"Aaaaaa... Aaaaaa..."
"...The future belongs to you now. You no longer... have need of me..."
"Aaaaaa————"
"...Please, do not cry, Mother."
"...——?"
"Indeed. Lift your head. Look forward, Mother."
"...Who... are you...?"
"It will be alright. In this world... they are here. The ones who yearn for a future."
"The world is eternal. —And so too are the children you loved."
"——..."
The Summoning: Resolution Edition
"Well now, we find ourselves at the mercy of pure, unadulterated luck. I wonder what will emerge?"
The King of Heroes swirled his wine glass with an air of amusement. Since the ritual to summon Artoria had reached its temporary conclusion, his demeanor had shifted into something mellow and relaxed.
—T-This really has turned into a complete random gacha, hasn't it?! I feel like we're being terribly irreverent toward these legends...
(Don't worry about it. It is the natural right of those who follow to make use of what their predecessors left behind. The ancestors should be more than willing to allow it. That is precisely why Heroes answer the summons—to lend their aid to the lives currently dwelling in the modern world.)
—To help the lives that follow...
" There is also the simple fact that a Hero cannot fight unless they are called. No matter how powerful they once were, they are a life that has already ended. They lack the raw 'vitality' required to carve out a new era. —That is why humans, why all life, must struggle. We weave the patterns that those before us have layered, polished, and stacked high. —Of course, the story changes if one manages to achieve incarnation, but that's another matter. "
Ea pondered the words of the Hero King and Fou. —The ancestors weave the future to serve as a foundation for those who come after.
—Then we have to work hard too! For the sake of everyone living in this world! we have to take the world back!
That was her purpose, the achievement she was meant to fulfill. For all the lives yet to come, she had to reclaim the stage upon which they would live.
So that she could witness—and take pleasure in—the brilliant stories of life that would be spun from that point forward.
" Well said. —Then, let us commence the battle to tidy up my garden! "
With a sharp snap of his fingers, Gilgamesh set the circle in motion. The summoning sequence roared to life, spinning and glowing with a fierce, blinding intensity.
"I wonder who it'll be...? Oh!?"
Dr. Roman spat out his coffee, his fingers flying across the console.
"Who is it? Who!?"
"Spirit Origin pattern: Lancer! The readings are incredible! This is—"
Everyone watched with wide eyes as the light condensed. The Servant who manifested was—
"—I am Roma."
A body sculpted by nature itself. Crimson eyes that mirrored the divine. A soul vast enough to embrace all things. In other words—Rome.
"—I am Rome."
The radiant Great Founder. —The King Romulus had descended upon Chaldea.
"It's Rome—Oh, it's Rome...!!"
Ritsuka dropped to her knees in unconditional worship, bowing her head in the presence of the overwhelmingly Great Rome.
"I feel the Rome! Is this 'Too-Rome-to-be-true' Rome actually—gwargh!? Great Founder! Is that you, Great Founder Romulus—!?"
Nero immediately piled on top of Ritsuka, kneeling and bowing her head in reverence. (Meanwhile, in the hallway, the studio door had been left open. Scáthach and Cú Chulainn, who happened to be passing by, nearly died when they caught a stray blast of Elizabeth's singing practice. Fortunately, they managed to cover Connla's ears in time, though they took the full brunt of the sonic assault themselves.)
—The Great Founder, Romulus...!
Ea would never forget him. The Great One who had spoken kindly to her when she was still nameless, encouraging her to take her first steps into the world.
" To think you would answer the call now. —Did you sense that this is where the battle for the fate of the world is being fought? "
The King watched the scene from his throne with amusement. He held a high opinion of this man—the one who embodied the state of a new god, the great builder of a nation—and deemed him highly "useful."
"—My children, lift your heads."
Romulus met their eyes with a gentle gaze.
"The day the world is bathed in light is near. The winds of destruction shall pass, and life will sprout anew. —Through your efforts, the restoration of Rome is close at hand."
"Yes, Sire...!"
"Romulus... To hear such words from you, who is Rome itself...!"
Ritsuka was awestruck; Nero was moved to tears. Romulus looked upon this "New Rome," this "Good Rome," and gave a gentle nod.
"The stars shall not perish. No matter what beastly nature is thrust upon them, your radiance is eternal. —Do not forget. You must never mistake the truth of 'Evil.' —There is nothing in this world that is not Rome. Even if you cross the stars and travel to the furthest reaches... as long as that light burns in your heart—all is Rome."
""Great Founder Romulus...!!""
Overwhelmed by the sheer "Rome" emanating from him, the two were reduced to weeping messes as Romulus quietly turned and began to walk toward the exit.
"U-Um... do you need a guide?"
At Olga Marie's question, Romulus smiled warmly and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"—Love yourself. No matter the nature of your core, life has sprouted and taken root within you. Therefore—you are none other than Rome."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Olga Marie straightened her posture, bolstered by his undeniable, gentle affirmation.
"...Many kings have gathered in Chaldea, but I doubt any possess a heart as vast as yours," Gilgamesh remarked, his tone serious despite the smirk. Romulus turned back to him.
『—Beast. The end of your life is still far in the distance. Do not forget: self-sacrifice is a thing inseparable from tears.』
(—...)
『And you, the Rome who continues to learn, to love, and to find joy. —My precious, Princess-like Rome.』
—! Y-Yes!
『The answer you have found—it is a conclusion worthy of being thrust before God by humanity. —It shall serve as a parting gift and salvation for the Beast of Regression that will one day arrive. Walk forward, and do not let go of it.』
Romulus cast a warm, illuminating light over the future of Fou and Ea. And then—
"—Hero King. ...Uruk, too, is Rome."
"Cease this meme pollution at once! Uruk is Uruk!"
The Hero King felt a rare flicker of genuine threat as his pace was thrown off by the non-negotiable hug. His voice grew rough, but Romulus merely shook his head.
"Nay. There is nothing that is not Rome. Uruk, which served as the foundation for Rome and for all humanity... Mesopotamia... is none other than Rome."
Gilgamesh let out a defeated sigh, deflating in the face of this unshakeable, profound Roman philosophy.
"—Fine, whatever... Just take this 'Chimera-Voice' with you and be gone."
"I told you, it is not a Chimera-Voice! My voice is both cute and masculine! Like a lion! Yes, a lion!" Nero protested.
"Wait, isn't the main part of a chimera a lion anyway?"
"Indeed! You are right! Lions are the best! I simply cannot fathom why anyone would mix impurities into such a perfect form! It makes as little sense as that Saint's spicy food!"
(What makes no sense is your taste. She's the literal etymological root of 'grotesque,' Ea.)
—What!?
Ea covered her mouth, shocked by the unexpected historical trivia.
" Well, the meaning has shifted somewhat. In the modern day, it is used for 'horrifying things,' but its origin was mainly used to describe 'things that are beyond comprehension or meaningless.' "
—I don't think either of those are titles one should give to someone who enjoys the arts...
(It can't be helped; everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. —Her voice is top-tier cute and lovely, but once you put it through the 'Nero Filter,' you get... well, that. It's actually harder to sing that badly than it is to sing well. My condolences to the Heroic Spirit of the Vocal Cords.)
Fou began to sing—Fou, Fou-fouuu—while Ea stood there, stunned.
" —I don't mind the shouting, but do try not to ruin your throat. It's a harsh world when one must overwork a one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable set of vocal cords. "
The Hero King rubbed his own throat as if to soothe it, cherishing the voice that came from within.
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