them down.
Compared to the three Servants, the tasks assigned to Chaldea were far more mundane—mostly odd jobs around the city, like helping farmers shear sheep, cleaning up by the river, or driving off pest birds sneaking bites of the grain stores.
The only duty that could remotely be called combat-related was assisting Leonidas in training the troops.
Though Amber had promised to aid Chaldea when necessary, she hadn't committed to joining their ranks. Thus, Gilgamesh made no particular arrangements for her.
That suited Amber just fine. After all, she needed to buckle down and cram—to truly grasp the principles of Taixu Sword Qi and the application of Honkai energy.
And so, while everyone else was busy with their tasks, she quietly left Uruk on her own.
This was already her third day outside the city. By focusing directly on the desired outcomes before refining the causes, Amber progressed with astonishing speed.
Whenever she encountered stumbling blocks during her training within the Feather's domain, the Celestial could simply take over her body in reality and demonstrate the technique.
Then, having experienced the sensation firsthand, Amber would attempt to replicate it herself.
With such a convenient shortcut available, she saw no reason not to take full advantage.
As for Fu Hua, she didn't particularly mind this somewhat opportunistic approach.
Amber's innate talent for Taixu Sword Qi surpassed her expectations. It was startling—not long ago, this girl hadn't even known what "True Qi" was.
Yet, in just a few days, she'd grown adept at wielding it. Her Sword Heart had taken root, and she'd even mastered several Sword Forms.
Amber, however, didn't attribute this to her own talent. She believed it was only thanks to possessing Fu Hua's body that she could pick things up so quickly.
Another morning of training complete, Amber deftly took to the skies, intending to seek out some roaming magical beasts to test her skills. Gliding leisurely, she scanned the surroundings below.
With her speed and the bird's-eye view from above, it didn't take long to spot a pack of magical beasts charging toward a wagon laden with supplies.
Seeing this, Amber prepared to intervene—but then she sensed another presence approaching rapidly.
Thanks to her sharp senses, she identified the newcomer: Ishtar, riding her celestial boat.
Fancy meeting her here again?
A little surprised, Amber decided not to rush in just yet, choosing instead to watch and see what Ishtar would do.
Ishtar, speeding through the sky, wasn't actually on patrol. She'd been searching for something specific, but days of fruitless efforts had worn her patience thin.
The lack of offerings, leaving her unable to even refurbish her own temple, only deepened her irritation.
Flying aimlessly overhead, she noticed the beasts preparing to attack the humans. Her first instinct was to ignore it, but then it occurred to her—this was a chance to bask in human reverence and perhaps claim some tribute. With a wave of "generosity," she resolved to help these pitiful, feeble mortals.
Well, it wasn't that she wanted to help them, exactly. More that she'd deign to protect this human, who might yet provide her some amusement.
Having justified it to herself, Ishtar descended. Just as the beasts were about to reach the wagon, she dispatched them one by one.
As the dust settled, the residents and their wagon were quite literally thrown into disarray by the aftermath of the blasts.
The goddess prepared to make a grand entrance and soak up their worship—but then she noticed the cargo wasn't crops at all. It was several crates of gemstones.
"Not bad, humans!" Ishtar unceremoniously claimed the gems as her own. In high spirits, she touched down, granting the mortals the privilege of a closer look.
"Consider these my offerings," she declared, reaching for the jewels. "I'll accept them this time. But don't go scurrying around like ants in the future."
"W-Wait! Please, Lady Ishtar!"
A man, still dizzy and struggling to collect himself, scrambled up from the ground.
He wanted to stop her, but knowing the gap between mortal and divine, he could only stammer in panic, "These gems were gathered for the King! They aren't meant as offerings to you!"
"Hah?"
The goddess's good mood vanished instantly. "Have you lost your mind? I just saved you! Never mind that Uruk hasn't given me a single offering lately—shouldn't you at least show some gratitude to your savior?"
"B-But the King said these treasures are crucial…" The man lowered his head, not daring to meet Ishtar's gaze.
"Crucial? Oh, that 'treasury for the future' thing? The one that's supposed to equal all of humanity's assets once it's complete?" Ishtar vaguely recalled it but had no intention of humoring the idea.
"Listen, instead of pinning your hopes on that golden fool, you'd be better off betting on me. I am a goddess, after all."
"I… I cannot comply…" The man hunched further, silently praying this capricious goddess of destruction would let him go.
"I'm saying, shouldn't a goddess like me be more worthy of trust than that king? If that king were to, say, drop dead suddenly, I might even consider continuing to protect Uruk. Dealing with a few magical beasts would be nothing to me then."
Having said that, Ishtar's expression suddenly soured. "Wait, why should I care what you think? Whatever, I'm taking these. If it gives that guy a headache, this trip wasn't a total waste."
Knowing he was powerless to resist, the man held his tongue. If he ended up dead alongside the magical beasts, that would be a real disaster.
It wasn't that he feared death—but Uruk couldn't afford any more meaningless losses. His life wasn't just his own; it belonged to the King as well.
"Hold on there, Goddess Ishtar." At this point, Amber had no choice but to reveal herself.
"Where did you come from?" Ishtar stared, stunned, at Amber who had appeared right beside her without warning.
There hadn't been the slightest hint of her approach. If this girl had meant her harm… wouldn't she have been completely vulnerable to a sneak attack?
"Just a method too humble for the spotlight," Amber replied, having employed the Feather's power.
Manipulating and toying with consciousness through the Feather was indeed a rather underhanded technique, but Amber didn't mean it that way.
She just wanted to say something cool—this was the perfect chance for some low-key bragging, and she wasn't about to miss it.
"Are you going to try and stop me too?" Ishtar's face darkened further.
"Seizing others' property isn't a good look, is it? As a goddess, why resort to such methods?" Amber questioned, genuinely puzzled.
It was strange to her. She's a goddess—why would she need mortal gems? Wasn't she just like her waifu, Rin Tohsaka?
Then again, she did have Rin's face.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.