My Fates Codex of Type-Moon

[Record Conditions (2/3)]:

1. Gain Diarmuid's approval (Completed)

2. Defeat/Kill Diarmuid (Not Completed)

[Record Condition 1 Achieved, Reward Gained: "Agility" Parameter Slightly Increased!]

It wasn't enough to raise a parameter by a full level, but I could definitely feel the improvement in my actions and reaction speed. If I had to quantify it, assuming it takes ten points to break through to the next level, this reward added about one point.

Pulling my gaze away from the status panel, Sakutsuki reached into his imaginary numbers pocket and continued to pull things out.

They were steaming hot dishes, radiating a delicious aroma.

On the first floor of the Hyatt Hotel, the evacuating citizens under the large-scale suggestion magic were pouring out, while the three people in the reception hall were shielded by a barrier, like stable stones in a turbulent current.

The warrior of Fianna and the magical girl sat opposite each other, and the dinner on the table became increasingly abundant.

Teriyaki Chicken Rice, Spring Chirashi Sushi, Shishamo Egg Scramble, Wakame Miso Soup, Foil-baked Salmon.

Dutch Pancakes, French Fries with White Wine Chowder, Smoked Pork with Potatoes, Cheese Fondue, Paella, Broad Bean Cream Salad, Pan-fried Foie Gras...

For some reason, there were far more European dishes than Japanese ones, enough for at least two Servants. The masterpieces, which seemed to require the combined efforts of several master chefs, originated from the skillful hands of a single young man.

"Magic is great for this, you know. Even if it sits out for half a day, it retains its original texture." Once the last dish was served, Sakutsuki clapped his hands with satisfaction. "Alright, Miyu, dig in. Your big brother prepared this especially for you! And Lancer, don't be shy, try my cooking! I spent the entire morning meticulously preparing this!"

"Mhm." Miyu's response was cool and detached, but her eyes had already narrowed into crescent moons. After simply saying "Itadakimasu," she began to enjoy the delicious dinner.

On the other side, Lancer, who had been coaxed and tricked by Sakutsuki into sitting there, put down his knife and fork with a wry smile.

"I say, Lord Sakutsuki..."

"Just call me Sakutsuki, Diarmuid. Or Spear Bro, for short."

"Alright, Sakutsuki." The handsome man cleared his throat lightly. "Even so, I am a Servant who is your enemy. Even if we haven't fought each other, you shouldn't have me sitting at the same table as your Servant."

The unspoken implication was: Aren't you afraid I'll stab Caster with my spear?

To this, Sakutsuki smiled and stood behind Miyu, pinching her chubby cheeks. "The question is, can you bear to? Can you bring yourself to kill a girl who harbors no ill will towards you and is so cute? Lancer, your chivalry would weep."

"Ugh..." Diarmuid was instantly rendered speechless. After all, in his era, protecting the weak and the innocent was a creed every knight had to uphold. To ask him to lay a hand on a little girl, he honestly couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Besides, Kayneth only told you to hold the enemy off downstairs, he didn't say you absolutely had to defeat my Servant, did he?" Sakutsuki pressed his advantage, speaking unhurriedly. "I'll have Miyu stay here while I go challenge Kayneth's Magic Workshop alone. There's no need for you two to fight, so why bother determining who's superior? Could it be that the Knights of Fianna's 'Face of Glory' is just a brute who only thinks about fighting?"

"Naturally not." After instinctively retorting, Diarmuid finally sighed in resignation. Under the bizarre atmosphere of 'sharing a meal prepared by the opponent with the opponent's Servant,' he cut a piece of foie gras and put it in his mouth.

Then his eyes widened.

Even as a Servant, the delicate texture that melted in his mouth, and the elegant aroma reminiscent of wine, were something Diarmuid had never experienced in his life.

Casually lifting his gaze, he saw the little girl in front of him with her eyes narrowed, a look of enjoyment on her face. Diarmuid finally understood why she hadn't said a word after starting her meal.

Before she had finished the exquisite food before her, she couldn't bear to waste time on idle chatter!

Wait... are flowers blooming around Caster? Why is the background starting to feel so warm and fuzzy? This is the set of FZ, for crying out loud! Did you guys take a wrong turn?!

Diarmuid stared blankly at Miyu for a good while before finally giving up on thinking and started eating.

It was delicious!

While the two Servants were happily eating, Sakutsuki himself held a glass of orange juice and drank it leisurely. Secretly, he took out his phone and snapped pictures of Diarmuid and Miyu, engrossed in their meal, as well as the spread of food on the table. He also checked the time.

It was 11 PM, prime time for night owls to feel hungry.

With a mischievous grin, Sakutsuki's fingers flew across the screen. Then, as if realizing something, he put down his phone and used magic, taking a screenshot!

The image quality from a 90s phone was terrible, but magic could capture every detail of this scene.

Locking onto the auras, establishing magic guidance lines, loading the magical image—Send!

Four streams of light shot towards the sky, then diverged in different directions.

In Fuyuki City, a national road extended westward. Ahead lay a deep, undeveloped forest. This national road meandered through the quiet woods until it crossed the prefectural border.

Although it was a two-lane road, the streetlights were sparse, and there were no vehicles. The national road at midnight seemed to have been forgotten in the tranquility.

A silver-white beast suddenly tore through the midnight peace, galloping at high speed.

It was a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe. Its classic, graceful lines were like those of an elegant noblewoman, while the roar of its inline-six SOHC engine was like that of a beast.

Driving this luxurious classic car at a dangerous speed exceeding 100 kilometers per hour was—naturally—our gentle and refined Mrs. Irisviel!

Frankly speaking, driving at 100 km/h on a national road isn't that fast. However, the road the Mercedes-Benz was speeding on was winding and treacherous, with a cliff on one side. Taking corners at such speed required either exceptional driving skills or a reckless street racer.

Thus, following Papa Kiritsugu and Sakutsuki, Saber was also honored to experience Mrs. Irisviel's truly ferocious driving skills.

"Look, look. This car is going really fast, isn't it?" Irisviel gripped the steering wheel, a smug smile on her face.

"Y-yes, it is." Saber, sitting in the passenger seat, was sweating profusely. The pressure was even greater than when facing the combined assaults of Lancer and Berserker.

"Right? Don't let my appearance fool you, I've practiced a lot." Irisviel said, then let out a soft cry and shifted gears. Her shifting motion was very concise, as if her driving skills had greatly improved after her race with Sakutsuki.

"Hmm? Wait a minute, Irisviel. Haven't you been driving on the left side of the road since just now?"

"Ah, yes."

Irisviel nodded with a smile, as if her mistake was a trivial one. She abruptly turned the steering wheel and immediately changed lanes.

Just then, a stream of light mixed with magical energy flew towards them. Mrs. Irisviel slammed on the brakes, stopping precisely in front of the ball of magical light.

"This is… Sakutsuki's?"

The next moment, the ball of magical light expanded, revealing a scene of Diarmuid and Miyu enjoying a meal.

The dazzling array of food on the table made both beauties' eyes water.

"This… could it be…" Saber swallowed, saying with difficulty, "the Hyatt Hotel?"

"No, it seems Sakutsuki made it himself. I had the pleasure of eating food made by that child with Illya at Winter's Castle," Mrs. Emiya held her face, looking intoxicated. "But I've never seen so many exquisite dishes before."

"Gulp, what insidious tactics!" The girl's ahoge immediately stood up, then quickly drooped listlessly. "To think they'd show me such a thing in the middle of the night… And I actually missed such a lavish banquet!"

The Knight of the Round Table's lament echoed through the empty corridor.

Was that a pathetic sound, perhaps from hunger?

Finally, Saber, the Red Dragon of Britain, the glorious king admired by all, her sky-blue eyes firmed, as if she had made a momentous decision.

"I've decided! As Saber, I will go and smite the rebels! We absolutely cannot let that food fall into enemy hands!"

Under the temptation of the delicious food, the girl's petite figure erupted with immense drive. She replaced Irisviel in the driver's seat, shifted gears, and pressed the accelerator!

"Wait, Saber, Kiritsugu said… Whoa!"

The Mercedes-Benz roared, turned its head, and sped off with an even wilder posture than when it arrived.

"To hell with Kiritsugu! Forward, East Staller!"

Under the temptation of the food, Artoria, who hadn't realized she was becoming somewhat Alterized, slammed on the accelerator. Amidst Mrs. Emiya's excited shouts, the Mercedes-Benz sped off, heading towards the Hyatt Hotel!

Opening the door with the key—even this simple action took nearly three minutes. For the utterly exhausted Kariya Matou, this was a monumental task that he could barely accomplish even if he squeezed out his last ounce of strength.

Like a salaryman returning home after a social engagement, Kariya dragged his weary feet. He didn't even bother to turn on the lights, just threw himself onto the sofa, letting out a half-comfortable, half-helpless moan.

Although he had been prepared, the amount of mana consumed to support Berserker's actions was still excessive, wasn't it?

Recalling the entire can of magical bugs he had used up, Kariya couldn't help but sigh again.

He was different from other Masters; he was merely a hastily trained magus. He was free from carelessness, pride, and other such sentiments. Even if he were to go into battle alongside his Servant like others, he lacked the confidence to face other magi. Furthermore, his Servant was Berserker, and even if he wanted to give close-range strategic instructions, Berserker would never obey.

So, he simply treated Berserker like a bomb, unleashing him into the enemy ranks to go on a rampage. Kariya believed he should prioritize his own safety and watch from a safe distance.

It wouldn't have consumed this much mana normally… but after Berserker saw Saber, he was no longer under his control. Kariya still shuddered when he recalled the chaotic emotions transmitted through their contract.

That golden, seemingly petite knight girl, she was Berserker, and who was she to the Knight of the Round Table, Lancelot?

Silently pushing this doubt to the back of his mind, Kariya immediately began to ponder another significant issue.

That golden, arrogant Archer, Hero King Gilgamesh.

Could Berserker defeat him?

How far was this path to defeating Tokiomi Tohsaka?

After that, how far was it to defeating all the enemies… and reaching the Holy Grail?

But for his own pursuit, for his own dream, Kariya could only continue forward. He absolutely could not be eliminated. Even if he had to burn away his last piece of flesh, he absolutely had to achieve his goal. Otherwise, everything would be in vain.

What's more, the Holy Grail had another purpose for him…

Just as Kariya was thinking, a ball of magical energy with Sakutsuki's aura squeezed into the living room, illuminating Kariya's dazed face.

Looking at the scene of Miyu and Lancer enjoying their meal, Kariya stared for a long time, feeling the emptiness in his stomach.

He had been tracking Lancer's presence since early morning, so he hadn't eaten all day…

"Rumble…" His empty stomach protested.

"Sakura… sigh." The words stopped at his lips. It was already this late, and Kariya didn't want to wake Sakura.

The hungry Kariya turned his head and met the gaze of the silently standing Berserker.

The knight in black armor remained silent, only the red light inside his helmet flickered like a signal lamp. He even tilted his head almost imperceptibly.

Berserker: What are you looking at?

Kariya Matou: …

You can't expect a berserker to cook and serve.

Kariya closed his eyes in disappointment, a resentment emanating from him that was no less potent than Berserker's.

"Sakutsuki, you little brat…"

Kirei Kotomine sat in the church's basement, quietly examining the two small creatures spread before him.

One was the corpse of a bat with its head twisted off, with a palm-sized electronic device strapped to its abdomen. There was a round battery—it was a wireless pinhole camera.

The other lacked a normal form, appearing like a floating shadow, clearly a product of some Imaginary Numbers Magic.

After Assassin was exposed by Berserker, revealing the alliance with Archer, Kirei Kotomine had not only immediately dispatched another clone of Hundred-Faced Hassan to the scene but also had Assassin's subordinates conduct regular patrols of the church.

Then, he had discovered these two familiars bearing their master's distinctive characteristics.

Without a doubt, the bat was the familiar of that "thoroughly unscrupulous magus killer who possessed no pride as a magus," Kiritsugu Emiya.

And as for Imaginary Numbers Magic, to date, only Sakutsuki, the Master of Caster, had mastered it.

Suspecting me from the beginning, and by extension, suspecting the Holy Church? Is this unusual level of attention because I am Assassin's Master, or because… of myself?

Kirei spent a long time gazing at the corpses of the two familiars. Their significance ran deeper than the Servant free-for-all that had erupted tonight, and they occupied a space in his heart.

Unbeknownst to him, a golden king sat on the sofa opposite him, not materialized but hidden, quietly observing his troubled expression with an amused smile.

In Archer's hand, the cluster of light from Sakutsuki was crushed.

"Caster's Master, Sakutsuki? Interesting. This generation's Masters, aside from Tokiomi, all seem quite amusing... It was worth my while to come here."

"Hey, hey, Master, I want this!"

"Calling me that won't help!" Webber was lifted up by Rider in a disheveled state, but he still desperately protected his wallet. "Even if you sold me, you couldn't afford such expensive food! That's cuisine only a Michelin-starred chef could create!"

"Sakutsuki is that amazing?" Rider seemed greatly surprised, but quickly thought of a solution. "We can just ask him for it!"

"No, I don't want to go there!" Webber struggled upon hearing that. "Let go of me, Rider! If this continues, I'll use a Command Spell!"

"Sigh, how boring..." Iskandar grumbled, then put Webber down. "He's just a slightly more skilled magus, what's there to be afraid of?"

Webber tidied his messy attire and shot a disgruntled glance at the red-haired strongman. "While I am indeed scared, especially since the catalyst used to summon you was stolen from my teacher, that's not a reason for us not to go."

Having walked back from the brink of death, the young Clock Tower student seemed to have gained a different demeanor. "Don't forget, Sakutsuki publicly announced he was going to challenge our teacher's magic. Whether it's to scout for information or to fish in troubled waters, any Master with an agenda is probably already on their way, right?"

"In terms of magical power alone, I definitely can't compare to most Masters, not to mention there's a lot of information to process tonight and future strategies to decide." Webber frowned, his expression resembling that of his future self. "We won't participate in this disturbance. We'll just send familiars to scout for information."

This time, Rider didn't argue. Instead, he looked at Webber, who was flustered yet appeared composed, and smiled faintly.

"Then I'll listen to you, kid."