Chapter 35: Coaxing and Tricking
Stunned by Mash's sudden question, Ishtar's expression froze for a few seconds. Then, abandoning all pretense, she answered directly, "Fine! I've been to the Underworld, happy now?! I didn't want to talk about it...!"
"Ah, I see. My apologies..." Mash realized instantly.
Hearing Mash's apology, Ishtar sighed helplessly. "Well~ I was just being temperamental, so I might as well tell you. My trip to the Underworld was a failure, and I made a complete fool of myself."
"I understand. No wonder you didn't want to bring it up," Mash nodded.
Ishtar continued, "Ever since then, I've been super uncomfortable dealing with that woman. And that is exactly whose territory we are heading into now." As she spoke, she looked at Shirou. "This is the Underworld. Ereshkigal, as the 'Mistress of the Underworld,' is incredibly powerful here. Even you might not be a match for her."
"Is that so..." Shirou replied.
Just then, the group arrived before a tightly shut stone gate. The second the four of them halted, a woman's voice emanated from within.
"Living beings who have fallen into the Underworld, answer me: how does your soul exist?"
Ishtar explained to the group, "Alright, here comes the binary choice. The Gate of the Underworld questions the soul's morality; it is a gate of impartial and rational judgment."
"The morality of the soul?" Gudako asked, puzzled.
"Exactly. There are seven gates in total. It was these very gates that stripped away my authority back then," Ishtar answered.
At this moment, the woman's voice from within the gate spoke again: "Then, I shall pose a question to the sinful Orihara Shirou."
Hearing that, Ishtar was stunned. "It even calls out names!?"
The female voice continued: "Though the standards of beauty are diverse, they remain absolute. Black can triumph over white, and the earth can triumph over the heavens. So, who is more beautiful: Ereshkigal or Ishtar?"
"Hey! Wait, this is different from the previous questions!" Ishtar was flabbergasted by the question.
The female voice pressed on: "Quick, answer me! An~swer~ me~"
"This kind of question shouldn't even require hesitation!" Ishtar shot an eager look at Shirou. "Obviously, I am more beautiful! Right!?"
"No, I choose Ereshkigal," Shirou said flatly.
Hearing this answer, Ishtar's face fell instantly. She glared at Shirou, gnashing her teeth; had she not been unable to defeat him, she surely would have rushed up to bite him.
At this, the voice behind the stone gate seemed to perk up. "Correct answer~"
With a trembling sound, the tightly shut stone gate slowly opened for them.
"Let's go." Shirou walked through first.
There were still six gates left. When they reached the second, that familiar female voice resonated once more: "Who is more beautiful: Ereshkigal or Ishtar?"
"..." The four of them fell silent.
"Ereshkigal!" Shirou answered again.
The closed gate slowly opened. Ishtar's expression became furious once more.
After that, they experienced three more question-and-answer sessions, and each time, the question was identical. With every gate passed, Ishtar's body shrank. After five, she was already the size of a palm, looking like a living figurine.
"Ishtar-san, are you really alright?" Mash asked, looking worriedly at Ishtar, who was sitting on Fou's fluffy back.
"This is already the sixth gate, only one remains. Even though I've turned into this, I have no choice but to push forward!" Ishtar's body floated in mid-air. "Although I can't fight, I expected this much. I'll make sure to protect myself so I don't get squashed by Ereshkigal."
"You do look much cuter now that you've shrunk," Shirou said. He reached out to pinch Ishtar's headpiece, lifting her up before his eyes to examine the tiny girl. Then, he raised his other hand.
Examining Shirou's gaze, Ishtar's cheeks turned crimson. "Y-you... what are you trying to do?!"
"Nothing, just thought it was interesting."
Shirou extended his index finger toward the tiny Ishtar. Seeing her exert all her might to try and push his finger away—only to move it so little that it felt like a massage—he found the sight quite amusing.
Just then, a shrill, high-pitched laughter echoed from the shadows ahead. The unmistakable, pleasure-filled laugh could only belong to Gilgamesh.
"I appreciate you all coming to receive me," the Wise King Gilgamesh waved at the group.
"Y-you... weren't you imprisoned by Ereshkigal?" Mash asked, surprised.
"Hmph~ Although this death was a moment of carelessness, this is not my first time in the Underworld, the mere Underworld! Avoiding her was easy! Before those Gallu spirits could
find me, I hid in the shadows, held my breath, entered a meditative state of breath concealment, and escaped perfectly from under their noses. I was just waiting for an opportunity to strike."
As he spoke, Gilgamesh looked at Ishtar, whom Shirou was holding in his palm, and began to point at her while clutching his stomach, roaring with laughter.
"Hahahaha! Are you trying to laugh me to death?! Hahahaha!!!"
"So, since we've met you here, does that mean we can go straight back?" Gudako asked.
"No," Gilgamesh shook his head. "I am currently in a state of death. Without that woman's permission, I cannot leave this Underworld."
However, he immediately smiled. "In that case, let's go give Ereshkigal a lesson, and then head back!"
With that, Gilgamesh walked toward the stone gate ahead. "Is this that so-called stone gate? There's no need to ask; the answer is clearly yours truly!"
"It~ is~ not~ you~!"
In the end, it was Shirou who gave the "correct answer," and the group passed through the final gate.
"If Ishtar is useless, our battle with Ereshkigal might become quite grueling," the Wise King Gilgamesh remarked.
"Goddess Ereshkigal... what is her level of combat power?" Mash asked.
"Hmm... if I were to make a comparison, she lacks the specific divinity that Ishtar possesses," Gilgamesh answered.
"Does King Gilgamesh know about Ereshkigal as well?" Gudako asked curiously.
"Well, I know enough. If Ishtar is the type of goddess who can get her hands on anything she desires, Ereshkigal is the goddess who desires nothing at all."
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