Shirou forcibly brought Siduri back to the northern forest he had not visited in quite some time.
The garden of the goddess Ishtar, the Cedar Forest of Lebanon.
Although they were called cedars, strictly speaking, the trees growing there belonged to the pine family.
They were towering trees that could reach nearly fifty meters in height and could be used as shipbuilding material.
By the twenty-first century, forests of this scale had almost completely vanished from the surface of the Earth.
And within this Forest of the Gods, a Magical Beast was said to have once lived.
Huwawa, guardian of the Cedar Forest.
In Mesopotamian legend, it was a monster fearsome enough to terrify even the tyrannical young Gilgamesh, and had once attacked him until he was on the verge of death.
In the end, however, Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeated it with the aid of the sun god Shamash.
After Huwawa was killed, its monstrous nature became embedded in the world and later spread widely across the land of Greece, influencing the forms of many monsters, including the Gorgons.
After entering the forest, Shirou began driving away the Uridimmu and Ugallu that had gathered there.
Having lost their mother, the Goddess of Demonic Beasts, Gorgon, those Magical Beasts would eventually disappear on their own once their Mana ran dry, even if left alone. Shirou therefore had no intention of slaughtering them all.
To be honest, after witnessing the brutality of the Laḫmu, even these Magical Beasts seemed rather cute by comparison.
"Siduri-san, Huwawa... what exactly was it? What kind of Magical Beast was it?"
Mesopotamian spacetime had become unstable due to the Singularity. Apart from allowing gods to manifest, it had caused various other abnormalities as well.
And now, a new anomaly seemed to have occurred within this forest.
The guardian of the forest, Huwawa, had returned.
At Shirou's question, Siduri showed a complicated expression. "Actually, I... don't really know what it was either..."
"?"
Shirou frowned slightly.
There were things even Siduri did not know?
According to the citizens of Uruk, Siduri had already known King Gilgamesh when he was still a boy. If anything, she had known him even longer than Enkidu had.
Wait...
Gilgamesh was already past his prime and entering old age now.
Then how old was Siduri this year...?
M-maybe it was better not to think too deeply about that...
"Shirou-sama? You seem to be thinking something rather rude."
"N-no, not at all! Ahahaha! Hahaha... Phew. A woman's intuition really is terrifying."
Siduri hesitated before saying, "Huwawa was Enkidu's first friend. You could also say it was the parent who raised him."
"Yeah, I've heard about that much."
Shirou crossed his arms and grumbled, "Killing the old friend who raised you for the sake of an important new friend... wasn't Enkidu being a little too cruel?"
"No! Enkidu, he..."
Siduri bit her lip and lowered her head.
"...Shirou-sama, you'll understand once you see it."
"?"
Guided by Siduri, Shirou arrived at a temple deep within the Cedar Forest.
Ishtar was a Goddess of Heaven worshipped across a vast region, and her temples could be found throughout Mesopotamia. Her main strongholds were the Bedchamber of Uruk, Inanna, and the palace atop Mount Ebih.
The temple hidden away in the Cedar Forest was clearly one that the young lady herself had long since forgotten in some neglected corner.
"What... is that?"
Shirou's mouth fell open.
"Who's that child?"
Sitting on the temple steps was a little girl who looked no older than ten, with a mysterious mist drifting around her.
Seeing such a frail child suddenly appear in a forest filled with cute Magical Beasts only made Shirou more suspicious.
Then, in the very next moment, something even stranger happened.
The little girl raised her head, looked at the two of them, and opened her mouth.
"You." "Who." "Are." "You." "Really...?"
Countless children's voices echoed through the forest.
Their timing was chaotic and out of order, but together they formed a complete sentence.
"Who exactly are you?" the girl asked.
Just as Shirou was about to speak, Siduri explained with a sorrowful expression.
"That is Huwawa."
"Huh?"
"That... is Huwawa, guardian of the Cedar Forest."
"......"
Huwawa was supposedly a terrifying monster powerful enough to frighten Gilgamesh himself.
And yet, no matter how Shirou looked at her, the figure before him was just a harmless little girl.
Silently, Shirou poured Mana into his Mystic Eyes.
The moment he saw the mountain of piled corpses within his field of vision, he understood everything.
The truth of Huwawa.
It was an artificial life-form composed of the souls of thousands of human children.
Rather than something like the Einzbern, who originated from alchemy, it was closer to Frankenstein.
A revolting experiment on human beings.
Only this time, what had been stitched together was not human flesh, but human souls.
Not through the techniques and expectations of scientists, but through the Authorities and blessings of the gods.
A "perfect human" born together with a Curse.
That was Huwawa.
Whether these children had been test subjects, failures, or something else entirely during the gods' creation of a weapon, Enkidu, Shirou no longer cared.
These children, transformed into monsters on a whim of the gods, had eventually been taken in by Ishtar, the goddess who loved humanity.
She kept them in the Cedar Forest as pets.
Perhaps because Ishtar had descended into this era, they had also revived along with her.
However, because their power was incomplete, they had not appeared in the form of a monster.
Instead, they had taken the shape of a little girl.
This child was likely the one among the three thousand experimental children who had retained her sanity until the very end.
"Hu." "Wa." "Wa."
The name Siduri spoke caused the little girl to react.
She rose from the steps.
"Who are you?" "Who?" "Happy." "Who are you?" "You are."
"Sad." "Protect." "Forest." "Help me." "Hate."
Hundreds, thousands, nearly three thousand voices sounded at once.
They were the cries and screams of children.
"Destroy the forest." "Save." "Enemy." "Kill." "It hurts."
"It hurts." "Happy." "Life." "Gods." "Kill."
"Kill." "Help me." "No." "Forest." "Protect."
"Save me." "Help me." "Help me." "Wrong." "Die."
"Enemy." "Wrong." "Human." "Gods." "Aah."
"Hate." "Grace." "Pain." "Why." "Hate it."
"Hate." "It hurts." "Hate hate kill kill kill." "Die kill kill everyone die aaaaaaaaaa!"
"Shirou-sama!"
Siduri cried out in alarm.
Even an ordinary person like her could feel the overwhelming hostility pouring from Huwawa through her skin.
It was said that the vocal cords of the Magical Beast of the Cedar Forest contained the Authorities of the gods. Its roar alone had once rendered the King of Heroes unable to move.
Its claws carried the oldest and most primitive Curse of this land. A single catastrophic strike could even kill Enkidu instantly.
Its Mana continued swelling without limit, rapidly reaching the level of a Divine Spirit.
"It still possesses this much power?!"
"Siduri-san, step back a little... Leave this to me."
"Ah... yes! Please, Shirou-sama! Please let Huwawa rest in peace!"
"That's what Enkidu asked me to do too...
All right, you disobedient little brat. What am I supposed to do with you?"
Shirou took a step forward empty-handed.
At the same moment, a gigantic arm burst from the ground behind the little girl.
"Ugh...!!"
Without resisting, Shirou was slammed into the ground by the giant arm.
The impact was so violent that blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
"Shirou-sama!"
Siduri went pale and tried to rush forward, but Shirou motioned for her to keep her distance.
The little girl approached him one step at a time while pouring even more power into the giant arm.
Shirou's entire body was pressed deeper into the ground, and he coughed up more blood.
"Guh...!"
Barely clinging to consciousness, Shirou looked up at the girl who had stopped before him.
"This spell... I remember now... It's very similar to the Magecraft my witch uses...
Seriously... Ugh... If she hadn't met me...
That woman would definitely have turned into someone obsessed with human experimentation..."
"?"
The little girl, Huwawa, tilted her head, unable to understand what Shirou was talking about.
Never mind...
It didn't matter.
Any enemy who entered this forest had to be killed.
That was what Goddess-sama had commanded.
In life...
Because of Enkidu.
It was all his fault.
We became nothing.
We never became human.
We failed to help the gods.
We failed to protect the Goddess's garden.
We were not even allowed to remain monsters.
This time...
We will absolutely fulfill the will of the gods.
"Trace On."
Emerald-green magical light erupted from within the giant hand.
"Huh?"
Huwawa blinked.
"What?" "What's happening?" "What is this?"
"Power." "Is." "Disappearing." "Mana." "Why?"
"Our bodies." "Are." "Collapsing." "Now."
The giant arm pinning Shirou into the ground began crumbling like a lump of clay.
As it disintegrated, Huwawa also felt her power rapidly draining away.
More precisely, her souls were disappearing.
The 2,891 children's souls that had been fused together by the Curse of the gods were rapidly dwindling.
One after another, they transformed into streams of golden light and rose into the silent night sky.
"That." "You have." "Is..."
The children saw the red-haired boy drive a golden short blade into their arm.
"Since it's a spell I recognize, I know how to break it. Erosion."
That was the name Shirou gave the Short Blade.
"This Mystic Code can peel the soul and spirit away from the body.
I was originally planning to keep it as a secret weapon against Mother, Tiamat... I didn't think I'd have to reveal it this early."
Shirou spoke as he awkwardly climbed out of the crater.
"Seriously, what was Morgan planning to do with something this dangerous?
I didn't dare ask, and I didn't want to know either, so I confiscated it right then. She sulked at me for an entire week afterward..."
"Huwawa..."
Siduri stared blankly as the children's souls continued rising into the night sky.
Huwawa had never received salvation in life.
Because she was an immortal monster.
She was a Magical Beast equivalent to the very concept of calamity itself.
To kill her would have been the same as eradicating calamity from the surface of the Earth, something fundamentally impossible.
Enkidu had wanted to end his friend's suffering, so he chose to attack her.
The result...
Even after tearing out her organs, he could not completely kill her.
Even after snapping her neck, she continued crying out in hatred.
In the end, King Gilgamesh had been the one to stop Enkidu after he lost control.
It was said that when the King stopped him, Enkidu had been savagely tearing through Huwawa's entrails with a demonic expression on his face.
The battle in the Cedar Forest left a scar on the hearts of Uruk's two greatest heroes.
Huwawa's body was destroyed, but her suffering, their suffering, the suffering of the children, remained upon this land as a Curse.
It had been thought that this Curse would continue without end, perhaps until the planet itself perished.
Today, Shirou brought it to an end.
Thousands of children's souls became a river of brilliant starlight before finally disappearing into the night.
The forest returned to silence, just as it had been at the beginning.
Only one lonely little girl remained.
"..."
Shirou walked over, stroked the girl's head, and gently lifted her into his arms.
"Everyone else is gone... Aren't you going with them?"
The girl shook her head, then stared intently at Shirou's face.
"Thank you. Together."
"Hmm? What?"
"Together."
The girl repeated herself.
Siduri watched her reaction and said, "Shirou-sama, I think Huwawa is saying she wants to fight alongside you."
"Huh... Is that what you mean?" Shirou asked.
The little girl nodded seriously.
"Together with Shirou."
Shirou thought for a moment.
"I think I'll pass.
I don't want to rely on a child's power. Kingu and the others would laugh at me... All right, all right! I get it! Just put that dangerous thing down first!"
Huwawa slowly lowered the giant arm extending from behind her.
"......I understand. Huwawa is part of Mesopotamia too. Of course she wants to protect this land."
Shirou looked into the girl's eyes.
"Then let's fight together, Huwawa."
"Mm."
The girl smiled.
The next instant...
Brilliant seven-colored light spread from beneath Shirou's feet like a rainbow.
The little girl's body gradually dissolved, turning into light that flowed into Shirou.
For a brief moment, seven radiant rings of light appeared above his head.
The power symbolizing humanity's "Calamity" soon vanished again as his Mana settled.
"It's over."
The little girl in his arms was already gone.
Huwawa, the Magical Beast of the Cedar Forest, had become part of Shirou's Divinity just like Kingu.
"Let's go back, Siduri-san."
"Mm."
Siduri took one last look at the temple, then reluctantly turned her gaze away.
"By the way, Shirou-sama... could you be a little less rough with me on the way back?"
"Got it."
Shirou answered, then bent down and slid one arm beneath Siduri's knees.
Wait, could this be...?
The Head Priestess's eyes widened.
"Does Siduri prefer this?"
"I absolutely do not!!"
Her face bright red, Siduri was lifted into a princess carry by Shirou, and the two flew back toward Uruk.
...
...
By the time they returned to Uruk, it was already past three in the morning.
"Siduri-san, I'll take you back to the Sacrificial Grounds."
"No, let's go straight to the embassy... The Sacrificial Grounds should already be closed."
"All right."
The two landed on the rooftop terrace of the Chaldea Embassy.
The entire building was wrapped in silence.
This was the final night before the decisive battle. Both the girls from Chaldea and the goddesses were catching up on sleep in preparation for their battle against Mother.
"But Shirou-sama, you don't need to sleep anymore, do you?"
Siduri asked the moment they landed.
Shirou replied, "Ah, yeah... If anything, I can't sleep at all. Kingu and Huwawa's power is still too restless inside me."
"I understand... I'll stay in Shirou-sama's room."
"Huh? Are there no empty rooms left?"
"There aren't, are there?"
Shirou thought about it.
Tonight, the embassy had three new guests, Quetzalcoatl, Ishtar, and Jaguar Warrior. There probably really were no spare rooms remaining.
"But Merlin's room should still be empty..."
"There aren't any empty rooms, are there?"
Siduri cut him off coldly.
Shirou clicked his tongue internally.
Wow, Merlin. Does Siduri really hate you that much?
Trying not to wake anyone else, the two quietly slipped into Shirou's room.
Siduri closed the door behind them.
Shirou blinked.
Was it his imagination?
It sounded like she had just locked it...
"This brings back memories..."
Siduri walked to the middle of the room.
Her expression was hidden by her veil, but the Head Priestess's eyes were gentle and filled with nostalgia.
"Half a year ago, I was the one who brought Shirou-sama here and helped you choose this room... I also brought over the table, chairs, and tea set.
When I think about how many times Shirou-sama has saved Uruk over these past six months, even I can't help feeling proud.
It feels like being an older sister watching her little brother grow into someone remarkable."
Shirou felt just as nostalgic.
He had long since come to think of Siduri as a dependable older sister.
"Yeah. I had a hard time adjusting during my first few days in Uruk. Siduri-san took care of me in all sorts of ways and gave me plenty of commissions too."
Siduri smiled softly. "Hehe. A boy as capable as Shirou-sama could probably adapt anywhere even without my help, couldn't he?"
Shirou rolled his eyes. "I'm not so sure about that. At first...
If Siduri hadn't stepped in, there were several times when Gil and I probably would've started fighting right there in the Audience Hall."
"And now you've become that King's close friend."
"Hah? No, I haven't."
"You're close enough to call the King 'Gil' directly now, aren't you?"
"Guh... I'll go back to addressing him properly tomorrow."
Shirou sat down on the edge of the bed in irritation.
Siduri gazed deeply at him.
"Thank you so much, Shirou-sama."
For some reason, Shirou suddenly felt a little embarrassed beneath her gaze.
It almost seemed like...
Siduri's eyes were unusually intense...?
No, no, that had to be his imagination.
"All right, enough. You're making me embarrassed... Save your thanks until after we defeat Mother! I'm putting out the light now!"
Shirou walked over and blew out the room's lamp.
But the instant darkness returned...
Something struck him from behind.
That soft, unmistakably feminine sensation could only belong to the body of a mature woman.
"Siduri-san?"
The atmosphere changed in an instant.
Shirou froze for a moment before speaking.
"Shirou-sama, I know this is asking far too much, but there's one more thing I want to ask of you. This really is my final request."
Siduri wrapped her arms around Shirou from behind and buried her face against his shoulder.
Then, in a voice filled with unbearable embarrassment, she whispered.
"Let me become a mother... Sow your seed in me, and let me bear your child..."
***
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