As in the myths, when Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, witnessed the death of his dearest friend Enkidu before his eyes, even his indomitable spirit broke, and he wept bitterly.
Though he had already experienced Enkidu's death once and embarked on a journey to seek the elixir of immortality, transforming his heart and becoming the true wise king of Uruk, the sight of his friend's corpse before him again overwhelmed his restraint. Even in the presence of others, he could not suppress his emotions.
He bowed his head, tightly grasping Enkidu's broken hands, tears streaming from his eyes.
Gilgamesh wept...
It was an undeniable truth. Though he faced away from Roy and Merlin, silent, his trembling body and emotional turmoil were palpable to them.
Yet, in such a moment, they neither mocked nor approached to console the king.
They simply stood quietly by Gilgamesh's side, waiting for him to release the pent-up emotions in his heart.
After a long time...
Having vented his emotions, Gilgamesh found an indescribable calm settling over him.
For so long, he had borne the weight of preserving humanity's spark, carrying the burden of Uruk on his shoulders.
Though he never spoke of it, the pressure, mental exhaustion, and suppressed emotions were beyond words.
Under such prolonged strain, his spirit had neared its breaking point, teetering on the edge of collapse.
So, when faced with his dearest friend, even though Enkidu had already lost his life, Gilgamesh was willing to reveal his most vulnerable self before him.
Clutching Enkidu's hand, he wept and poured out the longing he had carried all this time, until his suppressed emotions returned to a state of calm.
After this raw outpouring, Gilgamesh slowly rose, still seated with his back to Roy and Merlin, and gently draped the white cloth back over Enkidu's body.
...
...
In the throne room,
"Is this really the right approach? What can such a simple test reveal? By dismissing them so abruptly without explanation, aren't you risking discouraging Ritsuka and Mash, those two young girls?"
Roy didn't protest on behalf of Ritsuka and Mash, for he knew they wouldn't be defeated by such a setback. They would surely discern Gilgamesh's intentions, seek understanding, grow, and ultimately earn his genuine respect.
But Merlin remained concerned.
After all, he had watched those two girls from the First Singularity onward, investing no less emotion and expectation than Romani of Chaldea. So, he couldn't help but ask with care.
"Oh? Merlin, I never expected you, of all people, to question me like this."
Hearing Merlin's question, Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow and replied, "This approach may seem harsh, but I have no time to further scrutinize their abilities or character. Rather than relying on your accounts or this one's assurances, I want to hear their true intentions."
"Let them explore every corner of Uruk themselves. This will not only allow me to understand them better but also help them integrate into this world more quickly, giving me the answers I seek from their hearts."
"You're testing them with Uruk itself?"
"Hmph, naturally." Gilgamesh nodded.
"If they fail to grasp my intentions and lose their way, they are fools. If they slack off and don't bother to understand Uruk as I've instructed, they are lazy. If their resolve doesn't earn my approval, then they aren't the ones to save Uruk."
"I've given them every opportunity they need. Whether they seize it depends on their own merit."
"Well said, King. Truly well thought out. In that case, I'll just-"
Having learned what he wanted, Merlin, ever eager to slack off, promptly prepared to slip away.
"You... get back here!"
Seeing Merlin's attempt to escape, Gilgamesh's brow twitched, and he shouted after him.
Roy, playing along, raised a hand, grabbed the white hood of Merlin's cloak, and yanked him back.
"Let me go, Roy!! If I don't escape now, this heartless boss will work me to death again!"
"Heartless boss?"
At the term, Gilgamesh's brow furrowed, his anger nearly erupting, tempted to cleave the brazen fool with an axe.
"I work at least twenty hours a day, aside from necessary meals and rest. In a crisis like this, you, you useless slacker, dare to sneak off and laze about in my presence?!!"
"Aaah... King, hear me out! I've been busy too during this trip-"
"Busy, you say? I know the situation across Mesopotamia has shifted drastically, and your work has been affected, which is unavoidable. But that's no excuse for us to waste time. Disaster won't wait for us to be fully prepared."
"So, Merlin, keep working. This time, I'll grant you a bit more rest. Stay in Uruk with Siduri to guide the Chaldea group for two days, then take them and get out of Uruk to continue searching for the Tablet of Destinies. And this time, you must find it. I'm serious."
"Not long ago, Enki appeared in my dreams, warning that the day of Uruk's destruction draws ever closer. We truly have no time left, Merlin."
Gilgamesh's weary eyes trembled with earnestness as he looked at Merlin and spoke.
"...I understand."
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Merlin ceased his antics, nodded slightly, and accepted the daunting task.
But the prospect of such relentless work made him sigh, "With the unexpected issues on the Beast suppression front that I need to investigate, and now the tasks of finding the Tablet and guiding Chaldea, if I weren't a Servant, I'd probably drop dead from overwork."
"Hahaha, you're not even human! Even without a Servant's body, you wouldn't die from overwork."
"So enjoy it. These two days might be the most peaceful you'll get for a while."
Laughing heartily, Gilgamesh clapped Merlin on the shoulder. After issuing the basic orders, he promptly kicked Merlin out of the divine tower.
"Now that Merlin and the Chaldea matters are settled, it's your turn, King of Ur."
With Merlin and the Chaldea group dispatched from the tower, only the two kings, representing their respective city-states, remained in the throne room.
"The irrelevant parties have been cleared out. What follows is a discussion between city-states, between kings. Are you ready, King of Ur?"
"Of course."
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