Seeing the goddess completely at her mercy, Ana's first instinct was to kill her.
While having a Divine nature usually meant being hard to kill, she just so happened to possess a weapon specifically designed to counter immortality. So, 'hard to kill' wasn't really an issue for her.
But she glanced at Amber and suppressed the impulse.
After all, Amber's actions earlier clearly showed she didn't want anyone on either side getting hurt.
Letting Ishtar calm down for now was probably within her tolerance, but killing her would definitely be a step too far.
"Let's just tie her up for now," everyone agreed.
Ana swiftly bound her with chains. Then, the group found a relatively spacious-looking vacant house to borrow, settling down to rest and recover their strength while waiting for Ishtar to wake up.
There was no need to worry about the owner's opinion—the city was already empty anyway.
By the time the sun had fully set, the long-awaited Ishtar finally opened her eyes. She stared blankly for a moment upon finding herself tied to a chair. "What's going on?! Why am I tied up!?"
"Good morning," Fujimaru Ritsuka greeted her as she awoke.
"Senpai... it's already evening," Mash quietly reminded him from the side.
"Good morning. Well, I do appreciate polite greetings. So, who can explain the situation? Who are you people?" Ishtar asked.
Amber immediately sensed something was off.
While the appearance and aura were undoubtedly Ishtar's, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was strange about her.
The others didn't pay it much mind. Ishtar's capricious and unpredictable nature was already well-known to them; no reaction or attitude from her would strike them as particularly odd.
"More importantly, we have quite a few questions for you," Merlin said with a smile.
"Oh? Is this the attitude to take when questioning a goddess? Unheard of! Tying up a goddess, and a goddess like me, no less!" Ishtar's face was a mix of anger and a hint of embarrassment, as if ashamed at being captured in her divine state.
But she quickly resorted to threats: "Aren't you afraid of the consequences!?"
"Afraid? Well... yeah, a little..." Ritsuka and Mash exchanged a glance, admitting awkwardly, but then their expressions turned serious. "But there are things we absolutely need to know."
"Afraid... Right, of course you'd be afraid. Fine, I'm used to it. I've always been the unpopular one in Mesopotamia." 'Ishtar' unexpectedly showed a sullen, frustrated expression.
This attitude didn't elicit sympathy from the group; instead, they looked at her with astonishment, as if thinking, 'You're actually aware of it?'
Seeing their reaction, 'Ishtar's' frustration vanished in an instant, replaced by a flash of anger. Just as she was about to speak, Amber's voice cut in.
"You are not unpopular."
"Huh?" 'Ishtar' looked toward Amber, who had been standing at a distance, not intending to participate in the interrogation.
A human who's so pleasing to my eyes!? Are there humans this beautiful on the surface? No, a Servant?
Seeing Ishtar's uncharacteristically sad expression, Amber desperately wanted to tell her loudly how cute and beautiful she was.
But it didn't fit the Celestial's persona, so she swallowed the words, instead speaking in a calm yet earnest tone: "You are my friend. Among the people I have associated with, you count as a very interesting friend."
"Wha—" The others looked at Amber in surprise.
This statement really didn't fit the image of the Phoenix Celestial that Amber had cultivated. Yet, it made Fujimaru Ritsuka smile.
The instinct to protect a friend's feelings when they were down might have chipped away at the Celestial's aloof and detached image, but it also added a great deal of warmth, making Ritsuka feel the distance between them had lessened.
It wasn't just Ritsuka; the others felt the same.
Merlin stroked his chin, the smile on his face becoming a touch more genuine.
He loved humanity, but not humans themselves—rather, the stories they created.
His impression of the Phoenix Celestial hadn't been particularly favorable before. While he didn't have a bad impression, he didn't have a strong positive one either, beyond her considerable power.
But now, this Phoenix Celestial with a more human touch had grown considerably more likable in his eyes.
"Even if you say that... I can't reveal much about the Three Goddess Alliance." 'Ishtar' pursed her lips, feeling even more displeased internally, yet also feeling a faint, inexplicable pleasure at hearing such sincere words.
Torn by these complicated feelings, she turned her head away, adopting an unwilling-to-talk attitude.
"You're not really in a position to set conditions, you know. If you don't talk, you might face... stricter interrogation methods," Merlin teased, trying to scare her.
'Ishtar' wasn't falling for it. "That depends on what you ask. What cannot be said, I won't say even if you kill me."
Besides, death didn't matter. This wasn't really her body anyway. Dying would be fine—maybe even better!
"In that case, why are the goddesses attacking Uruk? What are the true names of the other two goddesses? And, who summoned you? Please answer these questions properly," Merlin said.
"Before that, you, what's your name?" Ishtar looked at Ritsuka.
"Fujimaru Ritsuka," he replied.
"And that human over there?" Ishtar looked at Amber.
"...Fu Hua. It was rushed last time we met; I neglected to exchange names. My apologies." Amber didn't hesitate to borrow the Celestial's great name.
"Good. Seeing as you've foolishly given me your names, I'll answer you." Learning that they hadn't exchanged names last time, and that this was technically the first time, Ishtar's mood suddenly improved, a smile appearing on her face.
"First point: the reason the Three Goddess Alliance is attacking Uruk is, naturally, to rule the earth in the future."
"However, I intend to rule over humanity. The goddess of the north claims the earth itself. As for the other one, the goddess of the south... honestly, I don't really understand her, so I don't know."
Ishtar explained concisely: "Whoever obtains the Greater Grail of Uruk first can claim this land as their own. The other two must either leave or become subordinate gods..."
"And I wasn't summoned by a Holy Grail, nor by the Counter Force. I was summoned by the priestesses of Uruk."
Hearing this, and connecting it to Eanna of Uruk and the current state of Kutha, Merlin's suspicions were confirmed. His expression became thoughtful.
"As for their true names, I cannot reveal them. You wouldn't go around spreading the secrets of your friends and family, would you? Compared to other beings, goddesses must adhere more strictly to the rules. So on this point, I have nothing to say."
"'Goddesses must adhere to the rules'... Really doesn't sound like something Ishtar would say," Merlin couldn't resist quipping.
'Ishtar's' expression darkened. She realized they had already guessed her situation.
"Still, this information is enough to trade for the goddess's freedom, for now. Let's call it a favor for the Phoenix Celestial."
Not daring to truly push this goddess too far, Merlin quickly waved his hands in a placating gesture.
--+--
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!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.