The first thing that Shirou noticed as he entered the capital proper was that it smelled like shit. Not figuratively, literally. From the way both Tuka and Lelei crinkled their noses, he wasn't the only one. Where the other settlements that they'd visited were open enough that the smell was filtered by nature - in Italica's case, by blood and corpses - the Imperial capital was too urban for that.
Sure, the splendor and grandeur of the capital was still as majestic as it was from a distance, but that was hampered by the instinct to just throw up. The only reason he hadn't was that he'd actually somehow smelled worse things in his time.
"Is it like this in the entire city?" Despite that, it wasn't like he enjoyed the smell of it any more than anyone in their right mind.
Norma laughed wryly as he led them through the streets, the ones not being assaulted by any rebels. More than once, they'd been stopped in their tracks due to the sheer crowd that had formed, a not so insignificant amount of them being refugees, " Unfortunately, yes. The smell is always what gets the first-timers here. Don't worry, you'll get used to it soon enough."
"Do I even want to get used to it?" Shirou snorted to himself as he snarked back. He couldn't help himself, with how much magecraft was used around here, you would think that someone would at least create a spell that would get rid of the lingering rankness that polluted the area.
Norma only laughed more in response. Ever since they'd accepted his offer, the knight had been a lot more relaxed. Relatively speaking, that is. He was still altogether tense, ready to lash out at any moment. Though now, he would laugh somewhat less forcefully than before.
That being said, as they wound through the congested streets, the dissonance of the capital struck Shirou more than the smell. The gilded arches, marble facades, and Greco-Roman-styled (though they would call it Saderan-styled) statues loomed overhead, ostentatious monuments to power and wealth, but the streets below were a chaotic tangle of grime and desperation.
Beggars of all ages were the primary audience of their guide. Not surprising, considering they had started at the edge of the capital. Shirou suspected that the further they travelled, the less poverty they would see. That didn't mean much, though, as his impression on the capital had already soured more than it had already been.
The magus knew that the ringed walls around Sadera had meant that there was at least some sort of caste system, where the poorest would live in the outermost rings. He didn't realize that, judging by how many rings there were and how big they were, the number of the impoverished masses overtook the number of nobles by more than a significant margin.
Little wonder that the slaves revolted.
They trudged on, the ragged crowd parting just enough for them to pass. Men and women with hollow cheeks and roving eyes watched them with a mixture of curiosity and resentment. Oddly enough, Shirou felt a lot more comfortable with those types of stares. It felt a lot closer to how some magi from the Clock Tower would stare at him due to his position and the Queen's 'favor'.
At least here, he knew it was only for whatever money or food they might have, and not three different families wanting prestige.
"Keep moving." Norma said over his shoulder, his tone soft but insistent. "The less time we linger, the better."
Shirou didn't need to be told twice. The weight of the gazes pressed on his back, and the stench of the streets seemed to thicken the longer they stayed. Even Lelei, with her usual calm demeanor, shifted uncomfortably as they navigated through the maze of alleys.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they reached the entrance of the next ring. This one had a lot more guards than the previous one, and with the many merchants in an orderly line, Shirou could surmise that the market district was just beyond it.
"Sir Norma!" A guard had spotted them approaching and quickly waved them over, completely ignoring the queue, much to many grumbles of annoyance, "You've arrived sooner than expected."
Norma frowned, his steps slowing as he exchanged a quick glance with Shirou. "What do you mean? Is something the matter?"
The guard blinked, confusion flickering across his face. "You didn't know? The slave uprising's been pushing since earlier today. They've barricaded several streets and taken hostages. It's been chaos since dawn."
Shirou raised an eyebrow at the news, seeing the merchants waiting despite the obvious, "And them?"
The guard narrowed his eyes at Shirou;s group in suspicion, before shrugging, "We've been instructed to escort them and their cargo to the central temples. Unfortunately, the slaves are blocking the path right now, so they've been waiting a while."
"We wouldn't be waiting if you people would just do your damn jobs!" One merchant yelled out to them, "They're slaves, just kill them already!"
The glare that the Enforcer pinned on the man could have killed a man with the sheer venom that he put into it. Only the deathgrip on his arm had stilled his hand, coming from the equally angry, but much more controlled Tuka.
"And we'd be able to do that if you lot didn't start sneaking around the damned barricade every thirty minutes!" The guard they were talking to shouted back at the merchant, clearly annoyed by them all. This started a chain reaction wherein every other merchant started screaming at the other guards, prompting a small riot to break out.
Still, it seemed this was common enough of a scenario that the man they were talking to only rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed, "Apologies, Sir Norma, for that unsightly display. These merchants just don't understand the sheer danger of trying to go through rebel territory with their supplies."
"What are they even carrying that they're risking getting captured by the rebels?" Even Norma was confused, "Can't it wait till after the dust has settled?"
"No can do, sir. They're carrying offerings for the temples, ordered by the Emperor himself." The guard shrugged helplessly, "Honestly, I understand their frustration, but we risk our entire position crumbling if we send any more men as escorts than we already have."
The magus grimaced at the reminder that they thought that the earthshake was due to a god's interference rather than a natural occurrence. Even so, he kept that to himself as everyone else nodded in understanding.
"I'm going on a hunch and say that the Rose Order have been the ones doing the escorting?" Norma asked wryly, to the guard's small amusement.
"Aye sir. The Princess has been adamant in making sure that everyone gets to the temples as quickly as possible, so she's been leading the efforts personally. Speaking of which, she should be arriving back soon enough."
As if on cue, a loud commotion rose from beyond the barricade. At first, it was indistinct, a dull roar of clashing steel, shouted commands, and panicked cries. Then came the unmistakable sound of boots striking cobblestones, hurried and uneven. The tension in the air thickened as the guards and merchants alike turned toward the source, their murmurs hushed with apprehension.
Finally, through the entrance came none other than the Princess herself. She had seen better days, with the lack of sleep on her eyes visible for all to see, her armor scuffed with dirt and grime. Beside her, Hamilton and Grey stood, as weary as they allowed themselves to be seen. Regardless of their tiredness, Piña shouted to the merchants.
"Next!"
As one, the merchants clambered over each other with their hands raised in the air, trying to push down the others. At random, she picked one of the merchants, who yelled in abject relief, while the others groaned in despair.
Shirou knew right there and then why they were desperate: this was a direct order from the Emperor, so if any of them failed to deliver in a timely manner, they were likely to be punished. And with how people treated the temples, torture and death were likely looming above the failures' heads.
"Prepare your cargo, we leave in five minutes."
The chosen merchant scrambled to gather their belongings, barking orders to their assistants with frantic urgency. Their desperation was palpable, each movement sharp and hurried, as though every second wasted might bring the Emperor's wrath crashing down upon them. Meanwhile, the remaining merchants slumped back into the crowd, muttering curses or wringing their hands in frustration.
The Princess' sharp gaze swept over the crowd as she took a moment to adjust her scuffed armor. Despite her fatigue, she carried herself with a determined air, her posture rigid and authoritative.
"Norma." She called, her voice clear despite its edge of exhaustion. "What are you doing here? I thought I'd told you to rest?" Then she did a double take as she spotted Shirou, "Sir Chulainn? You as well?"
"We fixed things up at the border town faster than we expected, so we just arrived." Shirou shrugged as Norma nodded.
"That's right, Princess." Norma placed his arm on his chest in a salute, "You have ordered me not to fight, but that doesn't mean Sir Chulainn can't. I've hired him to assist us in subduing the rebels."
Piña's eyes lingered on Shirou for a long moment, her expression betraying a mixture of emotions, relief, wariness, and something heavier, a weight she carried unspoken. Finally, she let out a breath, brushing her armor with a gauntleted hand. "Sir Chulainn." she began, her tone measured but strained, "I didn't expect to see you again so soon. You've already done more for us than I could have hoped during Italica, and I haven't had the chance to repay you for that. So forgive me if I'm hesitant to accept your help now."
Shirou raised an eyebrow but said nothing, letting her continue.
"I can't help but wonder what it is you're truly after." She admitted, her voice quieter, though it carried an edge of guilt. "No one helps without expecting something in return, least of all when the stakes are this high."
It clicked once again.
The same thing that had led to Archer's death. The idea that someone was well and truly altruistic never crossed anyone's mind. That Shirou was willing to quite literally put his life in danger once was a miracle to her. For him to do so twice was unthinkable.
Shirou's lips twitched into a faint, almost bitter smile as he met Piña's wary gaze. "I see." He said , his tone carrying a quiet understanding. "You think I'm here because I want something from you."
He let out a small sigh, glancing to the side where Tuka and Lelei stood silently. Their expressions were unreadable, though Tuka was staring at him a bit too intently, likely thinking this was their chance to not help the Empire, "You're not wrong to think that."
Piña's frown deepened, though a hint of uncertainty flickered in her eyes. "Then what do you want, Sir Chulainn? What's the price of your help this time?"
Shirou stepped forward slightly, closing the distance between them, though not in an aggressive way. His movements were measured, deliberate, as if he were navigating a fragile balance. "How about this?" He said, his eyes locking onto hers. "I'll tell you the price after this is over. When the hostages are safe, when the rebellion is dealt with, I'll let you know what my help cost you."
Soon enough, they hammered enough of a plan of attack. Shirou, Tuka and Lelei - the latter two joining despite his disapproval - would slot into Piña's formation, with Shirou at the front, and Tuka and Lelei supporting them with their magecraft. Due to the fact that the Rose Order was populated more by swordsmen than mages, the addition of two was a significant boost to their safety.
Additionally, Shirou found some worrying implications behind the rebellion's tactics.
In that they were smarter than he would have thought. Or rather, that they were organized in any way, shape or form.
That told him that there was a leader, smart enough that they knew how to use guerilla tactics against the obviously more powerful Imperial garrison, and yet were fierce enough to force the garrison on the defensive while they waited for the main Imperial army to relieve them. According to the Princess, the legions had been sent a missive, but it would still take quite a few days for them to actually receive said missive, nevermind the time it would take for them to return from their northern campaign.
All of that combined made things a lot more difficult, as his initial plan to force the rebels into surrendering would be ineffective if they thought their chances of winning were high.
That didn't mean he wouldn't try, though. That just meant showing the difference in strength more than he wanted.
Their preparations set, Shirou drew his blade, a shield in his other hand, as Piña shouted over the din of noise, "Open the barricades!"
The Enforcer thought himself prepared as he breathed, his Reinforcement filling his body.
He still found himself unprepared when suddenly found himself face to face with the barrel of a matchlock rifle wielded by a Yaga.
…
A/N: 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, Tassimo and Grant Walker.