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I’ve met and talked to several superior beings upon coming to this world.
It usually happens for a short time, only after the Destiny skill is activated.
This was my first time visiting a land governed by a superior being.
I predicted that I needed to protect myself from the superior being’s divinity that exudes not just from their eye.
Still, it seemed okay to hear Ereshkigal’s voice up close.
‘Is it because of that straw mat? I don’t feel too much pressure.’
I wondered if I should wrap myself in energy waves, but thanks to Ereshkigal’s consideration, there seemed to be no problem.
Though it caught my attention why she chose a straw mat.
There’s a story that a living person in the underworld hid their body using straw and deceived the eyes of the dead.
Perhaps it has something to do with that.
Anyway, the important thing now is Ereshgikal herself.
“Hello.”
I said hello and a voice sounded over the straw mat.
[You are just as polite as I’ve heard. All those who stepped into the underworld up until now were all rude.]
Considering the depiction of the entity that lives in the underworld from Mesopotamian mythology, Ereshkigal’s reaction wasn’t strange.
There was no way that those who violated the underworld’s laws and couldn’t enter would follow the goddess’ words.
‘Don’t tell me I have to follow the laws of the underworld too.’
If Ereshkigal tries to kill me now, I won’t get any answer
Considering the amount of energy waves I have left, I have nothing to use.
Ereshkigal seemed like a woman of decency, so I decided to choose my words as politely as possible.
‘I should emphasize that the purpose of my visit here is not to mess with the laws of the underworld but to ask for cooperation. I’ll surrender the horns as promised. If I hold it for a long time, it would seem like I’m using it as a leverage for no reason. Her impression might get worse, and…’
Step, step.
I heard footsteps over the open door.
There was little light, making it hard to see, but someone was visible through the cracks.
There was no blood in their skin, making them look like a corpse.
No, they look like someone who’s been dead for a long time.
‘Are they a resident of the underworld?’
An armed dead man with no animosity.
Perhaps they are the gatekeepers.
I didn’t see them earlier, but it seems that they were replaced as if in shifts.
Then, Ereshkigal spoke.
[I’ve repeatedly said they don’t have to protect this door today. The gatekeeper has dark ears. Should I have carved it on a clay plate…]
Just as I had guessed, the dead man was the gatekeeper.
However, it seemed that they were here in violation of Ereshkigal’s order.
I noticed a hint of incompatibility in Ereshkigal’s voice.
‘More than being angry, she seemed anxious.’
As the gatekeeper approached, Ereskhigal made a scene.
[Go away!]
Kwakwakwa!
The underworld changed shape and moved in response to Ereshkigal’s words.
Even if you’re a superior being, having your body covered completely like that would’ve made it difficult to use power.
Still, the land moved according to her words.
The light-bearing ground, like a lamp held by Ereshkigal, was thrown away as if to push away the gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper quickly regained his center of gravity, but the lamp that he held fell.
Drop.
When the gatekeeper stopped to pick up the lantern, the ground became silent.
Ereshkigal took out a new straw mat,
Perhaps to convey it clearly to the gatekeeper with bad ears, Ereshkigal’s voice was so loud that it made my ears hurt.
[Wear this and go away! I forbid you to come back until I order for you again!]
Hwik!
The straw mat that Ereshkigal hurled reached the pit like a trench and fell beyond the wall of earth.
Ereshkigal’s words reached the gatekeeper as he was seen putting on the straw mat and retreating far away.
The speed of the gatekeeper leaving was much faster than when he was approaching.
[It was loud for a while. Please understand.]
“It’s alright.”
[You should cover yourself too.]
“Thank you.”
Ereshkigal gave me a straw mat.
She seemed worried that the air of the underworld wouldn’t be good for someone alive.
It was a little cold but I could endure, yet I can’t refuse the favor from the goddess.
If my body temperature drops further, I would have to incorporate my defense card and wear something more, so I decided to be optimistic about the gesture.
It looked like a regular straw mat, but the cold disappeared in an instant when I covered my body with it.
‘It’s warm. It’s an item worthy of being worn by a goddess.’
With her level of divinity, I guess she could make an infinite amount of this.
The item’s rarity seemed rather high too.
When I thanked her again, Ereshkigal was satisfied.
[Make sure to wear it until you leave the underworld.]
“Yes.”
[I like your sincerity.]
Ereshkigal and I talked for a while, the door of the otherworld standing in between us.
The topic of conversation was Gugalanna.
There was a limit as to the extent of superior beings’ ability to watch the world above, so Ereshkigal did not know in detail what happened to Gugalanna.
However, when she saw the blue and gold horn, she immediately grasped the situation.
[I have to unseal and regenerate his body through this horn.]
I didn’t explain in detail what happened to Gugalanna, but she roughly guessed the situation.
The Black Screen cut off his horn, the source of his power, so that only his power could be extracted and used.
After that, the horns were planted in Uma and he was able to use Gugalanna’s power.
Gugalanna is neither dead nor alive, but he can’t use his power.
‘I don’t know what happened to Gugalanna’s power. But if he gets a new body through this horn, there’s no need to rescue his old one.’
I gave Ereshkigal the horn and it rose to the air.
Instead of reaching her hand out through the straw mat, she chose to move it with her energy waves.
[It should be considered a fortune that the trick of the person who did this stern thing is not complete yet. Someone would’ve been a resident of the underworld if they had completely taken away my first husband’s power.]
Ereshkigal’s words were painful.
If Uma could handle Gugalanna’s power perfectly, the last battle might’ve been even fiercer.
I don’t know what would’ve happened to Joo Soohyuk, Yoo Sanghoon, and Maeng Hyodon who stormed in.
I got dizzy when I remembered Yoo Sanghoon’s insane light skill.
If he used his light skill to stop Uma, he would’ve been in a very dangerous situation.
‘The Black Screen failed to completely take away Wu Zhiqi and Gugalanna’s powers. But they might succeed one day. I have to assume that they would succeed when thinking of a plan to stop them.’
The thought of having to consider another variable made me dizzy.
Though I couldn’t think long because I felt a gaze on me.
I had no idea in which direction Ereshkigal was facing because of the straw mat, but I could vaguely see that she was observing me.
I thought she would look at the horn, but she must’ve been looking at me more closely.
She watched me for a long time and lamented.
[What a pity. How did you carry such a terrible thing? If not for that, I’d be happy to invite you over this door.]
She spoke like she was dealing with a pitiful thing.
“Terrible thing,” is she referring to me having to deal with the Black Screen?
It didn’t seem to fit, but I decided not to question it deeply.
I came here not to live in the underworld, but to go dangerously close to the underworld.
[I guess you’re not happy with my invitation. It can’t be helped since the reason you’re here is not beyond this door.]
It wasn’t that I didn’t like the invitation.
Sensing a faint smile in her voice, she didn’t seem to be offended, but I should be more careful with my expressions.
[I too wish to walk you here quickly, but wait a little longer. After all, there is a time limit to the power of the living.]
A power of the living with a time limit is a light skill.
The time when light skills are initialized is 0:00 GMT + 9:00 GMT.
This is a law that occurred after the worldly collisions, and it is said that even royal lineages are bound to it.
‘I must be bound by that law still even if I’m in the underworld.’
It was proof that I was still alive, but taking it positively was a little difficult.
When the Silver Hero asked me the favor, I heard from her the explanation about the passage of time in the underworld.
I am in the underworld, but I am just outside the door.
Strictly speaking, I am in the boundary between life and death.
And I heard that the passage of time between life and death is very slow.
Just before a person dies, decades of their life can pass through their eyes.
[The time of the dead is stopped, and the effect is on this whole land. Staying out of the door makes time pass very slowly for you.]
Ereshkigal and the Silver Hero’s explanation matched.
I may have to wait for a long time before I can activate my light skill.
‘But I have no choice but to wait.’
I wouldn’t go out of my way for nothing.
It will be better to wait to fulfill what I intended to do in the underworld.
When I expressed my intention to wait, Ereshkigal spoke.
[Then let’s prepare a present while we wait. As the owner of the underworld, who am I to not give a huge gift to the benefactor who invited himself?]
This straw mat alone is a huge gift already, but it was rude to refuse.
I know people who are not happy when their gifts are rejected, and Ereshkigal seemed to be that type.
When I replied a short thank you, she smiled and stepped down with satisfaction.
As Ereshkigal took a step back, the door to the underworld slowly closed.
Creaaak!
Before it completely closed shut, Ereshkigal left one last word.
[Then wait nicely. Don’t take off your straw mat. Then I will walk you to the bridle of reincarnation as promised.]
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