Anno

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Anno (安诺) 2
Alias(es)	Sir Anno; the White Knight; Saber; Lawrence Anno 117 156
Species/Race	Root Thread (anno); later manifests as a Heroic Spirit 2 112
Gender	Male 117
Affiliation	Knights of the Round Table; Kingdom of Britain; Chaldea 117 1160
Occupation/Role	Knight, general, mentor, politician, thinker, artist, goldsmith, physician 117 172 233
Status	Recorded on the Throne of Heroes after his British life was pruned from the Root 112
First Appearance	Chapter 2: Go Become a Heroic Spirit

Background / History

Root Thread and the Fairy Realm

Anno began as a Root Thread named “anno.” Alaya and Gaia sent him into human history with their blessings, tasking him with leaving a famous enough mark to become a Heroic Spirit 2.

He arrived near the Holy Lake as an amnesiac, “flawless” youth. Merlin armed him with an iron sword and the Treasure Armor created at the lake, then directed him toward human settlements endangered by goblins 5. Seeing the goblins massacre humans awakened Anno's curiosity and drove him to protect the victims.

Merlin later sent him into the Fairy Realm to survive. Anno learned language, writing, etiquette, and combat while hunting fairies harmful to humans; stories about the silent knight spread among human communities 6. Initially hunted by goblins and unable to defeat stronger fairies, he rapidly adapted through constant fighting. Within a year, he progressed from prey to a warrior capable of independently slaughtering groups of Orcs 7 9 1270.

Knight of Britain

Anno eventually entered Britain and became a retainer of King Uther, then King Arthur. Later histories remember him as one of the Knights of the Round Table, Britain’s most famous general, and a warrior who fought Vortigern and the demons from the Gate of Hell 117.

He acted as an elder and teacher to Artoria Pendragon, regularly checking on her, providing food and companions, and later training her alongside Kay and Lancelot in the Non-Human Realm 28 33 34. Though he had the standing to rule, Anno refused the throne; his loyalty was directed primarily toward the Pendragon bloodline rather than Britain itself 34.

During Arthur’s reign, Anno led a prolonged northern campaign. Over a year and a half, he quelled seven rebellions and destroyed eight small nations, but his force suffered devastating attrition 47. Repeatedly using the Chalk Holy Sword seriously damaged his left arm, which Merlin warned could become permanently disabled 47.

Anno remained at the Round Table into old age because his reputation deterred hostile neighboring powers. He retired only after Percival emerged as a powerful successor able to assume that deterrent role 1128. At seventy, he fought in the Human-Dragon War and the Battle of Camlann despite age, frailty, and depleted magical energy; his legend records that he vanished after killing large numbers of wyverns 117 1317.

After his death, Alaya pruned Anno’s British life from the Root and registered it on the Throne of Heroes. His body was restored to the appearance of a seventeen-year-old, including the regeneration of his ruined left arm 112.

Life as Lawrence Anno

Anno was subsequently integrated further into history and awakened in Falgo Town near Florence in 1465 with most of his memories gone. An elderly couple, Ferdino and Anna, took him in and nursed him back to health; he became known as Lawrence Anno 156.

In Florence, Anno became Verrocchio’s student and developed into a renowned painter, goldsmith, jeweler, sculptor, and designer. He also studied medicine, eventually surpassing Verrocchio in artistic skill 172 209 221. His travels through Berlin, Paris, Athens, Jerusalem, and other cities broadened his artistic knowledge and produced eleven oil paintings and four pieces of jewelry 183.

Anno married Harley Baharguli Ovis, with whom he built a partnership in art and clothing design. They had a son, Adelson 214 223. Harley died of the Black Death in 1477, an event that left Anno devastated and redirected much of his life toward medicine 228 229.

Anno later treated the Black Death successfully in 1492 and published his findings. His increasingly obsessive work contributed to his decline; he died suddenly at his desk on December 31, 1499, aged fifty 233.

Appearance

As Saber, Anno manifests as a tall, sturdily built man with long black hair tied behind his back. He wears bright silver plate armor and carries a longsword at his waist 117.

• His white or silver-white armor is the palest among the Round Table and inspired Camelot’s association with “Chalk” 1132 1135.
• His armor is deliberately plain, unlike the more individualistic equipment worn by other Round Table knights 1132.
• His stern expression is so habitual that others struggle to tell when he is smiling or being friendly 1134.
• After a year of survival training in the Fairy Realm, he grew taller and sturdier, developed a beard and facial scars, and stained his once-silver armor crimson with blood 9.

Personality

Anno began as an innocent, curious youth with little understanding of human conduct. Encounters with cruelty, danger, and survival gradually gave him a personal sense of good and evil; he chose to protect humans even before he could fully explain why 5 7.

He is outwardly stern, restrained, and rational, but his conduct is guided by reciprocity: he repays both kindness and grudges in equal measure. He avoids harming peaceful fairies, dwarves, and elves because they aided him during his own travels 34. His severity softened over time, and those close to him describe him as gentler than he was in earlier years 66.

His loyalty to a king never outweighs his loyalty to humanity and justice. He considers a knight responsible not merely for obedience, but for defending and promoting justice—even if that requires opposing King Arthur 135.

“A knight may represent loyalty, but they also represent the defense and promotion of justice.”
— Anno 135

Abilities & Skills

Master Swordsman and Knight

Anno is renowned as Britain’s strongest knight and a battlefield commander whose skill combines overwhelming physical ability with refined technique 22 117.

• Possesses exceptional strength and speed; he could slaughter Orcs with ease and reverse the morale of an outnumbered knight order 22.
• Is proficient in swordsmanship, close-quarters combat, spearmanship, horsemanship, and military administration 136.
• Commands troops effectively; his campaigns expanded his army and conquered Wishland within two months 46.
• Maintains immense endurance and excels in close combat, but lacks effective ranged options 2287.
• Can use basic healing magecraft for emergencies, though martial skill and command are his primary disciplines 2227.

Chalkiness of Sighs

Anno’s Holy Sword, also called the Chalk Holy Sword or Holy Sword Chalk, is one of his two Noble Phantasms 47 2237.

• Releases powerful holy light capable of destroying groups of enemies 99.
• Can produce numerous large sword-lights and bursts of crimson magical energy in combat 1260.
• Forms a longstanding contract between Anno, the Fairy of the Lake, and Britain 1788.
• Its repeated use damaged Anno’s left arm during his life; the injury remains a legendary weak point that enemies may target 47 126.
• Its Noble Phantasm use requires immense magical energy, making Anno heavily dependent on his Master’s mana supply 2237.

Fairy-Gifted Treasure Armor

Anno’s silver-white Treasure Armor was created at the Holy Lake and remained central to his survival during his earliest campaigns in the Fairy Realm 5 9.

• Served as one of the two items that allowed him to remain active in Orc territory for nearly a year 9.
• Is identified as a Noble Phantasm and the source of Anno’s title as the White Knight 1135.
• Provides extraordinary defensive protection; even the curse and heat of black mud could not seriously harm a person protected through its True Name 2337.
• Like his sword, its deployment places a severe burden on a Master’s magical energy 2237.

Mentorship and Instruction

Anno is an experienced instructor who develops knights through practical combat rather than ceremony.

• Trained Artoria, Kay, and Lancelot against carefully selected hostile humanoid creatures 34.
• Recognized and cultivated the talents of Agravain, Bedivere, and Bors 43.
• Guided Mash Galahad in battle and refused to reveal the source of her power directly, insisting that she discover and claim it herself 119 1159 1160.
• Took Manlio as his artistic apprentice and taught him skills to ensure he could survive independently 208.

Artistic and Medical Work

During his life as Lawrence, Anno became a highly accomplished Renaissance artist and physician.

• Produced imaginative oil paintings, exquisite jewelry, sculpture, and clothing designs 172 205.
• Established his own workshop and accepted Manlio as an apprentice 199.
• Studied medicine through dissections, academic exchanges, and clinical practice 221 227.
• Successfully treated the Black Death and published his findings in 1492 233.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Chalkiness of Sighs / Chalk Holy Sword — Anno’s holy-sword Noble Phantasm 47 2237.
• Fairy-Gifted Treasure Armor — Silver-white armor created at the Holy Lake and worn throughout his life 5 1135.
• Exceptional longsword — His durable sword during the Fairy Realm survival period; it remained undamaged through nearly a year of Orc hunting 9.
• Love of the Goddess — A luxurious gold shawl necklace created by Anno and initially kept rather than sold 209.

Relationships

• Merlin — Mentor and manipulator who sent Anno into dangerous environments to force his growth; Anno later resented his methods 5 9 1103.
• Artoria Pendragon — King, student, and surrogate family. Anno trained and watched over her, but resolved to kill the Lion King when she betrayed humanity 34 1160.
• Lancelot — Anno’s foster son. Their relationship combines affection, rivalry, and the harsh expectations of knighthood 47 1151.
• Galahad — Anno’s grandson through Lancelot; the source of Mash’s inherited Round Table power 1175.
• Mash Galahad — Recognized Anno as “Grandfather.” He mentors her as she learns to accept Galahad’s power and emotions 117 1159 1160.
• Percival — Junior Round Table knight whom Anno regarded as his successor; Percival’s emergence allowed Anno to retire 1128.
• Harley Baharguli Ovis — Wife and artistic partner. Their marriage produced their son Adelson; Harley died of the Black Death in 1477 214 223 229.
• Adelson — Anno and Harley’s son. Anno later taught him medical knowledge and continued visiting him despite isolating himself in work 223 233.
• Manlio — Artistic apprentice who remained loyal to Anno and painted his final moments 208 233.
• Verrocchio — Anno’s master in Florence, who acknowledged that Anno had surpassed him artistically 209.
• Fujimaru Ritsuka — Master who summoned Anno as Saber. Anno pledged immediate loyalty while maintaining his own commitment to justice 117 135.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Fuyuki Singularity

Fujimaru Ritsuka unintentionally summoned Anno as Saber. He immediately pledged loyalty, fought alongside Mash, and served as her battlefield mentor against the Singularity’s hostile Servants 117 119.

Anno confronted Darius III’s undead army, battled Apollo after the Archer targeted his left-arm weakness, and declared that he would oppose King Arthur if the king abandoned justice 124 126 135.

Sixth Singularity

Seeking to correct the Lion King’s atrocities, Anno joined Bedivere, Percival, and Pindo in the shared objective of killing King Arthur as an act of salvation rather than simple betrayal 1134 1160.

He protected refugees, investigated the Holy Selection, fought former Round Table comrades, and clashed directly with the Lion King. His battle was constrained by an incomplete Spirit Origin left behind as a stabilizing wedge, leaving him weaker than a complete Servant 1128 1140 1270.

Alternate Manifestation: Anno Alter

An alternate, black-clad manifestation of Anno appeared in Shinjuku as the Saber of the Phantom Demon Alliance. This version possessed pointed ears, identified himself as half-fairy, and gained the ability Deception after a Phantom Spirit was implanted during his summoning 1915 1968 1970.

Although initially bound to the Alliance, Anno Alter had acted independently immediately after being summoned and later returned to his own path after confronting his guilt over Artoria and Britain 1936 2399.

Trivia

• Anno is an unexpectedly talented cook and regularly prepared food for Artoria, Shirou, and others 28 34 2237.
• He proposed the Trolley Problem, which remained a subject of discussion in later human history 117.
• Camelot’s “Wall of Chalk” was named for the color of Anno’s armor 1132 1135.
• He habitually wore his armor for decades and found being without it deeply unfamiliar 1272.
• Despite his intimidating reputation, Anno is described as lonely and simply accustomed to being alone 2389.