CHAPTER 26: Noble Soldiers

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"Neither do I."

You nodded. You simply stood there, unsure whether you should head back to your room or not.

"You can stay here," Levi said flatly, as if he knew what you were thinking. "I won't mind."

It was not an order, but an invitation. You were a little surprised that the captain had made that offer when there was nothing else you could give him in return other than your bothersome company. The best way for you to show him gratitude was probably by not disturbing him.

There was a plush red seat beside the fireplace. You imagined that it was meant to be sat on while the iron gates had flames flickering behind them. If fire hadn't scared you, you might have found it calming. But there was no fire, no light other than the little candles placed about the room, so you floated to the chair and hesitantly sat down.

When your muscles relaxed a little after realizing that Levi was indeed not planning to kick you out, you leaned back into the seat and sighed as the soft velvet cloth greeted your spine.

You felt Levi's eyes on you a few times but he mostly focused his attention on his belongings.

"Was I really the lieutenant, sir?" you suddenly asked.

The pages stopped flipping and you looked over your shoulder to see Levi glancing at you.

"Yeah, you were."

You were perplexed. How could you be a lieutenant in the military?

"But I'm too young to be a lieutenant."

"You are."

That took you aback. "Then why was I a lieutenant in the first place?"

Levi paused in his arranging to look at you. "Our commander needed a soldier with a good head on her shoulders to defend Shiganshina District. There was a lack of hands, so you were chosen."

"Hange?" you asked, thinking back to their friendly interactions with you. Levi shook his head.

You could see yourself in a faraway memory. A younger version of you, maybe about ten or eleven years old, sitting on a chair in the same office as two other men conversed before you. One of them was Levi, seated at his desk. The other was a kempt blond man who wore a calm and collected expression on his face, icy blue eyes giving you pity. They were breaking the news to you that your parents had died.

"Erwin," you realized. Levi's face shifted into an unreadable expression.

"You can remember him?"

"I just did..." you trailed off. "He's dead, isn't he?"

"He is," Levi confirmed. When he saw the sad question in your eyes, he added, "Last year. Battle of Shiganshina. He and Armin were both on their deathbeds. When I had to choose who to give the Titan serum to, I chose the boy."

You were at a loss for words. That you could remember Commander Erwin, that he had died, that Levi chose Armin over him, that you were happy that Armin was alive but sad that Erwin was forever gone. And despite knowing that Armin must be a smart lad, you knew that there would be no brain quite like Commander Erwin's in living existence. He was irreplaceable.

At the same time, so was Armin. You did not want to voice out any thoughts about the why Armin thing, because you were certain that there must be a better reasoning. Instead you focused on other depressing matters.

"You lost a commander and a lieutenant last year," you said quietly. "Two of your friends."

"That's right."

COMRADES • Eren JaegerWhere stories live. Discover now