The present world.
Norville was momentarily stunned, a trace of surprise flickering in his eyes.
[Blessing of the Underworld]?
From what Norville understood, fundamentally speaking, Ereshkigal’s absolute authority over the Underworld stemmed from the ‘Blessing of the Underworld’.
Possessing this blessing was a crucial reason why Ereshkigal could freely govern all affairs of the Underworld.
According to the lore, the Underworld itself was a mysterious and powerful realm, containing boundless energy and laws.
The ‘Blessing of the Underworld’ was like a key, allowing its possessor to freely draw power from it.
It wasn’t even impossible to bestow some of that power as a blessing upon others.
But based on the current simulation, it seemed what Ereshkigal had given him was something akin to a sub-blessing.
Slumped in his chair, Norville couldn’t help but tap the armrest, then couldn’t suppress a sigh at the goddess’s benevolence.
He had thought that for such an ordinary prayer, Ereshkigal would, like other goddesses, casually bestow a common blessing just to go through the motions.
Norville had originally believed it was merely a routine prayer, that this Goddess of the Underworld would perfunctorily grant a blessing like other deities.
But the facts proved—
Ereshkigal was, after all, that Ereshkigal.
That Ereshkigal who deeply loved humanity.
[At this moment, standing before the temple, you still haven’t realized what has happened.
You only feel that after that chilling sensation, it’s as if your entire body is brimming with inexhaustible strength.]
[The kind that could punch a bull to smithereens.]
[No, even a bull seems too simple.
How about a chimera?
That seems more fitting?]
[Just as you subtly turn your head, glancing at the shrine maiden who has already stepped back, your eyes revealing a desire to seek her help…]
[You suddenly hear a muffled, resonant voice emanating from the statue before you.
The shrine maiden beside you assumes an even more reverent posture.]
Meanwhile, the shrine maiden beside him was inwardly shocked beyond measure.
She had served at this temple for over a decade, yet she had never encountered such a situation.
To hear a divine oracle spoken directly from the goddess’s mouth—this she had never experienced.
Previous oracles were either conveyed via clay tablets or delivered through dreams.
Witnessing Ereshkigal personally deliver instructions was a first.
One must understand that gaining an audience with Ereshkigal, the Goddess of the Underworld, was far more difficult than with other deities who could freely manifest on the earth’s surface.
Perhaps because most meetings occurred in the Underworld and thus went unrecorded?
Then, that muffled, resonant voice spoke.
“In the name of the Goddess of the Underworld, ‘Ereshkigal’, I hereby confer upon Doros of the Kusar City-State Temple the position of [High Priest].”
Huh?
Hearing these words, Doros gasped in astonishment.
His azure pupils were filled with shock and confusion.
He immediately looked up at the statue before him, holding a birdcage, as if seeking the reason for the goddess’s action.
The mysterious aura symbolizing the Goddess of the Underworld that had enveloped the statue swiftly dissipated like a wisp of smoke, leaving only a dumbfounded Doros behind.
“We pay our respects to the High Priest!”
Unnoticed, the temple’s shadowy corridors had already been quietly filled by a group of shrine maidens.
They were uniformly dressed in long robes, their postures perfectly aligned, their expressions solemn and devout.
Their unified cry echoed through the empty temple, carrying an undeniable reverence and respect.
The Underworld.
At this moment, in the Underworld, Ereshkigal’s face was already flushed crimson.
Her beautiful ruby-like pupils darted about restlessly.
Her fair hands fidgeted incessantly on her dress, kneading and smoothing the fabric over and over, as if this could calm her down a little.
Others might not understand what the [Blessing of the Underworld] meant, but how could she not know?
This sensation was clearly a blessing bestowed by the Underworld itself.
She couldn’t mistake that feeling—it was the power belonging to the Underworld’s origin, just like…
just like the blessing she herself possessed.
One must know that she had obtained her blessing and become the [Mistress of the Underworld] precisely because she was recognized by the Underworld.
And now, after who knows how long, the Underworld had recognized another person.
Her mind couldn’t help but recall the tall, straight figure standing in the temple.
Could this be whom the Underworld recognized as the [Master of the Underworld]?
Master of the Underworld…
How did that sound anything other than the spouse of the [Goddess of the Underworld]?
Could it be…
The Underworld considered her and this fellow named Doros…
well-suited?
Otherwise, why would the Underworld bestow a blessing upon Doros for no reason?
Thinking of this, Ereshkigal’s already flushed face seemed to grow even redder.
Her whole person felt dizzy and unsteady, as if a gust of wind could topple her.
So…
could she, too, possess something like love?
[For unknown reasons, you were appointed by Ereshkigal as the ‘High Priest’ of Kusha.
This news first spread throughout the Kusar City-State, then across the entirety of Mesopotamia.]
[One must understand that in this era still illuminated by the ‘Afterglow of the Age of Gods’, the authority inherent in divine right was unquestionable.
The establishment of a City-State’s High Priest undoubtedly appointed a quasi-leader for that City-State.]
[The position of High Priest of Kusha had been vacant for over a decade.
During this vacancy, many residents of Kusha had wondered if they had been abandoned by the gods.
The establishment of this High Priest could be said to have injected a powerful stimulant into the City-State.
Everyone was shouting the name ‘Doros’.]
Uruk.
Seated upon his throne, the golden-haired, crimson-eyed man listened as Siduri reported that Kusha had selected a High Priest, and it seemed to be a child at that.
The corner of his mouth couldn’t help but curl into a smile, followed by a hearty laugh.
A subtle movement flickered in Gilgamesh’s blood-red eyes, as if seeing through time and space to the image of his own childhood self ascending to the throne.
Back then, he had been about the same age, hadn’t he?
“Doros, is it?
Hmph!
I Hope you are not merely a sacrifice pushed forth by the gods.”
“By the way, Siduri, summon Enkidu for me.”
[After becoming High Priest, you discovered that life wasn’t as easy as you had imagined.
You originally thought that as High Priest, you would be a mere figurehead.]
[But you found that aside from conveying divine oracles, all matters within the city, big and small, were handed to you for decision.
Previously, these had been handled by proxy by the shrine maidens.]
[After you became High Priest, the shrine maidens only taught you for a period how to handle official duties before handing over the authority to you with the reason, ‘This is the duty of the Priest.
We have no right to interfere.’ They didn’t hold onto power at all, despite your youth.]
[Looking at the pile of clay tablets before you, you couldn’t help but hold your forehead and let out a long sigh.
When would you ever finish processing this much paperwork?]
[Looking at the shrine maiden standing beside you with a smile, you seemed to understand why they had so quickly handed over the administrative authority of Kusha to you back then when they learned you had become High Priest.]
Looking at the shrine maiden before him, Doros turned his head back to continue gazing at the clay tablets on his desk.
Doros remained silent, focusing solely on handling the official duties.
“…”
[Age 7: Under the guidance of the shrine maidens, you had fully grasped how this City-State named Kusha operated.
Handling official duties had also become effortless.]
[Age 8: Governing the City-State…]
…
[Age 10: You noticed that attacks from magical beasts in the north seemed to be increasing in frequency.
You sent people to investigate and report the situation in the north.]
[Looking at the reports from the north, you breathed a sigh of relief.
It was merely a simple disturbance and rampage by a herd of magical beasts.]
[At the same time, you felt some puzzlement.
What kind of existence could frighten these magical beasts, causing them to panic again and again?]
[Age 12: Likely due to ‘mana feedback’, your physical development had reached adult levels.
You began to decide to systematically learn combat skills.
You seemed to have a natural affinity for spear-type weapons.
And you began to regret not starting your training earlier.]
[…]
[…You continued governing the City-State.
But during these years, a shrine maiden named Iga entered your field of vision.
She seemed exceptionally skilled at handling affairs.
You decisively decided to become a hands-off manager and dump all this paperwork on her.]
[At most, you would occasionally attach some suggestions based on your future-life experience to certain matters.]
[But what you didn’t notice was that the way Iga looked at you each time seemed a bit strange.]
[Under your governance, Kusha prospered day by day.
Tales of your wisdom spread everywhere.
Yet, you felt somewhat embarrassed.
After all, you mostly just reviewed already-decided matters, gave notifications, and offered suggestions.]
[Doros gets the MVP, Iga is the carried teammate!]
Thinking of this, Doros couldn’t help but turn his head to look at the young woman standing beside him.
He smiled, revealing a brilliant grin, then, under her somewhat shy expression, took her soft hands and said,
“Iga, meeting you truly is the fortune of three lifetimes for me, Doros.
Meeting you is like a fish finding water.
Without you, who knows what state Kusha would be in now?”
“Let us continue to work hard together, adding bricks and tiles to Kusha’s development!”