Chapter 620

Chapter 620: Hakuno-chan in Action

For other Masters, the early commencement of the third round of the Holy Grail War didn’t make much difference—after all, if everyone’s time was shortened equally, it was as if nothing had changed. It simply meant plans needed to be revised. But for Hakuno, this development was potentially fatal.

According to Alice’s earlier deduction, Hakuno was supposed to regain her memories in a few days. She had assumed that, even after waking up, there would still be enough time to prepare. But now, if her memories hadn’t returned, she would have to enter the battlefield in this state!

Facing opponents who had cleared the third round—at least five on the level of Shinji—in a condition even worse than during the first round... Alice!

Wait... huh?

Alice?!

Nero blinked, then turned her gaze to the white-haired little girl sitting by the bed, swinging her legs. Her eyes widened as she whipped her head toward Sakatsuki, her lips parting as if to say something before hesitating.

If the nominal opponent of the third round hadn’t been present, she would have stared straight into Sakatsuki’s smiling eyes and asked whether he had foreseen this moment all along.

Not only had he used the Nameless Forest to restore her contract with Hakuno, but he had also secured the cooperation of both little girls in advance. No matter what state Hakuno was in, as long as Alice surrendered willingly, they could still easily pass the third round and claim victory.

He had paved the way so effortlessly—even though he no longer identified as Hakuno’s Servant.

Hiss... Back during the campaign against the United Empire, it was already clear—her governor was terrifyingly sharp when it came to strategy.

Umu, as expected of the man I chose!

Nero nodded to herself, looking smug, while on the other side, Hakuno’s eyes flickered as she stole glances at the contemplative Sakatsuki, lingering on his features—both hoping and dreading to find some trace of suspicion.

Did Sakatsuki figure it out? Probably... not?

The girl pretending to have amnesia wasn’t so sure.

This was the first time Hakuno had ever told such a big lie. Watching everyone panic because of it, she would never have been able to hide her guilty expression if not for the blanket covering half her face.

Lying was wrong.

But there was no helping it. A girl caught in the whirlpool of emotions, no matter how quiet and clever she once was, would become reckless and irrational.

From her perspective, that stunning beauty Draco was someone Sakatsuki was determined to find and had sworn to protect. Meanwhile, her own Servant, Nero, was in a mutual romance with him, their bond forged long before the Moon Holy Grail War.

So where did that leave her? The weak girl who had merely trailed behind Sakatsuki, letting him shield her from the storm?

Now that her contract with Sakatsuki had been severed, what right did she have—aside from fragile old sentiments—to pull him back to her side when he had already intended to leave?

In the end, Kishinami Hakuno decided to play this dangerous card—"amnesia."

Only like this would Sakatsuki, with his overwhelming sense of responsibility, not simply walk away and sever ties with "Kishinami Hakuno" once everything was over.

Only like this could she stumble forward and return to the battlefield—one without smoke or gunfire.

Even if this lie was as fragile as a bubble... even for just one more day, she longed to bask in Sakatsuki’s warmth.

So please... forgive my deception, Sakatsuki...

The tea-haired girl’s gaze flickered nervously toward the young man, only to see him suddenly stand up and walk toward her step by step.

Discovered?!

Hakuno’s breath hitched. Despite her earlier resolve, she instinctively squeezed her eyes shut and burrowed into the blankets like a turtle retreating into its shell, even covering her ears tightly. The surrounding noises instantly blurred, the approaching footsteps faded away, leaving only the thunderous pounding of her own heartbeat echoing in her ears.

If I get exposed now—if I’m exposed in front of everyone—I’d rather, I’d rather...

Just crash headfirst into Sakatsuki’s arms and die QAQ!

This can’t be happening, right? It can’t possibly be this unlucky, right?!

Hakuno’s mind was in complete disarray. She didn’t even notice Sakatsuki leaning in until she felt the back of his hand press against her forehead. After a moment, he made a surprised sound.

"Burning up... Does memory loss come with a fever too?"

"Even if the room temperature is fine, staying buried under blankets like that would make anyone overheat," Draco mused, staring thoughtfully at the curled-up silhouette beneath the covers.

Strange... Why does this feel so familiar?

Hiding under blankets like an ostrich... Did I ever think of doing that before? No—did I actually do it?

What was the reason back then...?

Draco fell into deep thought, while Sakatsuki, hearing her words, decisively pulled the blankets away. Instantly, Hakuno’s damp eyes, flushed cheeks, and trembling lips were exposed to the air. With a startled yelp, she seized the blankets and yanked them back up to her chin, her words muffled and her emotions tangled:

"S-S-S-Sakatsuki, what are you doing?!"

"Tch, so you really did lose your memories. Before, you’d just blush and play hard to get." Seeing Hakuno’s flustered state, Sakatsuki didn’t suspect anything—he just teased her lightly before standing up and heading toward the kitchen. "I’ll make you an ice pack. Since your memories haven’t returned yet, just stay put and rest."

So he didn’t notice... False alarm, phew...

Watching Sakatsuki’s retreating figure, Hakuno felt as if a massive weight had been lifted from her chest. She exhaled deeply, suddenly feeling mentally exhausted.

Next time, I’m never lying again. This is way too stressful.

But just then, Hakuno heard the second half of Sakatsuki’s unfinished sentence.

"Alice, check on your Hakuno-nee and see what’s going on with her."

...Huh—?!

"Okay~!" Alice agreed cheerfully. She kicked off her shoes and clambered onto the bed with a soft "Hup!", scurrying over to Hakuno like a little hamster before leaning in with her adorable face. "Let me take a look at you. Don’t move, okay, March Hare—oops, I mean, Hakuno-nee."

There’s still another hurdle?!

Hakuno’s heart let out a silent scream as she stared at little Alice in utter panic. As the very person responsible for her "memory loss," how could Alice not realize she was faking it?!

Kishinami Hakuno—DANGER!

What do I do what do I do what do I do... Her tea-colored eyes darted around frantically. When she saw that Sakatsuki had already entered the kitchen and that both Draco and Nero were lost in thought, Hakuno pressed her lips together and steeled her resolve.

At this point, there’s no choice but to tough it out!

So when Alice leaned in close, she suddenly felt someone pat her calf from under the blankets.

"Eh... Hakuno-nee?"

Little Alice lowered her head in confusion and saw Hakuno’s hand sneakily emerge from under the blanket, waving slightly as if to say ’no.’

No... Hmm, what does that mean... Ah!

Does that mean Hakuno-nee hasn’t lost her memory?

Alice’s face instantly lit up with excitement, and she opened her mouth to shout—but Hakuno had been anticipating this moment. She bent her knee and gave the little girl’s bottom a light but firm nudge.

"Oww!" Alice yelped in pain, nearly tumbling into Hakuno’s arms. She looked at Hakuno with a pout, only to see her elder sister cough lightly and extend her other hand from under the blanket, spreading her fingers to show the number ’five.’

With both Nero versions still nearby, Hakuno couldn’t speak openly and had to resort to this method of ’bribing’ Alice.

Your good sister will give you candy, so don’t sell me out, okay?

If not for the fact that a hand only has five fingers, Hakuno would have loved to promise Alice anything—as long as she didn’t spill the secret!

Perhaps her efforts moved the heavens, or perhaps Hakuno’s body language was just that obvious. After tilting her head in thought for a moment, Alice actually seemed to understand. The little girl even shook her head proactively and, after exchanging a glance with the nearby Alice (Nursery Rhyme), silently held up three fingers.

Does that mean she only wants three pieces of candy? Not only did she not demand more, but she even lowered her request?

Hakuno was overjoyed, almost moved to tears.

So obedient, Alice-chan!

I unilaterally declare you my real little sister now!

There was absolutely no reason to refuse. Hakuno nodded, and Alice, seeing this, withdrew her fingers. The two shared a knowing smile before Alice put on an act of checking for a bit longer, then ran back to Sakatsuki.

"Hmm, so it seems Hakuno is still suffering from memory loss. If anyone has thoughts on the matter, feel free to share them in the comments section below."

After hearing Alice’s report, Sakatsuki nodded and addressed the others in the room. Behind him, Hakuno lounged comfortably on the bed, propped up by soft pillows, covered with a thin blanket, an ice pack on her forehead. Someone had even thoughtfully placed a small table in front of her, stocked with snacks, books, and a game console—all within easy reach.

Such meticulous care could only come from Sakatsuki, the ultimate ’mom friend.’

"I still don’t understand," Draco remarked, legs crossed as she sat on the other side of the table, eyeing Hakuno with an amused smirk. "I distinctly remember my little sister being knocked away by the Faceless Angel, yet the magical formulas attached to her were remarkably precise."

"Umu, indeed so." Nero nodded in agreement before suddenly realizing, "Wait... What did you just call me? Little sister?"

"Yep." Draco twirled a lock of her golden hair lazily and blew on it. "Stinky little sister."

Compared to the petite Nero, whose face still carried a hint of baby fat, Draco in her third ascension was undeniably more mature—both in stature and demeanor, not to mention certain other aspects. The crimson markings on her face only accentuated her wild beauty.

"You...!" For some reason, Nero always lost her temper around Draco. "Do not address me as such! I am the fifth emperor of Rome! I am the true one!"

"So what? Even if you’re the prototype, you’re still just a little girl," Draco sneered, glancing sideways. "I have surpassed the form of three setting suns. While your time stopped at that moment, mine is far from over."

"Umu umu umu..." Nero puffed up her cheeks and leaned closer to Draco, who stood her ground, rising to her full height to meet Nero’s gaze. As they inched nearer, their soft curves pressed together, emerald and amber eyes locked in a fierce standoff—sparks of electricity seemed to crackle between them.

Unlike the aloof little red dragon who preferred to sulk in the corner, Draco after her third ascension leaned more toward the "Rose Emperor" archetype, especially in matters of emotion—surpassing even Nero in intensity.

Perhaps like repels like. In less than a day, their bickering had already outnumbered all the previous conversations between the little red dragon and Nero.

The others had long grown accustomed to it. Alice and Alice (Elys) propped their chins on their hands, watching the two "peers" go at it with great amusement, while Sakatsuki sighed and covered his face with a book.

"Ah... what a disgrace to the household."

Of course, he kept his voice at the lowest possible volume. Sakatsuki had no intention of drawing their fire. Ideally, he’d love to munch on melon seeds while enjoying the spectacle of two beauties quarreling.

Marvelous.

Truly marvelous!

But seeing Hakuno’s exasperated expression, Sakatsuki’s enthusiasm for the drama waned. He clapped his hands to call for order.

"Alright, since Hakuno’s memories still need time to recover, let’s call it a day. You all stay here and look after Hakuno. I’ll go to the store to buy some ingredients."

"Wait, I’ll go with you—" Draco pushed Nero’s face away and turned to Sakatsuki, but halfway through her sentence, her expression suddenly shifted. "Hmm, is it time already?"

"Time?" Sakatsuki was puzzled, but before he could react, Draco stepped forward abruptly, pulling him into a domineering embrace and pressing her lips to his.

"Eh?!" Nero’s eyes widened.

"Umu umu..." Hakuno puffed her cheeks.

The passionate kiss ended as quickly as it began. Having successfully stolen a taste, Draco pulled back, licking her lips with a mischievous smirk.

It was the look of a melon thief ready to feast in the field.

"Be prepared, Sakatsuki. That ’me’ is quite the handful."

Before anyone could react, Draco leaped into Sakatsuki’s arms, only to be enveloped in a crimson cocoon. When she emerged again, she was no longer the tall, mature beauty but a petite girl in a simple red dress, her golden hair tied up, her face youthful and innocent.

Draco—First Ascension Form.

Cradled in Sakatsuki’s arms like a princess, the girl blinked open her wine-red eyes as if waking from a long slumber. She surveyed her surroundings with a naive, curious gaze before finally settling on Sakatsuki’s handsome face. A faint, pure smile graced her lips.

Facing the young man she adored, she stretched out her arms and spoke in a sweet, tender voice.

"Sakatsuki, hug."