Attack on Vader

Chapter 45

Levi: What about Pyxis? He's just rolling over?

Scout 72A: He reminds steadfast. He plans to make his move while Eren's being led here.

Levi: And this plan involves having somebody eat Eren, right? We're gonna kill him ourselves.

Varis: That's right.

Levi: Tch.

Levi (thoughts): I've saved Eren, again and again watching more of my comrades die every time. I did that because I believed he was the best hope humanity had. And this. This is where that belief has gotten me. It's like I'm at the punchline of some awful joke. What the hell became of the hope we all looked towards? All that struggle. All that death. For this farce. Such bullshit. It's not even funny.

Levi: The piece of shit we need to feed to a Titan is right beneath us.

In the background Zeke listens as he continues to eat at the cloth in his mouth. Back with Hange's group, Jean slams Nicolo up against a wall.

Jean: What did you just say? Why the hell would Zeke Yeager's spinal fluid be in the wine?

Nicolo: I don't actually have proof. But still. They packed the first survey fleet to the brim with it. There's no way they'd've needed that much alcohol for a scouting mission.

With Hange and Sasha, they are washing out Falco's mouth with water.

Hange: Again.

Nicolo: And. When I took this job. Just as I was starting to settle in, I was given instructions. Nothing too complex. I just needed to serve that Marleyan wine to your senior officers.

Jean: Who ordered it?

Nicolo: It was Yelena. As far as I know, she's the only one who was in on it. I can't speak for the other volunteers.

Hange looked over at Onyankopon.

Onyankopon: No. I— I don't know about any of this. I give you my word.

Connie: This doesn't make sense through! When Zeke's spinal fluid is ingested by Eldian, they're supposed to freeze up.

Hange: That's only what we were told by Zeke. None of us have ever seen how it happened in person. And there was no proof. But we bought it. It seems like such a small lie, but it's had an enormous effect. We thought Zeke's spinal fluid caused paralysis, so when the wine caused no symptoms, we assumed it was safe.

Jean: Yeah, but wait. Nicolo. You don't actually know that it's dosed, right?

Nicolo: No. Not for a fact. That said, I do know that in the past, Zeke's spinal fluid has been used in similar ways, to tremendous effect. Ten years ago, Marley conquered a hostile nation's capital overnight. This was made possible by the sudden appearance of hundreds of Titans in the city. She must plan to use the same trick here. Why else would she order me to make sure that your military's top officers drank that suspicious wine? No other explanation makes sense.

Sasha gives the water she was holding to Connie as she gets up and heads towards Nicolo and Jean.

Sasha: So then, when you snatched that bottle away from Jean earlier, you were trying to protect us.