"Siduri, in my view, this world is terrifying. The gods, the people of Uruk... they all have demands of me."
"The gods desire me as the 'Wedge of Heaven'. The people desire me as their king. They are all shackles, nothing more than cages meant to confine Gilgamesh."
Hearing Gilgamesh speak of Uruk's people this way, Siduri was surprised. She hadn't expected the King to feel this way, "My King, I believe the people do not intend to—"
"I understand." Waving her hand to indicate Siduri need not explain, Gilgamesh continued, "I do not blame the people. After all, as King, I am inherently meant to lead. If the people did not place their expectations upon me, I would feel uncomfortable instead."
"But, Ryuya is different."
A glimmer of light flashed in Gilgamesh's eyes, revealing her true self as she seemed to recall something.
"Ryuya-sama is different?"
"Yes, he is different."
Smiling, Gilgamesh extended her right hand, allowing the silvery moonlight to fall through her fingers onto her exquisitely beautiful face.
"Ryuya is unlike others. He makes no demands of me. Whether I am the King, or Gilgamesh, or his friend, he simply bears everything upon himself, never making demands of others."
"'The King acknowledges, the King permits, the King bears the entire world.' I never truly understood the meaning of those words before, merely supporting Uruk with all I had. But after Ryuya arrived, I understood what a true king is like."
As if resolving herself, Gilgamesh cast aside all hesitation and spoke earnestly, "Siduri, I like Ryuya. I love him. Even if my rival is God Tiamat, I will not retreat. I will become his beloved."
"For Uruk, Ryuya is the true King. He is the one who acknowledged this city, who permitted this city, who bears the entire world."
"'The King acknowledges, the King permits, the King bears the entire world.' Gilgamesh's world will also be borne by him."
This was Gil-chan's resolution.
…
[As you expected, upon learning you were God Tiamat's husband, Gilgamesh and Siduri only expressed astonishment. They held no hostility towards the Creation Mother Goddess.]
[In the following period, Uruk continued to develop under your governance. However, Gilgamesh seemed somewhat lethargic, slacking off to the point of rarely leaving the palace.]
[In contrast, his sister, Cecilia, frequently visited the palace after their first meeting.]
[You didn't dislike this stunning golden-haired, crimson-eyed girl. After all, she merely sat there, neither helping nor causing trouble, so having a mascot around was quite nice.]
[The only issue was that Gilgamesh never appeared when Cecilia was present. You assumed the older brother was jealous, not wanting to see his sister being 'taken away'.]
[Another three years passed in this manner. During this time, your interactions with Cecilia increased.]
[One day, after lengthy preparations, you opened a passage deep within an underground tunnel beneath Uruk's palace. Gilgamesh and Siduri were by your side.]
["Damn that Ereshkigal! To have dug such a long tunnel right under this king's capital! I truly underestimated her in the past."]
[Despite knowing this tunnel was preparation for the future, Gilgamesh was still in a foul mood, never having imagined Ereshkigal would tunnel right under his nose to connect to Uruk's future.]
[Ignoring the sulking Golden King, you focused entirely on the tunnel before you. You had inscribed countless spells here, making it an extremely concealed location, undetectable even by the gods.]
[After a long wait, the voice of the Underworld Goddess, Ereshkigal, finally came through: "Ryuya-sama, the passage is open."]
["Understood, Eresh. Step back for now."]
[Having the Underworld Goddess retreat, you shattered the final barrier with a kick, greeted by the Underworld's characteristic gloomy aura.]
[Stabilizing this newly opened passage, you finally completed the direct route from Uruk to the Underworld, leading straight to the seventh layer.]
[Immediately heading towards the Underworld, you were followed by a somewhat uncomfortable Gilgamesh and Siduri.]
["Ryuya-sama, it's been a long time."]
[Descending, you finally saw Ereshkigal and nodded. It truly had been a long time.]
["Ereshkigal! To open such a large hole in this king's Uruk! You certainly have skill!"]
["Gilgamesh? Why are you down here too?"]
["Honestly, you arrogant fool! Who invited you to my Underworld? How rude!"]
["A thief who presumptuously opens another's front door actually knows the word 'etiquette'? Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous..."]
[Leaving Gilgamesh and Ereshkigal to their immediate bickering, you proceeded according to habit towards the Fever Temple.]
[At the temple's entrance was the Rashomon area… a bright place filled with many flowers and vegetation. Passing familiarly through the gate, you saw a familiar figure on the other side of Rashomon.]
["Ryu."]
[The familiar figure, magnificent love… waiting there was Tiamat, who loved you and regarded you as her one and only.]
[Her pink starry eyes gazed at you filled with love. Her hand gently touched your face, her lips slightly pursed. Tiamat had waited for you, loved you, missed you, as constant as the past ten years. To her, you were her everything.]
[Through the Creation Mother Goddess's slightly trembling skin, you could sense Tiamat's nervousness. Holding her close, you gently soothed her.]
[Under your words, the goddess's crystalline skin soon flushed with a faint rosy hue. Beneath the surging emotions was the blazing heat of midsummer.]
["Tia."]
[In the joy of reunion, any words could only transform into powerless gestures. Thus, you entered that dream-like state of ambiguity. The longing after such a long separation was deeply heavy.]