"Gilgamesh, get up!"
"Hmm? Ishtar? What brings you here?"
Looking blearily at Ishtar, Gilgamesh's limp body slumped down again.
Instinctively reaching for a wine jug beside her and finding none, Gilgamesh shook her head. The brilliance that once shone in her crimson eyes was gone, replaced by decadence, confusion, loss, and bewilderment.
"Siduri, wine. Bring me more wine."
A life of drunken stupor allowed Gilgamesh to avoid reality. Though she's the strongest King of Heroes, she was now more fragile than anyone, less able to accept Ryuya's departure than anyone else.
Her love for Ryuya, her obsession with him, made it impossible for Gilgamesh to stay sober. Severe headaches tormented her incessantly.
Only by numbing herself with alcohol could she fall into a stupor. In her dreams, Gilgamesh could see Ryuya's form, that familiar face.
She wanted to lose herself in that beautiful dream. She truly craved it.
"Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh..."
Finding that Gilgamesh had fallen asleep again almost immediately, Ishtar was speechless.
"Ishtar-sama, it's no use. The King has fallen into absolute silence. Unless she finds clarity herself, only Ryuya-sama's return can sober her up."
"Enkidu-sama has tried many times, but it's useless. You and Ereshkigal-sama should go deal with the Myriad Races' matters."
"I will go with you."
Beneath her veil, Siduri's face held deep sorrow. Seeing Gilgamesh in this state pained her greatly.
But as the Chief Priestess who had followed Gilgamesh for so many years, she understood Gilgamesh's suffering better than anyone.
Raised as a boy from childhood, the responsibilities weighing on her were suffocating.
Born as a pawn of the gods, this life was further constrained by the limits of Uruk, truly making Gilgamesh's existence unbearable.
She was also a girl. She also wanted sweet love, wanted the care of others, wanted to wear the wedding dress of her dreams.
Yet, when she finally found her love, it slipped from her grasp.
Unable to bear seeing Gilgamesh in this wretched state any longer, Siduri led the still somewhat angry Ishtar and the equally saddened Ereshkigal away.
The vast bedchamber was left to Gilgamesh alone.
"Ryu..."
Slipping hazily back into sleep, when Gilgamesh opened her eyes again, she found herself at the highest point in Uruk, a peak overlooking the entire city.
"This place is..."
Looking hazily at the shining Uruk below the mountain, Gilgamesh couldn't distinguish reality from illusion, 'Why was I here?'
"Gil."
A sudden voice from behind made Gil-chan's whole body shudder. Turning around in disbelief, she saw the figure she had longed to dream of countless times but never could.
"Ryu!"
She threw herself into Ryuya's arms without hesitation, feeling that familiar body temperature. At this moment, Gil-chan broke down in tears.
"Ryu, I missed you so much. Really, really missed you."
The once vibrant king had grown weak after Ryuya's departure. Her formerly radiant appearance had lost much of its charm.
Even her golden locks showed a few strands of white. Gilgamesh had changed greatly, but the one thing unchanged was her heart that loved Ryuya.
Holding Ryuya tightly, Gilgamesh felt happiness like never before.
"I missed you too, Gil."
Looking at the now emaciated Gilgamesh, Ryuya's smile was as gentle as ever.
Holding his wife in his arms, the two reminisced about their past experiences.
"Ryu, do you remember? When you first came to Uruk, you always said I was stupid."
"That's because you were too much of a tsundere."
"Hehe, maybe a little."
Rubbing her head against Ryuya's chest with a smile, for Gil-chan, experiencing every single second together with him was her wish.
The paths they had walked together, the breakfasts they shared, the bed they slept in, the tavern in spring, flower viewing in summer, harvesting the crops in autumn, charcoal grilling by candlelight in winter...
Gazing at the starry sky, Gilgamesh remembered her father telling her when she was young that the countless stars were the souls of the deceased.
When you miss someone, the brightest star is your lover's answer.
"Ryu, can't you stay?"
Knowing this was just a dream, knowing everything she was experiencing would vanish again, but if possible... Gilgamesh wanted to keep it all, to freeze this moment in time.
"Ah, I never left."
Under the vast cold sky, with the northern stars shining brightly, Ryuya tightened his embrace around Gilgamesh and continued, "Gil, if the starry sky is the most dazzling black, and Uruk's light is the most dazzling white, then my love for you is the most vibrant, colorful hue."
"Heaven, earth, sun, moon… none compare to your place in my heart. Even if I am not in Uruk, you will always be in my heart."
"Hmph, what about Mother Goddess, Enkidu, Ishtar, Siduri, Eresh?"
Leaning contentedly against Ryuya, Gilgamesh felt so warm.
"Hmm, Tia and the others..."
"No, don't say it."
Gently covering Ryuya's mouth, Gilgamesh shook her head.
"Promise me, Ryu. In this moment, it's just us, okay?"
"Mm."
Looking at Gilgamesh's wronged and pitiful expression, Ryuya gently kissed her tear-filled eyes.
Pressing his forehead against Gil-chan's, he said tenderly, "Let me comfort my wife, no more feeling wronged, alright? Be good."
"Who's feeling wronged? Are you coaxing a child?"
Her words still held her tsundere pride, but deep down she greatly enjoyed this feeling of being doted on by her beloved. Gilgamesh gave a light 'struggle', indicating she definitely wasn't someone so easy to coax.
Of course, it was less of a struggle and more another way of expressing love.
"I'm not coaxing a child. I'm coaxing my wife."
"Hehe..."
Snuggling obediently back into Ryuya's arms, for Gilgamesh at this moment, this was her happiest time.