The girl who had retrieved her weapons did not launch another attack but instead ran towards the nearest window.
As "Jack the Ripper," one of the world's most infamous murderers, little Jack had an astonishing talent for crime. Without needing to analyze carefully, the best course of action would automatically appear in her mind.
There was no way that Shinji, who had decided to raise little Jack, would let his familiar escape. He took a quick step and blocked Jack's path.
With her way blocked, Jack decisively turned and dashed towards the door, displaying an impressive resolve.
The room chosen by Sagara Hyouma for the summoning was not large. In the blink of an eye, Jack had crossed the magic circle inscribed in the center of the room and was about to reach the door handle in the next instant.
At that moment, a third voice sounded in the dim, silent room.
A faint nasal sound—Rokudo Reika, who had fainted from excessive blood loss, regained consciousness.
In the instant she opened her eyes, she saw a girl. The unique clarity of the girl's presence reminded her of her childhood, that innocent and carefree time.
Rokudo Reika, who had captivated countless men, was a high-class prostitute but had also experienced a stable and happy childhood. Almost no one knew that she was born into a noble family and was a well-educated young lady. However, after her parents died in an accident and due to various subjective and objective factors, her life began to spiral downward, eventually leading her to become a prostitute.
On the other hand, little Jack, who was fleeing, also noticed this woman. Perhaps it was because Rokudo Reika's prostitute background attracted the unborn children who had been aborted, or maybe the two had a natural affinity. The natural-born killer felt an intense familiarity with the woman as if she were her mother, and once again, she called out that term.
"Mother."
Rokudo Reika was slightly stunned. Although she had been with many men, she had never experienced pregnancy due to meticulous precautions, let alone being a mother. Yet, for some reason, the moment the girl called out "Mother," her maternal instinct surged unprecedentedly as if this girl was her child, and she wanted to hold and protect her.
Touched in her soft spot, Rokudo Reika responded to little Jack's call: "Yes, I can be your Mother."
Unrelated to mysteries, Rokudo Reika, who did not know Jack's true identity, was unaware of how perilous the situation had just been. Had she reacted even slightly normally, the little girl she saw as innocent and carefree would have dismembered her with a dagger, and she would have had no ability to resist.
Of course, now that she had responded to little Jack's expectations, nothing like that would happen.
"Yay~ Mother~"
Hearing Rokudo Reika's response, little Jack cheered and pounced into her "mother's" arms like a fledgling returning to the nest, rubbing her little head against Rokudo Reika's ample bosom.
"Found mother. Jack found mother."
"Jack, is that your name?"
Completely unaware that she had just brushed past death, Rokudo Reika gently stroked Jack's hair, her voice incomparably gentle. It was not the sweet tone she used to coax men, but genuine warmth and affection from the heart.
"Yes, our true name is Jack, Jack the Ripper," Jack replied innocently, completely unaware of how shocking her words were.
"Jack the Ripper?"
Rokudo Reika's hand paused. Living in Japan, how could she not know the name "Jack the Ripper"? But how could this infamous serial killer be such an adorable child?
"What's wrong, mother?" Little Jack looked up, her pure eyes gazing at Rokudo Reika's face through the valley between her breasts.
"Nothing." Rokudo Reika shook her head and tightly hugged the girl who made her feel so close.
So what if she was? So what if she wasn't? Even if she was, this murderer who had taken the lives of five prostitute had spared her and was now so clingy. That was enough.
"Is this even possible? I almost forgot this pair is the most compatible Master and Servant in Fate/Apocrypha. It's not surprising that things turned out this way."
Upon seeing this scene, Shinji's eyes nearly popped out of his head, but he quickly calmed down. The connections between people are indeed mysterious. Some people remain mere acquaintances even after years, while others can become close friends in just a short time.
Little Jack and Rokudo Reika probably belong to the latter category. After all, Jack was summoned using Reika herself as a catalyst, resulting in a lightning-strike level of compatibility—well, using "lightning-strike" might not be quite right.
Never mind, it's fine. With Rokudo Reika taking care of Jack, at least he wouldn't have to worry about the little Jack. This loli had poor compatibility with the magus, and only someone like Rokudo Reika, who seemed normal but was extraordinary, could handle her. Her acceptance ability was truly exceptional.
Thinking this, Shinji glanced discreetly at the "mother and daughter" embracing each other, and then he felt a rush of heat to his head, almost causing a nosebleed.
No, that's not right, he was getting off track again. This was indeed a dangerous woman.
After silently chanting "Oh great teacher who connects heavens and earth, cleanse me of evil thoughts!" three times, Shinji's mind gradually regained calm.
At this moment, Rokudo Reika also realized the presence of another person from Shinji's suddenly heavy breathing.
"And you are—?"
"An uninvited assassin. I think you should remember my voice. Can we talk? I believe you have a lot of questions, Miss Rokudo Reika."
"Sure," Rokudo Reika responded without a moment's hesitation.