"If it was around the time before or after the Holy Grail War began, then I might know something."
"This child should have been affected by some kind of magecraft. I can sense that her body truly contains the power of a king."
Anno walked up to Gray and looked at the girl who resembled the king exactly.
Seeing that face again, all he felt was sorrow.
He had made many mistakes in the past. The greatest of them was placing the burden of responsibility upon that girl, who never should have had to become king—forcing an entire nation, all of Britain, onto the life of a girl who should never have had to bear such a fate.
So—
"You've had it hard, child."
He raised his hand and hesitated for a moment before finally placing it on Gray's head and gently stroking it twice.
".Huh?"
Unlike before, when Anno had merely lightly patted her head, Gray seemed able to feel his warmth much more clearly now.
Slightly stunned, she raised her head and looked into Anno's eyes.
—What did she see in those eyes?
Regret?
Or something else?
—
"Add, who exactly is Sir Anno?"
"Even though you don't remember being one of the Knights of the Round Table, you should still have some impression of him, right?"
That was the night before they left for Germany. Feeling somewhat uneasy, Gray placed Add on the table, buried her face in the crook of her arms, and asked him in a slightly muffled voice.
"Uncle Anno, huh... There's nothing especially memorable about him, but if we're talking impressions..."
"I think he might not be as composed as he appears."
When Add spoke of this subject, his voice was not quite as sharp as usual.
"Not as composed as he appears?"