บท 55: [FGO]: 55
Directly using the name of the Yggdmillennia to expel all magi from the entire town, Atalanta then occupied the highest point in the town to surveil the whole area.
Ryou, Jeanne, and Siegfried patrolled in three different directions at night.
This eliminated Jack the Ripper's chance to devour hearts and souls to replenish her mana.
Severely injured, Jack's Master, Reika Rikudou, was an ordinary person completely devoid of magical power.
Ryou's strategy was openly straightforward. While it required a significant amount of time, it left no room for escape.
Jack the Ripper had no choice but to be eliminated.
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
In an ordinary residence, a green-haired woman exuding maternal warmth looked worriedly at the little girl Jack lying on the bed. She was Reika Rikudou, Jack the Ripper's Master.
The once sinister and ruthless little girl was now covered in wounds, lying weakly on the bed. Her body started to become somewhat translucent, clearly showing signs of mana depletion.
"Mommy, it hurts..."
Jack groaned in pain, reaching out a trembling hand.
Reika Rikudou grasped her hand, comforting her gently.
"It's okay, little Jack, mommy is right here with you. Just sleep for a bit, and the pain will go away soon."
"Okay, mommy."
Little Jack obediently closed her eyes and fell into a slumber.
Reika Rikudou lovingly stroked Jack's cheek, a look of determination flashing in her eyes.
Sighișoara, an old town developed from a fortress, covered an area of only about a hundred square kilometers with a population of around fifty thousand, making it a true small town.
With Atalanta's keen sight and standing atop the cathedral's bell tower, she could easily observe every corner of the town.
Coupled with Jeanne, Ryou, and Siegfried patrolling back and forth within the town, the defense was impenetrable, leaving no opportunity for Jack the Ripper to exploit.
At this moment, Ryou was resting in the inn.
Although his physical condition had surpassed human limits, he was still a mortal, unlike the Servants made entirely of mana.
Jeanne noticed his exhaustion and forcefully sent him back to the inn to rest.
Ryou felt a warmth in his heart. His ultimate goal was to contract with Jeanne, which was not entirely pure in intent, yet Jeanne treated him with genuine sincerity, which deeply moved him.
Perhaps it was a case of thinking about something during the day and dreaming about it at night.
In his dream, Ryou suddenly found himself unable to move.
His vision shifted to a third-person perspective as if he were watching a movie.
An ancient French town, with a gloomy sky as if it were about to rain, creating a highly oppressive atmosphere.
Arrogant English soldiers formed a human wall, separating a large number of French civilians, while a procession moved slowly in the middle of the road.
Fully armed English soldiers with cold smiles on their faces led the way, followed by a girl whose hands were bound with rough hemp ropes, being dragged forward.
Ryou's eyes narrowed immediately. This familiar scene reminded him of many images. It was the final moment of Jeanne's execution by burning.
At this time, Jeanne was wearing a large white robe, without even boots, her long blonde hair tied into a ponytail hanging down to her waist. In her hand, she held a small cross made from tied wooden sticks.
She lowered her head, a trace of sorrow on her face, seemingly worried about the future of her country.
Despite her simple and unadorned attire, she radiated an unprecedented aura of sanctity.
In contrast to the angelic Jeanne, the ignorant and foolish French civilians hurled insults and stones at her.
Smack!
A sharp stone struck Jeanne's smooth forehead, causing blood to flow instantly.
Jeanne, however, showed no reaction—neither anger nor resentment.
She accepted her ultimate fate with the serenity of a saint who repays evil with good.
Eventually, the English soldiers bound her tightly to a stake with iron chains and lit the firewood beneath the platform.
As the flames roared, Jeanne's face shone with a holy radiance. She lifted her head and gazed at the sky.
"Lord, I entrust myself to You..."
Then the flames consumed her completely as if purifying her mortal body...
Watching Jeanne engulfed by the flames, Ryou had been deeply moved when he first saw this scene in the original animation. He marveled at the existence of such a benevolent girl who repaid evil with good.
Reliving this true event in his dream today, he felt that merely being moved was an insult to her.
This was the image of a true saint in his heart.
Compared to those superficially holy yet deeply scheming women, Jeanne was a million times purer!
The perfect saint Jeanne made him feel even more tenderness toward her.
She deserved to enjoy all the beauty the world had to offer.
As for those foolish French people, the ungrateful French royalty, and the nobles...
Ryou could only say that Jeanne Alter did well in burning them! If given the chance, he would gladly add another bucket of gasoline!
"Master, something's up!"
At that moment, Atalanta's voice suddenly came through their mental connection, jolting him awake.
"What is it, Atalanta?"
"Jack the Ripper's Master has appeared. She seems to want to talk to you."
While Ryou was immersed in the dream of Jeanne's past, Reika Rikudou appeared alone in the town square.
Not only that, she raised her right hand, which still bore faint traces of Command Seals, as if afraid no one would recognize her as Jack the Ripper's Master.
This unusual scene was immediately noticed by the sharp-eyed Atalanta.
Since signing a contract with Ryou, some things have not been kept secret from her.
This included Reika Rikudou's appearance. Combined with the remnants of Command Seals on her hand, Atalanta quickly identified her as Jack the Ripper's Master, Reika Rikudou.
When Atalanta rushed over and, after careful reconnaissance, found that Reika was not accompanied by her Servant, she immediately subdued her from behind.
Facing Atalanta's attack, Reika Rikudou remained calm and cooperative, requesting to meet with their leader, leading to the current situation.
After hearing the news, Ryou narrowed his eyes and showed a contemplative expression.
"Wait, I'm coming right away, and notify Jeanne as well."
"Understood, Master."
Ending the conversation with Atalanta, hiss mind began to race.
It was clear that Jack the Ripper and Reika Rikudou had been pushed to their limits and could no longer hold out.
Meeting him likely had two possible motives.
Either they intended to surrender, or they wanted to seize an opportunity to assassinate Ryou, their leader.
He was more inclined to believe it was the former. After all, even at her peak, Jack the Ripper was no match for him, let alone in her current injured state. Adding Reika Rikudou, an ordinary woman, didn't make much of a difference.
Of course, Ryou wouldn't let his guard down.
Atalanta moved quickly. Just as Jeanne returned to the inn, she escorted Reika Rikudou back with her.
Reika Rikudou was very beautiful and, due to her profession as a prostitute, her body was well-developed, making her an attractive figure that could easily evoke various indecent thoughts.
However, upon closer inspection, Ryou noticed that despite her frail appearance, her eyes were filled with determination, and she exuded a maternal aura.
She was a strong mother at heart.
Regardless of her character, it was admirable that she, clearly not Jack's biological mother and knowing that Jack wasn't even fully human, would risk everything for her. As a mother, she was indeed commendable.
Reika Rikudou was originally a lifeless prostitute, captured by the magus Sagara Hyouma to be used as a sacrifice for summoning Jack the Ripper.
Unexpectedly, Jack the Ripper, being a wraith formed from the grievances of numerous abandoned and deceased infants of prostitutes, had a natural affinity with Reika Rikudou.
Immediately after being summoned, Jack killed Sagara and accepted Reika Rikudou as her mother.
Likewise, the lifeless Reika Rikudou found emotional solace in Jack.
Jack's wish was to return to Reika Rikudou's womb.
From Ryou's understanding, this meant returning in a spiritual form to be reborn as a baby.
Otherwise, if taken literally, it would mean entering Reika's body entirely, which with Jack's combat prowess, she could easily achieve without resistance.
Jack's wish likely represented the desires of all those unborn infants—to be born properly and have a loving mother.
As for Reika Rikudou, who saw Jack as her emotional anchor, she probably wished to live with Jack forever.
Though not as selfless as Amakusa Shirou's grand ambitions, Ryou found their wishes equally respectable.
Moreover, Ryou wasn't morally rigid.
Jack primarily targeted magus, who often weren't good people. Ryou wasn't a saint who pitied everyone, so the fate of those magi was irrelevant to him.
If he could bring them to his side, it would be an additional strength—why not?
With this in mind, Ryou made his decision.
"Ms. Reika Rikudou, please have a seat," Ryou gestured to the green-haired beauty in front of him.
Reika Rikudou, showing remarkable courage, sat opposite him with a determined look on her face.
An hour later, Reika Rikudou emerged from the room, looking exhausted.
However, there was a hint of joy in her eyes.
Ryou had reached an agreement with her: as long as Jack the Ripper followed hi's commands in the Holy Grail War, he would ensure that after the war, Jack could be reincarnated as Reika Rikudou's true daughter through a method of soul rebirth.
To reassure her, Ryou had Medea appear before her, showcasing her extensive magical knowledge through him.
Of course, Ryou didn't fully trust Reika Rikudou either. Given her firm resolve and moral ambiguity, she would do anything to achieve her and her daughter's goals.
To be safe, Ryou and Medea implanted a primordial rune, akin to a curse, on her.
With a single thought, Ryou could activate the rune and kill her.
Since Jack was a low-mystery servant, such a rune could not be broken, serving as his insurance on Reika Rikudou.
Interestingly, Reika Rikudou didn't seem angry but rather relieved.
Her thoughts were easy to understand. If Ryou had no means of control and offered only vague promises, it would indeed seem like giving her an empty check that couldn't be cashed. Reika Rikudou might not trust him.
Placing a curse on her, on the other hand, added some credibility.
He gave her a potion that could quickly restore her magical energy and then sent her outside.
When Ryou turned his head, he noticed Jeanne looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated.
To show his sincerity, Ryou had purposefully allowed Jeanne to eavesdrop on his conversation with Reika Rikudou.
"What is it, Jeanne?"
Ryou asked.
"I have some concerns. During the Holy Grail War, we can restrain her, but once she reincarnates as a normal human if she starts killing innocent civilians again..."
"Hehehe~"
Ryou suddenly laughed.
"Why are you laughing? I'm discussing something serious with you!" Jeanne's face showed a hint of annoyance as she slapped him lightly.
Even she didn't realize that her tone sounded almost like she was being coquettish.
"Then what do you suggest, Jeanne? Break our promise, purify Jack the Ripper, and then kill her mother?"
Ryou proposed with a smile.
"Of course, I can't do that!"
Jeanne flatly refused. She couldn't do something as dishonorable as breaking promises and eradicating the problem.
"Then that's settled. Haven't you always said that Heroic Spirits are souls from the past and shouldn't interfere too much with the present world?" Ryou comforted her.
"Once she reincarnates as a human, it will be up to the people of that time to worry about her. Moreover, this is just one possible future. You can't kill someone now for a crime they might commit in the future."
Seeing that Jeanne still looked worried, Ryou tried a different approach.
"Besides, you can see that this mother and child, though cruel and murderous, act with a clear purpose. Once they've achieved their goal, as long as they are left alone, they are much safer than you might think."
Ryou spoke convincingly.
"Alright, I'll go along with your plan," Jeanne finally agreed after some thought.
What Ryou didn't know was that while he was meticulously dealing with Jack the Ripper, an unexpected visitor had secretly infiltrated the Yggdmillennia's castle.
This intruder avoided the tight guard of the homunculi and arrived at a special room. He gently pushed the door open and walked in.
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