Did the Heroic Spirit I conquered become a reality?

The atmosphere in front of the magnificent palace gates was solemn and tense.

The guards who were supposed to be patrolling were moved to a slightly more distant location, leaving only a few court officials and priests in splendid attire with solemn expressions to wait quietly at the entrance.

Standing at the very front was Merlin, who had just arrived from the palace.

Merlin still wore that gentle smile, but if you looked closely, you could see the undisguised solemnity in the depths of his eyes.

His gaze was fixed on the end of the street in the distance, and he silently prayed that everything would be a little... normal from now on.

Not long after, two figures appeared at the end of the street and slowly walked towards the palace gate.

Walking in front was a black-haired, black-eyed boy, none other than Tohsaka Yu.

And following closely beside him was the one who terrified Merlin—Tiamat.

She was still wearing that pure white dress, her long, light blue hair fluttering in the wind, her ruby-like eyes curiously surveying everything around her, from the towering city walls to the palace gates carved with exquisite patterns, and then to the Uruk officials and priests on both sides who were obviously tense and stiff. Her eyes were like those of a child entering the city for the first time, full of pure curiosity, showing no trace of the threat that "Beast" might pose.

But Merlin dared not be careless in the slightest. He could clearly feel that as Tiamat approached, the magic in the surrounding air seemed to become viscous, and an invisible pressure originating from the deepest part of life spread out, making people feel a sense of unease.

Is this... the Mother Goddess of Creation? The mere existence of a spirit can bring such a terrifying sense of oppression... Merlin sighed inwardly. He quickly rallied his spirits, put on the most perfect and impeccable polite smile, and bowed slightly in greeting.

"Welcome to Uruk, Lord Yu Tohsaka, and... the venerable Tiamat."

Yuan (three) seemed to abandon 2 two) = Ba-Shisaka Yu nodded, as a return gift.

Tiamat tilted her head, seemingly not understanding why the white-haired man was bowing to her. She simply reached out her small hand and held Tohsaka Yu's hand tightly, as if that would make her feel safer.

Seeing this, Merlin's eye twitched again.

He braced himself and turned to the side, making a "please" gesture: "The king is waiting in the palace, please follow me."

……

The magnificent gates of the Uruk Royal Palace slowly closed behind us, emitting a heavy rumble, as if separating two worlds.

The sound of their footsteps echoed clearly in the empty corridor.

Yuu Tohsaka could feel the overwhelming tension around him, as well as the terrifying pressure emanating from the depths of the palace—the aura of the Hero King Gilgamesh.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart.

Even though his magic circuits are 'linked' with Tiamat, he is still just an ordinary person. Now that he has to face the oldest hero king, he will inevitably feel some pressure.

Looking at Tiamat beside her, her steps were light and silent, as if she felt no pressure at all. Her ruby-like eyes were full of curiosity about the palace, and she was looking at the ancient murals painted on the columns with great interest.

She was simply intrigued by this "human world," especially since it seemed to have more... well, in human terms, "class" than the gaudy temple of Ishtar.

However, on the other hand, it seems that Tiamat was completely unaware of the oppressive aura emanating from the "King" in front of her... Tohsaka Yu stared at this scene, speechless for a moment.

However, thanks to Tiamat, perhaps because of the woman's relaxed demeanor, the pressure in his heart also eased considerably.

After about ten minutes, the three arrived at the gate of an ancient and magnificent palace.

At this moment, Merlin took a deep breath, trying to maintain a warm smile, and began to speak in a more tactful manner: "Um... Tiamat..."

Tiamat looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"That's right, the King is very concerned about Lord Tohsaka Yu's arrival, but I think it might be more effective if they could speak alone..."

As he spoke, he carefully observed Tiamat's expression, trying to decipher any emotional changes from her pure red eyes.

However, Tiamat's eyes remained remarkably calm throughout, showing no sign of emotional fluctuation.

Merlin had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue, "So, I wonder if you would be willing to wait here for a while?"

Tiamat tilted her head, her bright red eyes filled with confusion.

Why did Hero King insist on meeting Yu alone when they could have gone in together?

“Aaa”.

She shook her head slightly, almost instinctively wanting to refuse, and was even ready to take out her notebook to write "no".

But at that moment, Tohsaka Yu spoke first.

"Let me go in with you first, Mr. Merlin."

Tiamat glanced at him instinctively, seemingly puzzled.

Noticing the worry and unease in the woman's eyes, Tohsaka Yuu said gently, "I believe the King of Heroes has his own sense of propriety. Perhaps it would be more effective if I talked to him alone."

"Your presence might make things a little... complicated."

Imagine Gilgamesh is sitting on his throne, and then he brings Tiamat into the palace... How should this hero-king react to this delicate situation?

Looking at the boy's earnest eyes, and then at Merlin's expectant face beside him, Tiamat quickly fell into a brief hesitation.

She was indeed worried about Yu facing that intimidating "Golden Gilgamesh" alone, but Yu's words seemed to make sense... and he seemed quite insistent as well.

That being the case...

In the end, Tiamat nodded slightly.

"Thank you so much for your understanding, Tiamat!"

As if afraid that Tiamat might change her mind at any moment, Merlin immediately made a "please" gesture, "Lord Tohsaka Yu, then let's go! The King has been waiting for a long time!"

Yu Tohsaka glanced at Tiamat one last time, giving her a reassuring look, then took a deep breath, turned around, and followed Merlin, walking alone towards the magnificent palace gate that symbolized the highest power in Uruk.

As the doors slowly opened, Yu Tohsaka subconsciously looked up and was surprised to see a figure sitting upright on the highest steps at the end of the hall.

Even though he was mentally prepared, his heart still raced a little faster.

The towering dome, the massive columns, the flickering firelight, and the figure perched atop the golden throne at the far end of the hall, looking down upon him like a god—all these elements combined to create a powerful and impactful scene, enough to instill awe in any mortal the moment they stepped into this place, even causing their legs to buckle and they to kneel.

Yu Tohsaka secretly took a deep breath, feeling the warm magic power belonging to Tiamat flowing through her body, and gradually calmed down.

He met that crimson gaze that seemed to pierce his soul, and walked forward steadily, step by step, until he finally stopped dozens of meters below the steps.

"Oh..."

The Golden King on the throne let out a surprised sound, his scarlet eyes silently watching the boy below the stage.

"You actually dare to come to see me alone... It seems you are much bolder than I imagined."

Without saying a word, simply by sitting there, he naturally became the absolute center of the palace.

Gilgamesh, the oldest hero-king of mankind!

"However, courage does not equate to magnanimity."

Gilgamesh's tone still carried a hint of mockery; he was about to test this visitor from another world who dared to associate himself with 'Mother' with words.

However, at that moment, Gilgamesh abruptly paused in his speech.

His sharp gaze, which had been fixed on Tohsaka Yu, shifted almost imperceptibly, as if he had sensed something.

It wasn't a clear threat, nor a powerful magical fluctuation, but rather a... extremely subtle, extremely obscure, yet carrying a gaze that couldn't be ignored, a gaze as deep as an abyss...

Yes, line of sight.

It was as if a pair of eyes had suddenly appeared at the dim intersection of light and shadow at the entrance of the main hall—a pair of bright red eyes that seemed to be free of any impurities. She was standing outside the palace gate, staring at him without blinking.

Gilgamesh's brow twitched, and then he slightly adjusted his posture.

(Tiamat secretly observing.jpg)

……

……

[Looking for recommendations~]

Volume 1: Chapter 20 Jin Shanshan: Why does this feeling feel a bit off?

At this moment, Ereshkigal was sitting in the center of the temple, pacing back and forth, looking somewhat uneasy.

The luxurious hall now seemed unusually empty and quiet, with only the sound of footsteps echoing on the floor.

She tried to calm herself down, but the inexplicable anxiety in her heart just wouldn't go away.

"That idiot... is he really okay?"

Eresh couldn't help but walk to the edge of the terrace, looking towards the direction of Uruk Palace, her delicate brows furrowed.

Although Yu Tohsaka appeared very confident and even offered to meet Gilgamesh alone, you have to understand... that's Gilgamesh!

That oldest hero-king of mankind was proud and powerful, but also had a strange temper and never treated the gods well.

Moreover, that boy carries the aura of "Mother" and has chosen to stand on the side of "opposition to human reason"... How will Gilgamesh treat him?

Interrogation? Imprisonment? Or perhaps... outright elimination?

The more Ai Lei thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. Recalling the trusting look in the boy's eyes when he looked at her earlier, and the scene where he took the initiative to help her out of a predicament, after a brief struggle, she stood up as if she had made up her mind.

"No, we can't just leave him like this!"

"After all, they are allies, so we have to ensure his safety and gather some intelligence while we're at it..."

"Yes... just to confirm the situation, yes, just to confirm the situation! And to see what that Gilgamesh is up to!"

After finding a barely plausible reason for herself, she no longer hesitated and quietly left the Ishtar Temple, heading towards the Uruk Royal Palace.

……

An eerie silence descended upon the ancient, empty hall.

Gilgamesh glanced subtly at the pair of eyes at the door, then unconsciously adjusted his posture slightly.

Although he was mentally prepared, he still didn't expect that the woman would actually follow him.

It seems she really values ​​this child.

A sense of understanding flashed through Gilgamesh's mind, but more than that, he felt a strange and incomprehensible emotion.

Why is this 'mother' so concerned about a human being?

He withdrew the murderous intent and oppressive aura that had almost materialized, and his gaze toward Tohsaka Yu quickly became somewhat strange.

He simply couldn't understand why this 'mother,' who represented chaos and return, would show such obvious protection and affection to this seemingly ordinary, even somewhat frail, human boy... This was completely inconsistent with his understanding of "mother."

However, Gilgamesh's previous arrogance and contempt were somewhat toned down, replaced by a deeper, more inquisitive majesty.

“Tohsaka Yu,” his voice still carried the majesty of a king, but the emotions within it were much more complex, “I have a question to ask you.”

He gazed at the boy below the stage and spoke in an extremely calm voice: "In your opinion, is maintaining the order of the human world—that is, 'human reason'—more important, or Tiamat... this 'mother'?"

This question was exceptionally sharp and direct. Rather than probing in a roundabout way, Gilgamesh decided to determine in the fastest way possible what choice Tohsaka Yu would make.

Yu Tohsaka met Gilgamesh's scrutinizing gaze, and seemed to feel a silent stare coming from the direction of the temple gate, and remained silent for a long time.

Then, he raised his head and gave an answer that seemed to be expected, yet made Gilgamesh frown slightly.

"They are all important." His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear.

Upon hearing this answer, Gilgamesh was taken aback at first, then let out a low hum that clearly showed his disdain.

"Heh...what an innocent brat."

His tone carried a hint of disappointment, as if he were looking at an unrealistic idealist: "'Humanity' and 'Beast' are simply not compatible. Your so-called 'both are important' is nothing but self-deception and a cowardly display of inability to make a choice."

"maybe."

Yu Tohsaka shrugged. "I thought you would ask me in a more precise way... like the trolley problem."

Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow: "The trolley problem?"

Yu Tohsaka gave a soft "hmm": "For example... if I had to choose between two options, would I choose to save humanity or save Tiamat?"

Gilgamesh's eyes lit up with interest as he asked, "If I were to ask you this question, how would you answer?"

"If you had to choose between this humanity on the verge of destruction and the 'mother' behind you, which would you choose?"

This is a cruel trap with almost no right answers.

Choosing humanity means betraying Tiamat, who showed him boundless tenderness and protection; choosing Tiamat means becoming an enemy of the entire human world, possibly even including himself.

Yu Tohsaka fell silent.

He could feel the immense pressure emanating from the throne, and he could also feel the quiet yet incredibly focused gaze behind him.

He knew that his next answer would likely determine his future fate.

After an unknown period of silence, Tohsaka Yu raised her head and met Gilgamesh's gaze, which seemed to see right through people: "I have no intention of saving the world... To be honest, I am just a passerby who came to this era by accident, and protecting humanity is not my mission."