"So this... is my desire?" Kirei Kotomine stared in disbelief at the mapo tofu in front of him. Yet, he could not deny the yearning within his heart. "Eating… or rather, something as simple as eating mapo tofu—is this truly my desire!?"
"Why not?" Jiang You handed a carton of milk to Illyasviel, who was on the verge of collapse from the spiciness. Originally, Jiang You had intended to order her something else, but Illya, stubborn as she was, insisted on eating the same dish, bringing this fate upon herself. "Food, clothing, shelter, and transportation—these are the four fundamental aspects of life. Do you really think they're simple? Honor, world peace, the pursuit of the Root—those all sound grand, don't they? But no matter how dazzling they seem, you can never escape these four. Because of shame, you cannot walk unclothed; because of hunger, you cannot stop eating; because of fear, you cannot dwell in the wilderness; because you exist, you cannot cease moving forward."
Illya, finally recovering, had tears streaming down her face—her small, flushed cheeks evidence of the spice-induced suffering. Jiang You poured her a glass of cold milk, allowing her to soak her tongue in it to alleviate the heat.
"Moreover, the fundamental need to eat has plagued humanity since the beginning. Eating is a primal instinct. Throughout history, countless people have struggled simply to fill their stomachs. Even in modern times, some still die of hunger. Can you really call this desire 'simple'?"
Kirei fell into deep thought. He felt that his true self could not be so straightforward—at least, not this straightforward. Yet, the craving awakened by the mapo tofu kept telling him that Caster was right.
Seeing Kirei lost in contemplation, Jiang You knew he had him halfway there. It was time to press the advantage.
"My Noble Phantasm—you must be aware of its abilities. Not only can I extract glimpses of the future, but I also possess a form of 'future sight' as well."
Kirei nodded. The information about Jiang You's Noble Phantasm had been forcefully implanted in every participant's mind. It was no surprise that Jiang You could see the future—in fact, it was expected.
"You are indeed a depraved man who finds joy in wickedness." Jiang You bluntly called out Kirei's twisted nature. Now, all that remained was to give him a definitive label. "Now, recite the Seven Deadly Sins."
"Pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed..." As a former devout priest, Kirei naturally knew them by heart. He recited them under Jiang You's guidance, then paused briefly before an unsettling excitement overtook him. "Gluttony!"
"That's right. Gluttony. Right now, you are indulging in an unforgivable sin. You are reveling in the sin of gluttony—this is your desire! The most fundamental, the most primal longing of your existence!"
"So that's why you called me 'Mapo' earlier… It was a glimpse of the future, wasn't it?" A sudden realization dawned upon Kirei. "Yes, you're absolutely right. The simplest, most primordial desire is what I seek." He picked up another spoonful of mapo tofu, and, having found his true desire, burst into laughter. "I am exhilarated! So I am, at my core, such a simple man! From now on, I shall defy the doctrines of self-restraint and indulge in the pleasures of fine cuisine every single day!"
Watching Kirei transform from a tax-evader-in-the-making to a full-fledged foodie, Jiang You nodded in satisfaction. Exploiting the preference for mapo tofu baked into his character settings was proving to be quite effective—no wonder intelligence-gathering Servants were so formidable.
By now, Illya had finally recovered. She shrank back at the sight of the mapo tofu, silently vowing never to touch it again.
"Is that really enough?" Seeing how far things had come, Jiang You decided to stoke the flames a little more. He waved his finger at Kirei. "Desire is not so easily satisfied."
"Oh? I'm all ears, Jiang You." Now that he had found his purpose, Kirei had completely let go, his voice carrying an unmistakable note of joy.
"Mapo tofu consists of three main components: the sauce, the tofu, and the cooking method. You should be familiar with the Eastern nation's culinary culture, right?" Seeing Kirei nod in agreement, Jiang You continued, "Their descriptions of cooking techniques are often vague. When it comes to measurements, they frequently use terms like 'appropriate amount,' 'a little,' or 'a lot,' rather than precise numbers. This means that even when using the exact same ingredients, every chef's mapo tofu will taste different."
"So you're saying..." Kirei was starting to grasp Jiang You's point.
"Exactly. Your pursuit of the ultimate mapo tofu cannot end with just this restaurant. You must search for it, and even learn to craft it yourself—the mapo tofu that you find most perfect. This will be a long journey. Whether it's the ingredients, the sauce, or the cooking method, you will have to undergo countless trials, experiments, and refinements. A significant portion of your life will be dedicated to this pursuit. Are you truly prepared for that?"
"That is precisely what I desire!" For the first time, Kirei truly understood the meaning of the word "passion." He realized that he had always been searching—he simply hadn't found the right direction. "I must set out immediately. I hereby withdraw from this Holy Grail War."
"You're not even going to consider using the Grail to wish for the perfect mapo tofu?" Jiang You asked, intrigued by Kirei's response.
"Caster, you jest." Kirei smirked. He had no intention of achieving his goal so easily. He had been searching for desire, not satisfaction. The fulfillment of his pursuit was what brought him true joy. "An outcome without a journey cannot be called a pursuit. Besides, the Grail could only grant the wish of my present self. But my 'gluttony'—it is for a lifetime!"
"Then, as a token of gratitude, Caster," Kirei rolled up his sleeve, revealing his Command Spells. "As your Master, I relinquish Assassin's Command Spells to you. I will inform my father and my mentor of my decision."
"Then I wish you success on your journey." Jiang You raised his hand and accepted the Command Spells from Kirei. Having spent so long as a Servant, he figured it might be interesting to try being a Master for a change.
With everything settled, Kirei asked for Jiang You's contact information, gave him a polite bow, and disappeared into the night, eager to embark on his quest for the perfect mapo tofu.
"Wait… aren't Servants not supposed to be Masters?" Illya stared blankly at the Command Spells on Jiang You's hand. Suddenly, she felt like this Holy Grail War was turning into some kind of absurd matryoshka doll.
"Don't sweat the small stuff. Besides, even in your Holy Grail War, there was a Caster who cheated and summoned an Assassin. Consider this a sneak preview of the next patch."