After accepting half of the deposit from Reika, the two men left the secluded alley—which they had once considered an ideal hunting ground—grinning and promising to complete the task.
Once the men disappeared, Reika reached out to pinch her daughter's cheek and softly said, "Jack, quietly follow them. Don't let them notice you. If you find any problems, come find us. Make sure Momtoria and I won't be out of your sensing range."
Jack had stopped calling strangers "Mom," but she still called familiar people "Mom." To foster a closer bond with Artoria, Reika had instilled in her daughter the concept that "Mom and Dad are a pair," leading Jack to mistakenly believe that all women around Dad, similar to Mom, should be called Mom.
The first to bear the brunt of this was Artoria, who was called "Momtoria."
This happened after Shinji left, so he wasn't aware of it. Even if he knew, he wouldn't oppose it and might silently applaud Reika—"Well done, you're like the legendary perfect wingman, winning effortlessly."
"Leave it to us, Mom. We'll get the job done."
As Jack spoke, her body turned into spiritual particles and vanished.
"Mom, Momtoria, We off."
"Be careful," Reika reminded, "Momtoria, Jack's saying goodbye."
"Um, be careful on the road, and don't use the dagger," Artoria stammered.
Unfamiliar with such interactions, Artoria awkwardly raised her hand and waved at Jack. Her usual heroic demeanor was nowhere to be found in her stuttering, weakening voice.
"Okay, Momtoria," Jack replied earnestly, then turned into spirit form and phased through the wall, following her targets.
Without looking back, Reika could sense Artoria's discomfort and asked with a smile, "Still not used to Jack calling you Mom?"
Artoria lowered her arm and muttered, "I've been meaning to ask, why don't you correct Jack?"
"Why don't you deny it when Jack calls you Mom?" countered Reika.
Artoria fell silent for a long moment before finally speaking, "Because I can't refuse."
The legend of "Jack the Ripper" is terrifying and brutal, but upon learning the truth behind the legend, Artoria felt only sorrow and pain.
What crime had unborn children committed? They just wanted to be born into this world as complete beings. Being called Mom by such a group of children—whether as the King of Britain or as a woman who had stepped down from the throne—she couldn't refuse.
"I feel the same," Reika said, holding Artoria's hand. "From the moment she called me Mom, I saw her as my daughter. As long as she's happy, I'll do anything."
"You're a bit too indulgent with her," Artoria said helplessly. "Although many things are her instincts, those incorrect instincts need to be corrected."
"Then that's up to you, the strict Knight King," Reika said with a wink. "I can't be hard on Jack, and I doubt Jack's father can either. So, you'll have to play the role of the strict mother. I've heard that's common in parenting."
"I... have no experience raising children. I don't know if I can do it well."
Artoria's hesitant response made Reika realize her flirtation had missed the mark. She had intended to tease the noble and pure Knight King with such an ambiguous topic, but they were not on the same wavelength.
Reika felt both amused and touched. "You can do it, I have faith in you."
"I have no confidence in myself. You know, I was betrayed by Mordred—"
"I know, but according to the Arthurian legend, Mordred was influenced by your sister, Morgan—wait, something doesn't add up. How did you and your sister have Mordred? Could it be that Morgan is a man?"
"No, Morgan, my sister, is indeed a woman."
"Then Mordred—" In an instant, Reika realized she might have stumbled upon some unknown, significant secret.
Artoria sighed but didn't answer directly. Instead, she said, "Jack is about to move out of my sensing range. Let's follow her."
Understanding that Artoria didn't want to elaborate, Reika didn't press further and silently followed.
Half an hour later, Reika boarded a tour bus heading to Sighisoara, posing as a tourist.
Sitting by the aisle, she cradled something in one arm while resting her chin on her hand, speaking to the empty seat by the window:
"Now you have to admit, they were somewhat useful."
"Alright, I admit it," Artoria's whisper reached Reika's ears. "I remember you said there were two reasons for sparing them. What's the other one?"
"Secrecy. 'He' said that at this stage, our primary goal is to remain hidden and not be detected by either the Red or Black factions. So, anything that could draw attention should be avoided. And in this world, nothing draws attention more than dead bodies, which would attract the police, the media, and the mafia. It would also be easily noticed by 'those people.'"
"Won't injuring them draw attention?"
"In a big city like Bucharest, where the mafia operates, small-time thugs get injured daily, and no one cares."
"Won't those two leak our information?"
"That's not important. It's best if they don't, but even if they do, no one will believe them. Claiming they were beaten up by a child who looks about ten and lifted by the neck—haha, if I hadn't met you all, I wouldn't believe it either. I doubt they'll be as lucky as me. They're just cannon fodder, not in contact with anyone important enough to know such things."
This is what sets Reika apart—an unparalleled natural genius and anomaly in this Holy Grail War. Her understanding and observation of matters are extraordinary. Once she has a target, she devises the optimal strategy like an AI.
In Shinji's view, her tactical planning ability ranks among the top three Masters, second only to Amakusa Shirou and Darnic. However, her self-destructive tendencies and lack of motivation, beyond mere survival, have held her back until now.
"I still feel uneasy and unwilling."
Artoria muttered softly, her thoughts not escaping Reika's notice.
"Because you don't want to let those two scumbags go?"
Artoria didn't deny it.
"Don't worry, they'll get what's coming to them. My money isn't that easy to take."
Reika closed her eyes, hiding the cold glint in them.
Not killing them with her own hands doesn't mean they won't die. The lure of money is irresistible, especially among greedy scum.
In any country, these lowlifes are always the same. A few stacks of green bills, an "accidentally" overheard piece of information, and some alcohol—if nothing unexpected happens, they'll be dead by tonight.
Jack, nestled in her arms, suddenly called out, "Mom."
"Did I disturb you?" ReikaLingxia asked gently.
"No, I just heard Dad talking." The connection between Jack and Shinji was easier and less detectable than the Master-Servant bond with Artoria, as Shinji was currently at the Black faction's headquarters and had to be cautious.
"I see. What did Dad say?" Lingxia wasn't surprised. Stepping into Romania meant the war had already begun.
"He wants us to go to the village between Trifas and Sighisoara, called..."