Sins My Hands Wrought

Three...

Two...

One! Here we go!

Rome!

Mm.

Rome!!!

Mhmm.

Rome!

Rome!!!

Good.

Umu, luck has smiled upon us today! That was a wonderful Rome!

Nerooooooooo!

Indeed, Uncle! Indeed!

What a lovely way to start the day. And it's all thanks to you, Holy Progenitor.

Umu!

Was that Rome?

Oh yes, it was very Rome.

I don't know what that was all about, but it was definitely Rome!

U-S-A! I mean, Rome!

Hahaha.

!

Oh my, look. Our Holy Progenitor is pleased. How wonderful.

Today will be a blessed day for Chaldea! Today, let there be Rome for all!

Rome!

Rome!

Indeed. Camaraderie is also Rome.

Behold the stars above and how their blessings shine down upon us. Know that you, too, are blessed.

Indeed.

？！

Heh. I knew I heard voices calling for Rome.

!

Founding King Romulus! What a momentous occasion!

We now have two Holy Progenitors among us! There is no telling what manner of revelation they may impart!

Whatever you do, don't take your eyes off them.

(Staring)

(Staring)

(Staring)

(Staring)

Hm.

Hmm...

Rome.

Yes, Rome?

I see a future in which you pursue chickens in a subterranean domain.

Indeed. We see it as well.

Not sheep, but chickens.

Heh.

That, too...

...is Rome.

？！

You will see soon enough, because after this, you will enter the subterranean domain with mewith Rome.

Pursue the chickens. Capture the chickens. Today will be a blessed day.

Find the chickens.

Chickens are not typically found in Chaldea. If some abide here now, we cannot ignore them.

We must capture every last one of them.

Not only are they harmless to humans, but their flesh is rich in nutrients.

You must partake of them, children of Rome.

？！

That's right.

？！

...Why doesn't that merit a response?

Anyway, yes, I'm talking about regular old chickens.

I don't know if it's because one of the Holy Grails we've collected is up to some mischief...

...or if a spell or Noble Phantasm went a little sideways...

...but a whole gaggle of chickens just popped up out of nowhere.

Anyway, regardless of how they got here, I just came to collect them.

Da Vinci thinks that, biologically, they're probably just normal chickens, so if that's true...

...I figured this would be a great chance to stock up on fowl. So I'm joining you on behalf of the kitchen staff.

Indeed.

(Sigh)

Of all the Servants to come along for this...

？！

？！

No, it's okay.

I'll just keep those feelings bottled up. Now come on! Those chickens won't catch themselves!

Heeere, chicky, chicky, chicky! Come out, come out, wherever you are!

Come, chickens!

Gather here with great haste so that you may be sustenance for our children of Rome!

？！

？！

Well sure.

Regardless of where it comes from, chicken is chicken. We're lucky this fell into our lap.

We still have plenty of ingredients in the freezer, but we almost never get a chance to acquire fresh wild game!

Besides, as long as it doesn't go bad, you can never have too much food stocked up, right?

？！

Exactly!

Aha!

There you are, chickens!

I see them! All right, let's do this thing!

？！

Biologically, they might be normal chickens, but they're normal chickens who've fed on lots of magical energy!

There's no telling what might happen if we're not careful!

And there's no way I'm going down as the Heroic Spirit who lost a fight to chickens!

Ha!

There, that was the last of them!

One, two, three... Oh yeah, this should keep our larders stocked for a good while.

Nice work out there, Fujimaru.

Thanks.

Hehe, maybe.

？！

Fantastic work. You have both done Rome proud today.

... ...

...Um...

Well, you were pretty helpful, too. It definitely would've been a lot more work handling them all by myself.

I guess I owe you my than

... ...

......

？！

I'm sorry, Fujimaru. I thought I could do this, but I can't.

I know I should say "thank you" here...

And I almost managed to get the words out...

But I just can't.

...

I know my quest for revenge ended long ago. But...

I just can't bring myself to forgive him. Not Quirinus.

I've made my peace with my enemies. Rome's emperors...

Rome's consul...

And Rome's king.

I can stop myself from taking up my sword against them.

...But not him.

？！

I know I'm not really the queen of the Iceni who had so much taken from her.

I might be just like the Boudica who went around Londinium lopping off Roman heads, but I'm not her.

I died a long time ago. My quest for revenge is long since over.

I know all that...

And yet...

You know how he's supposed to be a god?

That's right. He's apparently THE god of Rome. So tell me something, Quirinus.

If you're the god of Rome...then you must have approved of the Romans' pillaging of my nation when it lost its king.

You must have told them it was their right to plunder, rape, and slaughter my people.

Am I wrong?

If I'm wrong, then I apologize. But I'm not, am I?

...

That's just what gods do, isn't it?

So go on, god of Rome. Answer me this.

How was it?

Was the blood of my Britons as good as you expected?

Or was it not quite to your liking?

Well? Answer me.

Answer me, you bastard god of death and destruction!

？！

It is all right. Do not try to stop her.

Rome's sins are ours to bear as well. All of them.

Your anger is no different, Queen of Victory.

Come then. Face me.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

...!

...I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Fujimaru.

I'm not calm, but however it may look, this isn't just me acting on a whim, either!

？！

It is all right.

Your anger at us is justified. We are Rome, and so we shall accept the punishment for our children's sins.

However, as we are now sworn to defend humanity, we cannot permit you to kill us. At least not yet.

For that, we are sorry.

!

Senpai!

？！

Mash...

We're detecting an anomaly in your area!

One of the Holy Grails we had in storage activated on its own, and is now tied to some form of magical energy!

We think it's probably the same magical energy that caused the chicken outbreak you all went down there to

Stand by. We're getting a new report...

Holy Grail No. Five has undergone a dramatic transformation!

It's forming a hostile ether-based entity around itself even as we speak...

...and it's about to manifest right on top of your position!

Please be careful, everyone!

Huh!?

I...am...

I am the rage against Rome! I am the hatred of Rome!

I am Vercingetorix!

Rome must fall!

A Heroic Spirit? No, this feels more like a ghost...

Vercingetorix!

That was one of the greatest heroes of the Gauls in the last century of the B.C. era!

He united the Gauls and led them in a valiant fight against the Roman Empire's invasion, but was ultimately defeated by Caesar!

Vercingetorix!? Did you say Vercingetorix!? Wh-why didn't he come after me, then!?

...Wait. The Holy Progenitor and Queen Boudica...

Now I see! His hatred of me isn't what made him manifest.

He must have resonated with the queen's hatred for Rome itself and formed a temporary Spirit Origin!

This was our fault.

Our divine aura is the beacon that has drawn him into existence.

Perhaps he also resonated with one of the Holy Grails because all of Rome's sins are also our sins.

Death to Rome!

Death to Rome, and all who carry its blood. Every last one of them must...

DIE!

...

Boudica. Queen of victory, and your beloved Britannia.

If the last Master of humanity is lost, all of humanity dies with him. We cannot let that happen.

And so we ask your aid in defeating this ghost.

...No fair.

I'd have turned you down on the spot if you'd spouted some nonsense about fighting for Rome...

...But I can't refuse a request to help Fujimaru, even when I know it'd help you, too.

...Master!

Both of us, huh. Of course you'd say that.

？！

...All right, god of Rome. Let's do this thing.

Understood.

Vercingetorix, hero of the Gauls.

Though you have every right to your rage at our sins, we now exist in this form to protect our Master, and all of humanity.

We therefore cannot allow you to take our life. ...Forgive us.

Come to us, light of Rome!

Come forth, our four limbs!

The divine power... The power of light... The power that shall reach beyond the stars...

Per Aspera Ad Astra!

Yaaah!

G-ghh...

Graaaaaaah!!!

...That should do it.

It did. The hostile signal is gone.

We still have to do something about Holy Grail No. Five, though. Do you think you can collect it?

Yes, we should be fine. Can you get things set up to put it back into storage, Mash?

Of course. Good luck, Senpai! Good luck, you two!

I'll ask Da Vinci to increase security on it as well.

Not at all!

？！

Now then, how do we do this...?

It's probably better if I don't touch it, so...

Leave it to us.

We have enveloped it in our magical energy. It should no longer be susceptible to outside influence.

Great.

...Thank...you.

... ...

...Honestly, I would've been helpless against that guy on my own. And not because there was a Holy Grail inside him.

I mean, he was also a ghost.

Ghosts do something to your mind, right? But you prevented that.

And not just for me, but for Fujimaru, too. So...

Thank you. You were...a big help.

It is all right.

You need not forgive us. We accept your spite.

Youall of you, have a right to do so, and we have an obligation to accept that.

Just you, huh? So you intentionally didn't say "Rome" there?

Correct.

I see.

？！

...(Sigh)

It's okay, Fujimaru. You don't have to look at me like that. I'm calm now. I'm not gonna act up anymore.

But I will say this, Romulus=Quirinus.

Boudica of Britannia will never forgive you for what you did to us. Never.

... ...

... ...But.

I'm Boudica of Chaldea. We may have a lot in common, but we're not the same person.

So...

So I'll only hold my grudge against you to the extent it doesn't cause trouble for Master.

You and I will never be friends; not even as the enemy of my enemy.

But, we're both Fujimaru's Servants. For now, that's what really matters.

...

Well? Say something.

No... On second thought, don't.

Okay, whooo's hungry!?

'Cause we've got all the chicken you can eat tonight!

Yaaay!

Wooo!

Ahh, what a delectable aroma. Come, Cleopatra, surely you can permit me to partake of not just one, but four of these delicious birds, no?

Yes, well, while that scent is indeed tantalizing, Lord Caesar, I'm afraid four is still three too many.

Awww.

Chickeeeeeeeeeen!!!

Ooh! So this is the chicken I have heard so much about!

Does this mean you will be treating us to another scrumptious feast tonight, Boudica!?

Yes, yes, help yourself.

You know, I could have sworn you Romans were a bit more...reserved about eating my cooking at one point...

Boudica, mind if I use the big plate to serve it?

Oh gosh, I'm sorry! I forgot all about plating it! Yes, the big plate will do fine, thanks!

We're hungryyy!

Last I checked, Heroic Spirits don't actually need to eat... But, okay. Just sit down and behave, all right?

We will!

Very good! That goes for you too, you know!

What? You were speaking to me!?

No, she meant me! She must have known that I planned to use all the guile I possess to sneak as much chicken as I possibly

Lord Caesar!

...Good. It seems all is well here.

？！

Mm.

Oh no, you don't. This dinner wouldn't be possible if not for you, so you're going to stay and enjoy it.

Hm?

Don't get me wrong. I'm still never going to forgive you.

But I'm not about to mistreat you, either. Especially when there are children around.

People always try not to do something they know they'll regret.

So, one day...

When all this business with humanity is properly taken care of...

...then I will be coming for your head.

I'm sorry, what's this about a head? Was I simply hearing things?

?

What, you wanna have a little pre-meal workout or somethin'? Fine with me.

I don't think that's what they're talking about, Mordred. I think they're talking about the potatoes that go with the chicken.

Oh, I see. Is that what this is about? Potatoes?

Heh.

...That, too, is

Please don't say "Rome."

...romantic.

Oh, fine, I can live with that!

Yes, yes, it's very romantic! Now come on, everyone! Eat up while it's hot!

Yaaay!