My Fates Codex in Type-Moon Chapter 39

"You mean, I, who serve God, am to pursue pleasure—engage in such a sinful, degenerate act? Archer!"

The Command Spell system in FZ and FSN has always been a mystery, and I can't quite untangle the connections between them. So, I've decided to set it up as "Command Spells don't disappear after the Servant contract is broken." Otherwise, Rin's situation in the UBW route would be difficult to explain, and Kiritsugu Emiya's reason for killing Kayneth wouldn't be sufficient.

"You're being too dramatic, Kirei. Why do you equate pleasure with sin?"

"The pleasure gained from wrongdoing might indeed be a sin, but doing good also brings joy. By what logic can you assert that pleasure itself is evil?"

"So-called pleasure, in other words, is a form of the soul and spirit. When discussing pleasure, it's not about 'having' or 'not having' it, but about 'knowing' or 'not knowing' it. Kirei, you don't yet understand your own spiritual world. When you say you have no pleasure in your heart, that's precisely what it means."

"In any case, you should first learn what entertainment is."

"Don't say that. This can be done in your spare time when you're not working on the tasks Tokiomi assigned you. Kirei, isn't your duty to track down the other five Masters? Then, don't just investigate their intentions or strategies; find out their motivations as well, and tell this King about them. This is simple, isn't it?"

"I know you've lost Assassin—who do you think is standing before you now? My treasury is full of treasures!"

"Didn't I just say it? This King loves the grudges and entanglements of humans. Now, here are people who want to defy heaven's will, even relying on miracles, all to fulfill their persistent wishes. Among them, there are bound to be one or two interesting individuals. They'll be better than Tokiomi, at least."

"I will continue to patronize your fine wine. While the wine here can't be called nectar of the gods, it's all excellent vintage. It's a shame to let it sour in a monk's wine cabinet like this."

Archer had already departed, and as the light in the room faded, Kirei's room returned to its usual dull and tasteless atmosphere.

Kirei, his face as placid as a still pond, sat on the sofa, looking at the small, eyeball-like trinkets on the table.

These were treasures Gilgamesh had given him. While they couldn't compare to Assassin's performance, they had the advantage of being far more discreet than ordinary familiars, at least enough to fulfill Archer's request.

Come to think of it, everyone participating in this Holy Grail War, whether Master or Servant, was someone desperately trying to achieve their own cherished wish. However, this self-willed Hero King wasn't pursuing the Holy Grail; he only participated in the battle because he disliked seeing people stir up trouble fighting over treasures behind his back.

Among the Servants currently gathered in Fuyuki City, there was probably no one else with a more trivial reason for participating. In that regard, Kirei and he had similarities—a Master who didn't know why he was participating in the Holy Grail War, besides him, there was likely no one else.

No, Kirei's reason for participating must exist, otherwise, it couldn't explain why he was the second person to receive Command Spells after Tokiomi Tohsaka. Perhaps, deep within Kirei's heart, even before he realized it himself, he also yearned for the miracle of the Holy Grail.

But what he wanted was definitely not the "pleasure" Archer spoke of; no, absolutely not!

Kirei Kotomine began tidying the table full of wine bottles, something coming to mind.

The one who truly knew the answer wasn't Archer; it should be someone else.

Kiritsugu Emiya. That man was closer to the answer Kirei was seeking than anyone else. A thought couldn't help but surface in Kirei's mind: just like his conversation with Archer earlier, if he could have a similar exchange with that man—

Of course, their positions were completely different. The relationship between these two wouldn't be a conversation, but rather bullets and swords. But that was fine too; Kirei simply wanted to understand Kiritsugu. A life-or-death struggle would reveal that man's inner world more clearly than any words.

And then... his hands, tidying the wine table, paused slightly.

That youth who had been relentlessly pursuing him from the very beginning, Sakutsuki.

Where did his killing intent come from? What was special about him that attracted Sakutsuki?

Strangely, Kirei Kotomine felt that if he could understand the will of either of those two, then—

He would find his own essence.

As for survival or destruction, that was something to consider after finding it.

The next day, early morning, at Kariya Matou's house.

After a mentally exhausting night, Sakutsuki and Miyu woke up in the same bed.

Sakutsuki sat up, yawned, and scratched his disheveled hair before turning to sit on the edge of the bed and put on his slippers.

—These movements were perfectly synchronized with Miyu's.

She was wearing white children's slippers with rabbit ears, which made a cute "pu-yo pu-yo" sound when she walked—a treasured item from Sakura.

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

Upon entering the bathroom, Sakutsuki skillfully used his foot to pull out the small stool from under the sink. He then passed his hands under Miyu's armpits, lifted her up, and placed her on the stool, allowing her to reach high enough to see her face in the mirror.

He filled two cups with water and squeezed toothpaste onto two toothbrushes, one large and one small. Sakutsuki handed the child's toothbrush to Miyu, and they began brushing their teeth in sync.

"Brush up and down, gargle gargle gargle..."

"Got it, Onii-chan."

Looking in the mirror, it must have been a very harmonious scene, with two sleepyheads struggling to groom themselves.

Then, Sakutsuki wrung out a small towel with hot water and placed it on Miyu's face. She obediently stretched out her small hands and began wiping herself.

During this time, Sakutsuki also finished his own grooming. After washing up, Sakutsuki met Miyu's gaze as she looked up at him.

With tacit understanding, they both extended their hands—

"Rock, paper, scissors."

They engaged in a ritual that had, since ancient times, been the most effective way to resolve human disputes.

The result was Miyu continuing her winning streak. Sakutsuki, a good sport, withdrew his open palm, and Miyu smiled triumphantly, lifting her head proudly like a princess as she declared her victory.

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

"Sushi, sushi! By the way, I bought salmon yesterday, let's stir-fry it, Sakutsuki."

As they spoke, two more figures, one large and one small, entered the bathroom in perfect sync. Kariya, with his eyes narrowed, and Sakura, nodding her head as if still half-asleep, clearly hadn't slept much either.

Miyu's words were interrupted, and she pouted in dissatisfaction. Then, feeling lighter, she was carried by Sakutsuki as they left the bathroom.

"You want yuzu black tea, right? I'll make it for you, all for you." Sakutsuki playfully hooked the girl's little nose and quietly suppressed his own desire for steamed buns and fried dough sticks as he walked towards the kitchen.

"Let's go, we'll have plenty to do later."

"Don't forget the teriyaki salmon."

"Get lost!"

After enjoying a delicious breakfast, Kariya and Sakura went their separate ways. Miyu and Sakutsuki descended the stairs and entered the basement, which was protected by several layers of barriers.

Pushing open the door, they saw figures of varying appearances, bound by magical energy, their faces hidden behind skull masks, all bowing their heads as if still unconscious—it looked like a den of human traffickers.

[Codex Record Updated]

[016: Hassan of the Hundred Personas (Assassin)]

[Character Information: The 19th Hassan of the Assassin Order, split personality, traumatized. The Assassin class itself is a catalyst for summoning Hassan. Therefore, when summoning Assassin through the proper procedure, Hassan of Sabbah will always appear.]

[Hidden Information: While it's true that Hassan of Sabbah will always appear through the proper procedure, the same doesn't apply to unorthodox procedures. For example, the Assassin summoned by Caster in the Fifth War, or perhaps Swimsuit Shishou, Heroine X, Emiya Assassin, and so on...]

[Recording Conditions (2/2):]

1. Identify the Assassin under Presence Concealment (Completed) 2. Defeat/Subdue Hassan of Sabbah (Completed)

[Recording Condition 1 Complete, Reward Obtained: "Presence Concealment Skill Adaptability"!]

[Recording Condition 2 Complete, Reward Obtained: "First Blood"!]

It's no wonder they're known as Assassins, famous for their stealth; even the rewards were vague and mysterious.

Suppressing his thoughts about the Fates Codex rewards, Sakutsuki looked up at the figures before him that urgently needed to be dealt with.

—The Assassins who had severed their contract with Kirei Kotomine were still alive here. However, due to the lack of magical energy supply, they had all become incredibly weak. They hung their heads, appearing as if they had fallen into a deep sleep.

Facing this silent defiance, Sakutsuki gave a peculiar smile and clapped his hands.

"Miyu."

"Yes."

Miyu turned and left the room, returning shortly with a tantalizing aroma.

In her small hands, she carried an incredibly lavish breakfast: golden-brown on the outside, tender on the inside, perfectly cooked milk pancakes; glistening eel sushi; and clear, impurity-free yuzu black tea...

Just looking at them made them seem incredibly delicious, making one anticipate the taste on their tongue.

As mentioned before, "Delusional Illusions" were essentially the materialization of split personalities. As individual manifestations of Hassan of the Hundred Personas, they had the potential to unconsciously express themselves.

And naturally, there were those among them who had no resistance to good food~~

With a smile reminiscent of a certain little red demon, Sakutsuki placed the steaming hot breakfast before the Hundred Personas. The enticing aroma wafted into their nostrils, and he even maniacally cast a magic barrier to enhance their senses.

The aroma immediately filled the confined basement. The Hundred Personas, their senses, especially their stomachs, amplified several times over, gritted their teeth and resisted the temptation of the food with all their might.

Calm down, me!

We are assassins who inherit the name "Hassan of Sabbah," shadows of the many, the Great Old Man of the Mountain!

How can we yield to mere food!

"Still not giving up?"

Sakutsuki snapped his fingers and projected a small fan, blowing the aroma towards them.

Some of the Hundred Personas couldn't resist and were about to yield, but they were suppressed by other fragmented personalities, preventing them from disgracing the name of Hassan of Sabbah.

But when the young man, with a wicked grin, pressed the fan to its second setting, the precarious defense finally crumbled.

I... I can't calm down!

"Kill me, flay me, do as you please!" the slightly plump Hassan, who looked like a prosperous merchant, roared to the sky with indignant grief. "At least let me have a bite of food!"

The purple-haired Hassan, perhaps the main personality, sighed, knowing that the tide had turned.

Even though she inherited the most personalities of Hassan of the Hundred Personas, she couldn't control all of the fragmented aspects.

What's more...

The death knell still echoed in her mind. No one knew the meaning of that sound better than they, the Old Men of the Mountain.

"First Master..."

On the stereo, "Reach for the Stars" was playing. Over twenty Hassans, clad in black robes and with indistinguishable appearances, sat in a row on small stools, looking like a pyramid scheme gathering.

"Ahem, everyone, look this way. I have an announcement to make!"

The young pyramid scheme leader tapped the table, raising his hand with spirited confidence:

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

"He lied to you, saying Gilgamesh killed you, let your allies die without help, and then used you as a meat shield to escape!"

"Contract with me and become my Servant. From now on, food and lodging are provided, utilities are free, and you'll even get social security and housing fund benefits! How about it? Such excellent treatment won't be found again!"

"Slurp~"

Unfortunately, this passionate atmosphere was broken by the sound of someone eating heartily. The Hundred Personas collectively turned their heads and looked at the first one to yield with disdain, their gazes clearly conveying one message:

Shameful, leave the group.

Knowing she couldn't rely on her chaotic fragmented personalities, the purple-haired female Hassan cleared her throat and took over the responsibility of communicating with Sakutsuki:

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

The young man responded with a refreshing smile:

"Trying to pry our secrets before you've even become my subordinate? Fine, I'll trouble you, Miyu."

"Mhm," Miyu, who had already transformed, replied. She took out a card from the pouch strapped to her thigh and placed it on the magic staff in her hand.

"Sapphire."

"Understood."

With the light of a limited deployment (include), the card bearing the magician's crest merged with the Sapphire staff, transforming into a magnificent dagger.

Unlike the straightforward design of a tactical dagger, this blade was as twisted as lightning, shimmering with a colorful, iridescent sheen that clearly radiated poison and betrayal.

"Rule Breaker. If that's the case, then you, who have been granted knowledge by the Holy Grail, should understand."

Taking the Noble Phantasm that countered magic, Sakutsuki aimed the dagger at the purple-haired Hassan of the Hundred Personas' chest and gestured, figuring out how to break her contract within Unlimited Blade Works.

This was one of the trump cards held by Sakutsuki's group: one of the five Servant cards plundered from Einzbern Castle, with the Servant class being Caster. Miyu, possessing the Sapphire staff, could perform limited summons or even dream summons to gain the powers of other Heroic Spirits.