In front of the temple of Uruk, there was an extremely large square, typically used by priests to offer sacrifices to the gods. But now, it was packed with a massive crowd. Even the areas outside the square were crammed with people. Countless soldiers stood in separate formations, guarding the temple and the periphery of the crowd.
The reason for this was simple yet unprecedented—their king had summoned them, the entire population of Uruk.
Although Ophis had initiated a large-scale war some time ago and continued to strengthen the army, consuming significant manpower and resources, she had managed the city-state of Uruk perfectly.
However, despite her flawless policies, Ophis had rarely appeared before the people, even when Enkidu was alive, and after his death, she vanished entirely from public view. Until today, only the legions that had recently followed her in suppressing the remaining enemies and the high officials responsible for important matters had seen Ophis.
This summons was unexpected, and most of Uruk's people had gathered out of curiosity about their elusive king.
As the noisy crowd suddenly quieted, they were prompted by others to look towards the highest point of the temple.
Ophis stood there, expressionless, clad in a black robe with red patterns and a black crown on her head.
"People of Uruk, my subjects."
With the aid of Merlin's magic, Ophis's voice was carried clearly to every corner of Uruk, allowing even those not present to hear her.
"I am the one and only supreme king of Uruk, Ophis. I believe none of you doubt this."
She scanned the crowd. The people of Uruk seemed undisturbed by the typical introduction used whenever an important figure in Uruk spoke. They quietly waited for her next words.
"You must be curious about why I have taken so many seemingly irrational actions recently, actions that have displaced many people and taken a long time to resolve."
As she spoke, Ophis looked at those who had gathered from other city-states. While they might not harbor much resentment towards her, they probably didn't have warm feelings either.
"Perhaps, in your eyes, Uruk seems peaceful and tranquil, and everything I am doing now seems pointless. You may think the increasing monster attacks are just a temporary anomaly and not a significant threat. I will not blame you for this. After all, your vision is limited."
At this point, Ophis gradually raised her voice.
"People of Uruk, do you understand how fragile the peace you now enjoy is? Do you realize the wrath of the gods is upon us? Do you know Uruk will soon face destruction at the hands of the gods?"
The people of Uruk were naturally shaken by this news.
"Shock, fear, resentment—these are likely your feelings right now, but resentment is meaningless. Uruk will be destroyed. This is an absolute future, unavoidable and unstoppable."
Ophis's voice grew louder, forcibly silencing the murmurs of the people.
"Yes, no matter what, Uruk will eventually be destroyed, and you will all inevitably die... I will not dictate how you face that end. You may choose to run, indulge in pleasure, or surrender to the underworld. But!"
Ophis raised her hands, releasing a powerful spiritual wave that suppressed the crowd's rising panic, forcing them to focus solely on her.
"But, are you truly content? Will you remain the slaves and puppets of the gods, ending your lives meaninglessly under their unjust wrath? Or will you take up arms, and in the final moments of your life, strike a blow against the gods' minions, filled with all your anger?"
As she said this, the aura Ophis had exuded gradually calmed, and she once again surveyed the crowd.
"Whatever your choice, I assure you that Uruk will be your last and safest refuge... until the final moment."
With those last words, Ophis turned and disappeared into the temple. Merlin and Medea, who had been following her, also departed, leaving the crowd in the square restless once more.
"Ah, King Ophis's performance this time was quite impressive. I could truly sense the aura of a king."
Hearing Merlin's slightly frivolous praise, Ophis initially planned to ignore it.
"It seems all that practice in front of the mirror has paid off~"
Suddenly, she wanted to kill someone...
After kicking Merlin out of the temple, Ophis finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"This... should be enough."
[Don't worry, you have fulfilled your obligations to them. No matter what choice they make, the final outcome won't change.]
"It won't change…?"
Ophis muttered to herself as she looked out the window at the entirety of Uruk.
"Qi... really, is there no other way?"
[...]
"Pray?"
[To be honest, I was really surprised just now. I didn't expect you to ask such a thing... Originally, for you, since your fate is predetermined, no matter how tragic that fate may be, your will to rebel wouldn't be so strong, right?]
"Perhaps... that's true."
Ophis was momentarily stunned. Thinking it over, she realized she didn't even know why she asked such a question.
[Feeling a bit lost?]
"Maybe it's because this is the city Enkidu loved."
Shaking her head, Ophis finally settled on that conclusion.
[Ha... Enkidu again? Really, whether it was meeting you or teaching you, I was the first one there... But I can't deny that he truly did put a lot of effort into you... But let me ask you, is this really because of Enkidu?]
Ophis remained silent at Qi's question.
"I have no idea..."
In the end, she gave the same answer as before.