Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover-Chapter 610

Chapter 610: You Came From Dreams, Bound for the Mirror

The door opened, and a silver-white light surged in eagerly, filling the not-so-spacious room with noisy, chattering brightness.

The door closed, and the enthusiasm and light scattered in an instant. A red dress swayed quietly in the aloof darkness, like a stubborn rose standing firm.

She lingered for no one.

No one lingered for her.

When Nero shut the door to her room, the faint starlight in Draco’s eyes dimmed, extinguished, and finally sank into the space between her knees and arms.

"What a shame, he didn’t come in." Nero, accustomed to the girl’s silence, removed her long dress and changed into her bathrobe, murmuring softly, "Still, I can’t understand why you wanted to trick... to bring Sakatsuki in?"

Draco answered with silence, while Nero stretched her graceful body and muttered to herself, "I admit, I do admire that young man. If possible, inviting him as a guest wouldn’t be a bad idea."

"But the way you went about it felt so deliberate. It was awkward even talking to Sakatsuki."

"Hmm, well, I’ll only do this once. Next time, I won’t play along, okay?"

"Honestly, what was the point of all this...? Never mind. Time for a bath, la la la~"

Humming a tune, Nero disappeared into the hall. After she left, Draco finally raised her head, her fingers brushing against the wall, her gaze icy.

Why?

Because without such underhanded methods, he would never step through that door.

Besides, what else did she have left besides deceit and trickery? 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

A mocking smile curled her lips—Draco wore it effortlessly.

"I... was always this dark, foolish, and hopeless."

The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom, mingled with Nero’s off-key humming. The Roman emperor was radiant and open-hearted, like the brilliant sunlight of the Mediterranean or the wildflowers blooming across the hills. She walked through the lunar world, naturally drawing all eyes, and just as naturally... winning that young man’s affection.

The brighter she shone, the more it highlighted Draco’s wretchedness. Even the simple desire to see him again had twisted into something so distorted.

How ugly.

A black tide rose in her heart. As the last glimmer of light faded, the voice of the calamitous beast surged forth. Before being swallowed whole, the girl smiled—calm, resigned.

Perhaps this was her true destination.

————

Steam filled the bathroom, veiling the alluring figure of the young woman. Leaning back in the tub, Nero let out a lazy, contented sigh.

Just then, the bathroom door creaked open, startling the half-asleep Nero. She turned her head and saw a familiar flash of red.

"Hmm, Draco, so you’ve finally come around?" Nero splashed the water playfully, flashing a mischievous grin. "Bathing is Rome’s finest cultural heritage—come, sit in my lap, and let’s enjoy it together, hehehe..."

After all, the illustrious fifth emperor of Rome was known for her... eclectic tastes.

But the next second, Nero’s eyes widened in shock as Draco nodded and said cheerfully:

"Yes, I’ve made up my mind."

As the girl stepped forward, her red dress naturally slipped off. The water in the bathtub rippled as the little mermaid swam right up to the big mermaid, looking up at Nero with an inexplicably aggressive posture.

Nero: ???

Wait, this... this isn’t right?

Since when did Draco, who had always been brooding in the corner, become so proactive?

If it’s like this, I’m the one who’s not used to it!

Just as Nero’s gaze wandered, a finger pressed against her lips. Draco curled her lips into a mysterious smile, leaned close to her ear, and whispered softly.

"Tell me, do you think Sakatsuki likes the current you?"

The current me... What does that mean?

Nero wanted to ask, but Draco didn’t give her the chance, leaning even closer, her blood-red eyes gleaming coldly.

"He’s only chasing after the phantom of the past. You’re just a Servant, a shadow left behind by that emperor. The one Sakatsuki truly loves has never been you!"

"He met that emperor long ago, back in ancient Rome!"

Nero felt as if something exploded in her mind, countless memories forcing their way through the gates of her heart, violently crowding in and mercilessly occupying her thoughts. She recalled the general who fell from the sky, the young man called the Governor, the turmoil of those days, the later betrayal, and finally, the arrow that illuminated fate...

"Governor..."

The water rippled as the girl closed her eyes, sinking into deep unconsciousness. Under the cover of the misty steam, two figures—one large, one small—gradually merged. As crimson patterns climbed up her back, ’Nero’ opened her eyes again.

Her face was calm, expressionless.

But her two eyes...

One remained as verdant as laurel leaves, while the other now gleamed with a dark, bloody light!

"Not enough yet."

With a soft sigh, those eyes closed once more. The woman’s delicate figure submerged in the water as the steam dispersed and gathered again, concealing the transformation within the bathroom.

Until the moment the door opened once more.

————

"[’Thus far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt...’]"

In Hakuno’s room, Sakatsuki, holding a Bible, had only recited halfway when Alice interrupted him unhappily.

"Mad Hatter brother is being mean. You promised to tell us a story."

"Yeah, mean."

It was already late at night, and the two little ones had long finished washing up, lying neatly in bed with a bewildered Hakuno sandwiched between them, her gaze foolishly clear.

Meanwhile, Sakatsuki sat by the bed, holding a thick Bible, looking like some shady priest delivering a sermon.

"Hahaha... How can you say that?" Sakatsuki smirked, waving the book in his hand. "Isn’t this kind of book interesting? Even if it’s boring, it can still help you fall asleep."

"It’s so dry and flavorless, this isn’t a good story at all..." Alice pouted, looking like she was about to cry. "Big brother is lying."

"Yeah, lying." The girl in the black dress nodded along, on the verge of tears.

Yet Sakatsuki felt no remorse; instead, he wanted to tease Alice and her Servant a little longer—until Hakuno blinked her eyes and tugged at the hem of his sleeve.

"I want to hear a story too."

If memory loss meant forgetting only certain people and things for others, for Hakuno, who already had gaps in her memories, it was far more severe.

Now, her mind had regressed to that of a child’s, and she had to be led by Alice just to learn how to use the bathroom alone.

As for Sakatsuki, having grown accustomed to Hakuno’s composed demeanor, her quiet moments, and even her occasional tantrums, this sudden shift into such childish innocence was... refreshing.

Irresistible, even.

"Very well, very well, my dear maidens."

Unconsciously, Sakatsuki adopted a Shakespearean cadence. Under the curious gazes of the three girls, he gestured lightly, summoning the wind to obey his call. It lifted the blankets, helping them rise and slip into their shoes.

By then, Sakatsuki was already at the door, pushing it open.

Moonlight poured in like flowing water, outlining the young man’s smiling eyes and the sudden sparkle in Alice’s and the others’ gazes.

"How does that saying go again? Ah, yes—’Let’s go see what’s outside. Surely, a wonderful encounter awaits.’"

"Yay!" Alice cheered first, grabbing Nursery Rhyme and Hakuno’s hands. Though the youngest, she led them like an older sister guiding her little sisters, following Sakatsuki as he began weaving a fairy tale.

"Far out in the ocean, where the water is as blue as the prettiest cornflower and as clear as the purest glass..."

It was a night devoid of people. Masters slept, burdened by exhaustion and dreams. Servants rested in their quarters. The NPCs overseeing the Holy Grail War entered standby mode. The school was empty, the hallways deserted, the classrooms hollow.

This was a free and beautiful world, arms wide open, yearning to be explored.

This was a dark and cruel world, where the strong preyed on the weak, trampling everything for selfish desires.

No one had ever taken the time to traverse this academy on foot. Such leisure belonged only to the strong—or perhaps the weak who had given up.

But the strong wouldn’t waste time, and the weak had long closed their eyes, waiting for death. In this hurried war, no one would slow down to admire the lunar scenery, to appreciate this mysterious and romantic land.

Only this white-haired, golden-eyed young man in crimson robes remained. His warm voice flowed through the academy, and as he spoke, the stories of old took shape, surrounding the girls like gentle companions.

In the cold Holy Grail War on the moon, a little girl lit a warm match. Cinderella slipped into glass slippers. A prince pressed a kiss of true love, rescuing the princess from the clutches of sleep...

So beautiful, so dreamlike—and so fleeting.

Dawn broke.

The next day, as Sakatsuki prepared a steaming breakfast, set the alarm, and quietly readied to leave, a knock sounded at the door.

"Who is it?" Hakuno stirred awake in bed. Seeing this, Sakatsuki raised his voice to ask.

Standing at the doorway, a girl in a red dress pondered for a moment before offering a perfectly measured smile and replying in an unaffected tone:

"It’s me."