[Oh, this is an unexpected sight.]
A large number of fully armed soldiers knelt on one knee in the square in front of the temple. This is what Ophis saw when she stepped out of the palace the day after her speech.
"Your Majesty, these soldiers are brave warriors who have chosen to take up arms, fully prepared to resist the impending disaster. They await your command."
"Please give us your instructions, King!"
The priestess Siduri stood at the front of the group, bowing as she spoke to Ophis. The soldiers behind her echoed her words in unison.
Ophis looked around. The number of people here was a quarter more than the original army. There were fewer veterans, but more new faces.
Each face bore a firm expression, with no sign of hesitation or doubt. The size of this force was approximately ten thousand men—an army of such magnitude in this era and region could only be described as terrifying.
These were people who, knowing it was futile, still chose to resist. Calling them "warriors" was certainly fitting. But the name "fools" also applied.
Fools who raised their weapons to fight, even knowing it was pointless.
On the day she summoned the Heroic Spirit, Ophis had glimpsed this very scene—through a power that allowed her to peer into the future.
Even now, as the scene played out before her, Ophis couldn't fully understand it. Perhaps she didn't know much about humans, but she at least knew enough to infer that ordinary people wouldn't make such a choice when faced with the end of the world.
By common sense, the order in Uruk should have collapsed long ago, right?
In fact, Ophis had made numerous preparations for the scenario where the authenticity of the future she saw couldn't be confirmed. But none of those preparations proved necessary.
Unbelievable—this was how Ophis felt now. Such an almost impossible outcome had actually come to pass.
Seeing this scene, the doubts that had surfaced in Ophis's mind just days ago resurfaced once more.
Was this seemingly inevitable future truly unavoidable?
"Many women have also expressed their willingness to help, but since women cannot serve in the military, I assigned them to logistics work."
The scene shifted to the temple, where Siduri performed the priestly rites before reporting the situation to Ophis.
"There has been no large-scale chaos in the city, as the king warned. Although a few people ignored the rules or were slightly mentally disturbed, all instances of violence and disorderly behavior were spontaneously halted by the people before the guards even arrived."
So, order hasn't collapsed at all?
Siduri continued her report.
"Also, as the king expected, some people chose to commit suicide and enter the underworld. While a very small number were discovered and successfully rescued, most of them perished."
Ophis nodded to indicate she understood.
In Ophis's opinion, if someone no longer wished to live, there was no need to save them. After all, their heart was already dead, and even if their body remained alive, it was as good as dead. But since Siduri and the others chose to save them, Ophis saw no reason to object.
"We also observed that some people seemed too shocked and were living like zombies. Since these individuals didn't cause any trouble for others, we've simply kept them under observation for the time being."
"…Centralize and unify management."
Although these people may not pose a problem in the short term, if left unchecked, they could become a disruptive factor, a hidden danger.
"Yes, I understand."
Siduri didn't hesitate to write down the order.
"Aside from these cases, most of the remaining people, even if not in the army, have expressed their willingness to provide support. It seems that Uruk's operations and the army's logistics can be fully ensured, with no major problems expected at present."
"Yeah... I understand."
Ophis nodded again, but before she could issue any further instructions, Siduri suddenly knelt down respectfully.
"Your Majesty, on behalf of the entire 'Priest's Court,' I, Chief Priest Siduri, offer our most sincere apology for the doubts we harbored towards Your Majesty. Now, we understand that everything Your Majesty did was to protect Uruk, and we see how foolish we were. Although it is more of an obligation than compensation, we ask that Your Majesty allow the 'Priest's Court' to serve under you, obey your commands, and contribute to the upcoming battles."
Although Siduri had always been respectful to Ophis, in this era when the gods had not yet fully become myths, the "divine power" of the priesthood held authority over the "royal power" in many matters.
Now, after the death of the previous high priest, Siduri, who had taken over the position in an emergency, made this declaration, essentially announcing that the entire priesthood would be directly loyal to Ophis. From now on, Ophis would be able to command them directly.
Only at this moment could Uruk truly be considered united, marking the beginning of the era of human kings, and the end of theocratic rule.
"I accept. From now on, the blessings, assistance, and treatment of the frontline troops will be entrusted to the Priest's Court."
There was no reason for Ophis to refuse such an offer.
"Yes!"
Siduri remained kneeling and saluted respectfully once more.
"You can ask Medea for assistance. She is quite adept in this area."
"Lady Medea? Understood."
In these extraordinary times, pledging loyalty couldn't be done through a series of cumbersome ceremonies. After reaching a consensus, both parties ended the topic and turned their attention to discussing the current situation.
Until the clanging sound interrupted them.
When the two women returned from their discussion, they found the temple hall filled with warriors in sophisticated armor.
Unlike the earlier group, who were numerous but lacked vigor, these warriors, though fewer in number, each exuded a formidable presence.
This was an elite force—anyone who saw them would be convinced of that.
"King! As per your orders, we have selected the 506 strongest men in the army. Please give us further instructions!"
The leader stepped forward, saluted, and spoke loudly.
"Please give us your instructions, King!"
The loud and uniform voices of the soldiers reverberated through the temple hall.