He looked down to see a snow-white pigeon standing by the bed, a letter held in its beak.
"Master, who sent a letter?" A sweet voice drifted from behind him.
Little Melusine clung to Haruka Kasugano like a koala, her petite frame pressed against his back. He could feel her soft skin and the warmth of her body. Her small, "suet-jade" mounds pressed gently against his spine, providing an incredible sense of comfort.
Haruka Kasugano smiled as he untied the letter from the pigeon's leg. Glancing at the signature, he said, "It's from the Overseer of this Holy Grail War, Shirou Kotomine. He's invited us to a nearby church to talk."
Hearing this, Melusine extended her small tongue and gave Haruka Kasugano's waist a playful lick. "Are we going then? It might not be great if he discovers we have two extra Servants."
Haruka Kasugano pondered for a moment, stroking Melusine's hair. "Hmm... how about this: you and Artoria alter stay here. I'll just take Mordred with me."
Melusine nodded obediently, then stood on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on Haruka Kasugano's cheek. "Okay~! Wishing you victory in battle~!"
Haruka Kasugano smiled, returned her kiss, and rose to prepare for the meeting. He straightened his clothes and stepped out of the room with Mordred, heading toward the church.
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Before long, Haruka Kasugano arrived alone with Mordred at the doors of the church specified by Shirou Kotomine. The church stood solemnly atop a hill in a small Romanian town. Haruka Kasugano strode inside, but Mordred remained at the entrance, choosing not to follow.
Haruka Kasugano took a seat on a pew, his gaze falling upon Shirou Kotomine, who was praying fervently beneath a statue of the Virgin Mary. Shirou turned gracefully, revealing his tanned skin and a face strikingly similar to Emiya Shirou's.
"Are you the Master of Saber?" Shirou Kotomine asked with a smile.
"That would be me," Haruka Kasugano replied in kind.
"I see. I am the Overseer of this Holy Grail War, responsible for managing the Red Faction's command..." Shirou shifted his gaze toward Mordred at the door.
Because Mordred was fully armored and wearing her helmet—Secret of Pedigree—her true name and personal information were completely hidden. Even Shirou could not obtain any data on her.
"Might I ask Saber's True Name?" Shirou asked softly, a faint, ambiguous smile on his lips. "As allies, I believe exchanging information facilitates cooperation."
Haruka Kasugano shook his head and said somberly, "My goal is the Holy Grail. After the Great Holy Grail War ends, the survivors will proceed with a normal war. I don't want to find myself at a disadvantage then."
"Fair enough!" Shirou nodded elegantly in agreement.
"Tch! We haven't even won yet, and you're already thinking about the Grail?" A beautiful woman sitting in a corner on the other side of the church suddenly let out a sneer.
Her long black hair fell over her shoulders like a waterfall, shimmering with a mesmerizing luster. Her elf-like pointed ears were like finely carved works of art. Standing at 169cm, her figure was tall and curvaceous—bountiful chest, slender waist, and long, straight legs. Her skin was as smooth and white as suet jade, exuding a faint, intoxicating fragrance. Combined with her noble, icy expression, she looked like a snow lotus blooming on an ice mountain.
Seeing this beauty, Haruka Kasugano couldn't help but lick his lips. This must be Semiramis. Truly graceful and full of mature charm~! Moreover, she was a top-tier "Cuckold" target!
Excellent! And she's an Empress! What a pleasure it would be to conquer her and see that noble face lose its composure beneath me.
"Pay it no mind; everyone has their own considerations," Shirou soothed Semiramis. He then looked back at Haruka Kasugano. "What are your plans? I suggest all members of the Red Faction act together. I have a briefing room prepared inside where we can discuss details."
Haruka Kasugano shook his head. Entering that room meant never coming back out. He had to refuse just as Kairi Sisigou did. "Sorry, I prefer to work alone," he stated firmly. Then, he turned and left with Mordred.
"It seems we've been disliked," Shirou said expressionlessly.
"What was that about... that Saber wouldn't even take off her helmet. We have no idea who she is," Semiramis complained, crossing her long legs. Her slender fingers tapped rhythmically on the table.
"It doesn't matter. We have six Servants already. Losing one Saber—even the strongest—is of no consequence. Our other Servants are all of the Mythological rank," Shirou said calmly.
Suddenly, a lean, white-haired man radiating a golden light appeared behind him.
"Lancer, I sense that Ruler has entered Romania. Go handle it. With your strength, you should be able to slay her," Shirou commanded. Karna nodded without a word and vanished.
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Once outside, Mordred quickly yanked off her helmet and complained to Haruka Kasugano like a child: "Master, I hate that pointy-eared woman!"
"I know. That's why I refused to cooperate with them!" Haruka Kasugano said with a slight smile.
"What... you refused because you knew I hated her? ...You..." Mordred's face instantly turned red as a ripe apple, leaving her speechless with bashfulness.
[Ding~! Mordred's Infidelity Progress +10~!]
"Eh?" Haruka Kasugano was momentarily confused. Wait, what just happened?
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Haruka Kasugano wandered through the streets of a quiet Romanian town with Mordred. This was a famous tourist spot, filled with ancient buildings and winding alleys that breathed history.
Haruka Kasugano had specially bought a simple, refreshing outfit for Mordred: a white camisole that showed off her shoulders and back (and her modest but firm chest), paired with super-short denim shorts that flaunted her toned legs. Finally, he added a bright red jacket.
"Hahaha! Master, this outfit is exactly my style!" Mordred laughed heartily.
[Ding~! Mordred feels you understand her deeply. Infidelity Progress +10~!]
"As long as you like it," Haruka Kasugano replied. As he strolled casually, buying snacks for Mordred, his mind was busy plotting.
According to the original plot, Karna should be at the border attempting to assassinate Jeanne d'Arc. Meanwhile, Gordes and Siegfried would be rushing to the rescue. Among all the female characters, Jeanne was likely the hardest to conquer—she was too straight-laced and incredibly powerful.
Following the principle of "easy targets first"... it seemed wiser to go after the isolated Jack the Ripper and Reika Rikudou first! He needed to build his rewards and strength before facing the main powerhouses of the Red and Black factions.
In the original timeline, since Kairi Sisigou escaped Shirou's control, he was sent the next day to hunt down Jack. If things remained consistent... he would likely receive the same assignment tomorrow.
With that decided, Haruka Kasugano headed back to wait for further news.
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At dusk, as the setting sun painted the land blood-red, Melusine reached the highway at the Romanian border with her transcendent speed. She kept a safe distance to avoid Jeanne's detection. As Ruler, Jeanne could sense the locations of the war's Servants, but since Melusine wasn't a part of this Grail War, she could stay hidden if she was careful.
Melusine wasn't there to fight; she was there on Haruka Kasugano's orders to observe. Soon, a truck appeared with Jeanne inside. She was dressed in a surprisingly sensual outfit—thigh-high socks and a backless, sleeveless high-neck school uniform with a necktie hanging between her bountiful breasts.
Sensing Karna nearby, she let the driver turn back while she stayed to fight. Soon, Karna arrived, and the two clashed. Shortly after, Gordes arrived with Siegfried. A fierce battle erupted between the two powerhouses—Karna in his golden armor and Siegfried with his Balmung.
Their clash was like thunder and lightning, turning the air scorching hot. The swordplay was draconic and the spearwork was tiger-like. They were evenly matched, fighting until the sky began to turn grey. During the chaos, Gordes tried to recruit Jeanne, but she ignored him completely.
Haruka Kasugano watched all of this through the shared vision provided by Melusine. Seeing that it matched the original plot, he ordered her to return. As dawn broke, Jeanne called for a halt. Karna and Siegfried stopped. Gordes took the opportunity to drag Siegfried into a luxury car and speed away, while Karna dematerialized.
Jeanne looked down at her suitcase, which had been shredded by Karna's attacks, and her clothes scattered across the ground. She sighed, looking utterly dejected.
"How unlucky..." Jeanne lamented.
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At dawn, as the golden sun rose, Haruka Kasugano sat quietly by a fax machine. Sure enough, it began to whir, slowly spitting out a sheet of paper.
Haruka Kasugano picked it up. There were two pieces of news. First: Berserker Spartacus had gone berserk last night and run off alone to attack the Black Faction—he was bound to be captured.