"The Sergeant Major.. is really good with children, isn't she?"
"Kinda shocking."
Armin listened as Eren and Jean continued their little chitchat. They were hanging about leisurely outside one of the farmhouses in the eastern rural of Wall Rose, just a few kilometers away from Wall Sina. It's been about a month since the old monarchy had been overthrown, and a month since the new military regime had taken over matters within the walls.
In the span of a month, a lot had been progressing.
As soldier morale was high, an abundance of transfers had been processed. Soldiers from both the Military Police and Garrison were queueing up to transfer to the Survey Corps, most of whom were the younger ones, and training had intensified.
To add, Historia had decided to open a large orphanage, with the direct support of Isanna and, surprisingly, Levi. The 104th cadets were currently in the orphanage, providing Historia assistance with its management in the meantime.
"I used to think she was the type you shouldn't mess with," Jean commented as she watched Isanna at the other end of the farm lawn, sitting on a crate while leaning against the wooden fence. She had one of the young girls sitting on her lap while she did her braids, and the other children had her surrounded. Judging by the way they were all animatedly talking, she was most likely telling them a fun story.
"If I didn't know better, I would have thought she was a mom," Jean finished, earning a snort from Eren.
"Does looking at her make you miss your mom, Jean-boy?"
Armin suppressed a smile as both boys entered another harmless banter. Ignoring them, he returned his gaze over towards the Sergeant Major at the distance. The other girls—Mikasa and Sasha, had also joined the small group. That was another thing Armin noticed: Isanna had gotten considerably closer with them as well since she often stopped by at the orphanage to help for the past month.
Since the Sergeant Major did not interact often with the younger cadets, it was only understandable that a few of them found this soft side of her surprising. In a good way, of course. Along with the influx of positive news that have been coming their way for the past weeks, everything felt too good to be true.
With a contented smile, Armin wished for this peace to last long.
::
"Isanna-san, you're really good at braiding!"
Isanna looked up and realized that Sasha and Mikasa had arrived and joined their little story-telling get-to-together. She smiled at the two as they got nearer. "Thanks. I learned from a friend a long time ago. Glad to know my hands still remember," she slightly chuckled as she continued to deftly twist the strands around together.
It was a windy morning. The sun was not harsh, and the sky was painted a beautiful blue. Paired with the calming backdrop of greenery, it was the perfect therapeutic break for stressed out soldiers like them.
She asked if they were done helping Historia organize things inside the farmhouse, and they told her that lunch would most like be finished in a while now.
"Is it okay for you to be here today?" Sasha asked, tilting her head. Isanna thought she was imagining things but upon closer inspection, there were tiny crumbs of bread around Sasha's lip. She guessed someone took their lunch a few minutes earlier than planned. "I heard things at HQ got busier.."
Smiling, Isanna shook her head. "Whenever I'm not here, I'm always working at HQ without a second to spare, so nobody would mind if I take a breather every now and then. Besides," she paused as she clapped her hands, the smile on her widening. "I get to be with these little guys."
The little girl whose hair she'd been braiding felt her hair before she turned around to give Isanna a toothy grin. "Thank you, Isa-san!"
Her name was Ella. A six-year-old girl who'd been saved from the Underground, she arrived at the orphanage two weeks ago. She'd been wary of the new environment at first and couldn't open up to anyone for the first few days, but after Isanna dropped by to visit, they'd somehow hit it off together after they rode a horse around the lawn for half an hour.
It wasn't only Ella. A lot of the other children just seemed to flock towards Isanna whenever she was around, and the other cadets noted that her toughness always seemed to diminish whenever she was around them, as well.
After noticing something, Isanna tilted her head. "Mikasa, what are you doing over there?"
Mikasa, who'd been leaning against the wooden fence a few spaces away from them subtly flinched when her name was called. She looked at her, but before she could even speak up, Sasha had already interjected.
"Don't worry, Isanna-san," Sasha snickered, "she's just being shy."
"Shy?"
Sasha nodded, but Mikasa quickly stepped up with a semi-flustered face. "I'm no—"
"She once told me you were her role-mo—"
Sasha couldn't finish because of the silent glare Mikasa was giving her. Isanna found the situation endearing. She would be lying if she didn't notice the subtle glances Mikasa often gave her whenever she visited the orphanage, and whenever she caught her eyes, the young cadet would always look away and get all silently flustered.
"Role-model?" Isanna looked at her, a half-amused smile dancing on her lips. "Am I your role-model?"
She watched as a faint hue of pink flushed across her cheeks, it was so faint she wouldn't have seen it if she didn't look closely. It took Mikasa a few seconds to finally answer,
".. Yes."
Ego stoked, Isanna's brows shot up. "Really? Why?"
The poor young soldier looked visibly embarrassed. Isanna knew Mikasa was never the talkative type, and seeing her undergo this silent suffering brought about guilty pleasure. Guilt for teasing her, and pleasure simply because it boosted her ego to hear that someone was looking up to her.
In the end, Isanna jokingly told her she didn't need to tell her the reason, and Mikasa released what could have been considered a silent sigh of relief.
::
Hanji was passing by the orphanage on the way back to HQ after reporting to the capital regarding her new weapon invention, and after hearing that Isanna was also there, she decided to drop by and join them for lunch.
"How did the meeting go, Hanji-san?" Historia asked. She had already called the others to head inside for lunch and was merely waiting for Isanna and the others while waiting together with the other 104th cadets.
The house was spacious enough for the children to comfortably take space. It was a building with two floors, with the first level being made up of the living room, dining area, and the kitchen. Together with a few hired staff and the occasional helping hand of her friends from the Survey Corps, Historia was able to manage the orphanage well.
Hanji smiled, a plate of lunch now in her hand. "It went smoothly, Your Majesty. The new council eventually gave permission to use the thunder spears for the Scouts' use. I'm certain it will improve our battle performance significantly."
"How many times do I have to tell you to just call me by my name?"
Chuckling, Hanji shook her head. "Even if you put it like that, you're still the queen, Your Majesty." She swept a look around the room and saw the rest of the cadets. Her eyes landed on Armin. "Ah, Armin, I heard Isa's here? How's she doin'? I've been pretty busy the past few weeks."
Armin, who was drinking soup from the bowl in his hand, gazed up when his attention was called. "She's been doing well, Hanji-san. She visits us here from time to time."
"No problems with the orphanage, I presume?"
"None," Connie said, chomping on a sausage. "With the sergeant, taking care of the children isn't that tiring either. She's pretty popular with the kids."
A soft smile slowly formed on Hanji when realization dawned. She chuckled. "Of course. I expect nothing less from her when it comes to children."
"Was she always good with kids?"
When the image of a certain toddler passed through her memory, Hanji wistfully smiled. She blinked the memory away and looked at the cadets.
An entertaining idea slowly formed, and she grinned.
"Do you kids want to hear the story of how the feared War Goddess of the Scouts unofficially became a mom?"
::
Together with Sasha and Mikasa, Isanna had led the other children who had been playing outside into the house for their lunchtime.
The group were just outside the dining area when they heard loud conversations. Judging by the tone, they seemed to be excited, and it was only when Isanna stopped right outside the door did she hear.
"Really, Hanji-san?" That sounded like Connie.
"Yeah! Isa was actually pretty popular among the veterans for a long time, but the only reason nobody dared to make a move on her was because they were all scared of Er—"
Isanna shoved the wooden door open and walked inside, a raised brow directed at the soldiers in the room. She was met with the scene of Armin, Eren, Jean, Connie and Historia sitting around the table listening to a grinning Hanji who was in the middle of enthusiastically retelling the story of their earlier days as a Scout.
For someone who was gossiping about an experience she did not own, Hanji was strangely passionate.
"Oh, Isa!" Hanji beamed, as if she did not just literally talk about her behind her back two seconds ago.
"Hanji." She frowned, crossing her arms. "What nonsense are you going on about this time?"
At the moment, Historia had stood and ushered the children inside, telling them to line up while she stood beside the kitchen counter with a ladle in hand, pouring the kids their portion of lunch.
Hanji finally answered nonchalantly, "Oh, nothing! We were just talking about when we used to be rookie Scouts. By the way—Your Majesty, the porridge tastes terrific!"
Historia gave a verbal thanks as she continued to pour porridge into the children's bowls, informing everyone that there were enough portions for seconds if they wanted.
After receiving a bowl of food, Isanna sighed as she eased onto her seat. Having the queen make them lunch felt awkward if she were to be honest, but since Historia made a point not to treat her any differently despite her new status, the other Scouts did not have much of a choice. Besides, Historia had spent more time in the orphanage than ruling within the walls for the past month.
"Sorry about her," Isanna told the rest of the younger soldiers. "If she said anything weird, just forget about it."
"Not at all, Isanna-san," Connie said with a mouth full of rice. "It was nice to hear about you and the Commander."
Isanna choked on her food. Erwin—? Hacking, she repeatedly hit her chest in hopes to correctly swallow the food in her mouth. Her throat stung, and Hanji had to offer her a glass of water, which she took and gulped down.
"What the hell did you tell them?" Isanna asked irritably, her throat still burning. Morale within the regiment was high as ever considering recent events—the last thing she wanted was the Commander's reputation to hit rock bottom because of Hanji's gossiping, and knowing her, she'd probably exaggerated a few points just for laughs. She would never forget how Hanji had stirred up rumors of the both of them 'allegedly dating' some years back, when Erwin used to be a squad captain. She always used to do that with Mike—
A sharp pang pounded. Isanna bit her lip and gripped her spoon tight. Eyes lowering, she returned her attention to her food.
Hanji raised both hands as if to tell she meant no harm, not noticing that change in expression that flashed in Isanna's face. "I just told them how you guys have known each other for years. That's pretty much the gist of it."
Isanna willed the painful memory of Mike Zacharias to subside, reminding herself that she was in front of the other young cadets.
"And Eren's hardening experiments? Are they going well?" Isanna wanted to redirect the topic, and her efforts bore fruits when Hanji immediately went on about the success of Eren's recent experiments.
Isanna and the others had no choice but to be subjected under Hanji's tirade of enthusiasm. Nobody bothered to even pretend that they were listening—with the exception of Armin who would occasionally give his input.
"Eren's hardening is as durable as Annie Leonhardt's," Hanji said. "With this, the prospect of sealing up Wall Maria is becoming more plausible."
Isanna hummed, mind going over towards the encased Leonhardt who was currently locked and being monitored underground. With everything that had happened, she almost forgot about her. Now that she realized, the other titan shifters they've discovered all coincidentally came from the same group of cadets, too.
Eren, who's with us now, Ymir, who went with Braun and Berthodt, then Leonhardt, who trapped herself in crystal.
"Tsk," she mumbled, "I swear to the fucking walls, why is everybody in the 104th squad suddenly a titan shifter? What kind of titan voodoo shit did Shadis feed you?"
A temporary silence dropped on the table, all eyes now on her.
Hanji elbowed her. "Isa, children are in the room. Don't cuss."
Realizing her mistake, Isanna glanced around and noticed the young children curiously looking at her direction. Clearing her throat, she turned to Hanji. "Anyway, you were saying about Eren's experiments?"
As casual conversations filled the room, Isanna soon found herself tuning out the noise and instead, zeroed her attention on the children were seated on the smaller tables. They looked happy. Happier compared to the first time Isanna saw them in the orphanage. Even little Ella who used to be shy and distant had gotten talkative.
There were no immediate crises, nobody was dying, and the atmosphere within the walls had lightened.
For the first time in what felt like years, everything was well.
And yet, Isanna could not find it in her to be at ease.
•
The nightfall came, and Isanna and Hanji headed back to HQ in Wall Rose while the cadets opted to stay at the orphanage for the night to accompany Historia and the kids. The children had been reluctant to let Isanna go, but after promising them that she'd return after two days, they eventually relented.
The carriage they rode on rolled down the streets, bumping over uneven cracks. The downtown city had retreated from its daily businesses for the night, so aside from the houses, every other establishment had closed, and tranquility pervaded.
"Isa, anything wrong?"
Snapping out of her doze, Isanna looked at Hanji who was sitting right across her.
"I'm fine."
Hanji didn't look like she believed that. "You should know better than to try and hide things from your best friend." She added that the glimmer in Isanna's eyes had disappeared ever since they left the orphanage.
"Who knows? Maybe I'm just exhausted."
The carriage finally came to a stop, and Isanna was first one to step down, followed by Hanji. They were now right in front of the Scouts' HQ.
The two entered through the gates and stepped inside the courtyard, watching the looming old buildings stand beneath the moonlight. Shadows stretched across the ground, and only lit torches provided minimal lightning within campus grounds. There were fairly no soldiers lounging outside; judging from the light and noise coming from the cafeteria building, everyone was most likely having dinner.
Hanji released a snort.
"I have an idea how to fix that exhaustion of yours."
Isanna did not trust this 'idea' of hers one bit.
"What?"
Dramatically clasping her hands together, Hanji wore a look of utter bliss, with her lips puckered. "A romantic night with the Commander. Just imagine, rose petals littered on the floor, trailing towards the bedroom. Once inside, you're surrounded with candles, and a seductive aroma wafts through the room. Then, lying on the bed is—"
"Are you writing a romance novel?" Isanna interrupted with a look of pure irritation. She massaged the bridge of her nose, fighting back the migraine.
Isanna temporarily regretted ever telling Hanji that they were finally going out. She still recalled the way Hanji had released a loud shriek inside HQ, alerting the entire squadron that day. Needless to say, what should have been a secret ended up becoming the latest dating gossip among the Scouts. Because this was not just an ordinary soldier's love life—it was the Commander's, and apparently, the other soldiers had a field day comprehending that their iron commander and second-in-command were 'dating'. "It's about damned time,", they had said.
Isanna could not look at Erwin in the eye for an entire day after that.
Of course, Erwin himself did not even look fazed. He went about doing his work as usual, taking that 'Iron Commander' image too seriously. Isanna envied that about him.
"Oh right," Hanji suddenly said, changing the topic, "how are the new recruits? Weren't you in-charge of them?"
Isanna remembered the transferred soldiers from the other regiments and nodded. "I've already assigned squad Marlene and Dirk to supervise their training."
"Any promising ones? Y'know, ones that wouldn't most likely die in their first expedition."
Isanna pondered over the new recruits, mentally searching for anyone like that.
"None that stands out. They came from the Military Police and Garrison, so it's understandable why they're lax but filled with enthusiasm and unrealistic positivity—rookie behavior. But if that drives them during training, it works well for us."
Hanji hummed. They continued to talk about trivial things until they reached the officers' barracks. Hanji retreated to her quarters while Isanna headed to the commander's office.
After knocking, it took only a second for her to hear the usual, deep 'Enter'. She pushed the door open and walked inside, seeing Erwin behind his working desk and a short stack of paperwork on the side. He'd been diligently working on that for the past days, aside from making round trips to the capital to meet with the other commanders.
At her arrival, Erwin lifted his gaze for but a brief moment and nodded at her before he returned his eyes to his work. "Are there any news?" he said, straight to the point.
Isanna reported the success of Hanji's meeting with the new assembly and their permission to employ the thunder spears as the Scouts' see fit. However, they emphasized that the new recruits should not be allowed to use it in their first expedition, and that only specialized veteran squads should have it on.
"And the orphanage?" Erwin prompted, eyes still glued on the papers.
"Her Majesty has been doing well managing it," Isanna reported. "The children are well-taken care of."
She waited for a while in case Erwin had anything else to say or ask about. He eventually stopped signing and placed his pen down, redirecting his focus towards her.
"Did you find her?"
This was the question she dreaded. Ever since Historia opened up an orphanage large enough to house children all around the walls and from the Underground, Isanna had hoped to see Lauren again. She had already visited the orphanage where she left her four years ago only to see that it had shut down due to lack of funds. It had stopped operating two years ago.
".. No," she mumbled a reply, dejected. It's been a little over three weeks since the orphanage began, so chances are Lauren was still out there somewhere—or maybe a family had already taken her in years ago. Maybe she was already happy. Isanna bet Lauren probably no longer remembered her since she was barely three years old when it happened, but still.
"I'm sorry."
Isanna blinked out of her thoughts when she realized Erwin had stood and walked in front of her. There was a heavy guilt on his face, one he did not bother to mask. She knew that deep down, he still carried the guilt of having her leave Lauren years ago.
"You already apologized a week ago over this," she said, giving him a look telling him it was fine. "I've gotten over it, but if we ever see Lauren again—you owe her an apology."
He nodded. "I'll bear that in mind."
Satisfied, Isanna dropped the subject and glanced at his working desk, where his work lay unattended. "Are you almost finished with those?"
Erwin followed her eyes and looked at the stack of papers. "It should take half a day to finish the rest. Is there a problem?"
Isanna returned her eyes to him, carefully gauging the exhaustion that have taken residence in his blue hues. Erwin had been spending majority of his time drowning in work. If it weren't for her reminding him to eat, he probably would have continued on with an empty stomach at times.
Much to her dismay, Hanji's suggestion to relieve them of their exhaustion flashed in her mind. She clicked her tongue in annoyance. Stupid Hanji and her lewd ideas.
"Can't you take a day off?" Isanna said, earning a frown from Erwin.
She knew how undue her request was. The military was busy preparing for their next mission to reclaim Wall Maria. A one day break would most likely push their next expedition a few days late, and for a workaholic like Erwin, that was absolutely unacceptable.
But for Isanna, these fleeting moments of peace were just as important.
She didn't want Erwin to stay cooped up in this confined office, spending the following days working. He had already spent enough of that to last him an entire lifetime. They had already lost their childhood and teenage years because of this fucked up life—surely the world could spare them one day of peace?
"Is there something you need?" Erwin asked, searching her face for any clues.
After a moment, Isanna finally spoke.
"Come to the orphanage."
She watched silently as Erwin allowed her request to sink in.
"Is my presence needed?"
God, this man is dense as fuck when it comes to anything outside military work.
Isanna inhaled a sharp breath and felt her face burn in embarrassment. "No, uh.. actually, forget it."
Erwin stared in mild confusion as Isanna turned around and walked out of the office without clarifying anything.
•
Isanna visited the orphanage again as promised two days later. The children were ecstatic as they ran to greet her just as she walked past the gated wooden fence.
Almost magically, Isanna's mood improved as soon as she saw the children. The anxiety that often took over her thoughts whenever she was at HQ seemingly puffed into thin air, if only but a moment. The other 104th cadets also greeted her as she arrived, and just like how she spent her visits in the previous days, Isanna played with the children outside the farm.
Laughter prevailed in the atmosphere. Isanna wished for this tranquility to stretch long—as long as possible, as long as time allowed. Please.. let us be happy for a bit longer this time.
"Why do you like children so much, Isanna-san?"
Isanna turned to see that Sasha had joined her. They were leaning against the wooden fence at the side, watching the children play tag.
At the question, Isanna found herself thinking. She stared at the innocent happiness plastered on the faces of the children, as they played without a care in the world, ignorant of its cruelty.
"I.. like seeing them smile, I guess," she answered without much of a thought. "They're so innocent.. so pure, and so naïve of the dangers of this world, that it makes me forget of the shithole we live in."
She remembered Lauren. She remembered taking her in, remembered how she together with her friends took care of her. Those moments were the little sprinkles of haven squashed between tragedies, the little bits of hope that had actually made her happy. And in a world like this, happiness was a big deal for her.
Historia soon arrived with Mikasa carrying a sizeable wooden box. She told them it was filled with donated toys and other things that could be played and used by the children. After having the kids gather around, Historia opened the box and allowed the children to pick what they wanted.
"I've already had them all washed and cleaned for everyone's use," Historia said, smiling as the children's excitement soared.
Isanna crossed her arms in satisfaction, watching the kids plow through the box and rummage around. Sasha even joined the group but was berated by Historia that it was solely for the children's usage, making her pout.
"What's this called?"
She turned to look at Ella holding something made out of wood. It took Isanna another second to realize that it was a bamboo flute.
Ah, that brings me back, she thought, smiling wistfully as she remembered the times she roamed around the southern cities of Wall Rose, playing the flute and earning money that way. She wasn't good at it, but it was the only thing she learned from her mother before she passed on.
Come to think of it, that's how we met.
A subconscious smile crept its way onto her lips when she remembered the distant memory of over twenty years ago.
It had been so long ago, and she thought the memory would remain buried until now.
"That's called a bamboo flute," Isanna finally said, earning Ella's attention. "You blow through the mouthpiece and cover the holes, and it'll create a tune."
With a curious spark in her eyes, Ella stared at the instrument with newfound excitement; she was about to place the mouthpiece in her lips when she stopped. She then turned to Isanna.
"Isa-san, do you know how to play this?"
Momentarily freezing, Isanna processed her question, her gaze trailing over towards the wooden instrument. Flashes of old memories resurfaced, of a young her and a young blond boy, of two innocent souls who crossed paths on that fateful yet random day, twenty-seven years ago.
Isanna crouched in front of Ella, smiling. "Mhm. I used to play this when I was a kid. I sucked, though."
"Can you play for us, then?" Ella asked.
Blinking, the smile on her slowly faded away when she realized the attention of the other children were now on her, dozens of sparkling eyes of innocence silently prompting her. Even Historia and the other girls were waiting.
"It's been years," Isanna reasoned. "I've most likely already lost my touch—"
Ella tugged on her hand, her puppy eyes backing her into a wall. "Pretty please, Isa-san?"
If there was one thing Isanna was weak against, it was the plea of a child.
And that's how she found herself with a flute in hand, and the children seated on the grass around her, eagerly staring. Give me a break..
She wasn't nervous. But looking at the flute in her hand just brought about a strange wave of nostalgia. As if she was revisiting a thing of the past. In a way, she was.
For years, Isanna had held a blade used to kill. Her hands were supposed to have forgotten the feeling of this thing in her grip, but somehow, its touch felt familiar. Perhaps, some kind of hidden longing of a peaceful past that was never to return—her younger, innocent days.
With a rueful smile, she raised the flute.
::
When Isanna told him to head to the orphanage, Erwin had no idea what she wanted him to do there.
The orphanage did not seem like a place a commander should be hanging around, so he was skeptical. It wasn't as if he could contribute to anything by being there, as it was an establishment that was completely out of his jurisdiction. To top it off, Erwin did not know where it was located.
But against his normally rational judgement, he went there anyway.
With the guidance of Hanji, who came with him, they rode a carriage on the way.
Hanji had told him the orphanage was the ideal place to unwind. Considering the pile of work he'd been drowning in the last weeks, she said it was a good place for a 'workaholic' like him.
When the carriage finally reached their destination, Erwin was the first one to step down. The first thing he registered was the gentle afternoon breeze that whistled through the air, blowing the tufts of grass that stretched far beyond the horizon. Cattle grazed the farm lawns, and some few distance ahead, a small village was in sight.
When was the last time he breathed air as fresh as this?
He was always cooped up in his office 24/7, planning expeditions day and night, always entertaining possible theories of the world that lie beyond their walls before he'd sleep, and if not that, he was either travelling to and fro the capital and HQ, meeting with the other commanders and discussing matters within the walls.
Calling him an obsessed workaholic would be an understatement. If there was an extremer term, then he'd be exactly that.
"Co—co.. commander?!"
A stuttering voice caught Erwin's attention, and when his eyes followed the source of the voice, they landed on the members of squad Levi. Now that he recalled, Levi had them rest up after the entire uprising incident, so it was no wonder they chose to spend their time here in the orphanage together.
As he stared at them, they seemed to have seen a ghost.
Although, he did not blame them. He most likely looked out of place, standing in front of a farmhouse clad not in his Scout uniform, but a white dress shirt and pants.
Perhaps this was the feeling of running into your strict employer on a weekend, in the middle of grocery.
"I—is there an emergency, commander?" Armin said, still unsure.
Before Erwin could even speak up, Hanji was beside him in an instant.
"Not at all, Armin! He's just sightseeing!"
The cadets looked back at Erwin in shock, as if the prospect of a 35-year-old man touring around is such a shocker. Perhaps it was, if the man in question was Erwin Smith.
Erwin on the other hand was starting to regret coming here.
He was about to turn around and tell Hanji he was returning to HQ when a sudden tune reached his ears and made him stop.
Consequently, the other soldiers stopped and looked at the direction of the whistling tune. Because there, on the other side of the large fence, a certain soldier was the origin of the tune.
Hanji squinted her eyes. "Is that.. Isa?"
But Erwin didn't need to look closer to know it was her. He recognized that tune. He recognized it, as clear as day, and he knew it like the back of his hand—because he used to hear that very same tune when he was still a kid, walking home from school.
A strange sense of nostalgia came over him.
How many years has it been?
There she stood, with the picturesque greenery and blue horizon meshed behind her, and the wind carrying her tune. Like a scene straight out of a painting—Erwin didn't think there was anything more beautiful.
And he realized one thing.
She was always there.
Through the ups and downs of his life, Isanna was always there. Time and time again, even when everything was falling apart and he was on the verge of breaking, even when the world around him was always changing, she was the one thing that remained constant in his life.
After Mike's death, Erwin often worried how it would impact Isanna. The three of them had come a long way together, and losing him was the biggest blow for them both. But seeing her now, surrounded by people who cherished her, he was relieved to see that she had not lost her smile.
And Erwin wanted to protect that smile for as long as he could.
•
The following week, Erwin and a number of Scouts travelled to the capital to discuss the regiment's progress with regards to their next mission: Reclaiming Wall Maria.
Upon arriving at the General Military HQ, Isanna saw a familiar face. "Well, if it isn't my favorite partner-in-crime."
Baldrick, upon seeing her, immediately scrunched his face in disgust. "Jokes are supposed to be funny."
He had become a part of the newly established assembly. It was understandable, considering the part he played in the uprising incident. Isanna had learned that during Erwin's trial, Baldrick was the one who had rounded up the other noble families and convinced them to change sides—some followed, some chose to stay loyal to the Fritz family.
After the uprising, Isanna had delivered him the news that that missing person he'd been looking for had been most likely disposed off by the now-disbanded division of the Interior Military Police, just as what had happened to Erwin's father.
After that, Baldrick had taken resolve to make a change in the government and put an end to the past corruption—and now here he was, one of the most influential heads in the new ruling Assembly.
"Anyway, I heard you Scouts have been making good progress," he said as they headed to the conference room. They talked about the increased possibility of recapturing Wall Maria.
Wall Maria.
It had been five years since the Fall, and Isanna almost couldn't believe that retrieving their lost wall back was actually now in sight.
"Within the month, I believe that all our preparations will be complete," Erwin finished his report. They were now in a conference hall, and a number of executives were also present, all seated around the meeting table.
Murmurs of satisfaction rippled across the table. The other heads were outwardly pleased with the progressive reports. With the new government, special funds had been allotted for the Survey Corps to support them in retaking Wall Maria. Considerable resources had also been expended solely for the regiment's endeavors, which was a first.
Expectations were high.
Simply put, failure was not an option.
"The Survey Corps intend to devote our full strength to repay our lost fellow soldiers for giving their lives," Erwin said.
General Darius Zackly, seated at the head of the table, hummed in agreement as he glanced over towards Erwin.
"Indeed, it is past time you were rewarded for your efforts. I pray that the treasure you seek sleeps in that cellar in Shiganshina."
While the other executives seemed positive, the military heads knew achieving this was not going to be easy. After years of constantly being beaten down and discouraged, the road that was once littered with obstacles seemed to be finally clearing for the Survey Corps.
And yet, Isanna wondered—why was she feeling this way?
She glanced at Erwin, seated right next to her. The calculative gleam in his eyes were as unreadable as ever.
After the general meeting was concluded, they went to a private room where only General Zackly, Commander Pixis, Erwin, Hanji, Levi and Isanna were present. Sitting on a round table was the box of syringe of titan spinal fluid.
Compared to the conference hall, the air in the room was heavier.
When Pixis asked whether they were able to study the contents, Hanji answered that results were null.
"This stuff goes beyond our current capabilities," Hanji said. "The laboratory that the Sergeant Major discovered was fully wrecked, and we couldn't salvage any of the technology in there, unfortunately."
Silence reigned in the atmosphere. Isanna stood near the curtains, staring at the box. She was thinking the same thing as the others in the room: that meant there was only one thing they could do with this syringe.
"Well then," Pixis rumbled, disrupting the silence, "our only option is to use it for its intended use. With this one syringe, we could use it to our advantage and steal a titan's power when the opportunity arrives."
Zackly agreed. "Who should we entrust it to? You, Erwin?"
Erwin stared at the box for a moment, before he grabbed his empty sleeve. "No, I'm a wounded soldier. This box.. should be entrusted to our most talented soldier with the highest chances of survival."
Turning to Levi, a silent conversation seemingly passed through their eyes.
"You'll be the one to decide who should use it, depending on the situation. Will you take it, Levi?"
Levi didn't answer straight away. He stared at the box, then glanced at Isanna, who'd been staying near the curtain without a word for a while now. He had noticed she'd been quiet ever since the conference meeting earlier.
Levi turned to Erwin.
"What happens if that dream of yours comes true?"
Isanna was mildly surprised when at that moment, Erwin glanced at her with emotion in his eyes that she could not pinpoint.
"I don't know," Erwin said after a pregnant silence, never taking his eyes off her. "And I won't know.. until it does."
As Levi finally agreed and took the box with his hand, Erwin never took his eyes off Isanna, as if he was trying to convey something to her through eye-contact alone.
After the continuous disasters and tragedies that came their way, things were finally back on track. The operation to recapture Wall Maria would take place in a month.
And yet—as Isanna continued to stare at Erwin, she could not ignore this foreboding omen.