"Who are you?!"
Roger touched his cheek with his fingers. Damp. She had really licked him?!
Pervert?!
Maniac?!
Roger was at a loss. The woman in front of him seemed completely unhinged.
It was like the old tales told in Marley's internment zone, the "Rainy Night Wraith" adults used to scare children with—Roger felt this woman was exactly like that monster in the stories. The kind that would cut off children's fingers, bind them up like pigs, and throw them outside the Walls.
Roger had never been afraid of those tales, but he always suspected people like that might exist. After all, the world was vast.
And now…
It seemed he had met one.
"My name is Hange Zoë. Hey, I heard you were eaten by a Titan, is it true?" Hange didn't even try to hide her curiosity. She gripped Roger's shoulders, urgently asking.
Roger noticed drool at the corner of her mouth, her face flushed, her body trembling slightly.
Damn it, was being eaten by a Titan something that excited people?!
Roger had no idea what to say, and didn't intend to answer. He simply pushed her away with distaste and glanced around for help.
Mike seemed to have been taken away by Captain Hall, and the rest of the people were strangers.
"Yes. What of it?"
With no choice, Roger answered.
"Oh!!" Hange grew even more excited. "Then… could you… hey, do you have time? Can you come with me?"
"…Where?"
"To my room."
"???"
Hange fidgeted, almost like a shy schoolgirl in love, pressing her fingers together as she pleaded nervously.
Roger had seen this scene before.
It was like a springtime romance, seniors and juniors passing love letters, holding hands, claiming April was their lie, vowing to be friends in the next life.
"Please. I'm very interested in that Abnormal. That creature must hold an unusual story… Please! Do it for the truth about the Titans! Please!"
She bowed deeply, sincerity radiating from her.
Roger couldn't refuse, though he didn't know what to say.
Finally, someone stepped in to ease the tension.
"Roger, you should go. Captain Hange won't give up on something like this until she gets answers."
Roger turned toward the voice—it was the female member of Hall's squad.
Thinking it over, Roger locked eyes with Hange. If he refused, she might start investigating him, and if she ever uncovered some clue, the consequences would be dire.
Besides, if what that woman said was true, Hange was a captain. Winning her trust might be useful.
It could be his first connection inside the Walls.
"…Alright."
Roger agreed.
"Yes!!"
Hange jumped in joy, like a girl whose confession had been accepted.
With his permission, she wasted no time and pushed Roger along toward her quarters.
She felt sure: if she could uncover the secret of that Abnormal, it would be the greatest discovery of this expedition.
Roger, half-resisting, followed her to her residence.
Meanwhile, unknown to them, Erwin—who had appeared at the stables—quietly pulled back his gaze, led out a horse, mounted, and rode swiftly into the distance.
At that same time, inside Hange's room.
The moment the door opened, Roger noticed the place was crude, though reasonably tidy.
On the way here he had already seen how this post was arranged: two wooden watchtowers, two stables, and dwellings dug from what seemed to be burrows of some animal.
Only after human modification did they resemble cave homes.
At least the higher ground kept out rain, and it allowed for distant views of approaching Titans.
The only problem—mosquitoes. Sitting on Hange's bed, Roger slapped several dead on his arm in moments.
"Alright, let's begin."
Hange sat in a wooden chair, pulling out a notebook and pen from who knew where.
"Mm."
Roger looked at the floor, then raised his head again.
He suddenly thought he should ask questions too.
After all, he had almost no information about the Walls, no idea what these people liked, or what kind of people they truly were.
Hange scribbled quickly on the page. "First question, your name?"
"Roger."
"Full name?"
"Roger Eikam."
"Ackerman?"
"What Ackerman? Eikam. Roger Eikam."
"Oh, sorry, my mistake."
She wrote his name down.
Roger kept swatting at mosquitoes.
"Can you tell me your address? If we get back inside the Walls, I could have someone return you home."
"I don't know. Ever since I was pulled from that Titan's stomach, I can't remember anything. Sorry."
"Nothing at all?"
"Nothing at all."
"At least the district, right?"
"Sorry. I don't remember."
"Family?"
"I have no family left."
"You must know their names."
"…Bertha Christian. My dearest grandmother."
"And?"
"No one else."
Roger shook his head.
Hange wrote some more.
"Do you remember when you were eaten by the Titan?"
"I don't remember."
"What do you remember?"
"Nothing. Just my memories with my grandmother. That's all."
"Then it must be selective amnesia," Hange concluded. "You must have been traumatized and chose to forget certain memories."
"Maybe."
Roger sighed.
If only it were true.
But he couldn't forget.
"Alright."
Hange closed the notebook, disappointed, the excitement gone.
"No more questions?"
"No more." Hange sighed. "I was too impatient, trying to force the truth about Titans. Damn… If you do remember anything, tell me immediately."
"Okay."
Roger nodded.
But he didn't leave.
"When will we return?" Roger asked.
"We'll follow the commander's orders." Hange glanced out the window. "The formation scattered today. We have to wait for others to return. Besides Hall's squad, two others are still missing."
"I see."
With nothing left to say, Roger started to rise.
But as he stood, Hange grabbed his sleeve.
"Wait."
"What is it?"
"Your eye, here—" Hange pointed at her own corner, indicating. "Is that a scar? It looks strange."
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