Chapter 598: I Have Feelings for Her... Gwah!
Stare—
In the dimly lit room, the tea-haired girl hugged a pillow, sitting cross-legged on the bed with a pouty expression as she watched the white-haired young man busily cleaning the room. Her cheeks were puffed up like steamed buns.
After tidying up the dishes, boiling water for tea, and wiping down the walls, Sakatsuki finally turned around—only to be startled by Hakuno's sulky expression. "What's wrong, Hakuno?"
"...Nothing." Hakuno huffed and turned her head away. Seeing her like this, Sakatsuki slowly raised a question mark in his mind.
A girl's heart was the most intricate subject in the world—even the most skilled emotional expert couldn't decipher one ten-thousandth of its mysteries.
And Sakatsuki, who had fully embraced the role of a caretaker for Hakuno, was no exception.
Tilting his head slightly, his openly confused expression caught the corner of Hakuno's vision, making her look even more dejected.
Deep down, Hakuno knew there was nothing wrong with Sakatsuki's behavior. Whether they succeeded or failed, they would part ways after this battle. Sakatsuki didn't need to get genuinely angry on her behalf anymore, and she didn't need to run around half the school looking for him… Even if she found him eating in the cafeteria with a pretty girl, that was just a normal part of socializing.
After all, a sought-after Servant was bound to attract attention, right?
She had absolutely no right to stop him.
Hakuno frowned, gripping the white pillow tightly.
Even though she understood—even though she understood perfectly well—why did she still feel this urge to be upset? It was like someone was about to snatch away a freshly unwrapped candy, leaving her with this sense of loss, this unhappiness…
"Uuuuu…" With her tea-colored hair spilling over her face, Hakuno buried herself under the blankets, kicking her legs wildly, completely disregarding how much of her slender waist and pale thighs she was exposing. This was her way of venting her frustration—awkward and childish.
This wasn't like her. The Master known as "Kishinami Hakuno," the future Queen of the Moon Cell, was supposed to be composed, calm, and strong at all times. How could she be acting so pathetically?
It was almost as if—
"As if you're a sulky child, standing there waiting for someone to comfort you."
The mattress dipped as Sakatsuki sat down beside her, gently stroking her hair. "This isn't like you, Kishinami Hakuno. Are you troubled by something? You can tell me."
Bathed in moonlight, the red-cloaked Servant leaned close to Hakuno, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't let my usual battle-crazed demeanor fool you—I can actually be a pretty good counselor, you know."
Hearing this, Hakuno opened her mouth. There were so many things she wanted to ask.
Who was it that made you choose to leave?
What are you searching for in this Holy Grail War?
And… after the second round, could you stay…?
Sakatsuki blinked in surprise as Hakuno's face suddenly turned bright red, steam practically rising from her head before she let out a mortified groan and collapsed.
Th-this… wasn't this just like throwing a tantrum?
Her pride as a girl flared up, and just as Hakuno was about to swallow her feelings and keep them hidden, she suddenly remembered the words the old knight had once told her.
["Don't miss it, don't suppress yourself, and don't wallow in regret after everything becomes irreparable."]
If he chose to remain silent at a time like this, would he only realize his mistake after Sakatsuki left following the second war and try to make amends then?
Closing his eyes and steeling his heart, Shirou raised his head to stare at Sakatsuki and mustered his courage:
"Who is that woman?"
Realizing what he had just said, Shirou widened his eyes in shock, feeling as if a thousand Dumuzids were stampeding through his heart.
Oh no, wrong words!
That wasn't what he wanted to ask at all, QAQ...
Sakatsuki, too, looked slightly surprised for a moment before quickly breaking into a smile. "My, my, I never expected my Master to be so adorable, asking me such a question..."
With a playful wink, the young man's fox-like eyes brimmed with mischief.
"Could it be... you're jealous?"
Hakuno Kishinami's breath hitched. She opened her mouth but found herself speechless. Sakatsuki didn't seem to mind, answering candidly, "Nero Claudius, the fifth emperor of Rome. I once had the fortune of meeting her elsewhere and forming a bond. She's a like-minded friend—no..."
Pausing, the handsome young man mused, "Perhaps it's more accurate to say I harbored feelings of lo—Ow!"
A pillow smacked Sakatsuki in the face. Hakuno's eyes burned with faint anger as she glared at him, enunciating each word clearly, "Don't. You. Dare. Say. That!"
"Alright, alright." Sakatsuki's eyes glimmered as he raised the pillow in surrender, though his amused expression showed no sign of repentance.
Though their relationship was reliable, his shamelessly flippant attitude was unbearable.
"Oh? 'Shamelessly flippant'—you mean I act polite on the surface but look down on you inside, hmm? Do I?" Sakatsuki poked Hakuno's smooth forehead, thoroughly entertained. "Am I that kind of person?"
Of course you are!
Hakuno fumed slightly, narrowing her beautiful eyes in an attempt to intimidate him. But Sakatsuki remained unfazed, only growing more amused as he playfully maneuvered the usually expressionless Hakuno into various poses, finding it endlessly entertaining.
Yet his actions bore no resemblance to those between 'lovers' or 'partners.' It was more like he had found a fascinating toy.
This guy really has no intention of changing!
Slapping away Sakatsuki's wandering hands, Hakuno huffed and buried her face in a pillow, pretending to be dead.
Well, he was a Servant with a fixed personality, after all. If she wanted to correct Sakatsuki's shameless flippancy, she'd need something more drastic—like, say... a major failure?
"Hey now, you've got some nerve saying that." Sakatsuki leaned lazily against the headboard. "True, if it were an irreparable mistake or an unforgivable disgrace, even I might reconsider my words. But—"
Smack! Hakuno jolted up, covering her stinging rear with a mix of embarrassment and anger, only to hear Sakatsuki chuckle.
"I'd say the odds of you dying in the process are pretty high, no? After all, my failures would directly endanger my Master's life. If you're fine with that, I could always arrange a little mishap. A shame, really—but at least I'd get to retire properly."
...No, I admit I spoke too loudly just now. Please forgive my presumptuousness, Lord Sakatsuki.
When it came to matters of life and death, Hakuno could grovel with lightning speed, even selectively ignoring the fact that she'd just been teased. After the master and servant's playful banter, the girl lay back down, resting her head on her Servant's lap. She closed her eyes, enjoying the comfort of the young man massaging her temples.
Truth be told, this was enough. Though Sakatsuki's words were indeed venomous, they were merely admonishments for his Master, not demands or commands. He had completely entrusted his power to me.
...That's right. This Servant was being strict with his Master, not insulting her. If anything, he was making the utmost effort to protect this immature Master of his.
The presumptuousness was merely superficial. Sakatsuki was simply a bit more twisted by nature than most, with a sharper tongue and a more arrogant attitude—yes, just like a nagging mother.
"Hmm? Why the sudden silence? Changing tactics?" Hakuno's silence made Sakatsuki somewhat uneasy. "...By the way, why are you smiling?"
"Mmm~ It's nothing." The girl chuckled lightly, keeping her eyes closed as she savored this leisurely chat with her Servant.
"To spend our limited time resources on idle chatter instead of battle—what remarkable composure. I was worried you might be listless from your injuries, but it seems that concern was unnecessary."
The young man's mellow voice gradually faded into the distance. In the final moments before sleep claimed her, Hakuno heard Sakatsuki's whisper.
"Rest easy, Master. Tomorrow, we'll secure the second cipher key... I won't let those who harmed you get away with it."
————
Early the next morning, at the Second Imaginary Sea.
"This is... troublesome."
The moment Robin Hood stepped into the Second Imaginary Sea, he saw the deep purple barrier suddenly rise before him, his smile turning bitter.
He didn't need to test it—just by instinct, he could tell how impenetrable this wall was. The moment he and his Master had entered the arena, this barrier had risen: a veritable Wall of Lamentation, symbolizing death.
To turn the arena into a cage, precisely when all Masters would come for the second cipher key—what a brazen, open stratagem.
"Well, the time for underhanded tactics is over, Robin Hood."
The young man made no attempt to conceal his arrival. Amidst the emerald forest, that crimson figure burned like a flame. And this time, he was no longer alone.
"So you've come too, Hakuno Kishinami."
The old knight, Dan Blackmore, lifted his gaze to meet the tea-haired girl's eyes. After a long pause, a faint look of satisfaction crossed his face. "Good. You haven't disappointed me."
"Milord, we're walking into a trap here. My injuries haven't fully healed yet," Robin Hood said helplessly. "As much as I'd like to talk with the princess, the knight by her side isn't exactly the chatty type."
"...You're right. Seeking mutual understanding in battle is an unnecessary burden. Understanding the enemy should come after victory is decided."
After a moment of silence, the old knight nodded. The kindly demeanor of an elder faded from him, replaced by the resolute will of a soldier hardening in his eyes.
"So this is the second round of our wager, Sakatsuki."
"Ah, precisely so," Sakatsuki responded softly. "You seem to have enlightened my Master, for which I am grateful. But you are our enemies in the second round, and your Servant has caused Hakuno harm—one thing at a time. I shall lay flowers upon your graves."
"Well aren't you polite about it!"
Robin Hood loudly retorted, already gripping his Prayer Bow: "Shall we see whose Hawkeye is superior?"
"Hmph. Though I'm more skilled in close combat, I can hardly refuse such enthusiasm. It's time this elder properly taught you a lesson."
The crimson-clad magus, the Faceless King of May.
Amid the suddenly perilous atmosphere, the second round of their wager had begun!