Two hours earlier.
The soldiers had returned to the branch. Krista deliberately lagged behind for a while, and after everyone had settled down, she secretly brought a set of ODM gear into her room.
The great battle had just ended, and everyone's nerves were finally relaxing. The branch was in some chaos, so nobody noticed her small action. When everyone went to eat, she seized the opportunity, leapt out of a window into the backstreet, and rented a horse to leave the Ehrmich District.
She knew the truth about the Titans because she had been present when Lillian revealed it to Erwin. She knew Reiner intended to take a ship from the edge of the island, so she had to stop him before he left.
She also knew Reiner didn't have the stamina to go far without resting. She'd heard from Lillian about how intelligent Titans could be attacked by normal Titans, and she could infer where Reiner would rest: the Giant Tree Forest on the Maria Wall plains. That was all she needed to go.
"Stop! What are you doing?!"
Racing toward the gate of the Rose Wall's inner city, she was immediately blocked by a few stationed soldiers.
"I'm with the Survey Corps! I need to leave the city immediately to report to our comrades outside!"
"Alone?"
They eyed her suspiciously, though not because they thought she was impersonating a soldier. If anyone were to impersonate someone, it would be a Military Police officer—who would risk pretending to be a Survey Corps soldier outside the walls, among Titans? Still, it was unusual.
"Step aside!" Krista said urgently, lying. "This is extremely important! If you delay me, the consequences could be catastrophic!"
"Yes… yes…"
The stationed soldiers hurriedly opened the gate. They didn't want any trouble. There were no Titans at the gate, so Krista spurred her horse and raced out.
The gate closed swiftly behind her. Krista drew a deep breath, and her hands on the reins trembled slightly.
Can I… really make it alive to the Giant Tree Forest?
She thought: this is the Titans' territory. I'm alone, with no cover, no long-range reconnaissance formation to avoid them… I could easily die.
Even if I reach the forest, can I even find Reiner? Can I beat him? What about Ymir—she might already be gone. If only Lillian were here… No, I have to rely on myself now! Even if I die, it's fine!
Death doesn't matter… Ymir, you once told me not to think like this. But now… I can't help it. Lillian is gone. If I lose you too, what's left for me to do?
The horse galloped across the plains. Minutes passed, and not a single Titan appeared.
"How strange…"
What Krista didn't know was that just before her, Lillian and the female Titan Annie had taken the same route. Most of the Titans along the way had been drawn to them. New Titans hadn't arrived yet, so this path was relatively safe.
"Though I don't know why… maybe this is divine favor," Krista thought, urging her horse faster.
"Ymir, wait for me… even if the commander gave up, I'll never give up on you!"
---
Inside the Wall
Over an hour after Krista escaped, her absence was discovered, and the intelligence was reported upward. Erwin was surprised, but didn't immediately issue any orders.
Looking at it broadly, a number of recruits had joined the Survey Corps this year—not just the main group, but others as well. Erwin could remember most of their names and characteristics. But Krista… he had no particularly strong impression.
A kind, thoughtful, and cute girl. That was all.
If it weren't for Lillian's special attention to her, Erwin wouldn't have noticed her much. Yet he was curious: at the previous meeting when the truth was revealed, Lillian had insisted Krista be present. Even now, Erwin didn't understand why.
Was it simply because Lillian was close to Krista that she needed her to witness the secret? Something felt off—but he couldn't pinpoint it.
After this incident, he was certain: Lillian had many secrets he didn't know.
For example, Annie being a Titan. From his reaction at the time, it was clear he already knew. Yet he had kept it hidden. Why? If he knew Annie's identity, wouldn't he also know Reiner's and Bertholdt's? Why not say anything beforehand? They could have been captured with a careful plan—and many soldiers wouldn't have to die.
Since Annie was with the Military Police, Erwin didn't know her well. But recalling her expression back then, it was clear she had originally been Reiner and Bertholdt's comrade—but then—wait!
Suddenly, Erwin remembered something, frowning.
"So it seems that the recent Military Police Headquarters explosion in the Stohess District… if all goes as suspected… was done by Annie. Under Lillian's orders?"
How did he convince Annie to obey him? That was one question. Another, the most crucial: how does the power of the 'Coordinate' work? Lillian claimed he didn't know—but now Erwin suspected he had lied.
"Could he be after this power too?"
Erwin pondered, but there was too little information to conclude. The biggest problem was that the apparent 'only person in the know'—Lillian—was no longer alive.
Bang!
The door suddenly slammed open, snapping Erwin out of his thoughts.
Hange entered, holding someone by the arm. The person wore a long robe, looking anxious, uneasy, and fidgety.
The robe reminded Erwin: it was the uniform of a priest from the Wall Cult. This man was clearly a priest.
"Hange, what's going on?"
"The news of Krista's unauthorized actions leaked when a soldier went to buy something. This man heard it and came immediately, saying he has urgent information!"
"Oh?"
"Commander Erwin!" The priest was frantic, wringing his hands.
"Don't wait! Don't wait! Go after the girl immediately! Hurry!"
"Krista? Why?" Erwin asked, sensing something.
"Is she… special?"
The priest hesitated. Hange whispered, "If you don't explain her importance, the commander will have little reason to risk sending soldiers to fight Titans for a disobedient recruit."
The priest gritted his teeth. "That girl… she has been entrusted with the fate of the Walls."
"The… fate of the Walls?"
"Who said nobody would come to save her?"
Reiner and Ymir both froze at the voice. They looked up to see Lillian standing on a branch of a large tree not far from them, arms crossed, watching.
"Here I am," he said, glancing at Ymir. "And you, you sharp-tongued girl… about what you said just now—'he should die! Better if he's dead!'—we'll settle that later."
"Shorty… you?!!"
"Why… Lillian, you…" Reiner's disbelief was so strong that he instinctively stepped back, almost falling from the tree! Luckily, he grabbed a trunk at the last moment and steadied himself.
"How are you still alive?!" he roared. He had seen with his own eyes how Bertholdt's fall, the explosion, and the searing heatwave had swallowed Lillian entirely. And yet… was he really seeing this?
"Yeah… why, indeed. You want to know, but I'm not exactly keen on telling you."
Ymir, staring at Lillian's intact arms, could not utter a word. She remembered clearly—his arms had been crushed to pulp, his entire body drenched in blood, completely at death's door. And now…
"A Titan? Are you… also a Titan?!" Reiner shouted, unable to accept the reality. He saw Lillian shake his head. "Even a Titan can't burn to ashes and still recover, right?"
"Then who… are you?!"
"I already said, I'm not telling you," Lillian replied with a grin. In the next instant, a figure darted rapidly from his side! Reiner, shocked by Lillian's sudden appearance, didn't react in time. In that split second of distraction, Ymir on a nearby trunk was snatched away!
Seeing the face of the figure, Reiner froze. Then a surge of uncontrollable rage burst from him. His square jaw twitched with anger as he ground his teeth:
"Ah! Annie!"
Thud-thud!
Annie landed on a tree trunk behind Lillian, holding Ymir. She set Ymir down and stood upright, her eyes carrying both sorrow and resolve.
"Reiner, I've made my decision."
"What decision?!"
"I'm staying inside the Walls," Annie said, facing him without flinching. "I will use the power of the 'Coordinate' to bring liberation to the Eldians."
"What?!" Reiner ground his teeth. "Annie! Do you think that can fight Marley? Are you insane? And your family! Aren't you concerned at all?!"
Annie's face paled. Lillian took over the response: "This question is for me to discuss with you."
"Shut up!!"
Reiner roared, fists trembling as he clenched them. Ymir behind Lillian warned him to be careful, but then quickly added, almost as if regretting it: "Uh… hey, shorty, you were here before, right? Have you been eavesdropping on us this whole time? You pervert."
"Huh?" Lillian glanced at her. "Less self-love, you sharp-tongued girl. I was trying to distract him so I could snatch you. Seriously… but now's not the time for this."
He turned back to Reiner, who was now emanating electric sparks, eyes full of determination:
"Lillian, I don't care what's going on with you. But since it's like this, I'll take you down again and bring Annie and Ymir back myself!"
He spoke, and a sudden explosion of electricity burst from his body like a thunderstorm tearing through clouds, illuminating the entire Giant Tree Forest!
"Oh? A fight, is it?" Lillian bent his legs slightly. The thick branches beneath his feet creaked and snapped under the force, struggling to support the weight. At the very next second, as Reiner began to transform, Lillian's body shot forward!
"Just as I wished!!"