Atop the tower of the Training Corps camp, Annie, Reiner, and Bertholdt gathered together. None of the three spoke first.
In the end, Reiner couldn't hold back and said,
"It's already been five years. Our gains are limited. Our homeland won't be satisfied with what we've achieved."
Annie leaned against the wall and said coldly,
"So? What plan do you have now? Don't count on me anymore. Last time we infiltrated Wall Sheena, I nearly lost my life."
Bertholdt lowered his head and said nothing. Reiner seemed to have made up his mind as he said,
"Tomorrow! We'll seize the chance to destroy Wall Rose!"
"What?!" x2
Annie and Bertholdt raised their heads at the same time to look at Reiner, shock filling their eyes.
Bertholdt asked nervously, stammering, "B-but, Reiner, everyone in the Training Corps is still in Trost District, and there are tens of thousands of civilians there too."
Reiner clenched his fists, his eyes crazed.
"Only this way can we draw the attention of that Founding one inside the walls! Only then will we have a chance to complete the mission! We don't have much time left!"
Annie frowned and said, "But a lot of people will die. Many of your friends will die because of this—maybe even all of them!"
Reiner said hysterically, "They're not my friends! They're devils! Devils! Devils who deserve to die!"
Reiner thought of Historia, who had once gently bandaged his wounds. Though it pained him, as a warrior of Marley, Reiner had already prepared himself.
Annie widened her eyes and looked at Reiner in disbelief.
"You make me sick! I don't agree!" Annie decisively rejected Reiner's proposal.
Reiner: "Annie, I don't need your approval. Don't forget, the one who destroyed Shiganshina and Maria wasn't you. Bertholdt, do you agree or not?"
Bertholdt looked terrified.
"I, I…" In truth, what happened back then had been tormenting Bertholdt deeply as well.
"Bertholdt! Don't you want to go back to our homeland?" Reiner shouted harshly.
Bertholdt clutched his head in pain, tears shimmering in his eyes, but he still gritted his teeth and said, "I agree!"
Annie looked at Reiner and Bertholdt. She knew she couldn't stop the decision of her two companions unless she chose to expose their identities—but how could that be possible? Annie could only choose silence, her heart once again filled with guilt.
Five years of living here—Annie had never felt that the people around her were devils. On the contrary, they were better and kinder than the people of her homeland. The eyes of the people back home were filled with madness; they were more like devils. Yet in that hell-like place, her father was still waiting for her.
Annie's heart was full of sorrow, but her expression didn't change at all, and she no longer opposed Reiner's plan.
After making the arrangements, Reiner looked at Annie, whose expression seemed somewhat vacant, and sighed.
"I'm sorry, Annie. What happened before was my fault. In the end, it was because I was too cowardly. And Marcel before that as well… I'm truly sorry. But I hope you can still help us. We must return to our homeland!"
Annie turned around.
"If there's still no gain this time, we must leave immediately. I've had enough!" With that, Annie walked away, leaving behind Reiner, his face full of guilt, and Bertholdt, who was already on the verge of collapse.
...
Annie walked alone through the training camp, moving unconsciously. Before long, she reached the front of the mess hall. On the steps, there was also a lonely figure sitting there.
Yago sat on the steps, looking somewhat absent-minded, his thoughts in a mess. Suddenly, a fragrant breeze swept past. Yago paused slightly, turned his head, and what he saw was Annie's sharp, valiant profile.
"What are you thinking about?" Annie asked.
Yago: "Nothing much, just feeling a bit lost. It always feels like this world is hiding a lot of secrets. Oh right, Annie, you're planning to go to the Military Police, right?" As he finished speaking, Yago looked at Annie eagerly.
Annie felt like laughing a little, because she could see a hint of pitiful longing in Yago's eyes.
Putting on a calm front, Annie said, "Well, not necessarily. Or, the Survey Corps isn't impossible either."
A sudden light burst forth in Yago's eyes, though there was also a trace of unease. Rationally, Yago didn't want Annie to join the dangerous Survey Corps, but deep down, he still hoped Annie could join the Survey Corps with him.
After all, who wouldn't want to be with the girl they like? That's right—Yago wasn't pretending anymore. He liked Annie. Or rather, from the day they met after joining the Training Corps, Yago had fallen for this seemingly cold girl. Somehow, Annie felt incredibly familiar to him, stirring an urge to protect her for an entire lifetime.
Seeing Yago looking a bit flustered, Annie couldn't help but smile. At that moment, Eren suddenly rushed out, his eyes still glistening with tears.
Eren hadn't expected anyone to be outside either. Thinking of how he had cried, he hurriedly wiped his tears in a panic.
In a good mood, Yago looked at Eren and laughed.
"Oh~ Why is Eren crying? Who bullied you? Didn't Mikasa beat that guy up properly?"
Eren said in embarrassed anger, "Yago! You jerk! That's going too far."
In truth, Eren wasn't completely dense—he just vaguely felt that being together with Mikasa wouldn't be a good thing.
Before Yago could say a few more words, a flustered Mikasa and Armin chased out as well. Yago shut his mouth— with Mikasa around, there was no way to tease Eren. After all, Yago didn't want to face Mikasa's deathly glare.
Seeing that Eren was fine, Mikasa and Armin both breathed a sigh of relief. Just earlier, Eren had delivered a stirring speech in front of almost all the trainees.
Armin seemed to have made up his mind. He raised his head and said firmly,
"I'm joining the Survey Corps too!"
Eren was startled. "But, Armin, your grades are so outstanding, you—"
Armin: "I don't want to become a burden!"
Mikasa also spoke up. "I'm joining the Survey Corps as well."
Eren: "Don't joke around. You're second place. Why go to such a dangerous place like the Survey Corps?"
Mikasa's eyes held only Eren. "Eren, wherever you go, I'll go. Eren can't leave me, otherwise he'll surely die young!"
Such a hardcore statement shocked even Yago, who was watching from the sidelines.
"You guys…" Eren didn't know what to say.
"Hey! Eren, did you forget about me? I'm the top trainee. After we join the Survey Corps, I'll cover for you guys." Yago put his hands on his hips and said exaggeratedly.
"Yago, you—"
"What about me? I remember saying it the moment I joined the Training Corps—I was going to join the Survey Corps and be your Squad Leader. Besides, I promised Aunt Carla that I'd take good care of you all."
Eren felt moved for a moment.
"Count me in. I'll join the Survey Corps too." At this moment, Annie, who had been silent on the edge, also spoke.
Yago looked at Annie in surprise and delight.
Armin said with some emotion, "Amazing. Four of the top ten choosing to join the Survey Corps—this must be unprecedented, right?"
But if Armin knew that Connie and Sasha were also considering joining the Survey Corps, he would be even more shocked.