My Fates Codex in Type-Moon

"So you mean that you want me, a servant of God, to pursue pleasure—to stain myself with such grievously sinful depravity? Archer!"

The Command Spell system in FZ and FSN had always been a mystery, and I couldn't sort out the relationships involved. I might as well establish that "Command Spells do not disappear after a Servant contract is severed." Otherwise, Rin's situation in the UBW route would be hard to explain, and Kiritsugu Emiya's reason for killing Kayneth would no longer be sufficient.

That was truly absurd, Kirei. Why did he equate pleasure with sin?

Pleasure gained through wrongdoing might indeed be sinful, but doing good could also bring joy. By what logic could he declare that pleasure itself was evil?

Pleasure, in other words, was a form of the soul and spirit. When discussing pleasure, it was not a matter of "having" or "not having" it, but of "knowing" or "not knowing." Kirei, he still did not understand his own spiritual world. When he said there was no pleasure in his heart, that was exactly what it meant.

In any case, he should first learn what entertainment was.

Don't say that. He could do it during the spare time between the tasks Tokiomi had assigned him. Kirei, wasn't his duty to track the other five Masters? Then he should investigate not only their intentions and strategies, but their motives as well, and tell the King about them. That would be easy, wouldn't it?

He knew Assassin was gone—who did he think stood before him now? The King's treasury was full of treasures!

Hadn't the King just said so? The King loved the grudges, loves, and hatreds of humanity. There were people here who wished to overturn the laws of heaven, even willing to rely on miracles just to fulfill their stubborn desires. There had to be one or two interesting people among them. At the very least, they would be more interesting than Tokiomi.

The King would continue coming here for his fine wine. Though the liquor here could not be called heavenly nectar, it was all excellent vintage. It would be a shame to let it sour away in a monk's wine cabinet.

Archer had already departed. The radiance in the room faded away, and the atmosphere in Kirei's room returned to its monotonous dullness.

Kirei sat on the sofa with an utterly placid expression, looking at several small objects on the table that resembled eyeballs.

These were the treasures Gilgamesh had given him. Though their performance could not compare to Assassin's, they were far more concealed than ordinary familiars and could at least fulfill Archer's request.

Thinking carefully, whether Master or Servant, everyone participating in this Holy Grail War was desperately trying to fulfill a long-cherished wish. Yet this self-willed Hero King had not joined in pursuit of the Holy Grail. He had merely disliked seeing others stir up trouble while competing for a treasure behind his back, and so he had entered the battle.

Among the Servants gathered in Fuyuki City, there was probably no one else whose reason for participating was more flimsy than that Heroic Spirit's. In that regard, Kirei resembled him somewhat—there was likely no other Master besides him who did not know why he had entered the Holy Grail War.

No, Kirei's reason for participating had to exist. Otherwise, there was no way to explain why he had been the second person after Tokiomi Tohsaka to receive Command Spells. Perhaps, deep within his heart where even he had not noticed it, he too desired the Holy Grail's miracle.

But what he wanted was definitely not the "pleasure" Archer had spoken of. Yes, definitely not!

Kirei Kotomine began clearing away the wine bottles on the table, and something came to mind.

The one who truly knew the answer was not Archer. It should be someone else.

Kiritsugu Emiya. That man was closer than anyone else to the answer Kirei sought. A thought could not help surfacing in Kirei's mind: just as he had spoken with Archer earlier, if he could also exchange questions and answers with that man—

Of course, their positions were completely opposed. The relationship between those two would not be a conversation, but bullets, blades, and swords. Yet that did not matter. Kirei merely wanted to understand Kiritsugu. A life-or-death struggle staked on their lives would reveal that man's spiritual world more clearly than any words could.

And then... the hand clearing the wine table paused slightly.

That young man who had relentlessly pursued and attacked him from the very beginning—Sakutsuki.

Where did his killing intent come from? What was so unusual about Kirei that had drawn him in?

For some reason, Kirei Kotomine felt that if he could understand the will of either one of them—

He would find his own essence.

As for whether that meant survival or destruction, that would be something to consider after finding it.

The next morning, at the Matou residence.

After a night that left them mentally exhausted, Sakutsuki and Miyu woke up in the same bed.

Sakutsuki sat up with a yawn, scratched his wildly tousled hair, then turned and sat at the bedside to put on his slippers.

—His movements were perfectly synchronized with Miyu's.

She wore white children's slippers with rabbit ears that made cute squishy sounds when she walked—Sakura's prized collection.

Their movements remained remarkably synchronized as they crossed the living room, strewn with books and snacks, and entered the bathroom.

Once inside, Sakutsuki skillfully hooked out the small stool beneath the sink with his foot, slipped his hands beneath Miyu's arms, lifted her up, and set her on it so she could see her face in the mirror.

He filled two cups with water, squeezed toothpaste onto one large and one small toothbrush, then handed the children's toothbrush to Miyu. Their movements synchronized again as they began brushing their teeth.

"Brush up and down, gurgle gurgle gurgle..."

"Got it, Onii-chan."

It must have looked like a very harmonious scene in the mirror: two sleepy-looking lazybones doing their best to tidy themselves up.

Then Sakutsuki wrung out a small towel with hot water and laid it over Miyu's face. She obediently raised her little hands and wiped her face herself.

During that time, Sakutsuki finished washing up as well. Once they were done, he met Miyu's gaze as she raised her head to look at him.

The two of them silently stretched out their hands—

"Rock, paper, scissors."

They held the ancient ritual that had always most effectively resolved human disputes.

Miyu remained the reigning champion. Sakutsuki accepted his defeat and withdrew his open palm, while Miyu smiled smugly, lifted her head proudly like a princess, and made the victor's declaration.

"Fresh milk pancakes, honey-roasted banana yogurt, and..."

"Sushi, sushi! Oh, and I bought salmon yesterday. Let's make it teriyaki, Sakutsuki."

As they spoke, another pair of perfectly synchronized people squeezed into the bathroom: Kariya, squinting his eyes, and Sakura, nodding her little head with the same sleepy expression. Clearly, neither of them had slept much last night either.

Her words interrupted, Miyu pouted unhappily. Then her body suddenly became light as Sakutsuki picked her up and carried her out of the bathroom.

"You want yuzu black tea, right? I'll make it for you. I'll make everything for you." Sakutsuki teasingly hooked her tiny nose with a finger, silently suppressing his craving for steamed buns and fried dough sticks as he headed toward the kitchen.

"Come on, we still have plenty to do later."

"Don't forget the teriyaki salmon."

"Get lost!"

After enjoying their delicious breakfast, Kariya and Sakura went off to attend to their own affairs, while Miyu and Sakutsuki went down the stairs to the basement protected by multiple Magic Boundary Fields.

When they pushed open the door, figures of all different shapes stood with their heads lowered, their entire bodies bound by bands of magical energy and skull masks covering their faces, as though they were still unconscious—it looked like a human trafficker's hideout.

Fates Codex Record Updated

016: Hassan of the Hundred Personas (Assassin)

Character Information: The nineteenth Hassan of the Assassin Order. Split personality disorder, killed by Mami. The Assassin Class itself was a catalyst used to summon Hassan. Therefore, when Assassin was summoned through orthodox procedures, Hassan-i Sabbah would inevitably appear.

Hidden Information: Though Hassan-i Sabbah would certainly appear through orthodox procedures, unorthodox methods were another matter. Such as the Assassin summoned by Caster in the Fifth War, or swimsuit mentor, Heroine X, Emiya Assassin, and the like...

Record Conditions (2/2):

1. Expose Assassin under Presence Concealment (Completed)

2. Kill/defeat/subdue Hassan-i Sabbah (Completed)

Record Condition 1 completed. Reward obtained: "Presence Concealment Skill Compatibility"!

Record Condition 2 completed. Reward obtained: "First @You#%!"

It could only be said that Assassin truly deserved its reputation for concealment. Even the reward was shrouded in mystery.

Suppressing his complaints about the Fates Codex rewards, Sakutsuki raised his head and looked at the people before him who urgently needed to be dealt with.

—The Assassins whose contract with Kirei Kotomine had been severed were still alive and well here. However, having lost their magical energy supply, each and every one of them had become incomparably weak. Their heads hung low, as though they had fallen completely asleep.

Faced with this silent resistance, Sakutsuki responded with an odd smile and clapped his hands.

"Miyu."

"Mm."

Miyu turned and went outside. Before long, she returned with an enticing aroma.

In her small hands was an incredibly lavish breakfast: fresh milk pancakes, crisp on the outside and tender within, cooked to perfection; eel sushi gleaming with a gentle sheen; yuzu black tea so clear it seemed without a trace of impurity...

They looked utterly delicious, enough to make anyone anticipate the taste of placing them upon their tongue.

As had been said before, so-called "Delusional Illusion" was, put plainly, the manifestation of split personalities. As individual entities divided from Hassan of the Hundred Personas, they had the possibility of unconsciously expressing themselves.

Naturally, some among them could not resist good food~~

With a smile resembling that of a certain red little devil, Sakutsuki placed the steaming breakfast before the Hundred Personas. The tempting fragrance drifted into their noses, and he even cruelly cast a Magic Boundary Field that made their senses more sensitive.

The aroma immediately filled the sealed basement. The Hassans of the Hundred Personas, their five senses—especially their stomachs—enhanced severalfold, gritted their teeth and used all their strength to resist the temptation of food.

Stay calm, me!

We are assassins who inherited the name "Hassan-i Sabbah," shadows that were each one and also a group, the great Old Man of the Mountain!

How could we surrender over mere food?!

"Still refusing to give in?"

Sakutsuki snapped his fingers and projected a small electric fan, using it to blow the aroma toward them.

One Hassan of the Hundred Personas could not endure it and wanted to surrender, but the other split personalities restrained him, refusing to let him disgrace the name of Hassan-i Sabbah.

But when the young man smirked and turned the little fan up to its second setting, their already precarious line of defense finally collapsed.

I... I can't stay calm anymore!

"Kill me or carve me up as you please!" The Hassan who was slightly plump and looked like a wealthy merchant threw his head back and howled, his tone sorrowful and indignant. "At least let me have one bite of food!"

The purple-haired Hassan, who might or might not have been the main personality, sighed, knowing the overall situation was lost.

Even though she had inherited the greatest share of Hassan of the Hundred Personas' personality, she could not possibly control every aspect of all those personalities.

What was more...

The death-knell still echoed in her mind. No one understood the significance of that sound better than these Old Men of the Mountain.

"The First Hassan..."

"With Ambition" played from the speakers. More than twenty Hassans, wrapped in black robes and impossible to distinguish, sat in rows on small stools. It really felt like a pyramid scheme den.

"Ahem, everyone, look at me! I'm announcing something!"

The young pyramid scheme leader tapped the table, raised a hand, and declared spiritedly:

"I'll get straight to the point: abandon your former Master! Think about how Mapo—no, Kirei Kotomine—treated you!"

"He tricked you into getting killed by Gilgamesh, stood by while your ally watched you die, and finally used you as human shields just so he could escape!"

"Make a contract with me and become my Servants! From now on, food and lodging are included, utilities are free, and you'll even get full insurance and a housing fund! What do you think? With benefits this good, you won't find another offer once you miss this chance!"

"Slurp~"

Unfortunately, that impassioned atmosphere was ruined by the sound of someone enthusiastically stuffing their face. The Hassans of the Hundred Personas all turned their heads and looked disdainfully at the first person to surrender, their gazes clearly conveying a single message:

Shameful. Leave the group.

Knowing she could not rely on her wildly chaotic split personalities, the purple-haired female Hassan coughed lightly and took over the responsibility of communicating with Sakutsuki.

"We can agree to a contract, but first, you must answer several questions. First, how was my connection with my Master... no, former Master, Kirei Kotomine, severed?"

The young man smiled brightly upon hearing that.

"You want to pry into our secrets before even becoming one of my subordinates? Fine. Miyu, I'll trouble you."

"Mm." Miyu, already transformed, answered and took a card from the card case strapped to her thigh, placing it against the wand in her hand.

"Ruby."

"Certainly."

Amid the light of Install, the card engraved with a magus crest fused with the Ruby Wand and transformed into an ornate dagger.

Unlike the straightforward design of a tactical knife, this dagger's blade zigzagged like lightning. It also glimmered with a kaleidoscope of colors, clearly overflowing with the luster of poison and betrayal.

"Rule Breaker. Since the Holy Grail granted you knowledge, you should understand now, right?"

Taking hold of this Noble Phantasm against magecraft, Sakutsuki pointed it from afar at the purple-haired Hassan's chest, demonstrating the method he had used in Unlimited Blade Works to destroy her contract.

One of the five Class Cards seized from Einzbern Castle, its Class was Caster. Miyu, who possessed the Ruby Wand, could perform Limited Install and even Dream Summon with the card, obtaining the power of other Heroic Spirits—this was one of the trump cards held by Sakutsuki's group.