"...Shinji is currently looking into the connection between the Lesser Grail and the black mud, but between us and the Lesser Grail—that is, Illya..."
Early the next morning, after Shirou woke up, he began thinking about this problem.
Yesterday, he had been too busy sulking to remember it.
"That child's hatred for Kiritsugu..."
Anno shook his head and let out a long sigh.
That hatred was bone-deep.
She hated Emiya Kiritsugu for standing by and watching her mother die, even personally helping to bring about her mother's death.
She hated Emiya Kiritsugu for leaving her with the Einzbern Family. Who knew what that lunatic family had done to her over all these years?
Were there any other feelings involved?
Anno did not know.
But he hoped not.
This was, in truth, the matter that left him feeling the most helpless and despairing.
Emiya Kiritsugu...
There was no way for him to let Illya see the truth of that year with her own eyes—but even if she did, what then?
Hadn't Kiritsugu continued the Holy Grail War despite knowing Irisviel would die, joining him in killing the other Servants so their souls could enter the Lesser Grail?
Anno had eliminated half the Servants during the Fourth Holy Grail War. Even from that perspective, Emiya Kiritsugu and Anno were undeniably "murderers."
That was where the root of the problem lay.
Emiya Kiritsugu had really done it.
So even if he was hated—hated by his own biological daughter—it was only natural.
But the problem now was that Anno wanted to make amends. Illya was in danger at all times, and Anno wanted to pull her out of that danger.
To do that, perhaps he could manage it... without caring about Kiritsugu?
But what they likely needed was still a proper setting for a