I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

Artoria shared all the details about Jack the Ripper's abilities with Kairi Sisigou and Mordred.

Of course, the only one paying attention was Kairi. Mordred had wandered off to play with a stray cat by the roadside.

Jack the Ripper possessed numerous abilities.

First, she could generate a corrosive mist that obscured her presence. The mist helped her conceal herself, making her a dangerous foe to locate and engage.

Second was her Information Erasure skill, which rendered it impossible to remember her appearance, voice, or any other identifying details.

But the most troublesome—and the ability Artoria was most wary of—was Jack the Ripper's Noble Phantasm, Maria the Ripper.

This Noble Phantasm was essentially a death curse. If the conditions of "nighttime," "misty environment," and "target is female" were met, it could instantly kill the victim.

A high level of Magic Resistance could nullify the Noble Phantasm's instant-death effect. For example, Jeanne d'Arc, whose Magic Resistance was EX-ranked, had survived a direct hit from Jack's Noble Phantasm unscathed in the original story.

Artoria's Magic Resistance was high, but only A-rank. Completely nullifying Jack's Noble Phantasm wasn't feasible, though she could significantly weaken its effects.

Most likely, the curse's "instant death" effect would be reduced to something like "severe debilitation." At least, that was the best-case scenario. Since Artoria had never experienced it firsthand, she decided it was wiser to prepare for the worst.

Of course, the ideal solution would be to eliminate Jack before she could activate her Noble Phantasm.

While Artoria adored her Chaldean version of Jack—her "daughter"—this world's Jack the Ripper was a different story.

In Chaldea, Artoria had carefully guided her Jack, nurturing her with a steady hand to develop a healthy sense of morality. But this world's Jack hadn't received such care. Indulged and abandoned in equal measure, she had crossed a point of no return and needed to atone for her sins—even if the mages she killed were far from innocent themselves.

For her sake, as much as for everyone else's, Artoria resolved to end Jack's suffering as soon as possible.

But first…

"Let's eat."

"???"

Kairi stared in disbelief as Artoria set down two more towering plates of food, no smaller in portion than the ones they'd just finished.

"Wait, didn't you guys just eat? That's so much food! I can't even see your faces behind those plates," Kairi said, utterly baffled. "Besides, weren't you the one saying we need to deal with Assassin as soon as possible? That we couldn't waste any time?"

"Which is why it's even more important to eat properly!"

Artoria shot Kairi a sharp look, her tone deadly serious. "On the battlefield, eating your fill is the top priority! Denying the enemy their food supply is more crippling than taking their weapons. And only by eating well can you maintain peak physical condition for the battles ahead! Going hungry is the gravest of mistakes. Whether as a soldier, a king, a citizen, or a noble, eating well is paramount! If you can't grasp such a simple truth, you're unworthy of being a king! Yes, respecting food is the minimum requirement to call oneself a ruler! Your foolish question is an insult to me!"

She was clearly angry.

Kairi had never seen such an intense emotional outburst from Artoria. Up until now, she had carried herself with the serene grace of an untouchable deity.

"Also… Mordred! Put my portion down! If you're hungry, go get your own! I'm not stingy—I'll pay for it!"

Mordred, who had long since abandoned her battle with the stray cat, had swooped in and was voraciously devouring Artoria's food.

Though their earlier misunderstanding had been resolved, the two were now bickering again—this time over food.

Or perhaps this was just how they showed their camaraderie?

---

"Jack the Ripper's actions are likely to occur at night. That's her greatest advantage—it lets her hide and utilize her Noble Phantasm effectively."

"So, we'll be acting at night too?"

Walking down the street, Artoria and Kairi discussed the details of their plan.

As for Mordred, she wasn't particularly interested in thinking things through. Especially when Artoria was around, she was content to let her "Father" handle the strategy. All she needed to do was follow orders and execute them.

Still, deep down, she was eager for a proper battle. The recent skirmishes hadn't given her any noteworthy achievements, and she wanted to prove herself in front of her Father.

"Mordred."

"Hmm? Ah? Father? What is it?"

Artoria's voice snapped Mordred out of her daze.

A small bag was placed in Mordred's hand.

"Here, take this," Artoria said nonchalantly. "A gift… or something like that. If you like it, I'll get you more next time."

Before Mordred could respond, Artoria returned to Kairi's side, continuing their discussion.

This left Mordred standing frozen in place, staring at the bag in her hand.

"Wha—?! G-G-Gift?!"

Several moments later, Mordred's face turned a bright shade of red as she let out a loud, incredulous cry that echoed through the streets.

---

This city darkened faster than most.

The dusky violet of twilight spread across the sky, blending into the brilliance of the setting sun in the west.

"Has it really been a thousand years since my time? Why does it feel like there's nothing here?" Mordred complained. "I thought the modern world was supposed to have skyscrapers and amusement parks. I haven't seen a single one!"

When summoned, Servants were automatically granted knowledge of the modern era to help them adapt. This was why Mordred even knew to ask such a question.

However, this knowledge was akin to reading about something in a book—far removed from experiencing it firsthand.

"That's just the character of this town," Artoria replied. "It strives to preserve its medieval architecture."

"Are they stupid? What's the point of keeping these old, inconvenient buildings? I heard people in this era can get clean water without leaving their homes! It's practically like magic, and everyone has it. Isn't that so much better than what we had?"

"This era has its conveniences, just as past eras had their wisdom. No matter the time, humanity has always strived to survive, to improve, and to grow. They've explored the unknown, expanded their horizons, and nurtured their curiosity and creativity," Artoria said thoughtfully. "Humanity seeks the future, but they don't abandon the past. It's through the preservation of wisdom that humanity has been able to raise its sails and explore the seas of mystery. That's their flaw—and also the reason they shine so brightly."

---

T/N: :( i understand but poor jackie

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 🕸️