"Lillian, you're leaving?!"
Marlo stared at him with wide eyes, shock written all over his face. It seemed that after becoming a squad leader, he'd shaved off his bowl cut in an attempt to look more mature, replacing it with a strange short hairstyle.
The atmosphere should have been serious and heavy, yet that haircut somehow gave Lillian an urge to laugh—though not quite enough to actually do so.
"Yeah. I'll be gone for a while, but I'll definitely come back."
Ymir and Carly already knew about this, so neither of them reacted much. Only Marlo and Annie were hearing it for the first time. Marlo immediately bombarded him with questions, while Annie remained silent.
"Where are you going, Lillian? Is it safe? What are you going to do? Do you need us to—"
"Alright, alright." Lillian cut him off. "I'll be leaving the island for a bit. As for what I'm doing…"
He glanced at Annie and Ymir. "I'll be looking for some important things. You don't need to worry. Nothing will happen."
He paused, seeing everyone watching him in silence, then continued.
"I've already made some arrangements inside the Walls. In the short term, the Survey Corps should be on our side. In a few days, they'll probably move their headquarters to Stohess District. I've also settled things with President Zachary. Kenny and the intelligence network under him will report directly to you, Annie."
He looked at Annie. Her expression was as cold as ever, but deep within her dark blue eyes burned a suppressed fury.
"For now, security shouldn't be a problem. But you must keep Rod Reiss under control in the underground passageways. Don't hand him over to anyone—no matter who, not even the Survey Corps. There's only one exception: if Marley or another nation's army lands on the island… though that shouldn't happen for several years."
"And about the Beast Titan, Zeke—he may return to the island in the future. When that happens, Carly will handle negotiations with him. I've already told you the relevant background. If you discover he's landed, try not to let him have private contact with Eren. And if Hizuru sends people, be cautious in dealing with them as well…"
Lillian continued, laying out his plans one by one. The more he spoke, the worse Annie's expression became, until her fists were clenched so tightly it looked like she was barely holding herself back.
"As for the military inside the Walls—"
"Are you giving us your last words?" Annie suddenly interrupted him.
Everyone froze and turned to look at her. Lillian stopped mid-sentence, looking at her as he was about to speak—but she turned around and walked straight out of the room.
"Ah." Carly brushed back her long wavy hair and glanced at the unmoving Lillian, letting out a light laugh. "At a time like this, any boy who doesn't chase after her would be far too dull."
"…Sorry."
Lillian snapped back to himself and quickly left the room. Seeing this, Ymir frowned slightly and looked at Carly.
"You seem pretty knowledgeable about this sort of thing."
"Well, I am a few years older than you, after all."
"Hah? Older than me?"
Lillian caught up to Annie in the corridor before she got far. He jogged a few steps and grabbed her arm at the end of the hallway.
"Hey, Annie."
"Let go of me!"
Annie violently shook his hand off and glared at him coldly. "What did you come out here for? Go back and keep reciting your 'last words'!"
"What last words? I'm not done living yet, alright?! What nonsense are you talking about?!"
"Isn't it?" Annie shot back. "Then what were you saying just now? Weren't you basically telling us, 'Even without me, you'll all be fine'?"
Lillian opened his mouth, but no words came out. That really was what he'd been implying.
"Lillian, do you remember what you said before?" The fire in Annie's dark blue eyes was practically bursting out. "You said there was 'another future,' didn't you? You bastard—did you forget all the things you said back then when you tied me to that wooden frame?!"
"How could I forget?!"
"Then what are you doing now? You won't tell us where you're going, no matter what. Are you saying you have some unavoidable reason? If you really do, why won't you tell us? Or is that just an excuse?"
"You think I don't want to?!" Lillian's own temper finally flared under her relentless questioning. "Some things aren't up to me! Do you think I want to leave? Why would I?! I haven't even gotten sick of looking at your stupid face yet—why would I want to go!"
Hearing his words, Annie instantly exploded in rage and threw a punch straight at Lillian's chest. He didn't dodge or block—bang—he took the blow head-on. Yet his body didn't even sway.
He raised his hand and grabbed Annie's wrist, his voice sharp and forceful.
"Listen to me, you icy, expressionless face girl! If I say I'll come back, then I will come back! All you have to do is stay alive and wait properly, got it?!"
"Let go!!"
Annie had completely lost control now—either blinded by anger or simply venting everything she'd been holding in. She twisted her body and lashed out with a kick, but Lillian caught her ankle just as easily. His grip was like iron, instantly restraining her—yet in the very next moment, he released her.
"I'll say it again," Lillian said. "If I said there's another future, then I'll make it real. Just give me some time."
Annie staggered back two steps and leaned against the corridor wall, breathing heavily.
"Time…" She looked up at him. "How much do you think you still have?"
"I know that inheriting Titan power comes with a thirteen-year lifespan," Lillian said, tapping his own head. "That number is a countdown timer engraved in my brain. Before it reaches zero, I'll find a way to stop it—to smash that damn countdown into pieces. Do you understand?"
"You're saying… what?"
"I'm saying you can afford to be happier. Laugh when you want to laugh! Why do you keep that stiff face all day long?" Lillian snapped. "Titan shifters age faster than normal people—so what, do you think never smiling will stop wrinkles from forming?"
"…There's no way," Annie said quietly. "If there were, the cycle wouldn't have repeated for over a thousand years."
"To hell with cycles!" Lillian roared. "Fate, destiny—those things are born to be crushed underfoot! I won't believe in them, and you'd better not either!"
He clenched his teeth. "Otherwise, when you're eighty years old and still not dead, and you think back on what you said today, you'll want nothing more than to come back in time and strangle yourself!"
"…"
Looking at his furious expression, Annie suddenly felt her heart tremble. Without realizing it, the corners of her mouth lifted into a faint smile. It was mixed with bitterness, yet still undeniably beautiful.
"You'd better… keep your word."