I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

Even among Heroic Spirits, those with the ability to see the future are no ordinary figures.

Half-incubus, the King of Heroes, the all-knowing Wise King.

And now… perhaps there was another such individual standing right before him.

Even though Kairi Sisigou knew this person bore no apparent ill intent, he couldn't help but break out into a cold sweat.

"You'll be working with us?" he asked cautiously.

"That's correct. Assassin Jack the Ripper and her Master have blatantly violated the rules of the Holy Grail War by involving innocent civilians. As Ruler, I have no reason to ignore this."

Artoria had already come across the relevant news while wandering the streets earlier.

The discovery of the mages' mutilated corpses by ordinary citizens had plunged the city into a state of fear and panic.

"Well then… can you see where they are?"

Kairi's eyes locked on Artoria, filled with seriousness. If they could locate their opponents directly, it would save a lot of trouble.

"That, I can't do."

"Well, that's a shame."

Disappointment… not exactly. Although Kairi didn't know much about this so-called ability to see the future, he assumed it must have limitations. Otherwise, it would simply be too overpowered.

In his mind, Kairi had more or less accepted that Artoria could see the future. While the legends of King Arthur didn't include such abilities, Merlin, who had assisted her, certainly did… But the person before him wasn't the King Arthur of legend—this was the deified version of Artoria.

If she had become a divine being, then having the ability to see the future wasn't all that surprising, was it?

This was the advantage of speaking with a clever person: drop a few hints during the conversation, and they'd fill in the gaps with their own imagination. From there, you simply follow their train of thought.

What's more, people tend to trust their own assumptions more than the truth laid before them. It's one of humanity's many flaws.

"Even if we can't locate them, we can still make them come to us. All we need is bait—something tempting enough to draw them out." Artoria's lips curled into a slightly mischievous smile. "And the reason I want to join forces with you… is that you have the perfect bait."

When Artoria mentioned the word "bait" and directed her gaze toward him, Kairi immediately understood what she was implying.

"…I should've known from the start that coming here was a mistake. Why is it always me who gets dragged into dangerous situations like this?"

Jack the Ripper required mana to sustain herself—especially since battles would inevitably consume even more. It was highly likely she would hunt more mages to harvest their hearts as a "reserve stockpile" or "emergency power source."

However, most of the mages in the area had already been killed. Because of the ongoing conflict between the Mage's Association and Yggdmillennia, freelance mages wouldn't dare to enter the city during such a sensitive time. This left Jack the Ripper and her Master in a rather precarious position.

Which made Kairi the most suitable bait.

"You two will protect me, right?"

If Jack the Ripper targeted him, Kairi knew he wouldn't stand a chance. Even the weakest Assassin-class Servant far outclassed any mage. Such was the absurdity of Servants.

"Of course. Whether out of duty or personal conviction, I cannot stand by and allow such meaningless slaughter," Artoria replied firmly.

"Hah! Doesn't matter who the enemy is. I'll take them down in no time!" Mordred declared with characteristic bravado.

Their responses, each fitting their personalities, reassured Kairi somewhat.

"So, are we starting now? Assassin might not be the strongest class, but they're undoubtedly the most troublesome. Knowing she's out there, I doubt I'll be able to sleep until this is resolved…"

"It's best to act sooner rather than later. We can't guarantee she won't strike again during this time," Artoria agreed, a hint of unease flickering across her face. "And… Jack the Ripper's Noble Phantasm is particularly problematic. I'm not even sure if I'd be able to withstand it…"

"You even know her Noble Phantasm, Ruler?"

"Yes, I do. That's one piece of information I'm absolutely certain of."

How could she not? After all, her first five-star Servant in Chaldea had been Demon King Nobunaga, and her second was little Jack.

When she'd reached the London Singularity back then, she'd poured countless Saint Quartz into the story summon banner just to get her daughter Jack. Jack hadn't let her down either, successfully joining her roster.

As expected, my daughter Jack loves me!

Back in those early days, when she didn't have the materials to ascend Demon King Nobunaga's Saint Graph, her progress had relied heavily on her level-92 Jack.

Though Jack's attack animations and Noble Phantasm were unpolished at the time, and she didn't feel like a true five-star Servant, the later improvements in animations and attack patterns had delighted her.

My little Jack is so adorable! The best daughter ever!

"Could you tell me what Jack the Ripper's Noble Phantasm is? Uh… Of course, if sharing it would break the rules, there's no need to say anything. I'm just curious, not trying to bend the rules."

Kairi was keenly interested in Jack's Noble Phantasm. He'd clearly seen the trepidation on Artoria's face when she mentioned it earlier.

He believed Artoria was likely the most powerful participant in this Holy Grail War.

Precisely because he understood her strength, Kairi felt both curious and uneasy about Jack's Noble Phantasm.

Logically speaking, Jack, being a modern-era Heroic Spirit with virtually no mystery, shouldn't pose such a threat to a genuine deity like Artoria. It was almost inconceivable.

But Servants had always defied logic, and Kairi had absolute faith in Artoria's eyes.

"Well… it's not exactly confidential information. Given that you'll serve as bait—the most critical and dangerous role in this plan—it makes sense to share it with you. Or, let's say I'm offering this as 'compensation' for your cooperation."

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T/N: ADOPTING A NEW DAUGHTER?? LETS GOO

Oh, you're still here? Nice. While I'm out here juggling revival matches and reminding villains why they should reconsider their life choices, someone's behind the scenes making sure my story reaches you. Gotta admit, they're doing a pretty solid job.

If you want to help keep this whole thing running smoothly, here's the link: [patreon.com/WiseTL]. Think of it as… supporting your favorite underdog. Everyone loves an underdog, right?

Anyway, time to get back to saving the day. See you in the next chapter—don't forget to stay out of trouble (that's my job).

— Xia Luo 🕸️