After taking a bath that day, Y/n decided to check on Eren at the stables.
The boy was being taught by Isabel on how to properly tie a horse. Y/n watched the interaction much to her not-so-surprised look, the two have some resemblance. You sure you're not related?
When Eren saw her, he waved happily. Y/n took the opportunity to approached the two with a calm demeanour. She wasn't wearing that pure white saintess gown anymore and made herself comfortable with a long sleeved buttoned white blouse tucked in a black pants and working boots.
Although that was all, one could not hide her bearing. Y/n who stood very elegant in common clothes stood out making one feel that either she is born a noble or a very important person.
This illusion made both Eren and Isabel stay still and watch her approach. Only when she was closer that Isabel was able to blink. "Y/n, you really stand out." She said.
Y/n did not change expression and shrugged. "It's always been like that. No one couldn't keep their eyes off me that it's very troublesome, dear." She replied, exposing her narcissistic thoughts again while flipping or imaginarily flipping her hair from side to side with a nonchalant look.
"Y/n, your humour is great." Isabel praised. "But your face lacks the appropriate expression."
The girl shrugged. "I'm not really like this when I was a child." Y/n has both happy and sad childhood. In her previous world, she is this quirky child who goes wherever whenever and did not give a damn about what flying object will her angrily worried mother might throw at her when found. But those days are fun. Then she spend her early teen here in AOT world. A twelve year old who was abused and was planned to be sold to an old man, ran away from home, became a child labourer and suddenly a saintess.
Well, damn.
"So what were you like when you're a child?"
Y/n thought deep again. "Well a very small crybaby." She replied, in fact, a dark history of her past was beginning to flashback. When she was transported to this world, her every day life in the Callenreese mansion was always full of tears and begging.
"Really. Doesn't seem like you at all." Isabel replied not really putting any deeper meaning to her words. "Right Eren?"
"Y-yes. The saintess looked really cool and dignified." Except when her narcissism strikes. Eren agreed with a respectful look.
Y/n looked at these two beans and aww-ed in her heart. "Eren dear, it seems like your classmates are coming soon. Are you excited?" She asked.
"Well I'm quite nervous." The boy replied. "I want to see them, but at the same time I don't want to see that they joined the scouts somehow."
"Dear, you have a big heart." The woman petted his head lovingly while Isabel slapped his back with a smile.
"Indeed a big heart." She agreed.
The three stilled in the stable and chatted. Mostly about Eren's experiences during Hange's experiment. While Y/n did watch some of it, Erwin restricted her to be so far away that she can not even see it properly.
So instead of wasting her time being kicked in the far corner during experiments, she decided to just spend it on the kitchen or Levi's office to read his not-so-formal reports and corrected them sometimes.
Or there were instances that the church would require her to attend the mass. Just stand there and be the statue to be prayed upon. Y/n hated these moments but did not say anything that would hurt the religious group. She could only keep her cool and patiently waited for the end of the morning mass before leaving.
The sound of hooves from the horses were heard together with the sound of the wheel belonging to a caravan. Not far from them the smokes from dust were rising up as the horses run forward seeing that the people on horses were multiplied.
Finally, the new recruits arrived. Y/n crossed her arms and observe the brave souls who came to make a change. But it didn't look so good, their faces were akin to people who was parading to a burial ground. Their complexion looked like they ate something bad and wanted to puke it all.
Y/n couldn't blame them. As people who saw what people feared outside the wall is, it's natural to feel this kind of anxiety and the fear of death.
Just by coming here to join the scouts, they've already became a hero.
As the people got off the horse and lead their animal friends on the stable, Mikasa finally made her appearance together with Armin who ran worried towards their young friend.
Y/n mentally aww-ed once more at the children's reunion. Her heart felt soft towards the trio.
She listened to Mikasa's worried questions while checking Eren like a worried mother hen.
"S-saintess, ma'am." A nervous call was heard just nearby. Y/n turned her head to the young speaker and found Marco who seemed astonished and Jean who was walking alongside him.
Y/n approached the two and held both shoulders. I ship it. "Good job on staying alive." She tapped both their shoulders with a firm grip at the end.
"Y-yes!" Both replied seemingly surprised by her words.
Meanwhile, Y/n cursed herself from saying that. Good job on staying alive? That's a given. Who would want to be praised ominously like that?!
"It seems like you two are one of those reluctant people who wish to join." She spoke again, both boys flinched. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not reprimanding your doubt of joining, in fact, I am amazed. You two are brave."
Marco smiled as he scratched the back of his neck. "It's because of what we saw that's why we joined." He explained.
Y/n nodded, willing to hear the heartfelt and determined reason for Marco's resolve to join the scouts. But right when she was all ears for it, she was suddenly grabbed by the back of her clothe's collar and was dragged away by Levi.
The girl looked at him seriously while he looked with a scowl. She frowned, reached his waist and pinch it as revenge.
"Don't you think you're being too rude." Y/n seriously said, pinching him on the cheek next.
Levi let her collar go as soon as they were with Erwin who looked at the two who will soon begin their argument. Farlan was beside him and Mike watching what's going to happen next.
"Tsk." Levi crossed his arms and looked at the crowd. He didn't initiate any more retort against her.
Y/n ignored his sulking and watched the newcomers. Guess she and the poor lone cook are going to have to cook a lot of food again now.
"Y/n." Erwin called.
The girl turned to him waiting for what he has to say.
The commander smiled. "You should give a speech."
Speech? Father, I think I am more than speechless at how you are always telling me unexpected things as if you're playing some charade.
"Shouldn't you be the one doing that?" She asked back.
Erwin's smile did not falter. Y/n have a very bad premonition about this. "It's more touching if it's a word that came out from the saintess herself."
"Are you sure you're not just making things up just to hear me embarrass myself, right?"
"Definitely not."
"The not part was spoken too low it was almost inaudible." Y/n sweatdropped. He is on purpose.
"Well, let's just say: we need an ice breaker." Farlan laughed. "Look at our new recruits, Y/n. They are still young but braving the path of scouts. Maybe a speech from someone with respectable status like you might raise up their confidence."
Good point. Y/n thought. But it does not change the fact that a certain someone is simply suggesting it for fun.
"Just go on, Y/n. I never heard you say any heartfelt speech at all." Isabel who appeared from behind agreed.
The team up on convincing Y/n to do a speech started to build up to her dismay. So unwillingly, with a sad heart, glaring at Levi who did not side with her, she stepped forward and clapped twice to take everyone's attention.
Good thing she watched a lot of anime tragic experiences and heartfelt quotes so she can at least say some meaningful things or two.
"I know this is late, but I congratulate everyone on your graduation." She said.
There was a long silence on everyone and simply stared at her. Some who had never seen her were in question who is this pretty lady who's speaking to them with such straight face.
"Some of you may have met me and some of you didn't. So let me introduce myself, I am the current saintess, scout's former vice commander, Y/n Callenreese." She said, seeing the expected reactions from the children in front of her. Most of them already had their mouth open from shock.
And as if on cue, the young ones stood straight and saluted. "Ma'am!" Y/n nodded in response and continued to speak, seeing that they're finally more attentive.
"Commander probably told you about the risk and I can't blame you if you're afraid because most of you had witnessed the tragedy in Trost. If you think that's worst, then think about the entirety of wall Maria which was breached five years ago." She placed her hand behind her as she walked. "There are hundreds and thousands of people that died five years ago because of the titans. Are you not angry?" She asked.
There were no reply.
"Well, this will be a question I'll leave in everyone's mind as you go out there."
"I, too, was once a graduate like everyone else. I have never seen titan in real life after graduation. So my first time seeing one outside is quite... a death experience while battling it with shock and fear. So at least once in my life, I understood how each and everyone of you went through." She hummed. "Also, don't worry. There are squads that will guide you on your first expedition. They will not just let you roam mindlessly to die so be a little confident and learn. Experience is the best teacher and life in itself is an experience."
"It may be an empty promise on my part, but I'll save you."
She paused for a few seconds and turned to Erwin with a tired sigh. He smiled like a proud parent, but Y/n isn't buying that expression. She didn't want to make this conversation longer so she decided to end it like that. That's all what she wanted to say anyway.
"Alright, everyone. You must have been tired by the journey. The lunch has been prepared so fix your horses and wash up before going to the mess hall."
She walked back to the group seeing a really happy Isabel. "That was an amazing speech Y/n. I didn't know you have a knack for making sense." She teased.
Y/n was a bit offended. "I'm deeply wounded by that. I have always been making sense."
Hange's laughter was suddenly heard behind her. Much to Levi's frustration, the mad scientist had wrapped her hands around Y/n's waist. "It's because you're always talking about your beauty, that's why its hard to think that you're making sense." She explained.
Y/n leaned on Hange and sighed. "I knew it. You don't understand. Whenever I look at my 2-D version of face, I feel like I'm too beautiful to be true."
"But you are too beautiful to he true. The problem is, you blatantly admit it so no one would want to believe it."
"Do I sound like a liar?"
"You sound like a narcissistic spoiled child, my lady."
"Fuck. It."
"Don't cuss with that face, Saintess. It's a crime." Farlan chirped.
Isabel laughed and Hange twirled her around. "Okay enough. I get it." Y/n felt like her energy was drained out because of the chaotic energies striking her one after the other.
She looked at the negative energy on the sidelines. The little charger of hers was there, quietly loathing the existence of a tree nearby. She could not even ask for help because he was not looking.
Damn. Boyfriend is sulking mad with jealousy again...