In the early 20th century, Bucharest, the capital of Romania, was once called "Little Paris." However, due to bombings during World War II, two earthquakes, and the unrealistic urban development by the dictator Ceaușescu, most of the beautiful buildings from that time were destroyed.
Of course, not all of them. If you drive along Victoria Avenue, which runs north to south through the city, you should still be able to see some old churches and historically significant buildings in the old city area.
However, the scars Ceaușescu left on Romania go far beyond that.
"They're called Ceaușescu's children, right?"
A woman whispered in a somewhat sweet and detached voice. Although she tried her best to dress inconspicuously, the hint of melancholy that occasionally appeared on her face could still captivate men. Strangely, though, the "someone" listening to her sweet voice wasn't present around her.
Passersby were surprised to see the woman muttering to the void and watched her with astonishment. Perhaps sensing something abnormal in her eyes, no one approached her.
It's not that they didn't want to; they just didn't dare—beauty is one thing, but a mentally unstable woman is far less appealing.
The woman, naturally mistaken for a madwoman, was Reika Rikudou from Japan. The "someone" listening to her sweet voice undoubtedly existed: Jack, in spirit form, holding her mother's hand (even though she couldn't hold it, Jack liked to pretend), and Artoria, walking invisibly beside Reika, cloaked by Hades' mantle. After some twists and turns, they finally arrived in Romania, as requested by Shinji.
The more one knew about Reika, the more one realized that she was an exceptional talent. Although her profession had some flaws, her abilities were undeniable. Shinji had only just started, and she was already able to formulate an action plan based on the existing information and implement it with astonishing speed.
Take their journey from Japan to Romania as an example. While Artoria and Jack were shopping for clothes at the mall, Reika had already obtained the flight schedules for the next three days through her business contacts.
When the two Servants moved to the supermarket, buying in bulk, Reika started contacting the airport and booking tickets over the phone.
By the time Shinji called Artoria away, she had taken the newly dressed Jack to a car rental company and rented a sedan—driving is a basic skill for a high-level technical worker.
While Artoria was still at the Matou residence, Reika had already parked near the Matou residence, waiting. As soon as Artoria left, she drove the two of them to the airport.
Incidentally, Jack was very well-behaved around Reika. The incidents Shinji feared, like calling strangers "Mom" or attacking people at the slightest provocation, didn't happen. This was mainly due to Reika's excellent guidance. As long as Jack was obedient, Reika would play with her and tell her stories. It's hard to imagine that the notorious serial killer would be so docile towards a defenseless woman.
While Shinji was having breakfast with Fiore, the trio successfully boarded a flight to Romania, though the latter two were stowaways in the luggage compartment.
"I see; it's really sad. I'm not at that point yet, but I could easily end up like that if I'm not careful."
Ignoring the strange looks around her, Reika continued her conversation with Artoria. They discussed Reika herself and "Ceaușescu's children."
The so-called "Ceaușescu's children" were one of the dictator's negative legacies. In the past, Romania attempted to legislate against contraception and abortion, forcing women to bear at least five children.
As a result, children who couldn't be raised became street urchins, gradually turning to crime and human trafficking. Even after the revolution ended the dictatorship, those born during that time couldn't reverse their fate. Their young lives were eroded by the powerful and the mafia. Those children who survived unconsciously transitioned from the oppressed to the oppressors—common criminals and thugs.
The children's experiences bore many similarities to Reika's own "fall from grace." However, compared to these children, who struggled from one extreme to another from birth, Reika was much luckier and didn't fall as far.
Nonetheless, to Artoria, whose chivalric code ran deep, both the children's and Reika's stories were heartbreaking. Even after stepping down from the throne and no longer obsessing over Britain's downfall, she still adhered to her chivalric code.
"I'm sorry for bringing up sad memories."
"Hehe, thank you, Artoria." Reika's lips curved into a slight smile, a sight that made the hearts of men who witnessed it skip a beat.
"This is what I should do, Miss Reika." The Knight King's nobility had not changed in 1400 years.
Though she couldn't see it, Reika could still imagine the expression on Artoria's face. She genuinely felt pain and regret for her and sincerely wanted to protect her.
Perhaps, to the others, Artoria seemed naive and foolish, but Reika didn't dislike people like her at all. Having experienced the ups and downs of life and engaged in one of humanity's oldest professions, she had seen too many people, too many events, and too much darkness, which made her appreciate this purity all the more.
In her more than twenty years of life, aside from her parents, only two people were willing to give to her unconditionally. One was Jack, who relied on her unconditionally and regarded her as a mother; the other was Artoria. Although her feelings for the latter were far less pure than for the former. Their interactions over the past few days, including the discussions about "Ceaușescu's children" and her fall from grace, were deliberately guided by her, aiming to draw closer and better protect herself.
But now, that's no longer necessary. These two hearts, purer than diamonds, awakened her cold heart that trusted no one and measured everything as mere stakes, allowing her to once again feel the warmth of human kindness.
If agreeing to help Shinji was merely to repay a life-saving debt; seducing Shinji, was just a way to repay the heavy kindness in another form.
Now, with her daughter Jack and the knight Artoria, she was once again willing to try to give, to try to believe in the people her daughter and the knight believed in.
P.S.: Although what Shinji did was essentially no different from what Jack did in the original story, the difference lies in intent—Jack was unintentional, while Shinji was intentional. This destined the difference. If it weren't for an innocent and kind-hearted person like Artoria, there would always be a barrier between Shinji and Reika Rikudou, one that even physical intimacy couldn't remove.