Before the Holy Grail War even began. During the peaceful days when I was acting as a fake doctor in Fuyuki and going out with Morgan (Tonelico) every Sunday.
I went to the library and looked up records of my past lives.
Since Johanna and Morgan were special cases, I couldn't find any records of them.
Instead, in the case of Tamamo and Gilgamesh, there were some records written about me.
The Epic of Gilgamesh. In the early to middle parts of the oldest recorded heroic tale, the war god Marduk appears.
Marduk has a decent amount of screen time as Gilgamesh's first connection, but after a fight with Gilgamesh, he leaves Uruk, and his appearance ends.
The words he left behind as he was leaving are quite impressive.
-Gilgamesh is certainly a brave, noble, and wise king. However, I have grown tired of his greed. Since I first arrived in this land empty-handed, I shall leave empty-handed.
I don't know who said it, but he seems like a really cool person. Mr. Marduk.
And it is written that Mr. Marduk fully awakened as a war god and ascended to the heavens.
It feels like they just cut it off here, probably because there was no way to know my whereabouts, which were stuck in a forest, besides Gilgamesh.
My actual whereabouts continue from Humbaba.
Humbaba was a beast sent down by the gods to raise Enkidu, and it is said that he was a versatile beast.
In reality, I hated the gods. I almost died because of Ishtar's curse. Anyway, that's that.
Humbaba, who was also the guardian of the Cedar Forest, is said to have remained alone in the Cedar Forest and spent his time there even after Enkidu became friends with Gilgamesh.
And he fought a battle with Gilgamesh and Enkidu, who had come to procure timber, and died.
Gilgamesh's scheme in between was a big dark history for her, so it was omitted. It was recorded in great detail in the book, but I don't know how it was passed down orally.
When Humbaba died, Enkidu erected a tombstone in memory of his friend.
“I think this treasure is probably that tombstone.”
It's probably Enkidu's treasure, but wasn't it also precious to Gilgamesh? The flower crown must be similar.
“What's the last treasure?”
I'm starting to get used to the structure of the mirror maze, so it's time to end this attraction.
Gilgamesh was standing in front of the last treasure chest.
I, who was planning to tease her a little, asking where she had been playing, had no choice but to give up as soon as I saw Gilgamesh's expression.
“…You‘re late, Marduk.”
“Why are you so down?”
“Me? I was just a little bored. Crying, I won't show you such a weak side.”
Even so, her face is already half-crying.
Pointing it out would be a bit much, so I changed the subject.
“Have you opened the treasure chest?”
Gilgamesh shut her mouth. Her silence was her answer.
What did she see to make her face so pale?
“Then I'll open it?”
“…Do you really have to?”
“What do you mean?”
“The mission. It won't give any reward, just like with the beast-san and the fox-san. Is there any reason to waste energy on something so useless?”
Waste energy on something useless?
To think the day would come when I would hear such words from Gilgamesh.
I'm starting to worry about what the last treasure is.
I'm worried, but I have no intention of stopping.
“I've thought about this Singularity in my own way. It's too strange to be dismissed as an ordinary amusement park. I thought there was something else besides enjoying it.”
“You mean there's something more?”
“This is a place that gives another chance.”
To be precise, it's a place where one can feel relieved. A place to let go of one's emotional baggage and prepare to truly enjoy the amusement park.
“Draco has been able to firmly believe in someone for the first time. Tamamo has come to feel that it's okay to be helped by me.”
“I'm sorry, but I don't have any obsessions. If it's a firm friend, there's Enkidu, and if it's a situation that requires help, I can ask. I don't know if it's the same for the grown-up me, who is stubborn.”
“Then it wouldn't matter if I opened this treasure chest, would it?”
Gilgamesh bit her lip. It was a nervous look I had never seen before.
“That… you can't. It's a piece of advice for you, Marduk. Just give up on this mission.”
Something Gilgamesh is very reluctant about. Something that is not good for me either.
And yet, a precious treasure.
No way.
“Don‘t open it!”
“I‘ve already opened it… and yes. There's certainly a reason for you to hate it.”
I closed the lid again. The treasure count had already gone up to 3. Gilgamesh had already checked it, but seeing the count go up only after I saw it... it must mean that I absolutely have to see it.
It was a treasure that had a reason to be.
Clay in the shape of a baby wrapped in a cloth. A demonic object that Gilgamesh had planned to kill me, Humbaba.
When I checked the treasure and turned around, I saw a frowning Gilgamesh.
She looked more like she was forcing herself to be strong than angry.
“I did that, but it wasn't something I did. It was something the pathetic adult me did. So…”
“Isn't there something else you have to apologize for?”
“The curse… I did it, but……….”
How frustrating.
“Alright. The attraction is going to end at this rate. Come here quickly.”
I opened my arms. Gilgamesh stared at me for a long time and then squeezed her eyes shut.
A warm scent wafted through the air.
“…I‘m sorry.”
Next was Johanna.
“I want to ride the Ferris wheel too!”
“The Ferris wheel? You want to try mountain climbing?”
“Doesn't it sound fun? It looked cool when I was watching you and Tamamo-san climb together.”
Johanna averted her gaze slightly.
“Of course, I can't help but be jealous… but I think it's okay because I've become friends with everyone.”
She said, sticking her tongue out slightly in a playful voice.
“I want to make the others jealous too…? Hehe.”
We went straight to the Ferris wheel.
The sun had set, and the moon in the sky was hidden by clouds, making it dark.
Still, the amusement park was sparkling with colorful, beautiful lights. It was brighter than ever.
Johanna boarded the Ferris wheel with a brisk walk.
After I boarded, the Ferris wheel started moving again.
“Mountain climbing. Are you sure you're okay?”
“I'm not good at fighting, but I'm confident in my stamina!”
“You haven't been mountain climbing since you became Pope.”
“Ugh…”
Johanna sank with a groan. Cute.
When will this ride change? We spent our time chatting.
“Didn't it change as soon as Tamamo-san got on?”
“It did. It was hard to climb up from the bottom.”
The Ferris wheel went up about halfway.
“…It‘s not changing?”
“It might change into something other than a mountain. Let's wait a little longer.”
Finally, the top.
“The night view is beautiful!”
“The amusement park is much bigger than it looks. There are so many things.”
“Yeah! That's why I was waiting in a cafe while waiting for you, Lupus.”
“My coffee?”
“Ah.”
One round ended like that.
Thud. As soon as we got off the Ferris wheel, countless gazes that had been watching us poured in.
Everyone's reaction was not much different from ours.
“Oh my. You finished quickly, Your Holiness Johanna. I was excited to see a sweaty Father. Ohoho.”
“I have finished a pleasant duet with my parent. You are only harmonious on the outside. It seems your relationship is not that deep in reality.”
Johanna sank at Tamamo and Draco's sharp sarcasm.
Gilgamesh just smiled cheerfully without saying a word. Perhaps because the swelling on her face hadn't gone down yet, she was deliberately standing a little behind.
Finally, Morgan…
“Move aside. It's a waste of time.”
Johanna screamed.
“This is strange! Why is there nothing for me? I'm confident I can do well in racing, shooting, and maze finding!”
“Do you not know.”
“Wh-what is it?”
“Even if I tell you, the fact that you were not chosen will not change.”
Johanna's pupils shook uncontrollably at her competitors' ridicule.
Johanna looks up at me with a desperate face, but it's not like it will change just because I want it to…
“N-no. I really love Lupus. I really do. Believe me!”
It suddenly became an atmosphere of confession.
The collapsed Johanna grabbed my pant leg and clung to it.
“Give me a chance. I, I'll do well. I really will!”
“Calm down. Why are you so flustered.”
“But… because only mine didn‘t change…”
Sniff sniff.
I barely managed to lift the crying Johanna. This situation of comforting her was absurd.
“You guys. You're taking the joke too far.”
“Father. This humble girl only spoke the truth. The fact that Your Holiness Johanna finished quickly is true, and the fact that she was eagerly waiting for you is also true.”
“The same goes for me. What did I say that was wrong?”
Draco's lips protruded.
“Draco. You said something harsh. Apologize quickly.”
“Hmph… I apologize. Are you satisfied.”
So rude. I never raised you like that!
Johanna, who had been happily soaking my clothes, lifted her head.
“Lu… Lupus… should I take it off?”
“………What?”
“T-to prove it with my bod…!”
I hurriedly covered Johanna‘s mouth.
This lewd pope…!