29 Chapter 29: Heartwarming End
(Titus's [Charles's] POV)
"Mister, you shouldn't have come to see me. Now, you will die." Maria, not Jack the Ripper, warned with crimson eyes locked on me.
I grappled with confusion over her words until a teenage silhouette materialized from the fog behind her. This figure remained obscured in darkness except for their eyes. I recognized him as Johnson, my former assistant, and the fourth Jack the Ripper. He was followed by other Jack the Rippers emerging from the mist, including the tailor responsible for cutting me into pieces, the elderly woman selling jerky who skillfully dodged my bullets like a Hollywood hero, and lastly, the doctor who had been the first to take my life.
The sight of all four of them gathered here ignited an overwhelming surge of fear and dread within me. My legs quivered, and my vision grew hazy.
"Return, and your fate may change," Maria uttered once more.
'That's correct! Returning may resolve everything...!' I mused. My mind clouded with irrational thoughts, and I found myself disoriented, uncertain of my past identity and my current purpose in this place.
Maria's voice jolted me back to reality as she implored, "Mister, please return..." A teardrop glistened in her eye.
That moment served as a stark awakening. I resorted to a couple of brisk face slaps to regain my grasp on reality.
"I will not retreat," I proclaimed and began advancing towards Maria. My mind was now firm and so was my body
"Die!" The doctor's voice distorted as he hurled a knife at me. Instinctively, I raised my hand to deflect the attack. To my surprise, it inflicted minimal harm to my arm. Notably, the strike avoided targeting my vulnerable head or heart. Despite this, I continued my relentless approach.
"Do you seek death?" The elderly woman questioned, slashing her blade across my back. I made no effort to evade the attack, resulting in a mere scratch that likely broke the skin but posed no lethal threat.
The tailor and Johnson also launched similar assaults, which I confronted head-on, given their diminished strength compared to their previous attacks. They persistently attacked before retreating into the fog. Their onslaught gradually weakened. Though my clothing bore the evidence of numerous cuts soaked in blood, I remained unfazed by the pain.
Meanwhile, I steadfastly proceeded towards Maria, disregarding the attacks as if they were insignificant nuisances. By the time I reached her, I had even forgotten about those shadowy figures. Without further delay, I stood face to face with Maria.
I knelt down and met her gaze, saying, "Didn't I promise to food, love and care you rightfully deserve? Tell me, where did I go wrong?"
"You were lying!" Maria screamed. "You were lying. You didn't save us. It's impossible! We are the ones who didn't even get the chance to be born properly! We were cast aside directly from the womb! Tell me, how can you save us? How can we return to our mothers' wombs?"
I widened my eyes, realizing my mistake. Jack the Ripper wasn't just the consciousness of all the "discarded" children who were born but left unwanted. It also encompassed the fetuses torn from their mothers' wombs and discarded into the river. Jack the Ripper was a curse upon all the women and men of Whitechapel indulging in their pleasure.
Even to this day, numerous fetuses ended up in the London River due to abortions. The senseless loss of life continued, with women often unaware that their children were discarded like refuse.
I had taken in all the children fortunate enough to have been born properly, but what about the unlucky unborn ones, taken before they could ever see the light of this world? They couldn't be returned to the womb. Their only fate was death.
My responsibility also extended to ending the prostitution and ensuring that those who facilitated this vile profession faced justice.
But for now, I needed to address the immediate issue.
I offered a smile and gently petted Maria's head. "You're right, it's impossible to save them. I can't send them back to their mothers' wombs."
Maria's eyes flared with anger upon hearing my response, but I continued to caress her head. "However, I believe this world isn't entirely cruel. Just as good and evil coexist, so do sin and its consequences, as well as death and second chances. Maria, this world isn't as heartless as you think. Those unfortunate souls will find their way into the light, into life. Wondering how? Because I will ensure it. I will make certain that no more unlucky ones are discarded."
I leaned in closer, locking eyes with Maria as her crimson gaze began to fade. "So, can you give me one final chance, my children?"
Maria, or rather the Jack the Ripper within her, nodded one last time before her eyes returned to normal. The suffocating dread lifted, and the oppressive fog dissipated. The air outside the mansion began to circulate, and I could hear the rustling of leaves.
Maria, on the other hand, started to tear up until she burst into tears. "I'm soooo sowwy for hurting you, misteeeerrr!"
I chuckled and embraced her without uttering a word. I had survived the final confrontation with Jack the Ripper.
---
Over the next few months, I devoted all my efforts to eradicating prostitution at its core. I took to the public stage and exposed the horrors unfolding in the slums of Whitechapel. I delivered speeches highlighting how hundreds of children were being discarded into the London River, while those fortunate enough to be born faced a life of scavenging and hardship.
I also penned numerous newspaper articles shedding light on the grim reality of Jack the Ripper's actions and the circumstances that had driven him to commit such heinous crimes. My title as an aristocrat allowed me to voice these concerns in Parliament.
Surprisingly, the response was largely in my favor. Aside from a few warnings from corrupt individuals, my plan unfolded smoothly. The weary police force, unable to solve the Jack the Ripper case, joined forces with me to combat prostitution. We arrested many surgeons responsible for illegal surgeries, put a stop to drug dealers in the slums, and filed charges against loan sharks who ensnared women into a life of prostitution.
The public responded warmly to my efforts, organizing protests against the sordid profession flourishing under their noses in London. Even the Prince of the UK visited the slums, where I received recognition for my courage in fighting against societal injustices.
Donations began pouring in as my fame grew, and people rallied behind my cause. It was true that when your mission is one of kindness and justice, people naturally stand with you.
As for the women involved, I hired some as nannies for the children in my foster home and helped others find alternative professions like sewing and dressmaking.
In the end, prostitution was entirely eradicated from Whitechapel. Now, my focus shifted to implementing new laws to protect women's rights to work when they had no one else to rely on.
---
"My husband must be really tired~! Muah!" I sat on the bed as Boudica hugged me from behind and planted a kiss on my cheek.
"But not as tired as you, Miss Boudica," I responded with a smile, returning the kiss to her cheek. While my body couldn't experience romantic attraction, I could certainly show affection as her husband in this reality. Our relationship had grown closer after the Jack the Ripper incident.
'I've never checked her status,' I thought to myself before clicking on her status.
[Boudica Lv. 15
Class: Rider
Status: Charmed]
The status displayed her alignments, parameters, and health bar, among other details. However, the "Charmed" status indicated her deep affection for me, a stark contrast to my inability to reciprocate in the same way.
Boudica inquired with curiosity, "Why so formal? I am your servant and your wife, you know."
I scratched my head, trying to conceal my embarrassment, and replied, "Well... I genuinely admired you. As someone from the same land, I held great respect for your legend. Witnessing your feats with my own eyes only deepened that admiration."
I had never been a fan of tragic heroics, preferring "happy endings," but her fierce battle against Roman soldiers had left a lasting impression.
Upon sharing my story, I noticed Boudica blushing.
"Ahem, I suppose that wasn't very ladylike of me," she admitted.
I chuckled, "Indeed, as a Roman myself at the time, even I was hesitant to approach you." Clearing my throat, I ventured, "Say, Miss Boudica... Could I be your husband in the future? You know, fulfill my 'obligation'?"
It was my lingering feeling where if there would be a chance in the future, I wanted to have some proper intimate time with her.
I asked the question casually, but to my surprise, Boudica smirked, drew nearer, and whispered in my ear, "Yes, you will always be my second husband. However, I want two children, preferably boys. I always wanted to raise my children in the ways of chivalry, but since I had daughters, I wasn't able to."
I smiled and nodded, realizing she was serious about this. Now that I had her approval, I resolved to make sure we both enjoyed the experience.
We continued to discuss our daily lives before eventually drifting off to sleep. Servants typically didn't require physiological needs, but Boudica, as a Pseudo-Servant, did need rest, albeit just a few hours to stay fresh. While she slept, I tended to the children and the house.
After ensuring everything was in order, I retreated to my study. It was a small room with a single bed, now adorned with shelves of books.
This world felt peculiar, devoid of Clock Towers and Mage's Associations, resembling my old world but lacking magic. Imaginary Dreamshift seemed like a mere inconsequential singularity, never affecting human history significantly.
Another anomaly was my ability to summon a servant. Normally, heroic spirits were summoned by 'The World' or 'Alaya' to address timeline anomalies. These summoned servants would then connect with masters to combat the anomaly. The Holy Grail served as a device to deceive Alaya into summoning these heroic spirits.
The question that baffled me was the absence of Alaya's interference. Despite altering numerous events in Nero's time, including saving Boudica's daughter from a horrifying fate, Alaya remained silent. How could my system summon servants from the 'Throne of Heroes'?
After considering various theories, two conclusions emerged. Either this 'Will of the world' didn't exist within the Nasuverse, or...
"Alaya is under my bitch," I mused, then sighed. "Well, I suppose I'll uncover the truth as my story unfolds." I retrieved a cookbook, realizing that while I couldn't practice magecraft here, I could acquire other useful skills for the future.
Then my door creaked open, and Maria cautiously peered inside. Startled by our eye contact, she began to flee, but I chuckled and welcomed her in. She shyly nodded and entered my room, clutching a pillow. It seemed she intended to sleep here, having avoided my room since the Jack the Ripper incident.
After that traumatic event, Maria had become remarkably submissive. Whereas before she couldn't bear to be apart from me for five minutes, now she wouldn't initiate conversation unless I did first. She still carried guilt for what transpired during the Jack the Ripper incident. To her, I had appeared drenched in blood after her disappearance. In short, she had no memory of 'Jack the Ripper.'
I sighed, making space for her on my bed. Smiling, I opened my arms and said, "Come here."
"…yay!" In an instant, her sadness vanished, and instead of climbing onto the bed, she leaped directly into my arms, hugging me tightly like a koala. I managed to keep my smile, concealing the discomfort caused by this aging body of mine. I wished I were a bit younger; then, I could dedicate more time to the children.
"Mister…?" Maria called out, her tone subdued.
"Yes?"
"Are you… are you mad at Maria?"
"No," I smiled, kissed her forehead, and gazed into her eyes. "And no sad Maria allowed. Guchiguchi goo!" I playfully tickled her.
"Huahahah!" Maria burst into laughter. We played and cherished our time together as father and daughter. Later, I told her some stories, and soon it was time for her to sleep.
'Maybe it's time for her to call me 'father,'' I thought while ruffling Maria's hair. Her head rested on my lap. Unlike other children who referred to me as father, Maria never did. I had been hesitant to emulate an ending from a certain distasteful manga.
But just then, Maria surprised me with a peculiar request. "Mister, can I call you mommy?"
"Ah, yes- wait, mommy?" I hesitated, knowing this request was unconventional. How should I tell her that dick doesn't work that way?
"But I want you to be my mommy…! I know Mother Boudica is kind, and you, Mister, have been my savior. You've shown me love and care like the mother I've always dreamed of. Please, let me call you mommy. Pleaseeee!"
Ugh, those puppy eyes were more persuasive than all the challenges I'd faced on this mission. I sighed and reluctantly nodded. Maria cheered with bliss and soon drifted off to sleep.
I reclined on the bed side and opened my mission prompt, contemplating the unique role I was now playing.
[Requested Mission: The Rhymes of London Lake (Imaginary Dreamshift)
Destination: London, 1888 AD.
Quest: Save 'Jack the Ripper'
Status: 100%
Attempts: 0
Time limit: 5 days
Restrictions: Everything except Passive Skills and Character's skill shall be sealed.
Rewards: 50,000 LCs, Skills, Luck stat boost.]
[Mission has been completed. Would you like to skip to last part of your life and end mission or just end mission here?]
My mission had reached its conclusion. I considered skipping to the last part, allowing my body to move on its own, and simply witnessing the final moments of this aging vessel. I could also choose to end my mission here and return to my original reality.
As I gazed at Maria, my child, and gently ran my fingers through her hair, I knew that taking the easy way out would mean missing out on so much. I wanted to witness Maria and all the children I had taken in growing into adults. I longed to see them make mistakes, learn from them, and make me proud. I yearned to be there for their journey of growth.
So, I pressed the "No" button and continued to read my book that night.
---
Twenty years had passed since I adopted Maria and embarked on my mission to combat prostitution and fight for human rights. After numerous trials and tribulations, success had come. London, and even all of Britain, had been freed from the curse of Jack the Ripper. I had successfully closed down all the prostitution houses in London while also tirelessly working for the welfare of the poor.
People now called me 'Charles the Saint,' 'true hero,' or 'Most Beloved.' My orphanage had thrived, and the children I had taken in had grown into remarkable individuals. All in all, I had lived the life of a true parent.
"Look, your grandfather is saying hi. Say hi to your grandfather!"
Before me stood a grown-up Maria, cradling her baby boy. Maria had grown and married a few years ago, and now she had her own child.
"Um…" The child took my finger and put it in his mouth.
"Hehe, looks like he loves his grandfather just like his mother." Maria chuckled as she caressed her child.
I could only smile, unable to move or speak properly. In fact, my vision had grown hazy. In short, I was in my dying moments.
As for Boudica, a year ago, I had terminated my contract with her and bid her farewell. With her spirit gone, her body had also passed away. And now, I was enjoying my last moments. This marked my fifth death in this reality, but this time, I was content and free of regrets.
After Maria sent her baby to her husband, she stepped forward and hugged me gently. I could feel her trembling body as tears streamed down her face, and she said her final words, "Farewell, mommy, and thank you again for everything."
I smiled and closed my eyes.
[You have died.]
[You have completed the mission with excellent results. Your rewards will be different.]
[Please be ready for return.]
---
(Titus's POV)
I opened my eyes and found myself in a familiar room. It was my office in my own mansion in 2006 London.
"A dream, huh…" Even though I had lived for 20 years in that dream, it still felt surreal that it was just a 'dream.' However, it had been a beautiful dream that had transformed me into a new person.
---
"Hehehe~!" I chuckled as I walked with Shirou on our way to a luxury restaurant. As promised, I was taking him on a 'date.'
"Um, Titus, I know you're happy, but... you do know that I have Sakura, right?" Shirou hesitantly asked.
"Yeah, I know. Why are you worried about that? Sorry, but I couldn't bring her along. It wouldn't be our bros 'date' then," I replied, puzzled by his nervousness. Could two best buddies not hang out without any worries?
"No, I mean... come on, we're both guys into girls, right...?"
I stopped walking and looked at him. "I was thinking of taking you to a steak party where we could enjoy different steak dishes and meet famous chefs around here. Sigh~, if you're against it, we can go back-"
"What are you saying, my best buddy? How could I refuse such a generous gift from my best friend in the world?! Let's go, let's go!" Shirou did a joyful 180-degree turn.
However, before we could continue our walk, I spotted a silver-haired child passing by. Turning around, I saw a foster home with a sign that read 'Charles's Foster Care.'
It struck me as odd since I had never named my foster home after my own name in that body, nor had I been in this location. Furthermore, I had lived in two different realities. In short, it was just happened to be with such a name.
"What's wrong?" Shirou's voice brought me back from my thoughts.
I smiled and shook my head. "It's nothing." I then resumed our walk. If that place was indeed real somewhere in this universe, I could only hope that Maria was living a happy life.
===
This is probably the best story arc I have written. What do you guys think?
