A few days later, in the Council Hall of the Kusar City-State.
“Hmm…
the flooding in the north of the city during the rainy season is quite severe…”
Doros was reviewing the clay tablets, a map of Kusha’s terrain forming in his mind; it seemed the terrain in the north was indeed a bit low.
So tired.
How is it that the miserable life of an overtime worker existed even in ancient times?
Feeling like he was going to die from overwork, Doros had been stunned when he first saw the pile of clay tablets on his desk after returning from the Underworld, but he had since accepted his fate.
Just as the stylus in Doros’s hand was about to make a note, a priest hurried in to report: “High Priest, an envoy from Uruk has arrived.
It is the King of Heroes’s close friend, Lord Enkidu.”
Enkidu?
That legendary “Chains of Heaven”?
That’s right, he had just fought alongside them against the Bull of Heaven not long ago.
It made perfect sense for him to come to Kusha at this time.
“Show him in immediately.”
A being with long green hair, a face so handsome it didn’t seem mortal, and an aura of natural harmony walked in slowly.
His smile was gentle, but his emerald eyes were as deep as an abyss.
He truly lives up to the name “Green One”; seeing him today, it is well-deserved.
Doros clicked his tongue inwardly.
“Greetings to you, helmsman of Kusha, High Priest Doros.” Enkidu’s voice was like a spring breeze.
“I have come on behalf of my friend, King Gilgamesh, to express our concern regarding the potential impact of Goddess Ishtar’s reckless behavior on the surrounding City-States.”
Doros stood up to return the greeting, his face displaying a formulaic response: “I am grateful for the King of Heroes’s concern.
Thanks to the protection of Goddess Ereshkigal, Kusha has not been affected and everything is well.”
Enkidu nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over Doros seemingly inadvertently, lingering for a moment.
In an instant, Doros felt a subtle, indescribable sense of being probed.
“High Priest, you seem…
not to be an ordinary mortal.” Enkidu’s tone remained calm, but his words went straight to the core.
“Your body is surrounded by the aura of the Underworld, deep and pure; this is not something an ordinary priest could obtain.
Beyond that, there is a…
unique ‘texture’ to you, as if you have been baptized by different times and spaces.”
His heart immediately went on alert.
Doros maintained his composure on the surface, but internally he was freaking out.
Is this the sensory ability of a God-Forged Weapon?
“I have indeed had the good fortune to receive the blessing of Goddess Ereshkigal; this is Kusha’s good fortune.
As for the unique ‘texture,’ perhaps it is due to my personal experiences; it is difficult to explain in detail.”
“The Goddess is indeed generous.” Enkidu shook his head gently.
“A High Priest who has received such deep favor from the Goddess of the Underworld, his very existence, in this era where divinity is gradually distancing itself from the human world, is enough to provoke deep thought.”
He paused, his gaze becoming somewhat distant: “What concerns me more is that unique ‘texture’ you possess; its fluctuations…
vaguely align with a certain rhythm of the world itself.
This is very interesting.
Usually, only ‘weapons’ like me, or the ‘Celestial Wedge’ like Gil, are so clearly touched by the ‘fundamental rules’ of the world.”
The rules of the world?
“The rules of the world are vast and boundless.
I am just a mortal dedicated to protecting the peace of Kusha, and I dare not speculate recklessly.” Doros responded with a guilty conscience, not daring to continue this topic with Enkidu.
He was afraid that if they kept talking, even his underwear would be exposed.
Seeming to understand Doros’s thoughts, Enkidu slowly revealed a faint smile: “Pure wishes are indeed as precious as gems.”
“However, High Priest, please be very careful.
Not all gods are happy to see the emergence of variables, especially when those variables are related to the Underworld and that Goddess who rarely involves herself in surface affairs.
Light that is too dazzling sometimes invites unnecessary shadows.”
Enkidu’s words carried a well-intentioned warning, while simultaneously sounding an alarm in Doros’s heart.
Doros knew that the Age of Gods was gradually passing away.
But he hadn’t expected that the gods would have noticed him so early.
After sending Enkidu away, Doros sat alone in the hall, his mood somewhat heavy.
Enkidu’s words confirmed his situation from the side—seemingly stable, but actually full of undercurrents.
The eyes of the gods were already cast upon them; it was inevitable that Kusha and he, this “anomaly” of a High Priest, would become one of the focal points.
Ereshkigal’s protection was indeed powerful, but she was far away in the Underworld, and it seemed her relationship with other gods was not friendly.
It was fine if he didn’t think about it, but the moment he did, Doros felt the pressure mounting.
He couldn’t help but think of the young girl who always appeared at critical moments and silently handled a large amount of administrative work.
Perhaps, he could listen to Iga’s opinion?
Thinking of this, Doros immediately decided to go find Iga to discuss and ask for her opinion.
Just as he walked out of the Council Hall, he encountered Iga at the corner of the corridor, carrying a stack of clay tablets.
“Iga!”
The young girl turned around, still wearing her usual calm expression, her golden hair shining slightly under the light passing through the colonnade.
“High Priest, is something the matter?” Her voice was calm, but it seemed you could discover a hint of imperceptible concern in her eyes.
He immediately gave a brief account of Enkidu’s visit and the content of their conversation, emphasizing the risks brought by the potential excessive attention of the gods toward Kusha.
After listening, Iga was silent for a moment, her slender fingers gently tapping the edge of the clay tablets in her arms.
“Uruk’s ‘Chains of Heaven’…
his perception is indeed sharp.”
She raised her head and looked at Doros, a flash of complex emotion appearing in her ruby-like eyes, but it was quickly replaced by calmness.
“However, you need not worry too much.”
“Oh?
Why?” Doros asked curiously.
“Because Kusha is a City-State protected by Goddess Ereshkigal.” Her tone carried an inexplicable certainty, as if she were stating an indisputable fact.
although she does not often manifest miracles, her heart of protection for the things she acknowledges is far firmer than the outside world imagines.
The authority of the Underworld is not something even the gods would easily touch.”
She paused and added: “Besides, Kusha’s development relies on the concerted efforts of the entire City-State, not on pleasing any particular god.
As long as we do not make mistakes and stand firm, even the gods cannot impose blame without reason.”
Isn’t it because the people of Kusha rely too much on themselves, reducing their dependence on the gods, which accelerated the passing of the Age of Gods and thus attracted the attention of the gods?
Doubt is doubt, but Doros could never say these words out loud.
Otherwise, who would help him handle the administrative work later?
He immediately drank down the chicken soup.
“You’re right.” Doros sighed in relief and thanked her, “Every time I talk to you, it always makes me much clearer.
Iga, it is so good to have you in Kusha.”
Hearing Doros’s words, Iga was slightly stunned.
A very faint blush quickly swept across her fair cheeks.
She looked away unnaturally and hugged the clay tablets in her arms even tighter.
“T-that’s nothing, I just did what I should have done.
After all…
I am also a member of Kusha.”
Her voice was lower than before, carrying a hint of elusive shyness.
Looking at her appearance, Doros, as if possessed, jokingly said: “Speaking of which, sometimes you give me a feeling similar to that Goddess of the Underworld.
Both so calm, reliable, and…
hmm, both quite caring.”
“Eh?!” Iga’s body stiffened significantly.
She turned her head abruptly to look at Doros, a flash of panic in her eyes, and even the tips of her ears instantly turned bright red.
“Li-like the Goddess?
Ho-how is that possible!
High Priest, don’t talk nonsense!
The Goddess…
she is high above, I-I am just an ordinary…” Her words were a bit messy, as if eager to deny it.
Seeing Iga’s reaction was so big, Doros quickly waved his hands: “Sorry, sorry, I was joking.
The Goddess is incomparably noble; I spoke out of turn.”
Seeing him apologize, Iga’s emotions calmed slightly, but her cheeks were still flushed.
She muttered softly: “…Idiot.” The voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.
“What?”
“No-nothing!” She quickly returned to her usual calm appearance, though her eyes were still flickering.
“If there is nothing else, I will go process these documents.” After saying that, she almost fled, holding the clay tablets as she walked away quickly.
Watching her hurriedly departing figure, Doros was a bit confused, but he didn’t dwell on it, assuming his abrupt joke had made her unhappy.
[The visit of Enkidu was like an alarm bell, revealing the attention of the gods toward Kusha and you.]