Chapter 22: I'm Filled with Your Big-Headed Fool!

Like a bully harassing both men and women, Gilgamesh, supported by guards, ascended the steps of the Inanna Temple. The king didn't immediately search for Qiye but instead observed the building. He spent a month observing the temple.

The more he observed, the more astonished Gilgamesh became. Skillful women might have been able to build upon the temple's original foundation and give it a new appearance, but designing such exquisite craftsmanship was absolutely impossible...

No, it should be said that even if she had the ability to design it, she wouldn't dare to implement it. If the goddess Inanna descended and wasn't satisfied with the newly designed structures, then she would be in great trouble.

"It was that unruly fellow again who made this."

Though this sentence sounded like dissatisfaction, a slight smile appeared on Gilgamesh's face. Because Gilgamesh preferred defiant dogs over those that only knew how to fear and obey. He preferred lions bearing their fangs in front of him.

The former held no fun at all, while the latter could bring him greater pleasure.

However, Gilgamesh was currently dissatisfied with Qiye being free. He felt the need to give this guy more tasks to do and wanted to see if he could bring unexpected joy.

Gilgamesh descended from the under-construction temple and made his way toward Qiye's location. Just as he reached Qiye's side, before he could scold Qiye for lazily idling there, a peculiar fragrance caught his attention.

"What kind of scent is this? It's so fragrant and sweet..." Gilgamesh narrowed his crimson eyes and glanced at the vessel in Qiye's hand. "What do you have in your hand? Give it to me."

"It's wine. I brewed the ale myself. If you want some, you can help yourself." Qiye, holding the wine glass, glanced at Gilgamesh and then pointed to the flagon in the basket.

"Hahahahaha! How dare you, the lowliest priest, be impudent to the king." Gilgamesh laughed angrily and snatched the jug directly from the basket.

"But seeing that you sincerely offered this king good wine, I shall forgive your rude behavior."

Gilgamesh opened the lid of the wine jug, and the sealed aroma of the wine wafted through the air.

The scent entered the nostrils of Gilgamesh and the guards, carrying a delightful wine fragrance mixed with a strong barley aroma. It seemed capable of extracting the very essence of the wine, causing their mouths to salivate instantly.

"Is this the smell of wine... Why does it have a stronger scent than the fine wines in the palace?" The soldiers marveled at the aroma emanating from the jug. Even among the fine wines in the palace, Gilgamesh's treasury didn't possess any with such a potent fragrance.

Gilgamesh's handsome face was reflected in the clear liquid within the jug. Just as he was about to take a sip, the soldiers behind him hurriedly spoke, "My king, please allow us to taste the wine, in case it's poisoned, as the Judger's wine."

Since the public trial, some people referred to Qiye as the 'Judger.'

"Your wine is poisoned." Qiye gave the soldier a disdainful look and took another sip of the wine in his vessel.

"Ridiculous! Who dares to poison this king?" Gilgamesh sneered arrogantly, raising his head and, to Qiye's astonishment, boldly drinking the ale from the jug.

"Why are you drinking it so quickly... It could kill you."

When Gilgamesh drank the ale valiantly, a numbing sensation immediately assaulted the tip of his tongue. However, after swallowing the ale, a soft and gentle warmth enveloped his throat, offering a pleasant and comfortable feeling.

This truly was a fine wine that Gilgamesh had never tasted before. It was smooth, mellow, and invigoratingly refreshing. After downing this cup of fine wine, a joyful barley aroma filled his senses.

This was the scent of barley, a wine brewed from barley as the raw material. Through numerous distillations, the wheaty fragrance infused the wine, allowing one to experience the strong aroma even after the poison had taken effect. The scent of barley.

The spicy and mellow wine, coupled with the rich barley aroma, made Gilgamesh feel as if he were floating as if his body and mind were melding with this glass of wine.

Witnessing Gilgamesh wobbling as if he were intoxicated, the soldiers rushed forward to support him.

As the soldiers supported Gilgamesh, they realized his body was burning hot, and his skin had turned red on the surface, as if he had undergone intense exercise.

Gilgamesh, who had consumed the ale in one gulp, now sported a faint blush on his skin. If the girls saw his flushed face, it would probably be quite troublesome. What a wool-headed...

"Excellent wine!" Gilgamesh pushed away the soldiers supporting him and stared at Qiye with sparkling crimson eyes. He unceremoniously handed him the empty jug. "Bring me more."

"But... it's all gone," Qiye said helplessly after finishing the ale in his vessel. After swallowing the last sip, he added, "I have some at home, but I can't give it to you. I dedicated it to a certain goddess..."

If Inanna happened to encounter Qiye in the city of Uruk, he could use this fine wine to bribe and deceive her, getting her intoxicated. Remembering the events from six years ago...

Upon hearing this, Gilgamesh removed the lapis lazuli jewel embedded in his clothes and threw it at Qiye. "Don't be so provocative. I'll buy them all. Lead the way!"

Qiye, his face covered in dark lines, held the precious gem thrown by Gilgamesh between his fingers. The soldiers on the side quickly advised, "Judger, you should heed the king's request, or else the king will order us to seize everything in your house."

"In that case, the lapis lazuli gem in your hand shall serve as your compensation."

This tyrant... in a certain way, he's quite amusing. When he wants something, he simply takes it and compensates in advance...