AUTHOR'S POV:
It was the day after tomorrow.
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Erwin, Eren and the MPs had already arrived infront of the fake king and the nobles.
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Erwin was handcuffed while Eren's hands were chained together.
The MPs made Eren kneel down.
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Rod Reiss was looking at Eren in disgust.
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MPs were standing behind them and Pixis and other Garrison soilders were beside him.
"So you're here now, huh." Aurille said, looking at Erwin. "So far, what have you achieved, Erwin?"
"We uncovered the traitor among us and defeated them." Erwin said. "We are just one step behind winning back Wall Maria."
"No need for that!" Aurille said. "The Survey Corps will be disbanded from here and now. It's not worth spending the tax payers money on."
"For humanity to lose the Survey Corps would be analogous to losing our spear. When cornered by enemies, it is not a shield, but a spear, that eliminates the threat. Suppose that right this very moment, Wall Rose were to be breached." Erwin said, looking down. "Naturally, the people of Wall Rose would again flee and take refuge in Wall Sina. But the recent evacuation left us with no more than a few days worth of food. Before we knew it, everyone would be forced to fight for their survival."
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Aurille, Rod, Gerald and the others were listening to him carefully.
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Erwin looked up at them. "Walls Rose and Sina would become the two faction at war with each other. Even if the Walls itself remains intact, Wall Rose is constantly battling against food shortages. The Titans may never get the chance to break through Wall Sina if the residents of Wall Rose do it first."
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Whispers picked up among the soilders behind him.
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"Reclaim Wall Maria. Thats the only way to give humanity hope for a new future." Erwin said.
"And you mean to say that the wall cannot be reclaimed without the Survey Corps?" Aurille asked.
"Our duty as Corpsmen has always been to charge headfirst at the enemy." Erwin replied. "Cowering and hiding will not benefit humanity. On rather, do you have some secret plan in place to overcome this hurdle?"
Aurille looked away and coughed. "Erwin. I don't think you understand. We have not brought you and Eren Yeager here today to discuss our future within the walls," He turned to Erwin. "The Humanity Charter's sixth clanse states: 'One shall not prioritise one's own gain over the safety and longevity of humanity.' That is the accusation laid against you for killing countless soilders for in failed mission."
"Indeed. You have refused to turn Eren Yeager in to us several times." Gerald said. "This is a clear violation of the charter."
"Eren is necessary to reclaim Wall Maria." Erwin said.
"That is not for the Survey Corps to decide!" The minister said. "Eren Yeager is a titan whose powers are not understood! Merely sheltering him within the walls presents a serious risk. For a single commander to have total control of him is utterly absurd."
"And yet, you dared to enant a plan of your own devising." Aurille said.
"It would hardly be incorrect to say that you are the true threat to humanity." The priest said.
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Rod remained silent, thinking how did he even got there.
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Gerald looked at Pixis. "Commander Pixis!"
"Huh?" Pixis said, standing beside Erwin, arms crossed.
"The Garrison and Survey Corps both risk their lives on the front lines." Gerald said. "How are we to know that you remain unsympathetic to him?"
"It disturbs me to think that you would believe us allies to the Survey Corps." Pixis replied. "There is no act more senseless than taking human lives. Within this cramped world, a single spack is capable of setting our entire civilization ablaze." He closed his eyes. "I said those same words to my soldiers not long ago before sending them in their deaths in defense of Trost District. If the Survey Corps is that spark, it should be smothered at once."
Nile gasped.
"It wouldn't do for the Titans to break through the wall and find hardly anyone left inside. The poor things might go hungry." Pixis said.
Gerald let out a chuckle but quickly covered his mouth. "Very well. We will begin our debate." He glanced at Aurille.
Aurille stood up and turned to the fake king. "Your majesty! May we?"
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Aurille, Gerald, Rod the priest and the minister stood up in a circle and started discussing.
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Eren let out a sigh. 'Discussion huh?'
Nile glanced at Erwin. 'Erwin, are you really going to let it end like this?'
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After the discussion, the five of them sat up before their seat.
Aurille walked to the middle and bowed down to the king, who was sleeping, head supported by his hand. Then he turned to Erwin and Eren. "I will announce your judgment on behalf of the King. Erwin Smith. For violating clause six of the Humanity Charter, you are sentenced to death. Your execution is to be carried out without delay." He looked at Eren. "And about Eren Yeager, he'll be handed over to the MPs.
An MP proceeded to stand Eren up.
"Take them away." Aurille said.
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Nile was looking at Erwin, tensed. 'Is that what you wanted, Erwin?'
Eren slowly stood up while Pixis had his eyes closed.
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'You are going to be...' Nile gasped when Erwin turned to him with a smile.
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Suddenly, someone abruptly opened the door, gaining everyone's attention, making them gasp.
At the doorway, Anka was standing, gritting her teeth. She saluted and closed her eyes. "Wall Rose has been breached!"
All of them gasped.
"The Colossal Titan appeared out of nowhere!" Anka said. "It and the Armoured titan broke through both gates of Calaneth District!"
Some Garrison soilders came and stood behind her.
"The residents of the city are evacuating to Wall Sina!" Anka said.
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Aurille was shaking in fear.
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"Establish a route for the evacuees!" Pixis ordered, gesturing his hand. "Have all Garrison troops converge and defend the east!" He stepped forward. "Get the evacuees safely to Wall Sina! Everyone hurry! Saving the evacuees is our top priority!"
The Garrison soilders saluted. "Yes sir!"
"No!" Aurille yelled.
Pixis turned to him. "Huh?"
"Close all gates to Wall Sina!" Aurille ordered, standing beside Gerald, the minister and the priest while the fake king was still sleeping. "Don't let a single refugee inside!"
"What?" Nile asked, surprised. "You would shut out all of Wall Rose's residents? Your command is to sit back and allow half of humanity to die?"
"It's just like he said earlier! They'll bring about a civil war!" Aurille said. "The Government can't lose control of the people! If that happens, it's over!"
"B-but..." Nile said. "That's only one possibility!"
"The possibility exists and that's enough!" Aurille replied. "Our authority is and always will be absolute!" He pointed his hand towards them. "Now get moving!"
Pixis glanced at Anka who slightly gasped and left the room, running.
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"Shit!" Aurille cursed, standing in a circle with Gerald and the others while the king was still sleeping. "What an ominous sign, for the walls to be breached now of all times. But we have one thing to be thankful for. We have already found the power." He turned his head up.
"Indeed." Rod said. "We just have to wait till they find her."
"That's right." The priest said. "There's no need to panic over this turn of events. As long as Wall Sina holds up, we'll be fine."
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The MPs were looking at them silently.
"Let's do it! Close the gates!" An MP, standing beside Nile said.
Nile turned to him. "Wait!"
"We can't afford to wait!" Another MP said.
Nile turned around and remembered Erwin's words.
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Erwin, Eren and Nile were in a wagon, on their way to Royal capital.
Nile looked at Erwin. "You two are in a sorry state." He looked at Eren. "It's hard to believe you were lecturing me just a few days ago." He looked at Erwin. "The king will decide how to dismantle the Survey Corps and how we'll deal with Eren Yeager."
"So, Nile..." Erwin said and looked at Nile. "Where was your house again? Stohess district, right? Are Marie and the rest of your family doing well?"
"They are doing fine." Nile replied with wide eyes. "Both Maria and the kids. It's been a while since I've seen them, but they live near Eastern Wall Rose."
"I see." Erwin said and looked down.
"Why are you asking me this now?" Nile asked.
"I entrusted something to Commander Pixis." Erwin replied, slightly looking up. "And if the time should come..." He turned to Nile. "...I will only watch. It's up to you to decide. You and them."
Nile remained speechless.
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Nile thought. 'Who gets to choose? Who decides?'
Aurille turned to him. "What are you doing? Hurry it up! Failure to obey amounts to treason!"
Nile had his eyes closed. "I will not!" He declared after a moment.
"What?" Aurille asked.
"Hey..." The MP beside him trailed off.
"I am a citizen of Wall Rose!" Nile said and opened his eyes. "I will not allow the gates to be closed!"
"You traitor!" Aurille yelled.
"I am inclined to agree with him." Zachary announced, entering the room, grabbing everyone's attention.
His soilders pointed their rifles towards the royals.
"Dhalish Zachary!" Aurille exclaimed, surprised.
Pixis turned to him. "Did their reaction take you by suprise, Premier Zachary?"
Zachary straightened his glasses. "No, I can't say it did."
"Zachary! What's the meaning of this?" Gerald asked.
"The report just now was a false alarm. You can relax." Zachary said. "At the moment, there has been no report of a Titan attack."
"You bastards! What are you playing at?" Aurille asked.
"If you want blame someone let it be me." Pixis said, stoping before Erwin and Eren.
"Pixis?" The minister said.
"It seems most of the Interior Police have stepped away for the moment." Pixis said with closed eyes. "That's quite fortune for us."
"What do you mean?" Aurille asked angrily.
"Earlier, I assured you that the Garrison is not sympathetic to the Survey Corps." Pixis said. "But I did neglect to mention something else." He opened his eyes and turned to them. "I hold no sympathy for any of you either."
Aurille gasped.
"While I do share some of Erwin's feelings on this matter, I was going to leave he decision up to the government, so long as your decisions were in the best interests of humanity." Pixis said and closed his eyes. "Afterall, you possess knowledge of the Titans and the walls that we do not."
Aurille was boiling in anger.
"Supposing you actually cared about saving as many people as possible, I would have been fine sending Erwin to the gallows and Eren to the MPs." Pixis said. "Ofcourse depending on your decision, all of us were prepared to forfeit our heads. However, the answer you've given his very clear!" He opened his eyes. "We may be uninformed about the truths of the Titans, but I daresay that we in our ignorance can save far more people than you ever could!"
"Wh-What nonsense are you spouting?" Aurille asked angrily. "What do you think you can accomplish by undermining us? The citizens will never listen to you! They will continue to trust in the words of the King! And the same holds true for the nobility!"
"I don't think you understand what's happening." Pixis said, firmly. "This is no mere threat." He furrowed his eyebrows. "It's a Coup D'etat!"
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Rod gasped.
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Anka walked up to Zachary and saluted. "We've successfully restrained the Interior Police!"
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Aurille and Rod gasped.
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In different places, the Garrison soilders were holding the Interrior Police at gun point.
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"Soldiers will always prioritize orders from their superiors over orders from a king." Zachary said.
"Especially when the king in question is a fraud." Pixis said while the fake king was still sleeping. "We will instate a new ruler to undo this farce."
"They can't actually intend to..." Rod trailed off.
Aurille stepped forward. "Don't even think wou can get away with this!"
"If the report just now had been real, the decision you made wild violate clause six of the Humanity Charters." Erwin said.
Aurille tensed.
"Furthermore, installing a fake king in order to control the government is a crime punishable by death." Erwin said.
After a moment, Aurille gritted his teeth and turned to the fake king. "Shit!" He kicked the Throne, waking up the fake king. "Wake up, you old turd!"
The fake king abruptly woke up. "What is it? Lunch time?"
"Shut up! You useless oaf!" Aurille scolded.
Zachary's soilders came and pointed the gun at Aurille who just gasped.
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Zachary's soilders pinned the nobles to a wall and the fake king was being escorted by the Garrison.
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An MP removed the handcuffs from Erwin and the restrains from Eren.
"Erwin." Nile called out, turning to him. "Looks like you own. Aren't you happy?"
"Nile." Erwin said, turning to him. "Humanity has just been thrust down a new path. A far more dangerous path than before."
"When the true enemies are the humans." Eren said.
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The three Commanders, Zachary and some other soilders were standing on the gallows, made for the execution of Erwin.
A large crowd was standing infront of them.
Zachary was announcing about the turn of events.
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As a result of Erwin's actions, the end of the current royal regime was declared.
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The announcement was made immediately after the military seized control of the capital.
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Erwin was about to get on a wagon untill he heard the voice of Nile.
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"That's right." Nile said, standing infront of a group of reporters. "It's exactly how Premier Zachary explained in his speech.Understand that our goal is not to establish military rule. We will instead replace Fritz with a new ruler from the true royal family. The new rule will be responsible forcading the people."
"Yes, I understand that part." A reporter said. "...but do you really expect the people to accept a new ruler out of the blue?"
"Everybody is burdened by worries and uncertainty." Another reporter said. "Who can we afford to trust right now?"
Eren walked over to him. "You have been trusting a government who have been doing nothing but sending people to their death."
"You're... " One reporter trailed off with wide eyes.
"I'm Eren Yeager." Eren said. "So, for now, trust the Survey Corps and their plans."
"Are you really believe that the Survey Corps will lead to the path of truth?"
"No but I'm pretty sure that the Royal goverment were leading us to the path of hell."
The reporters gapsed.
Eren turned around and left.
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Erwin and Eren were in a wagon, going towards the Survey Corps headquarters.
"We're one step ahead now, commander." Eren said, looking ahead. He looked down. "They must have arrived by now."
Erwin looked at him. "Another titan shifter from Marley?"
"Yes sir." Eren said. "I believe we can defeat them too."
Erwin looked ahead. "Eren, the special trait of the Attacking Titan is to see the future inheritors' memories." He looked at Eren. "Am I correct?"
"Yes..." Eren said and looked ahead. "But the future is bright for us... obviously after some ups and downs."
Erwin nodded. "That's the part of victory."
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Eren, Jean, Armin and Mikasa were in a room, discussing.
Eren and Mikasa were sitting on the bed while Jean and Armin were on the bench.
"So we took down the king, huh?" Jean said.
"Yeah but I'm sure they are after Christa right now." Eren said and looked at the window.
"Huh?" Jean said, confused.
"They?" Armin asked, confused.
Eren let out a sigh. "Rod Reiss's personal Oppression Squad." He looked at them. "A bunch of soilders who are equipped with ODM gears for the sole purpose of killing humans."
Armin and Jean gapsed.
"That's not it." Eren said. "Thier captain is a Ackerman."
Jean and Armin gapsed.
"Another Ackerman?" Armin asked.
"Why they are after Christa?" Jean asked.
"Well, she is the illegitimate daughter of Rod Reiss." Eren said.
Armin gapsed.
"Christa Lenz is Rod Reiss's daughter?" Jean said, shocked. "That means..."
"She is someone with Royal blood too?" Armin said. "And has a right to be the Queen?"
"That's right." Eren said. "Rod Reiss wanted her to be a titan and eat me to restore the Founding Titan within the Royal bloodline. So yeah, she has a right to be the next queen." He looked down. "But I don't want her to be the queen and take the responsibility of whole Paradis." He looked up at them. "Not to mention, she is not mature enough to take the responsibility too."
Jean let out a sigh. "That's right though."
"The Founder has the ability to take the titan powers from other shifters but it can't separate itself from it's holder unless the holder gets eaten by someone." Eren said and let out a sigh. "I could take the titan powers from Reiner, Bertolt and the rest but I can't separate myself from the Founding Titan."
"Is there not any ways to break the curse of Ymir?" Armin asked, sadly.
"I don't know..." Eren said.
Mikasa put her hand on Eren's shoulder.
Eren furrowed his eyebrows. "But one thing I know is that I have to move forward. Even if I die. Even after I die."
Jean let out a sigh. "I hope all the world problems resolves before you go."
"Right." Eren said and looked down. "I don't want anyone else's life span to be shortened too."
"Eren..." Mikasa said and wrapped her arms around him.
Silence fell upon them.
Eren let out a sigh and looked up at them. "In a few hours, we'll be catching Reiner and Bertolt and feed any one of them to Dina Fritz."
"Right. I forgot about it." Jean said. "Let's see how it goes." He looked at the window.
"Do you think we can talk to them first?" Armin asked.
"I don't think they'll listen, Armin." Eren said. "If they fail in their mission, their parents will be punished in Marley. So, I don't think they'll listen."
Jean and Armin looked down.
Eren looked at Jean. "And Jean, be prepared to be a titan shifter in a few days." He smiled.
Jean looked at him with wide eyes. "Me? Why do you think they'll entrust titan powers to me?"
"Well, during the 57th expedition, all major Survey Corps soilders died so, they'll probably entrust it to you guys." Eren said. "Don't you think you're capable of it?"
Jean looked down. "I'm not sure."
"Don't worry, Jean, before your 13 years time, my future inheritor will take your titan powers from you." Eren said.
Jean looked at him. "That's fine then. But do you know how other 4 titan are?"
"Well, one titan can make whatever it wants with hardening. One Titan has the endurance to stay in titan form for months. One Titan can has sharp jaw and claws and the last one takes the shifter's animal trait." Eren explained.
Armin and Jean listened with amazement.
"So, which titan do you think they'll give me?" Jean asked.
"I prefer you get the Beast titan so that you could be a Horse titan." Eren said and chuckled.
Armin and Mikasa laughed.
"Shut up you suicidal blockhead!" Jean yelled, embarassed.
Eren's laughter died down. "Ok ok sorry." He looked at the window.
"Let's see what happens tomorrow..."
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