The expedition beyond the Walls was underway.
After leaving the city, the soldiers quickly spread out into a long-range scouting formation, each moving forward to their assigned position.
Before Wall Maria fell, this area had once been a residential district, filled with houses. After the fall, however, those same buildings became perfect hiding places for Titans. When passing through them, an unlucky soldier might be devoured in an instant by a massive mouth that appeared out of nowhere.
Yet the others could not turn back. They had to leave the town as quickly as possible and reach the open plains, where the formation could be fully deployed.
Half an hour had already passed since the start of the expedition beyond the Walls.
Erwin remained firmly at the center of the formation, constantly observing. By judging the situation through signal flares fired from different directions, he chose routes that avoided Titans.
Everything was going smoothly—so smoothly that even Erwin found it hard to believe.
What he didn't know was that the being who should have appeared on the battlefield, the reaper of lives, was currently being restrained in a dark underground basement by the very man he suspected.
And her companions were now filled with confusion and growing anxiety.
---
What's going on…?
Reiner rode forward on horseback, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward the right flank.
"Annie… why haven't you shown up yet?"
---
Annie stared at Lillian, waiting for the future he had promised to describe.
Lillian remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.
"Annie, first of all, I need to make something clear. Even though I'm part of the Eldian Restorationists, I don't actually agree with their ideology."
"Mmph…" Annie was clearly surprised by this.
"The goal of the Restorationists is to liberate their people and ultimately restore the nation," Lillian continued. "But how? By building a country on this island? Or by seizing—no, reclaiming—Marley's territory? Most of them lean toward the latter, and that means endless war."
"I don't have such grand ambitions," he said calmly. "What I want is simple: for the people I care about to live safely and happily. But to achieve even that simple goal requires a path as difficult as climbing to the heavens."
Annie watched Lillian as he mentioned the title of a novel she had never heard of.
"There's a book I really like called The Godfather," he said. "It conveys a view of life like this: first, strive to realize your own value; second, devote yourself fully to caring for your family; third, help good people whenever you can; fourth, speak up for your people; and fifth, bring honor to your nation."
"So many people can't even take care of their parents or friends," Lillian said with a self-mocking smile, "yet they shout about 'dying for the country' all day long. Is that really admirable?"
"So for me," he continued, "being able to protect the people I care about is enough."
For some reason, Annie felt a bitterness rise in her chest.
"But when the nest is overturned, no egg survives," Lillian said quietly. "The people I care about are on this island. If the island is destroyed, they disappear with it. Can I accept that? No."
"So the future I want is one where this island survives. Where the people on this island survive. I can't achieve that future alone—so I need you."
"..."
For a moment, Annie felt almost grateful that her mouth was stuffed with the fiber restraints. Without them, she wouldn't have known how to respond.
"Annie," Lillian said, "for now, I want you to set aside the word 'mission.' Think objectively. If this island is destroyed, will that truly be a good thing for you so-called 'Honorary Marleyans'?"
He let out a cold laugh.
"When the birds are gone, the bow is put away. When the rabbits are dead, the hounds are boiled. Once Marley truly becomes the world's hegemon, your fate won't be much better than that of the people on this island."
Annie lowered her gaze. She had to admit—he was right.
In fact, even years ago, when they were still children, they had already been tightly controlled during training, constantly berated by Marleyan officers.
And yet they were taught, over and over, that the people inside the Walls were devils. That by destroying the devils, they themselves would be freed.
But when she arrived here—on the day the Walls were breached—she witnessed what true hell looked like. And a question was born in her heart.
The very question Lillian had just spoken aloud:
Were the people inside the Walls truly devils… or was it she, who destroyed the Walls, who was the real devil?
Was this… really right?
She had never voiced that doubt to anyone—not even her two companions. They were too resolute. Especially Reiner. His unwavering conviction left her unable to express her true thoughts.
Whenever she felt herself wavering, she would silently repeat the words her father had once told her:
What must be done, must be done—no matter what.
Destroying the Walls. Capturing Eren. These were things that had to be done.
And yet now, trapped here, restrained by Lillian's methods—after the initial fury faded, she felt an inexplicable sense of relief.
She knew exactly what that feeling was.
Escape.
It's not that I didn't carry out the mission.
It's that Lillian captured me, so I couldn't.
It's not that I didn't kill those soldiers.
It's that I wasn't able to go.
If that wasn't running away, then what was?
"But Annie."
Lillian stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. He leaned in, his face close to hers, eyes locked onto hers. In each other's pupils, they could clearly see their own reflections.
"If we work together, we can save this island," he said. "We can save the people here—and the Eldians in Marley as well."
"You probably think it's impossible," he went on. "And yes, Marley's technology far surpasses what exists on the island. There's almost no comparison. But don't forget—the island possesses the power of the 'Coordinate.'"
"You may know about the 'Vow Renouncing War,'" Lillian said. "As long as that vow exists, the king inside the Walls will never attack Marley. Even if the Walls fall and everyone on the island dies, he won't act—because the first king believed this was 'atonement.'"
"And by breaching Wall Maria, you already confirmed this."
"You weren't wrong," Lillian continued. "The king of the Walls is bound by that vow. Anyone who inherits the Founding Titan also inherits the first king's ideology—brainwashed into pacifism."
"But," he said, his tone sharpening, "things have changed."
He dropped the bombshell.
"The power of the Founding Titan has already been taken."
Annie's eyes flew wide open.
"That power no longer belongs to the royal family. A non-royal inherited it—and was not bound by the vow renouncing war."
"You guessed correctly," Lillian said. "It's Eren. The power is in his hands. And you should understand better than anyone just how deep his hatred for his enemies runs."
"One could say this is the worst possible outcome for Marley," he continued. "With his intense sense of purpose and the rage he's accumulated, once he fully masters the Coordinate…"
"You know what will happen."