Chapter 35: Erwin And Levi

The male trainees of the 104th Training Corps were visibly excited to see Annie reappear. Among them, two in particular let out a sigh of relief upon seeing her.

Reiner and Bertolt found it difficult to maintain their composure when they saw Annie again.

The three of them were spies sent by Marley to Paradis Island, each possessing the power of the special Titans.

Their mission was to locate the legendary power of the Founding Titan and bring it back to Marley. However, their comrade Annie had suddenly disappeared.

Not only were they worried about their friend, but they were also concerned about whether their identities had been exposed.

It was quite nerve-wracking.

The group gathered around Annie.

"Annie, where have you been these past three days? Why did you suddenly disappear?"

Reiner asked.

"I was kidnapped by human traffickers but managed to escape," Annie repeated the fabricated excuse she had prepared.

Upon hearing this, everyone widened their eyes in shock and anger.

Meanwhile, Reiner and Bertolt secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as they weren't exposed, it was fine.

----------------

Haruto found a hidden spot and buried his weapons case. Carrying it around would only make movement more difficult. Afterward, he began wandering around Trost District.

The streets were made of dirt, and the overall environment was quite poor.

There was no helping it; given the medieval level of technology and the ever-present threat of Titans, it was hard to expect much in terms of infrastructure.

He passed by a small stall selling apples.

Haruto wanted to buy one to try, only to realize he didn't have any money from this world. He had no choice but to give up.

At that moment, a commotion arose from the distant street.

Haruto turned his gaze toward the source of the noise. He saw that the gate of Wall Rose was slowly opening.

A unit of soldiers, riding majestic horses, was passing through the gate and entering the walls. These soldiers wore uniforms similar to Annie's, but the emblem on their chest and back was different.

Instead of two crossed swords, theirs bore a pair of white wings.

The Wings of Freedom.

They represented the Survey Corps, an organization that longed for freedom. The military inside the walls was divided into three main branches.

The Garrison Regiment, responsible for maintaining the walls and their security.

The Survey Corps, tasked with venturing beyond the walls to uncover the truth about the Titans.

And the Military Police, charged with protecting the royal family and maintaining order.

Right now, the scene unfolding before him was the return of a Survey Corps expedition. The crowd was in an uproar, welcoming the Survey Corps with admiration and excitement.

"Commander Erwin is truly reliable. Ever since he took command, the Survey Corps has never suffered a major defeat!"

"Wow, that's Captain Levi, isn't it? I heard his combat prowess is equal to a hundred soldiers!"

"The Wings of Freedom look so cool! They keep fighting for our freedom, battling the Titans outside!"

The chatter reached Haruto's ears.

He turned his gaze to the front of the procession.

Leading the group was a middle-aged man, his appearance was not particularly striking. However, his firm expression and imposing presence made him feel extremely dependable.

Commander Erwin.

The leader of the Survey Corps.

Among all the individuals in this world, Erwin was the one Haruto most wanted to recruit into the SCP Foundation.

Pulling his hood over his head, Haruto squeezed into the crowd.

Seated atop his horse, Erwin gazed straight ahead, but his eyes were unfocused. He was deep in thought, analyzing the information gathered from this expedition beyond the walls.

Something unusual had occurred in Shiganshina District.

Several Titans were found with damaged heads, seemingly in the process of regenerating when discovered.

While it wasn't rare for Titans to be injured during movement, it was uncommon to see multiple Titans suffering head wounds simultaneously.

'Someone attacked the Titans.'

This conclusion formed in Erwin's mind.

His next concern was why the attacker had been outside the walls.

Why attack Titans?

Was this individual a threat to humanity, or could they be recruited by the Corps?

As Erwin pondered these questions, a person stumbled forward from the crowd, seemingly due to the tight gathering.

This individual was cloaked in black, their head covered, making it impossible to see their face. And they had fallen right in front of Erwin's horse.

Erwin immediately snapped out of his thoughts and reached out to help the person up.

But in the next moment, his pupils contracted sharply, and his expression froze for an instant.

The person he helped up bowed to him before quickly vanishing back into the crowd.

Erwin immediately raised his gaze to search for them.

But he couldn't find them.

That black cloak should have stood out among the crowd. Yet, the moment it re-entered the mass of people, it disappeared completely.

Levi, noticing Erwin's reaction, rode his horse closer.

"Erwin, what is it?"

The captain asked in a low voice.

Erwin looked at his hand, the one he had used to help that person. At that moment, a piece of paper had appeared in his palm.

The person had secretly passed it to him.

Levi, upon seeing the paper, frowned.

Erwin calmly put it away.

Since the person had chosen this method to deliver information,

it was clear they didn't want others to notice.

The Survey Corps swiftly returned to their headquarters.

Erwin entered his office.

Levi followed.

Without a word, Erwin pulled out the note and unfolded it.

The contents made his eyes widen instantly.

Levi glanced over and clicked his tongue.

The note read:

"Two questions.

1. Are there humans outside the walls?

2. What is the truth about the Titans?"

"Answer to question 1: Yes, there are humans outside the walls—hundreds of times more than within them."

"Answer to question 2: …Come find me."

Studying the note, Erwin fell into deep thought.

Meanwhile, Levi looked irritated.

"This feels like a trap. You're not seriously thinking of going, are you?"

Erwin snapped out of his thoughts and nodded seriously.

"Even if it's a trap, we must investigate. This is the duty of the Survey Corps. The meeting point is inside the walls, and the person set no restrictions on followers. Even if it is a trap, we have the ability to escape."

Levi clicked his tongue.

"Then I'm coming too."

His strength was not just talk; if this was a trap, Captain Levi was confident in cutting his way out.

(T/N: Long live short king!!)

As time passed, dusk enveloped the walled world. Due to the towering barriers, the sun seemed to set earlier on Paradis Island than elsewhere.

Under the night sky, two figures slipped out of the Survey Corps headquarters.

At the same time, several others, hidden in the darkness, followed them, moving swiftly across rooftops. Erwin arrived at the designated meeting spot.

It was an exceptionally secluded corner near Wall Rose.

And there, a lone figure stood waiting.

Without needing to look closely, Erwin was certain this was the person who had given him the note.

Erwin and Levi stopped a few meters away.

"You summoned me here. What is your goal?"

Erwin asked, his eyes filled with restrained fervor.

The figure turned around and removed their hood. Revealing a face far younger than expected.