On the palace throne, Ereshkigal sat with her arms and legs crossed. Her pink cheeks were puffed out, making her look like an adorable, angry little squirrel with its mouth full of chestnuts.
Li Lin and Ishtar knelt before the throne like two naughty children, their heads bowed.
Ishtar: "Hey, what does this have to do with me? I'm not the one who pushed the wall down."
Seeing Eresh's foul mood, Ishtar muttered under her breath, a little indignantly. Although she was a prisoner, it didn't mean she had to take the blame for every disaster. She had her dignity as the proud mistress of heaven.
Recalling the scene in the bathroom, Ishtar said matter-of-factly, "It was a bit sudden, but if it's with [myself], I guess it's not entirely out of the question. After all, I'm a prisoner now. If I'm 'coerced' by [myself], I have no choice but to comply." She even spread her hands and shrugged, as if she had seen right through Eresh's intentions.
Heh, you just wanted a 'sisters' bath,' didn't you? Did you think I couldn't tell? The goddesses and nymphs in heaven have played this trick to death. What surprised her more was that the great goddess of the Underworld had such interests. You really can't judge a book by its cover. Even [my other self] has a hidden side.
Eresh: "....."
My fists are clenched. They are very clenched.
Listening to Ishtar's commentary, Eresh felt like all her goodwill had been wasted. Normally, intruders in the Underworld would be met with overwhelming force, blasted into ashes by her crimson lightning. And Ishtar? If it weren't for Li Lin's sake, who the hell would have the time to play dress-up with her? Not throwing her into the deepest pits of hell was already a sign of her benevolence!
"Hehe, hehehe." Suddenly, a smile spread across Eresh's face. It was a cold smile, and the sound of her laughter was chilling.
Hearing that sound, both Li Lin and Ishtar shuddered, sensing trouble. Li Lin glanced at Ishtar and quickly raised his hand, shouting, "Reporting, Lady Ereshkigal! This has nothing to do with me! I didn't see anything, and I don't know anything! If you're in a bad mood, you should take it out on Ishtar. She's always causing trouble anyway, one more time won't make a difference."
"You...!" Ishtar turned her head in disbelief. So this is the so-called backstabbing from an ally? Perfect timing, you bastard!
"Nghh..." Faced with her murderous glare, Li Lin guiltily looked away. Sorry, but better you than me. Besides, I'm going to plead for you later anyway, so it all evens out.
"Um, Lady Ereshkigal, if there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave," he said tentatively. He slowly stood up, planning to make a quiet exit. But just as he turned, a force pressed down on his shoulder, pinning him in place.
Li Lin: "..."
Damn it, why does this scene feel so familiar?
"You're not going anywhere," Eresh's voice came from behind him. He turned to see her smiling benevolently, though a blush still lingered on her cheeks. "I haven't even dealt with you for your weird memories yet. You think you can just run away?"
Nooo! Eresh, my beloved, I was wrong! I shouldn't have messed with the memories you were extracting! Spare me!
In an instant, Li Lin was on his knees. He never thought Eresh would have figured out his little tricks in the illusion from this minor incident.
Tragic.
Meanwhile, in the temple on Mount Ebih, Ishtar's handmaiden, Ninshubur, was pacing back and forth like an ant on a hot pan.
"No, it's already been five days. Could something have happened to my lady?!" Ninshubur bit her lip, her heart filled with anxiety. Although Ishtar had told her to wait seven days before seeking help, she knew that if her mistress could succeed, she would have done so within three days.
Seeing the deadline approaching, Ninshubur decided to wait no longer. She would go to the heavens and ask the sky-father, Anu, for help.
...
In the star-filled courtyard of the gods, Ninshubur soon arrived before the gates of Anu's grand temple. As Ishtar's handmaiden, she wasn't normally allowed to enter a chief god's temple uninvited, but this was an emergency. After a brief prayer, she walked in.
"Speak. You wouldn't have come to me unless that girl Ishtar has gotten into trouble again," a pale-faced old man said, blocking her path before she could even stop.
"You are...? Greetings, great Lord Anu!" Ninshubur looked up in surprise and, upon recognizing the visitor, quickly bowed her head in respect.
"It's fine. Tell me, what has she done this time to make you come all the way here?"
"Um, Lord Anu," Ninshubur began, explaining the reason for her visit in full.
"What?! You're saying she went to the Underworld!" Anu's lip twitched, his gentle face turning bitter. Good grief, I thought ravaging Mount Ebih was the craziest thing she had done.Damn it, don't you know that woman is your other half? You went to the Underworld, and you expect to come out unscathed? If you do, I'm this ??.
At this moment, a curse was on the tip of Anu's tongue. 'I've definitely spoiled her too much. I need to be stricter with her in the future,' he thought with a sigh.