To call it a battle was to exaggerate. While the deserters had tried to organize themselves, they had no real way to do anything. Trapped between a charging enemy and flaming walls, they were quickly dispatched. Some tried to escape - they were the first ones to be chased and run down.

Most fought back, opting to charge right back instead of surrendering. With their lines broken, however, they were easy pickings for Shirou and the others.

Then, there were the very few that threw down their weapons, already begging for mercy well before they were in hearing range. Shirou could only look at them with pity. Going by how their begging for mercy was closer to asking for a quick death, and how they cried when that request was denied, they knew the result of treason.

Death by execution. And, with their status as former soldiers, they knew that the execution would neither be short nor painless.

Shirou's sense of justice rankled at the thought of leaving them to their fates. He stomped it down with a bitter grimace. As much as he disagreed with it, these people had dug their own graves. Their actions were that of citizens of the Empire, and thus, they were subject to its laws.

Of course, his luck came about when the Princess saw his face. With a similar look on her own features, she gave a rueful chuckle, "I know. They may be cowards, but they will receive their comeuppance. I highly doubt the praetor will have reason to hold back."

That Piña said so within hearing distance of the newly captured prisoners was telling of her own viciousness, no matter how hidden it may be. The muffled men, having been gagged after they had annoyed just about everyone with their pleas, began to cry even through said gags.

Shirou had to look away from the sight.

It was both pathetic and telling that the very same people who had been all too willing to ravage Italica were now quaking at the thought of punishment. Simply put, they didn't think they would be caught. They thought that they would be free to do as they wished, upon anyone they wanted.

Arrogance. Selfishness. The complete disregard for basic human decency. No matter where they were, somehow, humans were always the same.

That said, Shirou had to frown as he scoured the assembled prisoners. There was someone missing there, someone that should have been unmissable.

Dropping his voice to a low whisper, Shirou had to ask, "That mage, she's not here." An air of urgency with his words. Shirou knew that female prisoners were much, much less likely to be treated with decency. No matter the culture, time, or place, such events were ones that needed precautions against.

That he couldn't see the demi-human mage was either very much alarming, or a sign that the Princess had taken the necessary actions to safeguard her.

Thankfully, his fears were unfounded, "Myuute's currently being watched over by Hamilton in a private cell." There was a note of suspicion in Piña's voice, not that he held it against her. With her thinking that he was a Celt, and with the already common things that he had heard about with his own world's Celts, Shirou could only assume that promiscuity was just another commonality.

"Good." Thankfully, Shirou was not the real Cu Chulainn. He had no doubt that the Hound would have done exactly what Piña was thinking of. In fact, just the thought of it was forcing more thoughts of violence from the gladius at his side - towards himself at that should he ever do it.

"How long do you plan on staying here?" Trying to steer the conversation away, Shirou glanced back at the city. While the residents were more or less alive, the same could not be said for everything else. The wooden houses nearest the walls had been the main victims, having been close enough to the fires that they had been caught by them.

While the casualties were looking lower than expected, that now brought the problem of having not enough housing for all of them.

"We'll be resting for perhaps a day or two before we head back to the capital." With a frown, Piña followed his gaze, "As much as Italica might need help rebuilding, it would amount to nothing if they starve to death."

Shirou could see the logic. No doubt, rumors that Italica was under siege by bandits would have reached local traders, with the grapevine likely to reach the capital itself shortly after. That would stop all forms of trade going in and out of Italica. Bandits were bad for business, after all.

With Piña's appearance in the city, it was unlikely for the capital to believe that it was her writing the letter should she send one. No, in order to assuage the fears of everyone there, Piña herself would need to appear before them.

"I see." Nodding to himself, "Then I and my companions will stay here for the time being. We'll shore up the defenses long enough for-"

"Actually, Sir Chulainn, I was wondering if you'd be willing to join us."

…How could he forget? Internally sighing, he recalled the details that Piña's sword detailed. One of the more recent events, when the Princess had used it to salute the Emperor. Right after swearing that she would return with information about the men in green.

And who would be a better source of information than a wandering warrior that had fought at their side, while bringing in a cart full of wyvern scales that no doubt came from the very field where those men fought?

Had he been in any other position, and in his own world, Shirou would have cursed the gods that gave him his damned luck.

Shirou couldn't exactly deny the Princess without arousing even more suspicion. As such, two days later, the three of them were riding along with the Rose-Order. They were on a convoy of four horse drawn carriages, with one being the cart full of wyvern scales, and another with the small number of prisoners they had managed to capture. The only exception to the last one was the demi-human mage, whom Hamilton had with them in their carriage, unconscious as she may be.

Shirou had questioned the knight about that too, seeing as Piña was still suspicious about his intentions. In response, the knight had shrugged and told him that he had her trust, and proceeded to converse with the elf next to her.

Tuka kept mostly quiet, though she kept conversation with the animated Hamilton. The knight had been taken by the elf, and Shirou was glad to see that Tuka was warming up.

The magus would have preferred to their conversations not dip into the topics that they did, though. He could only lament the look on Hodor's face if he ever found out about this.

Regardless, he was happy to see the elf actually make friends. Despite her place with the other elves, even back in the forest, Tuka had been very much isolated. She was the only elf her age, both literal and maturity wise. It was no wonder that she had more or less latched onto him when Shirou had stayed in the village.

He knew that the other villagers would be leery at having an Imperial as her friend, however. There was still a palpable tension on Tuka's shoulders, one that the knight must have noticed at this point. Yet, Hamilton continued to talk to her without a hint of hesitation.

With a smile, he turned to the other girl in the party, Lelei. Said girl was doing a much better job at keeping up with the energetic Shandy Gaff Marea than he thought. Apparently, Lelei had let slip that she was the student of Cato, and that had spurred Shandy to ask question after question.

Lelei took everything with a straight face, answering question after question. That was fine, since the questions really were just about what Cato taught her. They had no reason to hide it, after all. Especially when Lelei's bright blue hair made the entire point of hiding her identity moot.

Though, seeing her face fall after Lelei had basically described Cato as a 'pervert who sometimes has his moments of brilliance' almost made him break character and burst out in laughter.

As for Shirou, he was content with staying quiet in the back of their carriage. He had thought his life was already exciting enough, having to go after Sealing Designates every other month or so, with Dead Apostle hunts in the interim.

Turns out, life thought that it needed even more excitement. Enough that, in the last two months, Shirou could definitely say that he had had enough. Even he had a breaking point, and that breaking point had been reached when he'd fought the Red Dragon.

It was sad, then, that his entire life seemed destined to continue being eventful.

Well, it wasn't so bad, he mused. Shirou watched the countryside go on by, untainted by the industrialisation that had plagued his world, yet, still with signs of human habitation. Quaint. Calm.

He had wanted to stay within Italica, true. It would make for a close enough site that he could return to Alnus without much trouble while gathering information. More than that, he wanted to help its people rebuild. Unknowing they may be, Shirou was still partially responsible for those deserters in the first place.

Ergo, he was partially responsible for the destruction of their home. He had wanted to make up for that. Rin would have his hide if she ever heard him then. It had taken a long time for her to convince him that not everything borne of his actions were his fault, and here he was, falling back into bad habits.

The magus shivered at the thought of his friend. He had been so damn busy lately that he hadn't had much time to contact her. He knew that he would be in for it when he did, though. Hm. Maybe when he got back, he'd finally take some of that time off that he'd saved up? Finally go back home for a bit?

Finally gather the damn courage to see Sakura?

Even if he hadn't found Zouken, the continuous guilt eating at him telling him that he should have, he…wanted to see her. Rin. Fuji-nee. Issei and Mitsuzuri. His friends and family that he had left, pursuing a single goal without hesitation.

I have no regrets, this is the only path.

A long time ago, the aria he used to invoke his Blade Works had included that. Somewhere along the line, he had lost it. Instead of the aria of Shirou Emiya, he had started to use that of EMIYA's. The magus could never figure out why the words he had wanted never could leave his lips.

Deep down, though, he knew.

He didn't live without regrets, not anymore. He lived trying to avoid them. A difference, small as it was, that changed everything. To avoid regrets was to run away from anything that might cause them. Just as he ran away from Sakura and Rin, to avoid the regret of failing them.

No wonder Rin had looked at him like he was a different person. Like she had failed him, when he'd first chanted the first line of EMIYA's aria.

No more.

He looked at his hands, not the darkened skin that he had grown accustomed to, but the complexion that he'd had years and years ago. From this point on, Shirou Emiya would live. Starting with going back home the moment he could.

The gladius beside him hummed in contentment.

At that moment, Shirou's eyes widened, his hand going to the blade. In the end, though, he could only give a loud laugh. He didn't care for the confused stares of the others. Not when he finally figured out why the blade hadn't been giving him the bloodlust against oppressors he had expected since their little trip began.

At the end of the day, after all, regrets were just an oppressor to the soul.

A/N: A bit more introspective than normal, I feel. Blame the weather putting me in the mood lmao.

If you like what I do and want to support me, check out my P-atreon at P-atreon•com(slash)Almistyor.

And a special thanks to: FireRogueWolf25, brutalcrab and Tassimo.