Fate Chapter 105: Fervor

Serenity solemnly nodded, knowing that no poison resistance skill in the world could save him from death. As she did so, her features began to morph. Her skin darkened as her hair grew shorter and took on a darker shade of violet; a symbolic skull mask materialized into existence, covering her face.

She shifted from an innocent but seductive Sakura to a strikingly beautiful woman. Any one who had taken a life could grasp that her figure with intentional femininity was trained to fight.

Haruki, of course, recognized her unique skull mask with one mere glance. Piecing her mask to her assassin class, he received his answer. “Hassan of Serenity.”

“How do you know?” Serenity’s eyes widened. “Why are you still alive? Why… is your brain not fried—”

“Silence.” Semiramis skidded like a phantom and grasped Serenity’s throat, lifting her up. “My precious master would be dead if you tried this in the morning. I want to crush you for attempting to rob my happiness.”

Her face twisted and her grip tightened, choking Serenity even harder. Her fingers began to burn as Serenity’s poison overcame her natural resistance. She winced and threw Serenity before examining her sizzled skin like she had put her hands into flames. The poison on Serenity’s skin was not as deadly as the poison in bodily fluids.

“Your body itself is poisonous. You, what kind of servant are you?”

Serenity stared at Semiramis’ sizzled flesh, the result of coming in touch with her poison. No one had ever survived her touch, at least the ones she came in contact with. Surviving her kiss required a whole new level of poison resistance.

Her legend had reformed her body itself into a Noble Phantasm.

‘Maybe…’

“Servant name Hassan of Serenity, Class Assassin,” Haruki said as he held Semiramis’s wrist. “Anger doesn’t suit you, Semi. Medea’s new Noble Phantasm should heal this. Go, get healed.”

“My master, she tried to kill you. You can’t trust her.”

“Semi, trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

“You fool of a master.” Semiramis sighed in resignation and nodded. “I’ll stay out of this. Just don’t let her near me or Medea.”

“Leave it to me.”

Haruki patted Semiramis’s back. Once Semiramis left, he held out a hand for Serenity. “Does it surprise you that I can survive your poison?”

He knew tidbits about Hassan of Serenity, which included the most important fact — that she yearned for someone who could endure her poisonous touch. He became that someone as a reward for tossing Semiramis around in bed.

‘Another servant for my side.’

He could smell the conspiracy in the air. The conspiracies of his mother, who set up this whole incident. His mother knew who Serenity was and her motive for killing him.

‘I’ll deal with her later.’

Serenity gazed at his hand, studying his face intently. Eventually, she brought her own hand up and gently rested it on top of his.

Serenity trembled.

No, she was shivering.

It wasn't the cold air coming from the open window.

It wasn't fear.

It was pleasure. Joy.

The pure emotions coursed through her body.

“A human who doesn’t writhe in agony at my touch… Inconceivable.”

“I am immune to all poison.”

“What is your name? I, maybe I can…” Her eyes grew hazy behind her mask.

‘If something like fate is possible in this world, then surely, I, who had died in the distant past might’ve met him before I got such a temporary existence. I’m certain of it.’

He chuckled and reached out for her mask. The skull mask fell to the ground, and Serenity’s face was revealed. Wiping her tears with his thumb, he smiled. “My name is Haruki Hayashi. What were you trying to say?”

“The world had promised absolute darkness to me,” she said, shivering as he caressed her hand. “Being able to be touched by someone is…”

“Amazing, right?”

She was getting addicted to the feeling of his hand on her face. “Can you hug me?”

She made a strange request, something that was incomprehensible if one judged it using regular logic. But Hassan Serenity was no ordinary servant. Raised in a clan of assassins, she was trained and brainwashed to be an assassin from an early age. By the time she realized the hollowness of her life, she was bleeding on the ground then being reborn as a Heroic Spirit.

“Please…”

The earnestness in her words struck a chord in his heart. Yet, he managed to contain the swell of feelings and gently pulled her close, embracing her tightly. “Like this?”

Serenity pressed her head against his chest. ‘Something is seething. My entire body is getting hotter…’

She wanted to feel his warmth for longer, but the cruel fate was working against her even in this timeline. Being summoned by a soulless master and made to assassinate the man who gave her warmth.

Either he’d kill her for her unforgivable sin or her master would wipe her from the face of earth for failing her task.

She would rather die feeling his warmth than having a death at Angra Mainyu’s hands.

Thus, she pressed her palm against his chest and pushed him.

“Kill me…” she managed to squeeze out her wish before her mind became entwined in joy. Seeing him befuddled and unresponsive, she summoned her dagger. “I’ll finish it myself.”

He grabbed her wrist before she could slit her throat. “What the heck? Why do you want to die so badly?”

She stared at him as if he had done something horrifying. “You won’t kill me?”

“Fuck no. I’m not some deranged murderer who hugs women before killing them.”

He felt like he was dealing with a child rather than a grown up woman. Serenity was an absolute master at imitating others but she was like a dull rock when dealing with others as ‘herself.’ As though she lost all intelligence when she had to act like ‘herself.’

Her eyes widened in shock before she shook her head. “Master will kill me regardless of your intentions…”

“If there is a way to change ownerships of Servants.” Haruki took her hands in his, smiling gently. “Would you be willing to become mine?”

“Absolutely,” she replied in a fervent voice. ‘I wish for it with all my whole heart. I want it… even if I have to kill millions or wait thousands of years.’

Her instantaneous answer sealed the deal for Haruki.

***

Serenity is kind of nuts.