Made by God, Woven by Humans, and Returned to Soil II

Hraaah!

...!

Whoops! Sorry 'bout that!

Didn't mean to hit ya that hard. You okay?

Uh... Uh.

Good. I think that's enough for today. Thanks for helpin' me work off dinner.

This oughta be enough for that test-drive Da Vinci was talkin' about.

Uh?

Hm? What's up?

...!

All right, I feel it too. Someone else just showed up. That's weird. Pretty sure Da Vinci said we were the last ones.

Uh.

Anyone who'd show here today of all days has gotta be either a serious weirdo, or someone who fell outta shape, like me.

Ugh, I hope it's not Gawain bein' all big brothery. That shit's the last thing I need right now.

...There they are. Looks like that's

Hello.

I take it you're Sir Mordred?

Oh, it's you.

I think I've seen you around the cafeteria sometimes. Lessee, what was your name again...?

I'm Enkidu, a Lancer. I'm also one of Fujimaru's Servants, just like you are.

I don't think you and I have ever spoken before. Though I have talked to Fran once or twice.

Uh.

That so? All right, so whaddaya want with me?

I've heard stories about your life, and was hoping I could ask you something that I think could improve my systems.

Systems? That's a new one.

But all right. I was just plannin' on takin' a break anyway, so I don't mind hearin' ya out.

Thank you! I greatly appreciate it.

I was just hoping you could tell me about your salvation.

Say what?

, , .

...

. . ?

......

......

Hey, Fran.

Uh?

Get outta here. Right now.

Uh...uh?

I've gotta make this guy... 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　...disappear.

"...Hey."

"...Hey."

"Do you remember me?"

"Do you still remember when we first met?"

"Do you still remember the night we spent together?"

"Do you still remember what we just said?"

"I wonder if we ever see each other again..."

"Maybe tomorrow... Or the day after..."

"Or maybe weeks... Months... Years from now..."

"Will I still be the same person you know...?"

"..."

"......"

Senpai! Senpai!

Are you all right!? You looked like you were having a terrible nightmare...

Yes. Your head was swaying quite a bit. At any rate, I'm glad to see your consciousness is stable.

I'm impressed how casually you came up with a new word that so succinctly explains your situation, Master.

I see. So you were inadvertently using your unique skill that lets you share REM cycles with contracted Servants.

？！

That said, you seemed like you were having an especially bad nightmare in this particular REM REM state...

For a moment, I was worried it might be another Shimousa situation, so I'm glad that doesn't seem to be the case.

Especially since we don't have as many people here to support you right now...

That's right. 2019 is almost over, so we've been busy getting things ready.

I know you must be exhausted right now, Senpai, but please try to wake up.

It's December 2019 now, remember? There are only a few days until a new administration will be taking over Chaldea.

？！

We've started dismissing all of Chaldea's Heroic Spirits in preparation for the new director's arrival...

...but we still have a lot of work to do explaining the situation to them.

That's right. All the Heroic Spirits trust you implicitly, after all. I think there will be a lot of joyful farewells.

It's not just Osakabehime. A lot of Servants have succumbed to her kotatsu's magical energy.

？！

I'll be sad saying goodbye to everyone too, but it's our job to see all the Heroic Spirits off with

Ah, if it isn't Master! My humblest apologies, but would you mind stepping aside!?

About thirty centimeters to the right, to be precise! If you must know why, it's for the sake of my poor back!

Huh?

Khh! He responded two seconds later than I'd calculated! At this rate, I'm not going to make it!

Well, if I can't go around, I'll just have to go above! Any good criminal should be able to hop a fence, after all!

I may not look anything like Cleopatra, but I can still imitate her grace and agility! And her tone of voice while we're at it!

And voilà

ààrrrgh!!!

Ngh... Ghh...

Ah, Nietzsche! Not only is God dead, but now He is joined by my poor back! This has been utterly blasphemous for my joints! Thus concludes Part One!

But I'm not down for the count yet! Come back tomorrow, and I'll show you the true face of evil!!!

And safe, by a razor's edge!

My lower back, to be precise!

Excellent reflexes, old chum! As they say these days, you've really upped your game! At this rate, you may never need me to rescue you in midair again...

While it both heartens and saddens me to see you grow so quickly, it also makes it painfully clear to me just how old I've become in both spirit AND body!

Fortunately, I've grown wiser as well as older so I still have plenty of life lessons left to impart!

So I'll keep working my poor old back to the bone until I've taught you every last one of them!

Oh drat. It figures my back would start acting up right after I said that... I daresay, growing old is the worst!

？！

But for the moment, my work here is done! Farewell!

There he goes again, still holding his back...

I guess it just goes to show we can't let our guard down until we've said goodbye to every last Servant.

？！

Huh? Is that...Meunière?

Fujimaru! Mash! Did you happen to see Moriarty around here?

Um, yes, actually. He just ran off that way... Why, did something happen?

He messed with the simulator so he could hide out in virtual space and avoid being dismissed.

Luckily, Holmes and Da Vinci figured it out and stopped him right at the end, but that slippery old man's still out there.

Dammit, I don't even wanna think about what the new director might've said if they'd seen the simulator acting up like that...

？！

Lucky me. This new director's almost certainly going to be a first-class mage, so there's no way they won't see through any tricks like that.

What about the simulator? Is it repaired now?

Yeah, it should be good to go. We've got a few Heroic Spirits in there testing it out now. It worked out well, since they were saying they wanted to get in one last workout before they leave.

？！

Good point, Senpai. Let's go pay them a visit.

Teams Two and Three, you focus on restoring the simulator's stability. Team One, you make sure the math keeps checking out. Team Four, make sure you're ready to eject them by force whenever I give the word!

Just make sure you don't eject them too quickly. We want to make sure they've expended a good amount of magical energy first.

Oh, and get Fujimaru in here too in case we need him!

There's a good chance he's the only one who'll be able to contain this situa

Oh good, you're already here! Great timing! Who knew my genius even accounted for good fortune and happenstance!?

？！

The simulator's instruments are all going crazy! What in the world is happening here!?

I could tell you, but it'd be faster if you just take a look at what's going on in there for yourselves.

Okay, I can see the video feed.

Huh!? Is that...!?

？！

...

...!

I asked a few Servants with time on their hands to test out the simulator after the professor messed with it.

I definitely wasn't expecting this kind of human error, though. Now I wonder if the professor planned this too.

I wouldn't if I were you. That would almost certainly complicate things by a factor of five, at least.

Worst-case scenario, all of Chaldea could end up razed to the ground before the new administration even has a chance to take over.

？！

D-did something happen between them!? This is well beyond a routine simulator training battle!

Exactly. That's why we can't just shut it down.

If they came back here now, they'd just keep on fighting inside Chaldea itself.

So it would seem...

To be perfectly honest, I've never seen Mordred like this before...

？！

True. Usually, Mordred's humanity tends to keep all those fierce anger and hostility in check.

But right now, there's no Gift or curse to blame it on. Mordred's just so enraged that any other consideration has fallen by the wayside.

Judging from how seriously the fight is, I'd bet Mordred doesn't even remember going into the simulator.

So Enkidu did something to make Mordred this upset!?

What could it possibly have been!?

？！

No, I think it might be better if you knew what caused this before you get involved, Fujimaru.

Here, take a look at this footage from the simulator.

Oh, just make sure Mordred doesn't find out this footage was being recorded, okay?

We can't stop them from finding out we "just happened" to overhear their conversation when we eventually go in to mediate this conflict...

...but you need to be very careful you don't bring up any related details. That's how sensitive this subject is.

Th-that much?

After all, if you don't know what sparked Mordred's ire so badly, you could end up inadvertently touching on it again and making things worse.

Of course, some people would only end up blurting out this kind of knowledge, so you should be honored that I trust you enough to share it with you.

Pulling up the footage now... Okay, here's the relevant part.

？！

But all right. I was just plannin' on takin' a break anyway, so I don't mind hearin' ya out.

Thank you! I greatly appreciate it.

I was just hoping you could tell me about your salvation.

Say what?

You see, I heard a woman by the name of Morgan created you for the sole purpose of destroying King Arthur.

...

Eventually, you succeeded at destroying King Arthur and ending his reign, just as Morgan designed you to.

I am familiar with King Arthur's government, and have analyzed the accomplishments it achieved in its prime.

So I can tell that destroying King Arthur and ending his reign must have been an incredibly difficult, nearly impossible challenge.

Which is why I thought you would be the perfect person to ask.

Given that your sole purpose for existence was the destruction of King Arthur...

...did you feel any sense of fulfillment or the like when you succeeded in doing what you had been created for?

......

Of course, King Arthur was also your father. Was there any change in your thoughts or feelings at the moment you devastated his kingdom?

......

If you had survived after fulfilling your mother's wish...

What I mean is, now that you are effectively alive again as a Servant...

...what drives you to go on living now that your purpose for being is long since fulfilled? I want to know.

...

？！

？！

I did hear from people with connections to Uruk that Enkidu could sometimes say things that'd cause even the King of Heroes to cringe, but I didn't know what they meant until today.

Still, that bluntness is arguably something you both have in common.

Depending on the situation, it can be both a weakness and a strength...though in this case, it's clearly the former.

Is this really the time for coolheaded analysis!? We need to hurry and stop them before it's too late!

Exactly. Just having them exit the simulator now won't do anything to address the root cause of this conflict...

...and like I said before, there's a good chance they'd just keep on fighting inside Chaldea proper anyway.

So we need to find a way to get them to stand down while they're still in the simulator.

Are you sure you want to do that? You could just talk to them over the intercom from here.

But then again, in your case, talking to them face-to-face probably has much better odds.

Like I told you before, I only wish we could get our hands on some. Just once, it would be nice not to have to worry about resources...

Anyway, if you can joke around like that, I'm sure you'll be fine, especially since you seem well aware of what's at stake. ...You DO know what's at stake, right?

？！

All right then, we're counting on you yet again. When all's said and done, I hope you'll be able to look back on your time at Chaldea fondly.

Oh, and be careful. Simulator or not, we only just finished tuning it up, so don't forget to pay attention to your mind's stability.

! Uh, ooh, uh!

Fran! I didn't know you were in here too!

Uh, uh.

？！

There they are!

But given how fiercely they're fighting, I'm not sure they'll even hear you if you call to them...

Good point. If you wander too close and get caught in their cross fire, it could have a severely detrimental effect on your mind, simulator or not.

Still, given how tense things are between them right now, I'm not sure words alone will be enough. If we want to get their attention, we might need to make a sound so loud that they think they're being attacked...

Senpai!?

Um, that seems like it might be a little too excessive, even for a simulation...

Besides, if we just start relying on brute force in situations like this, I'm worried we might end up deciding to outright destroy Castle Csejte someday...

？！

？！

Uh, ah!

Blasted Tree!!!

!!!

Fran!? I thought I told you to get out of

... ...Master!?

What brings you here, Master? You should know it's not safe.

？！

...Stay outta this, Master. Got shit to do with you.

？！

...

Uh...

(Sigh) All right, all right. 'Sides, I can tell you'll hit me with your Noble Phantasm next if I don't stop.

？！

...Yes, it seems I should.

I'm still not entirely sure why, but I understand now that my question touched a very sore spot.

I hope you can believe me when I say it was never my intention to hurt you, and I'm truly sorry for the misunderstanding.

...

......

......

？！

Tch... All right. Fine. Whatever.

Enough of that damn pitying look, Master. I'm feelin' better now I got that outta my system.

'Sides, I know this uncooked bean sprout here's still technically your Servant.

Yeah, they pissed me off to where I was seein' red...

...but your guarantee that they weren't tryin' to piss me off is enough for me, Master. I'll let it go.

Then please rest assured. I can promise you that the only person I would knowingly choose to insult is Ishtar.

Even if you were the most wicked being to ever walk the earth, I would still hold you in respect.

Tch, you got a really goddamn irritating way of putting things, don't ya... Sound like Kay, dammit. Makes it real hard to tell if you're bein' polite or just puttin' up a front.

Oh, this is such a relief. Thank you for understanding.

Although, I still don't understand why you fought back, Enkidu. If you didn't mean to upset Mordred, couldn't you have just focused on defending and running away?

Oh, that's simple. I fought back because I sensed genuine anger and hostility.

Fighting an opponent whose emotions are running hot in that way can be an excellent way to learn more about them.

For example, what it is they're angry about, or why exactly they want to kill me.

Don't misunderstand; I wasn't fighting to the death myself. Though I can't deny I find the competition fulfilling.

The people I met in Uruk taught me there are some things one can only understand by comparing weapons in battle.

It was in battle that Gil taught me the power of wisdom and strength; Shamhat, the power of affection; and Siduri, the power of faith.

Battle junkie...? Well, I don't think I would go that far.

Though I do admit that the thrill I experienced during my three-day, three-night battle with Gil is something I still remember fondly, even as a Heroic Spirit.

Gil enjoyed it a great deal too, as I recall. Maybe we should do that again in the simulator one of these days.

I think you might have trouble getting permission to use the simulator for seventy-two consecutive hours...

？！

At any rate, may I suggest we leave the simulator now? We still have to report to Da Vinci, after all.

I remember that Par said she was making berry smoothies in the cafeteria, so maybe we could continue this conversation while having one of those?

Welcome back, guys! Great work in there. I was following along from the outside, so I'm all caught up.

Go on ahead to the cafeteria. They should all be ready for you by now.

(Who's they...?) Understood! Come on, Senpai, let's all go to the cafeteria then.

Huh?

Ugh, uh!?

？！

Those look like...the ones from Sumer? No... They're not quite the same...

Ha! I don't know what they're doin' here, but this works out real nice.

I still got some steam I wanted to blow off, and you assholes look like just the tick

Hey! That was mine!

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm set to protect Master as my highest priority, so that's what I did.

Still, seeing as there's plenty left for you, don't you think it's a little premature to get angry?

Tch. Guess you really are Master's Servant.

All right, I guess I can fight side by side with you for now, Lancer. Just make sure you stay outta my way!

What were those things doing here?

Ah! What about everyone in the Command Room!? Are they all right!? What in the world is

Hey, welcome back! I was following along from the outside, so I'm all caught up.

Go on ahead to the cafeteria. Everyone will be waiting.

Da Vinci...?

01001000011001010111100100101100 0000110100001010 welcome back! Great work in there. I was following along from the outside, so I'm all caught up.

Go on ahead to the cafeteria. Everyone will be wait01101001011011100110011100101110

010010000110010101111001001011000010000 001110111011001010110110001100011011011 1101101101011001010010000001100010

I was following along from the outside, so I'm all caught up. Go on ahead to the cafeter01101001a.

Everyone011011100110010101100101011001 00...011100110111100101101111011101010 11100100110100001100101011011000111000 0...0110010101101110011010110110100101 10010001110101.........

What is this...?

TheY shOUld aLL be-be-be- tO tHe cAfEtEriA to-to-to-to the-the-the-the

The hell's going on? There's no one else here anymore.

Uh... Uh?

...Let's go to the cafeteria.

Huh?

If my sensors are working properly...that's where "everyone" should all be.

？！

Seriously, the hell's going on here? What's a forest doin' in the middle of the damn cafeteria!?

Uh? Uh! Ah!

What is it, Fran? ...Huh!?

？！

Ha. Guess this means we're trapped in here then. Though I still don't know how the hell you get trapped in a forest.

Anyway, these are some seriously huge trees. What's their deal?

These are...Lebanese cedars.

？！

I understand why you'd be confused, Master. They are true cedars, in the pine family.

They can grow up to fifty meters tall, and were often used to build boats.

...However, I don't believe any forest this large still exists in your time.

So this is a Lebanese cedar forest? Then, does that mean

Yes, it does.

This is the same forest of the gods that Gil and I put an end to.

I don't know who brought us here, or for what purpose...

...but if this is indeed the Cedar Forest from the Epic of Gilgamesh, there's a strong chance they were targeting me.

I'm just sorry the rest of you happened to get caught up in it too.

？！

All right, so what the hell did you mean when you said "everyone" should all be here?

'Cause I sure as shit doubt you meant the Chaldea people.

...Good question.

While I admit I'm reluctant to get into this, since it has to do with the very essence of my systemsor rather, the fundamental areas that hinder them...

...it wouldn't be fair to you, or to Master, to keep you in the dark after I pried so deeply into your story.

What are you talking about?

I don't have regrets... Not exactly. The only remorse I felt when I died were my feelings towards him.

I share them if I need to, and hide them if I must. That's all there is to it.

Still...there may be some things I only feel comfortable telling you because you're my Master.

C'mon, Master, you're talking about Goldie, right? I don't want you calling anyone "king" besides my old man, at least when you're around me.

I'm afraid you'll just have to deal with that on your own time, Mordred. Gilgamesh is just as responsible for Uruk as your king was for Britain.

It would be one thing if it were just you and Master here, but when there are others around, he deserves to be addressed as King Gilgamesh.

Still, if you just can't contain your affection for him, and don't mind if he challenges you to a fight over it, I suppose you could get away with not calling him by his full title.

That so? All right, all right, I got it already.

？！

Actually, are you guys really friends? I didn't think Goldie really DID friends...

He may not, but Gilgamesh and I are indeed dear friends, nonetheless. I can say without any reservation that there is no one else like him.

While we do sometimes talk for a long time, it's rare for us to do so proactively, on a daily basis.

Besides, we don't need words to truly understand one another.

It's difficult to explain... But I suppose, in our case, just spending time together is enough.

We already got all of our grief and regrets and other feelings out of the way when we were alive.

Even if Gil were to die in front of my eyes right now, I would just smile and say "See you again."

I'm sure Gil feels the same way. A single grieving per loved one is more than enough, after all.

I know some Heroic Spirits are very positive when it comes to death, but wow, I never thought about it like that before.

I think that's fine. Gil and I are both well aware that our personalities are easily misunderstood.

This may sound arrogant, but if Gil were to make a new friend now, I don't think they would be anything like me.

In fact, the only thing we would have in common would be that we both have a nose, a mouth, and eyes.

Yet despite that, I'm also certain this person would be someone with whom Gil would go to the ends of the stars...

Someone who could give Gil things I never could.

For example...King Gilgamesh only truly began to walk side by side with the people of Uruk after I died.

That was when he began to see them not as mere life-forms, but real people with their own minds and wills. They broadened his world more than I ever could.

Learning that fact alone is enough to make me glad I became a Heroic Spirit. That knowledge is just as valuable to me as a thousand moonlit nights spent with Gil.

Uh? Uh.

C'mon, Master, it's not that hard to understand her, right? Like right now, she's just sayin' "You really don't understand me?"

Actually, hold up! You didn't say anything weird to Fran like you did to me, did you?

I don't think so? I understand she's also an artificial life-form, but to me, she's no different from any other being.

Of course, if Doctor Frankenstein had embedded a curselike system in her, then she might have piqued my curiosity.

Uh?

...

So that's how it is. Man, you really are a complete pain in the ass, aren't you?

I'm sorry. I'm aware I can be difficult for others to accept.

？！

Besides...

...!

...Master, Mash, I think it would be best if you stepped back.

It seems sheor rather, they...have noticed I'm here.

Huh? Enkidu, what are you talking about?

They are my very first friends.

...In fact, you could even say they raised me.

They raised you...?

Something's comin' our way, Master! Watch yourself!

Uh...!

The hell are these things? More Babylonia Demonic Beasts?

No.

SheI mean, they...

...are human.

？！

Ahh... It's been so long since I last saw them. So very, very long...

Wh a y o re 　ou 　?

The hell was that!? Are they tryin' ta talk or something?

I don't understand them...but it looks like each Demonic Beast is saying a different part of each word...

...I see. So this version of you is from a time after we parted ways.

I was hoping that wouldn't be the case, since you haven't fused into a single entity...but it seems that was too much to hope for.

Still... Even so, I have to ask.

...Do you no longer live in these woods? Is there truly not so much as a tiny fragment left?

...Tell me, Huwawa.

Hu 　　　　　　　　　　　wa　　　　　　wa...

...

？！

Huwawa was the guardian of the forest of the gods. At least, until Gil and I killed her.

I'd heard she was a dreadful monster that the gods ordered to protect their Lebanese Cedar Forest...

I can only imagine how powerful she must have been for King Gilgamesh to fear her.

Wait, really? That pompous Goldie guy was afraid of these things? They don't look that tough to me...

Uh... Uh, ahh.

What is it, Fran? ...What do ya mean they still haven't been put together?

! I see. So you can tell, too.

...Yes, that's true. Those girls there are a lot like you, before you were born.

The only difference is that their body was made from souls, while yours was made from other bodies...

...and that they were given life not through science and engineering, but the gods' Authority and blessing.

No...not with a blessing. Huwawa is a complete human, born together with a curse.

What do you mean, a complete human?

I wish I could tell you more...but it seems the circumstances won't allow that.

Who are you Who This is fun Who are you It's you Sad Protect Woods Help me Hate

You kill the forest HELP Enemy Kill Pain Hurt Happy ME Gods Kill

Kill them Help me NO Forest Protect Help me Help me Help me WRONG Help me

Die Enemy WRONG Humans Gods Kill I AM Kill Forest GOOD Protect

Forest Who I I I Who A Dream You RUN No Die Die Kill

Ahh Ow Huh It hurts EN Why No Argh KI Ow Ow It hurts It hurts

Hate Hate Hate hate kill kill ki die kill kill die DUUUUU

All right, I don't know what the hell's goin' on, but it looks like these things're done talkin'! It's okay to kill 'em, yeah!?

Now I see...

I don't know who's doing this, or why...but it seems they want me to reenact that situation.

...And I will. I won't hesitate to do so. Not now that I'm a Servant.

I am Enkidu, a Lancer. I have been rebooted to serve as humanity's guardian.

No matter where we are, or what the situation may be, I cannot allow my Master to come to harm.

I must fulfill the role that has been given to me, for Kinguwith whom I integratedas much as for myself.

...I truly am sorry about this. But I won't ask for your forgiveness.

Even if this is only a fleeting dream, or illusion, or a bug in my system...

...I will still not hesitate to remove you from these woods.

Besides, I have already experienced this regret before, so it should not be so difficult to manage again.

Since I never did try to save you...it's only fitting that I experience it again.

...Is it over? And actually, hang on. What was that kid doing here!?

Ah! Senpai, look! Over there!

？！

Ugh...

Not...over...

The hell? This magical energy's insane! How much more's this thing gonna grow!?

...!!! Master! Take the others and get as far away as you can!

That...thing being born there cannot be allowed to exist.

I'm going to end it.

A aAAhhh 　　　　　　AaAAAAAaaaAAaaaAhh

I'm sorry... I still don't know what to do.

I don't yet know how I can save you...or how I can make those flowers bloom again...

So until I figure it out...I'm going to bind you to this land, as the god of my sinful past!

Humans, let us bind the gods! Enuma Elish!!!

Ah! Senpai, look! What is that!?

？！

Now don't go bringing in trouble while praising me to high heaven, you great fool.

I don't accept compliments from just anyone. I'll be damned if I have to suffer through my friend putting me on a pedestal without so much as a stiff drink.

Between you and Kingu, I could swear your successors are deliberately trying to work me into an early grave.

...

Hey there, Uncooked Bean Sprout. Guess you're no worse for wear after all.

Where am I...?

You got blown pretty far away. Though I guess that ain't no surprise, seein' how huge that explosion was.

What about Huwawathe guardian of the forest?

She's all gone.

A ton of swords and spears and stuff came swoopin' in from the side and blasted you and her to kingdom come.

...I see. Good. The important thing is that she's gone.

...

That stuff you asked me earlier was about her, wasn't it?

...Yes, it was. I hope I haven't offended you again.

I dunno if Master or Mash caught on to it, but you better believe I could tell.

That was the same kind of spell my old lady used.

Dammit... How many kids got mixed together to make that thing?

I counted two thousand eight hundred and ninety-one consciousnesses...though only one of them had retained their sanity.

I ain't gonna ask what that thing was. Frankly, I don't wanna know. Not even if it was made the same way as me.

Look. If you think any kinda answers from me to your questions could possibly give those kids anything like salvation...

...then boy have you got the wrong damn idea.

What do you mean?

It's all well and good to offer help to a kid who's cryin' for it. I'd do the same for any of Britain's subjects.

But comin' up with answers for 'em, or some sorta meaning to their lives, and forcin' it on them whether they want it or not... That ain't gonna be any damn salvation for 'em.

If anything, that shit's more like a curse. I oughta know, seein' how my old lady once put one on me.

But, you're

All right, you want answers to your questions? Fine, but listen up 'cause I ain't sayin' this shit twice.

And I'm warnin' you now, I don't wanna hear a goddamn peep outta you the whole time, so just shut your trap and listen up.

First off, you were barkin' up the wrong tree right from the start.

You think I destroyed Britain just like my old lady wanted? Well, you're wrong.

Granted, I don't know how it looked from the outside. Maybe my old lady thought that's what I was doin' too.

But the path I walked as a knight, and the sins I bear for destroying Britain...all that is on me and me alone.

I was the one who wanted to be the next king... and I'm the one who tore the kingdom to shreds.

But I didn't do any of that 'cause someone told me to. I did it all of my own damn volition.

My birth, my prophecy, my old lady eggin' me on, my old man refusin' me... I've accepted it all now.

Yeah, that's right. Those things are all part of me. I own 'em.

And I'll be damned if I let anyone write 'em off by sayin' I was just made that way.

Sayin' I only did those things 'cause I was created to do 'em is an insult to me, and the kingdom I destroyed.

That's why I tried to kill you. And I'd do it again if I had the chance.

I don't know if these kids you're tryin' ta save are the same as me. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't.

But goin' around foistin' your own idea of salvation on 'em whether they asked you to or not ain't any better than the kinda shit those god assholes always pulled.

...Yes. I think...you might be right.

Trust me, you're overthinkin' this. For the moment, all you gotta do's kill whoever did this to those kids.

Even if they're ancient gods?

Way easier than goin' up against my old man, am I right?

Anyway, that's all I got. Well? Got a problem with that?

...No. Not at all.

The only things I have for you are an apology and gratitude.

I see now that I was in a rush to find something that could help.

I think I was hoping to find as many clues as I possibly could to bring back to the Throne before we have to leave Chaldea in a few days...

...even though I'm not sure if I'll retain these memories the next time I'm summoned.

At any rate...I think what you just told me could turn out to be key.

Again, I'm truly sorry for saying something that made you feel like I was making light of your life.

I'll make sure to revise the data I have on you. Thank you again, Sir Mordred.

Tch... Don't say all that shit out loud, dumbass. Though I guess if you'd kept harpin' on it after all that, I'd've just cut ties with you on the spot.

And while I'd be fine with that myself...Master doesn't like us doin' that sorta thing, you know?

Shit, I almost forgot! If you tell anyone else what I just told you, well... I won't cut ties with you, but I will knock you into next week. Got it?

Though, now that I mention it, I think I've told Master something similar before...

Ha, speak of the devil. Here he comes now.

？！

Here they are, Senpai! Thank goodness you're both all right! Good news! We just got a call from the real Da Vinci!

Hey guys! Glad to see you're all okay.

Let me cut to the chase: you're all still in the simulator.

？！

We lost track of you for a while, but at least we know exactly why this happened. It was the professor's doing.

He set it up so that running the exit codes would cause the simulator to recreate a part of ancient Uruk that Sheba once observed.

This isn't the first time he's done this sort of thing, so I thought I was ready for it, but according to Holmes, he apparently had an accomplice this time.

And since I was expecting the professor to pull something, the fact that a more laid-back, hedonistic personality made this modification caught me off guard.

It turns out the culprit didn't just modify the simulator's own systems; they cast their own illusion on top of it too. They must've spent a long time planning this prank.

Luckily, the wisest of all kings happened to pass by, and he managed to eliminate the virus in a flash. Seriously, what's in that stone tablet of his, and where can I get one for myself?

...!

Oh, if you're wondering, he's not here anymore. He just said something about how he had nothing more to say and left.

...

Anyway, it's obvious the professor had some nefarious plan in mind for Enkidu. What would you like to do now? Should I put out an APB and have him arrested?

No... That's all right. I'm grateful to whoever did this, regardless of what their intentions may have been.

Now my system data is updated, and a limiter I had placed on me when I was summoned has been released as a result.

Really? ...Oh wow, you're right. Your whole Spirit Origin has changed... No, not changed; evolved. Damn, what the hell happened in there? It's only been about an hour!

Well...in human terms, I would say it's as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

What, now? Fat lotta good that's gonna do you when we're all about to leave.

There may yet be some significance in my remaining here even after the Incineration of Humanity was averted.

And in that case, I should try to expand my potential to its fullest, even if it is only for a few days.

That gave me the space I needed to pour in the power I had before I met Shamhat.

？！

"Recover the human-fallen child of god, and protect humanity from all manner of threat."

I redefined the latter half of my assigned objective. And I did it entirely through my own volition.

Perhaps...this was what whoever caused this disturbance wanted for me all along.

I'm greatly impressed. It's as though I've been ensnared in an enormous spider web.

Hmm... Sadly, it seems that is all for today's lecture.

But I'm glad I succeeded before we're all dismissed in a few days time.

This makes it well worth the effort of telling Enkidu those slightly exaggerated things about Mordred.

...

What's that? You don't see the point in fine-tuning Enkidu any further at this time?

Very well then, let me ask you this.

Is mankind's existence now secure just because the Demon God Pillars' attempt to incinerate humanity was thwarted?

The answer is no! Absolutely not!

If it was, that blasted detective would have checked out long ago!

I may not like him, but I do trust his judgment. If he thinks we're not yet out of the woods, then we almost certainly aren't.

And in that case, it's only right that I do what I can to help.

Evil has its own way of destroying the world. Even if, ironically, Master did prevent my own attempt to do so in Shinjuku.

Conversely, evil also has its own way of saving the world...though not typically through methods that would garner much praise.

In this case, that method simply happened to involve catching Enkidu in my web.

They accept mankind's capacity for good and evil equally, as one would expect from an ancient guardian weapon.

Thus, all I needed to do was have them remember their own sins, and the regret they felt for committing them.

Doing so would provide a shock to their systems; the kind of shock that can be nurtured into emotions and personality.

I can wait to fully ensnare them until after that's come to pass. No doubt someone else will be happy to drag their goodness out of them.

...

Looking forward to it that much, are you? Personally, I would rather have nothing to do with you or any other Mephy types, but oh well.

At this point, it all comes down to whatever happens next.

While I'm sure our dear Master would prefer to never have to use an Enkidu who's gone over to evil...I doubt it will be up to him to decide.

Man, I'm exhausted after all that blabbing. I've always hated lectures, whether I'm giving 'em or listening. They're nothing but a giant pain in the ass.

So let's say this was your way of getting me back for tryin' to kill you and call it even.

Anyway, we might as well try to get along, seein' how the end's almost in sight and shit.

Yes, good point. While I only have one best friend, I think you would make a perfectly decent ordinary friend.

Damn, you got some kinda weird thing about always putting your foot in your mouth, don't you? That's your whole problem. You know that?

Then, for the moment...would you and Fran like to continue comparing battle prowess?

Uh!?

Really? After all that? Man, for a Lancer, you act a lot like a Berserker.

Yes... I'd have to agree. I may well end up manifesting as one some day.

If I do, I hope I can continue to remain on good terms with both you and Master.

(After all, if I couldn't control my sanity system...I could inadvertently end up destroying you all.)