"The purpose of our Three Goddesses Alliance and our reason for attacking Uruk are quite simple: we aim to dominate the earth in the future."
Ereshkigal spoke directly, showing no intention of retracting her words.
"Of course, there are some differences among us. For example, I seek control over humans, while the goddess in the north wants to control the earth itself. As for the one in the south, the cultural gap is too significant for me to understand her thoughts."
"So, the real 'Three Goddesses' do not include Ishtar?" Ophis interrupted.
"Ha, that foolish girl doesn't understand anything. Flying around aimlessly on the Sky Boat every day is the extent of her usefulness, right?" Ereshkigal sneered with disdain when speaking about her sister.
"It seems that person you mentioned must have lied to you or teased you. In any case, she is not one of the 'Three Goddesses'."
Ophis nodded. It made sense. Despite often being covered up with superficial reasons, Ishtar's actions had always been about hindering monsters.
So, perhaps she actually knew what she was doing, right? The information she accidentally revealed was probably accurate.
"Let's move on. Though we're called an 'alliance' in name, in reality, we are competing against each other according to our own rules."
"Rules?" Ophis asked.
"That's right. It's a competition to see who conquers Uruk first and then secures the Holy Grail you, Ophis, have hidden. According to the treaty, the first goddess to obtain the Holy Grail can claim the land as her own. After that, the other two goddesses can choose to leave or stay. If they stay, they must become subordinates of the winner. That's the purpose of our alliance. Quite simple, isn't it?"
"The Holy Grail?" Ophis tilted her head.
In her eyes, the Holy Grail wasn't particularly powerful. Although it had magical power comparable to infinity, it was still just comparable and far from true infinity.
After all, the Holy Grail was merely an "unfinished product" of the Third Law, a medium to complete it.
Despite being positioned as an omnipotent wish-granting device, it was ultimately only omnipotent, not almighty.
As long as Ophis had enough knowledge, she could achieve more than the Holy Grail could.
However, for others, the Holy Grail was still a highly useful item. Even if the three goddesses didn't need it directly, such a high-level treasure was more than enough to serve as a key prop in determining the outcome.
What a hassle...
Ophis sighed inwardly.
If it wouldn't risk disrupting human history, she would have preferred to give the Holy Grail away randomly.
"Come to think of it, it was only after meeting you that I realized how ridiculous it is that the three goddesses are scheming so fiercely for the Holy Grail."
Ereshkigal curled her lips, feeling somewhat off-balance.
During their previous encounter, magic replenishment had led to a fusion of essences, and though they hadn't used the most powerful methods, Ereshkigal had felt a part of Ophis's essence.
Infinity is still infinity, even if it's just a part, far surpassing something like a broken cup.
"So, who are the goddesses of the north and the south?" Ophis asked.
"I can't tell you that," Ereshkigal replied unexpectedly.
"After all, there's a rule among us that we mustn't attack each other. This rule isn't limited to physical attacks; it includes not invading or hindering one another. Speaking each other's real names is also prohibited."
Ereshkigal explained her refusal.
"Hmm... As for why I appeared, it's just as you guessed. I was summoned by those priestesses to counter my foolish sister. However, I killed the priestesses and left. Only that silly sister would believe that so many people died due to magic exhaustion…"
"And the other two?" Ophis asked.
"Ah, those two were drawn to the Holy Grail. As for whether there's a 'Magic King' behind them... I don't know."
Ophis closed her eyes and began to think.
"You're lying," she said after a few minutes.
"Huh? Wait, I'm not lying. Besides, isn't it odd? How did you come to that conclusion?" Ereshkigal protested.
"Intuition."
"Isn't that answer just like my foolish sister's!?" Ereshkigal twisted in mid-air in frustration.
"And where did I lie? If you want to investigate, please point it out specifically."
"Who knows?" Ophis replied casually with a wave of her hand.
Since... well, she wasn't sure when, Ophis's intuition had grown increasingly sharp.
Most of what Ereshkigal said was indeed fact, but something didn't sit right with Ophis.
"It seems your purpose is to withhold the truth."
It might be too much to say she was lying, but Ereshkigal was definitely hiding something. That was what Ophis's intuition told her.
"Huh? This... doesn't seem right…"
Ereshkigal suddenly began to waver for no clear reason.
Watching Ereshkigal speak incoherently, Ophis thought silently.
"Don't talk nonsense! My goal is to establish a kingdom of the dead and rule over all human souls! I hate the living and enjoy playing with the dead. I am such an evil being!"
Ignoring Ereshkigal's dramatic speech, Ophis waved her hand, and the Heavenly Chains turned into golden light and dissipated.
Ereshkigal fell to the ground.
"You..."
"There's no point in killing this body here," Ophis said, interrupting Ereshkigal's confusion.
"Ishtar is not one of the three goddesses, so there's no need to kill her. As for you, I can't kill you through the barrier between the surface and the underworld, so I'll let you go."
"...Tsk, don't think I'll thank you for this."
Standing up, Ereshkigal's expression was complex.
"Anyway, I won't abandon my goal. In the end, I'll bring you to the underworld too. Cleanse your soul and wait!"
After delivering her villain-like lines, Ereshkigal jumped onto Ishtar's Sky Boat and flew away, leaving Ophis behind to sort through the information she had just received.
"So... the purpose isn't inherently evil, right?"
Considering Ereshkigal's personality, Ophis concluded.
At any rate, she would just interpret it in the opposite way.