"What? Ten years ago?"
Listening to Kirei Kotomine's words, Shirou Emiya felt as though his heart had stopped for an instant.
"—Kirei Kotomine, what do you mean by that?"
Anno frowned, glanced back at Shirou, then raised his head to look at Kirei Kotomine.
"You can ask the Servant standing before you—the one who, just like this time, served as Saber in the previous war, the Fourth Holy Grail War. Mr. Anno."
"He personally experienced everything that happened in the previous Holy Grail War. Including that final fire."
"Isn't that right, Saber?"
An inexplicable smile rested on Kirei Kotomine's face.
Anno gritted his teeth.
He knew about what had happened ten years ago. Shirou Emiya had every reason—and every right—to learn of it, but...
Not now.
Anno did not know what powerful wish had caused Shirou to be chosen by the Holy Grail as a Master, but he could at least be certain of one thing: Shirou Emiya possessed a wish strong enough to draw the Holy Grail's attention.
Wishes were hopes, but they were also unstable.
The pursuit of one's own wish could easily change the way a person thought. Anno had seen it many times—far too many times.
".Mr. Anno, you..."
Facing Shirou Emiya's somewhat questioning gaze and Kirei Kotomine's amused, mocking eyes, Anno took a deep breath.
"Shirou, I know everything you want to learn."
"And I will tell you, eventually."
"Once we return... home, I'll explain it all to you in detail."
"As for you, the Assassin Master from the previous Holy Grail War, please be serious and explain the rules of the Holy Grail War to Shirou."
There was a dangerous edge in Anno's gaze as he looked at Kirei Kotomine.
That man truly was vile and dangerous. Sakumura had not been wrong at all.