Though jaguars are part of the feline family, wouldn't you say tigers resemble cats more closely?
As for the method Castorice was using now, she hadn't really expected it to work—it was more of an experiment. Yet, surprisingly, it did. And what was that thing in her hand?
Simple—a leaf of catnip.
In this era, such a thing was a rarity. Castorice had spotted it earlier while venturing into the jungle and, recalling the nature of the Jaguar Man, decided to gather some.
Back then, it was just a shot in the dark, but who would've thought it'd actually come in handy?
Guess it's true—you can only defeat a comedic character with comedic methods, huh?
If it really came down to a brawl, it'd be hard to say who'd come out on top. Even though she wasn't part of the Three Goddess Alliance, in terms of pure strength, she wasn't weak at all. In close combat, aside from Kukulkan, the other two goddesses probably couldn't take her down.
"So just because a jaguar's a feline, catnip works on her too? Is this the most ancient catnip in history?"
The tense atmosphere shifted into something strange the moment the Jaguar Man fell under the spell of the catnip. Merlin watched the scene, stroking his chin as he remarked.
"To think it could be done this way… that's… that's impressive."
Ana observed the situation, equally dumbfounded.
"Mmm… such a fragrant scent… A human, trying to win me over like this? Hmph, you think I'd fall for that? Well, you're right—I totally am!"
Staring at the catnip in Castorice's hand, the Jaguar Man's face twisted with internal struggle. Just as Ana and the others tensed up again, she abruptly switched her tune and surrendered.
For a deity, she was unexpectedly… lacking in principles, to say the least.
"I gathered this along the way in the forest. Since you like it, I'll give it to you. I can even sketch what the plant looks like so you'll know how to find it later."
Castorice placed the dried catnip leaves into the Jaguar Man's palm.
Seeing her completely off guard, Castorice could have easily touched her body then and there. Even if she couldn't outright kill a divine being, a severe injury would've been possible.
But Castorice didn't do it.
She could deliver death, but not through such underhanded means—not to someone who trusted her enough to let their guard down.
Besides, doing something like that would've burned all bridges beyond repair.
"Hmph, you know what's up, human. In recognition of your offering, I'll let you off the hook today."
"Go back the way you came. But don't even think about taking those sacrificial offerings with you! Otherwise, Kuku'll make me practice wrestling with her! Sniff sniff…"
As she spoke, the Jaguar Man intoxicatedly inhaled the scent of the catnip. Maybe feeling it wasn't strong enough, she hesitated a moment before popping a leaf into her mouth.
Instantly, her whole body shuddered intensely.
"But I want to know—are those people safe?" Merlin asked, watching the Jaguar Man.
"They might have a rough time, but their lives aren't in danger. Asked enough? If so, get going."
She waved a hand at the group, clearly seeing them out.
"Wait, I still have something to ask."
Just as the Jaguar Man was about to usher them away, Castorice cut in.
"What is it? Ask quickly while I'm still in a good mood."
Her attitude toward Castorice seemed slightly better.
Well, when you accept gifts, it's hard to stay stern—even gods have some shame, you know.
You can't just take someone's stuff and then turn around and snap at them.
"I want to ask you—have you seen Death?"
"Can you be more specific? What do you mean by 'Death'…?"
Hearing Castorice's rather abstract question, the Jaguar Man felt her brain overheating.
What in the world was this "Death" she was talking about?
"I'm not sure of her exact form. I only know she's my other half, the embodiment of death. Beyond that, I know nothing."
"Dunno. At least, I haven't seen her. Whether Kuku knows anything, I couldn't tell you either."
The Jaguar Man shrugged.
Seeing this, Castorice nodded, no disappointment in her eyes. After all, if finding her other half were that easy, the task would be far too simple.
Since their last encounter with Ereshkigal, Castorice hadn't run into her again, so there'd been no chance to ask.
If there was one place her other half was most likely to be, it was the underworld.
Of course, if she had truly appeared, given the Titan's power, Ereshkigal wouldn't be so at ease now. Even with her authority making her invincible in the underworld, who knew how an extraterrestrial force like the Titan would behave in this world?
"My apologies."
Castorice nodded. The goal of this outing had been achieved. Though they hadn't rescued the people of Ur, Merlin was relieved to learn they were safe.
After that, Castorice and the others returned to Uruk.
Back in Gilgamesh's palace, Castorice recounted everything that had happened over the past two days.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
At once, unrestrained laughter echoed through the hall.
"A pity, a real pity! Such an amusing event, and I, the King, didn't get to witness it personally. What a shame! I shall inscribe this tale upon a stone tablet. Yes, let it be written: 'The King laughed so hard his abs split.'"
After hearing Castorice's description of the Jaguar Man, Gilgamesh completely lost it, roaring with laughter.
"Your Majesty, now is not the time for laughter! If that goddess in the dense forest is the real deal, we're in serious trouble."
Merlin massaged his temples, exasperated.
That was Quetzalcoatl—a bona fide chief deity.
Even if she didn't belong to this era and hadn't descended in her complete form, considering that inexplicable tropical rainforest, her power was likely far more terrifying than imagined.
There were no tropical rainforests in the land of Mesopotamia.
The one that had appeared out of nowhere at the border of Ur could only be the result of one thing: Quetzalcoatl's authority. On that scale, it was probably already at the level of a Reality Marble—a manifestation of miracle.
To be honest, if it weren't for Castorice knowing she was a benevolent deity… if an existence of that caliber were truly an enemy, perhaps only Castorice, after becoming a Titan, could defeat her.
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.