“W-what should we do?” Heroine asked in a panic. “She’s being attacked... We’ll lose our Faction if she dies!”

  “Calm down.” Gilgamesh told her. “She just did that to send us a message. Probably that we should stay in the Lounge."

  Gilgamesh had some ideas as to the reason, but rather than blindly speculate, it would be better to just wait until Sereth reached out to them. So that was what he did. He remained in the Lounge with an anxious Heroine for several minutes, until finally, a group of Nobles came to them.

  “Found you.” One of them greeted. Despite his monotone delivery, it was a clear message from Sereth to prove their identity.

  “What happened?” Gilgamesh asked.

  “Bandits started killing everyone who entered or tried to leave the Ballroom.”

  “Retaliation for killing the Treasurer.” Gilgamesh determined. “The leader must have been hoping to catch whoever was responsible by shooting arrows in the dark.”

  “But it’s over now.” The representative continued. “Soldiers from all over rallied to take out the Bandits. Things were quiet for a minute before we left the Ballroom.”

  “Makes sense. That situation is disadvantageous for the other clans too.” Gilgamesh thought and made an immediate decision. “We’ll head back now.”

  “It might still be dangerous…” Heroine was more than a little reluctant. “They could just be waiting to strike again...”

  “You can stay behind if you want.” Gilgamesh teased as he walked towards the exit. Heroine hesitated for a moment, but as soon as she started to follow him, Gilgamesh came to a stop.

  “On second thought, we’ll stay a little longer.” He smiled back at her. “There’s something I need to prepare in the Lounge.”

  ---

  Gilgamesh and Heroine walked through their Faction’s walls and returned to the inner circle without incident.

  “The Saba and Rhun have allied. The other clans are feeling pressured now.” Sereth informed him with a smile. ‘If one of the clans is behind the Bandits, they haven’t revealed themselves yet.”

  “Being cautious for the long term?” Gilgamesh surmised. “Which means they’re likely going to rebuild the Bandits’ wealth from the ground up.”

  “A stalemate of sorts has arisen. No Faction is keen to go on the attack since that would make them vulnerable to the others. For now.” Sereth explained.

  “Then we should make the first move before someone else does.” Gilgamesh gave the bulk of his Prestige to Sereth and headed off. “Stay here.”

  Heroine flinched at the order, having just started to follow after him. Then she warily glanced at Sereth, who playfully smiled back.

  [ Genie: I take it you have handled your problem? ]

  Kubera asked as Gilgamesh approached the Pandava inner circle again.

  [ Leper: More or less. ]

  “Who are you considering allying with?” Gilgamesh asked her out loud, to the confusion of some Pandava members.

  “Either the Rhun-Saba alliance or the Narmer.” Kubera answered. "I don’t know much of this Rhodri, but Eskender is someone who will uphold an alliance with integrity. Not to mention… it is riskier to get involved with the Narmer, given their disposition.”

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  Gilgamesh wasn’t surprised by the reasoning. It was common knowledge that ancient Narmer were plagued with hostility and stubbornness beyond the norm, and the Narmer clan would naturally be dominated by Ancients.

  “My choice would be the Narmer.” Gilgamesh said in spite of that.

  “Why?” Kubera asked.

  “Because the alternative is worse.”

  Kubera didn’t respond, but she knew what he meant. No two clans could be said to be on great terms with the other, but the Shen and the Atreus had long been fierce rivals. Each was particularly interested in their dominance over the world. Gilgamesh had no doubt that it would continue into the Tower, especially since he knew the Shen were already laying the groundwork to supplant the other clans.

  The Narmer held grudges forever, since their deceased do not die, and the bulk of those grievances laid with the Atreus more than any other clan. Aside from perhaps the Zoraster. If they did not ally with the Narmer, then the Narmer would surely ally with the Shen.

  On the other hand, if they first allied with the Saba and Rhun, the Shen would likely go above and beyond to secure a Narmer alliance by any means.

  However, if they were able to secure the Narmer’s alliance first, then the Saba and Rhun would surely fall in line. Then, the Shen and Atreus would be forced to ally for the sake of survival, and in that case, Gilgamesh alone held a piece of information that could tear that alliance down.

  Kubera looked at Gilgamesh in silent thought.

  “Prepare a Retinue to escort me to the Narmer.” She ordered a Count Noblewoman, then looked back at Gilgamesh. “I trust you will join me?”

  “Yes.”

  “You must not!” Brahmin Elder objected. “That will make the Pandava seem lesser.”

  “If I do not go myself, Ramesses will get his way.” Kubera brushed away the Nobleman’s objections. She handed her Prestige to a different Nobleman and departed at once.

  Gilgamesh followed along by her side without concern, despite being surrounded by Guards of another Faction, and soon they reached the Narmer. Kubera stood by without a word until the Narmer Guards moved to let the two Lieges in.

  Gilgamesh inspected the Narmer’s defenses as he walked. Their layout was unique. It wasn’t multiple sets of walls, but a dense circle 20 rows deep with no space between them. The outer half Guards all held 100 Prestige without exception and the inner half kept 1,000. Several dozen Marquises stood in the open center of the formation, who were no doubt the very most important members of the clan.

  “As powerful as Kubera and I combined, at least by the number of Vassals. And a lot more Prestige.” Gilgamesh assessed.

  The Narmer were the most numerous of the Seven Great Clans, to no surprise. After all, few of them ever truly died back on their world, and they were even more difficult to kill here in the Tower. They likely started with the most members of the seven clans and retained the highest proportion thus far, although the Shen and Atreus were surely not far behind.

  Gilgamesh glanced to the side at the three other Noblemen who faced the Narmer elites in a similar manner as they did. Two of those Noblemen stood near one another.

  “I am Ramesses, beloved of Ra, chosen of Amun, King of Kemet.” The Duke among them spoke with an effortless regality that could only come from centuries of rule.

  [ Some gods of Kemet scoff at the claim. ]

  “The Egyptian gods in this Tower call their land by the same name…” Gilgamesh noted. “Obviously, they must be far more ancient than us. Then… were we influenced by them?”

  Gilgamesh turned his focus from passing thoughts to the legendary Pharaoh before him. Ramesses II was upheld as the greatest ruler in the long history of the Narmer clan, and he certainly carried himself with such bearing.

  “I swear on my name and the honor of Kemet that my people will do no harm to our guests, and will ensure your safe departure.” Ramesses continued.

  “Rhodri, King Regent of Rheged.” One of the Noblemen pair spoke up, rather forcefully at that, as if to stake his claim on being the first to do so.

  “Regent...” Gilgamesh noted. “So his rule is not solidified. Was he chosen because he was the best option, or did he simply have the leverage to force the issue? Likely the latter, based on his brashness.”

  “Eskender, King of Sheba.” The other said next.

  “The two heads of the Rhun and Saba came themselves as well.” There wasn’t much for Gilgamesh to go on, but the Sabaean ruler seemed more measured than his ally.

  “Kubera, Maharani of Kuru.” Kubera revealed herself next.

  “Great Queen…” Gilgamesh thought. “That means she is the main wife of the head of the Pandava. But if she rules now, he must be dead.”

  “Shen Gaozong, Grand Tutor of Shang.” The lone Nobleman to his left said.

  Grand Tutor was a more important position than it seemed. It meant that he was the primary educator of the heirs to the Shen dynasty and also served as an advisor to the current Emperor.

  “He must wield considerable influence within his clan.”

  At last, all eyes turned to Gilgamesh, and in return, he gave his name boldly.

  “Gilgamesh.”

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