17 Auction House

"You're right about that..." After Ariel's surprise turned into deeper thoughts, she smiled and said, "Our older brother is obsessed with our father's throne, that's no surprise. This time it was you, tomorrow or perhaps in a few years, it might be me who becomes the target of assassination."

Ariel spoke these words in a calm tone, as if it were the fate she had been dealt. She certainly had her dark tendencies, something that characterized her as a noble in this morally corrupt country in Gilgamesh's eyes.

That's precisely why he didn't desire this kingdom, as acquiring it would mean wiping out most of the nobility, leaving very few standing. The bloodshed would be so immense that his legacy in this world would be tarnished, as very few understood what went on behind the noble façade they all put up.

"But don't worry, I won't die so easily, so I'll retire after dessert." Ariel insisted, concerned that her faction might involve her brother in the war for the throne of this kingdom.

Gilgamesh was a master at reading people, knowing their deep secrets with just one look. It wasn't that he could read memories or see into the future; on the contrary, he judged a person based on their actions and whether what they said was true. This strange ability of his told him what kind of person he was dealing with.

In the past, Gilgamesh had eliminated those he believed would be a problem for his reign and drew his own conclusions through this observation. So, after finishing his drink, he said, "I'm not making a request, sister. If I tell you to stay here, you must do so, period. If you disobey my orders, I won't bother protecting you."

Ariel, who had a smile on her face, froze. She looked into Gilgamesh's eyes, and the image of the little brother she remembered disappeared beneath his now cold gaze. She knew that she was now in the presence of a completely different Gilgamesh, and if she didn't satisfy her brother's desires, he would pay her no more attention from this point onward.

She didn't understand it, but she nodded without the possibility of saying a single word. What would terrify most filled her with delight, something she unsuccessfully tried to suppress beneath her eyes.

"Well, I have something to attend to, so you can sleep wherever you like," Gilgamesh waved his hand and left the dining room, his cheerful demeanor fading into the slightly dim corridor.

The presence of guards had diminished, so much so that there were only a few in the hallway. Gilgamesh smiled at this and said, "I want the names of all the guards who aren't present. Bring them to my room when you're ready. If they can't handle that task, they better not appear before my sight tomorrow morning."

"Yes... Yes, Prince Gilgamesh!" The guard who seemed the most nervous felt death staring at him and nodded before hurrying off to the other hallway.

"Prince Gilgamesh, what's the matter?" A guard who came with Ariel asked. He seemed different, likely part of her faction.

"Prevent my sister from leaving the mansion. It seems we will have visitors tonight," Gilgamesh said.

Upon hearing those words, the guard's eyes widened, but after understanding the message, he nodded and said, "Don't worry, Prince. I will ensure Princess Ariel's protection with my life."

Gilgamesh nodded and walked towards the mansion's second floor. Once he had disappeared, Ariel's guard let out a heavy sigh and muttered, "He's a damn demon, unlike his sister..."

...

In an unknown location within the capital of the Asura Kingdom.

"Hummph! I can't believe Elion spared trash like Prince Gilgamesh. Now everyone calls him the Youngest Sword King. I wonder how he survived after I poisoned him. Damn that bastard. That boy is a disgrace to the future of this kingdom. I must kill him, and this time, do it so thoroughly that not even his corpse remains intact."

The voice of a fat, balding elderly man dressed in lavish clothing barked like a dog as he beat a woman writhing on the ground.

"My Lord Darius, Ariel went to visit her brother Gilgamesh. Should we kill them both tonight?" A voice from the darkness spoke after the fat old man paused, exhausted.

"Wasn't he supposed to have died a long time ago from the poison we've been administering?"

"Oh, he was certainly supposed to die, but that assassination attempt failed too. How could a boy who never leaves his room become a damn Sword King? It's like he's living in a damn dream, so we must kill him as soon as possible," Darius said, his saliva flying everywhere as he spoke.

"We must prepare. When he's asleep, he and his sister, Princess Ariel, must be killed. It must be quick and precise, no room for mistakes."

Darius was eager to kill Gilgamesh since he had heard from a certain source that with every passing second, that bastard was getting stronger. So, this was his only opportunity to kill him, as in the future, it would be impossible to do so through his own means.

"Everyone will die tonight, and only then will I be able to sleep soundly. Yes, I must do it today, no matter the cost..." Darius looked at the moonlight with a disgusting, sinister smile on his lips.

...

"It seems like it was a good idea to have my sister stay in my room. Are these guys so foolish as to ignore my warning?" Gilgamesh wondered to himself as he closed his eyes.

He had observed the stars and knew that one of Hitogami's apostles was in the Asura Kingdom. Following the sequence of events about to unfold tonight, he was certain that the same person who had acted to kill him before was about to do so once more.

If he was lucky, that same person might be a follower of the Human God... After the mansion had calmed down, Gilgamesh no longer feigned ignorance. He walked through the dark corridors and closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate.

Every God had their emissary in the human world. This had happened even with him, who had once been an apostle to the human world to bring with him the words of the gods. Although this world was very different, the gods remained the same when it came to the Human God.

If history repeated itself, he would have to embark on a path to seek out that Dragon God if he couldn't obtain information from the emissaries of the Human God to end his life. Gilgamesh knew that this God could see the future, so he understood perfectly what he had to do to change certain outcomes in history. Still, the path he took remained the same no matter how many times it happened.

Now, being able to kill someone like Gilgamesh, who had been through wars as long as an entire winter, he knew was a foolish decision. But he matched wits with the Human God and understood that the Human God believed this to be one of his best opportunities to do so.

After all, the only thing he would lose would be a puppet he could replace as many times as he wanted.

In the past, Gilgamesh had led the gods to a future they never would have expected. He united the entire human world against them, so this time would be child's play.

"This time will be very different..." Gilgamesh smiled as his eyes gleamed with intensity in the darkness of the night.