Typemoon: Starting Out as the Lion King's Personal Knight

"Hey, Ishtar, your days of flying around are over. Hand over Maanna—"

The moment he stepped into the temple, under the astonished gaze of the golden-haired goddess, Alaric launched a preemptive strike.

With those iconic words, a strange drumbeat seemed to echo faintly in Alaric's ears.

After her initial shock, the golden-haired goddess chuckled softly and said, "You're quite an interesting person, no wonder you do such things to Ishtar."

Not only had he defiled Ishtar, but he had even offered fleeting flowers in the underworld.

"Forgive my rudeness, but are you now the goddess Ereshkigal or the goddess Ishtar?"

Alaric fixed his gaze on the golden-haired goddess seated on the throne.

The greatest difference between her and Ishtar wasn't her golden hair but the aura she exuded.

Unlike the flamboyant and carefree demon goddess Ishtar, the golden-haired goddess on the throne embodied the elegance of a noble lady, radiating an air of dignity and refinement.

Before her composure faltered, she was the epitome of grace.

"You're quite perceptive. Naturally, when I awaken at night, I am Ereshkigal, the ruler of the underworld, the goddess Ereshkigal.

What's the matter? Are you afraid? After all, I am the goddess representing death."

Ereshkigal rose from her throne and walked toward Alaric.

Conversing from atop the throne made Ereshkigal uncomfortable; such discussions should take place as equals.

But that would require the other party—

To not fear her.

If this man, this human who had defiled Ishtar, feared death, Ereshkigal would not be disappointed if he decided to retreat.

"I have embraced death three times. If you are the goddess of the underworld, I suppose I would find you familiar."

As Ereshkigal approached, Alaric seemed to sense the fragrance of death, even causing the dragon heart within him to stir.

Having experienced death multiple times, the information of death that had seeped from his soul had long since permeated the dragon heart, altering the composition of his dragon blood from the inside out.

"...Is that so?

You truly aren't afraid of me? You don't fear me because I am the goddess of the underworld?"

Hearing Alaric's response, the smile on Ereshkigal's face became as radiant as the stars, and the elegance that Alaric had admired seemed to vanish and be replaced by the pure joy of a normal girl.

That smile was so infectious that even Alaric couldn't help but feel moved.

"No matter how I look at it, I could never dislike you, Ereshkigal."

Not only did Ereshkigal gain a deeper understanding of Alaric, but Alaric also refined his perception of Ereshkigal.

A being from myth stood before him, a living person and a goddess.

"Eh—so straightforward? As expected of someone who defiled Ishtar."

Ereshkigal's cheeks turned slightly red, and her gaze wandered. "No, that's not what we're supposed to talk about. Time is short, so let's get straight to the point."

Before the conversation could veer off track, Ereshkigal decisively steered it back.

At this moment, Ereshkigal had reached Alaric, tilting her head upward to meet his gaze.

Petite as she was, Ereshkigal chose not to use Ishtar's authority to ascend into the realm of the sky but instead stood on the ground to converse with Alaric.

"You already know about the Three Goddess Alliance and have decided to fight against it.

So, how do you view the Three Goddesses?"

Ereshkigal gazed at Alaric intently, slowly asking her question.

'What do I think of the Three Goddesses?'

As his interactions deepened, Alaric gained a better understanding of the Three Goddess Alliance.

However, when it came to answering this question—"Before I answer, may I ask what your true purpose is in contesting this land?"

Before anything else, Alaric wanted to know Ereshkigal's true intentions.

Embracing humanity with death was merely a surface manifestation; her deeper thoughts and beliefs were what truly mattered.

As Alaric spoke, Ereshkigal smiled and said, "I cannot forgive the current state of Mesopotamia. I cannot accept humanity abandoning the gods and trying to create a world of their own.

Wouldn't that just lead to suffering? Humanity would be unable to escape the pain of living and the fear of death. Intellect has grown too much, to the point that it can no longer accept reality as it is."

Ereshkigal's words were filled with conviction, born of a firm resolution that Alaric could fully understand.

"But in the Age of Gods, this pain could be alleviated, because there existed things beyond human comprehension. People could attribute countless irrationalities and cruelties to the gods, allowing them to live their lives with a sense of acceptance.

I have always believed this way of existence to be good, and I have endured for thousands, tens of thousands of years because of it."

Ereshkigal's gaze was unwavering, her actions driven by countless years of heartfelt longing.

"That is why I joined this alliance—to turn the human world into a world of humans and gods!

I am not humanity's enemy, but I am the enemy of the human world!

And this is something I am telling only you, the only one who has stood before me."

Step by step, Ereshkigal retreated, her gaze never leaving Alaric's.

"I see—"

Alaric locked eyes with Ereshkigal, and now he had the clearest understanding of her goals and motivations.

For this, Alaric had only one thought.

He could not agree. He wouldn't even offer false praise.

It was a mistake. The ignorance of humanity could not pave the way to the future, nor could it carve out a path forward.

Attributing the source of one's suffering to the so-called gods was mere self-deception.

This clashed with Alaric's belief in moving forward.

Thus, the goddess of the underworld, Ereshkigal, was an obstacle Alaric had to overcome.

"You are a very kind goddess, Ereshkigal—"

Though he could not agree, Alaric still admired Ereshkigal's heart. She was a truly beautiful goddess who loved humanity.

Unlike the devilish goddess Ishtar, Ereshkigal was practically a crimson angel in the underworld.

"Is… is that so? Thank you for the compliment!"

As if struck by Alaric's sincerity, Ereshkigal shyly averted her gaze. "I… I've said what I wanted to say. That's all for today!

So, good night! I should go to sleep!

You too, make sure not to stay up late! Don't be like that workaholic who works even through the night!"

Having revealed her innermost thoughts, Ereshkigal seemed overwhelmed with embarrassment, losing the desire to continue the conversation.

She promptly issued a polite dismissal.

Alaric did not insist on staying in the temple. Smiling, he said, "Goddess Ereshkigal, when we meet again, I will give you the answer you seek."

PS: Ereshkigal is so adorable. She deserves Np5 and 10/10/10!