The soldier tried to speak steadily, yet even he couldn't hide the pain in his eyes as he looked at the devastated old woman. Moses had been her only child… her only support in this world.
The woman's sobs filled the street. They swallowed the chatter, the footsteps, the shallow breaths of the crowd. I could feel Eren go still beside me, staring blankly at the sight before him.
"My… my son… he contributed to humanity's fight, didn't he?" The old woman choked out the words, her fingers trembling around the severed arm wrapped in blood-stained cloth. "Even if he didn't do anything extraordinary, his death… it helped humanity strike back… right?"
"Of… of course…" the soldier began.
But then his voice died. He couldn't lie. Not about this.
"We… didn't accomplish anything. Not in this expedition… not in any of them." His words were blunt and merciless. "I'm nothing but a useless commander who sends soldiers to their deaths. We still haven't discovered the truth about what they are… what Titans really are."
His voice broke not just the old woman's heart, but the quiet resolve of everyone watching. The weight of those words settled on the entire crowd… on Eren, on Mikasa, and on me.
Humanity was losing.
Hopelessly.
————————————————————
By the time we returned home, our bodies felt heavy. I just wanted to drink the warm milk Carla always kept ready for us.
"We're back…" The three of us set down our wooden packs full of firewood. Carla was stirring stew in the kitchen, and Grisha sat by the table preparing his medical supplies.
"Welcome home."
We unloaded the firewood into the storage box. Carla walked up to Eren and raised a brow.
"My, my… Eren actually worked hard today? That's rare." She glanced at the firewood Eren dumped in—far more than usual.
"Uh…" Eren looked away. Lying was not his specialty.
Carla didn't need more than a second. She tugged lightly at Eren's ear. "Your ears are red. You're lying. You made Sandra and Mikasa do the work again, didn't you?"
Eren sputtered, and I quietly washed my hands, glancing outside at the red flowers blooming beyond the window.
"Mr. Yeager, are you heading out?" I asked, noticing Grisha closing his medical case.
"Yes. I need to treat several patients in the interior. I may be gone for two or three days."
We sat down to eat Carla's cooking. It was warm, familiar, and comforting.
"Mikasa says Eren wants to join the Survey Corps," she suddenly said.
Eren nearly fell off his chair. "Mikasa! I told you not to say anything!"
He had forgotten the obvious—Mikasa never promised to keep it secret. I did.
"Eren! What are you thinking? Do you know how many people die outside the walls?!" Carla grabbed his shoulders.
"I know!" Eren shouted back, his voice cracking with frustration. "I saw them today! I saw how few came back!"
"Eren." Grisha finally spoke. His voice alone made Eren grow quiet.
"Why do you want to go beyond the walls?"
Eren didn't hesitate.
"I want to know what the outside world looks like! I don't want to spend my whole life ignorant behind these walls! And if no one keeps exploring, then all the people who died… their lives will be for nothing!"
Grisha looked at him for a long moment… then slowly stood up.
"I have to catch the ship now."
Carla panicked. "Wait! Tell him he can't join the Survey Corps!"
"Carla… human curiosity doesn't disappear just because someone tells you no." Grisha turned to Eren. "When I return, I'll take you to the basement. The secret I've kept from all of you."
He pulled out the key that hung around his neck—its metal glinting softly.
Eren's eyes widened. "Really?!"
"Yes. And Sandra, remember to take your medicine every morning."
He glanced at me, and I nodded. Ever since he diagnosed my condition years ago, he had given me a daily pill to keep the illness from returning.
"I understand. Safe travels, Mr. Yeager."
We walked him all the way to the road. Eren waved wildly.
"Take care, Dad!"
Mikasa stepped closer, gently tugging on my sleeve.
"Medicine?" she murmured. She had never heard about my condition before.
"Old sickness. It's nothing serious anymore," I whispered. "I even skipped it for two days once and was fine. But I still take it so no one notices anything strange."
I pressed a finger to my lips playfully.
Mikasa nodded, absorbing the information to understand her family better.
"Joining the Survey Corps is foolishness!" Carla huffed loudly once Grisha was out of sight. "I won't allow it!"
"You think that's foolish? I think living like livestock is even more stupid!" Eren snapped, storming off into a side alley.
"Eren!"
I sighed. Eren's temper was nothing new. I headed down the stairs and reached back to take Mikasa's hand.
"Sandra, Mikasa!" Carla called out, placing her hands firmly on our shoulders. "That child is reckless. Please look out for each other. Help him when he gets himself into trouble."
"We will," we answered together, exchanging a determined glance before following the trail of the boy who never ceased causing trouble.
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