The grand trial was finally over.
The crowd dispersed, the tension in the air fading into murmurs and whispers.
The members of the Survey Corps exited through a special military passage, their boots echoing on the stone floor.
Eren followed silently behind them.
Now, he fully understood what Zeke had been trying to do.
But… was that really the right path
Was it truly okay to leave things as they were?
If things continued like this, Paradis Island might perish sooner than anyone expected.
"Eren, you must help your brother… please…"
His father's tear-streaked face appeared before him again—crying, desperate, ugly in its sorrow, yet unforgettable.
But could he really entrust the future of Paradis Island to the very people who had betrayed it time and time again?
To someone like Zeke, who, despite his calmness, was no different from the heartless royals—
A man who didn't love anyone. Not the world, not humanity, not even Paradis itself.
"Don't be afraid, Eren. Everything will be fine."
That gentle voice haunted him.
He wished it were an illusion.
Zeke's love—if it could be called that—was suffocating.
In both the future Eren remembered and in this moment now…
He could no longer bear it.
"You don't have to do anything," Zeke had said once. "Just answer truthfully."
But this feeling—that every step of his life had already been paved for him—was unbearable.
They were born on opposite sides.
They were enemies.
A sudden chill ran down Eren's spine.
Something in the air shifted—danger.
He lifted his head.
The street outside the royal court stretched before him, almost deserted now that the crowd had gone.
Only a few street vendors remained, pretending to busy themselves with their wares, but their eyes kept darting toward the courthouse.
A single dead leaf drifted down from a nearby tree, spinning lazily through the air—
A silent omen.
Zeke was being carried by two soldiers; the anesthetic hadn't worn off yet.
Erwin, however, seemed unusually cheerful. He patted Zeke on the back and grinned.
"Hang in there for a bit. I'll untie you when we're back at headquarters."
Zeke didn't respond, completely motionless.
"Come on, don't look so gloomy," Erwin teased. "I'll treat you to something nice when we're home."
"…Just not raw steak," Zeke muttered weakly.
"Deal!" Erwin's smile widened.
A short distance away, Carla was speaking with Keith. The old captain was hovering around her like an anxious bee—his intentions transparent even to a blind man.
"It's all over," Keith said. "You and the children are cleared of suspicion. You can go home now."
"Where's Mikasa?" Carla asked sharply.
Keith hesitated. "She's of Ackerman blood. We may need to bring her in for observation… of course, only with your consent, as her guardian."
"I don't consent," Carla snapped.
Keith raised his hands nervously. "Wait, don't be hasty! She's got incredible talent—it'd be a shame not to train her properly…"
"So you do want to turn her into a weapon?" Carla shielded the children behind her. "She's ten years old! No one will force my children to be anything they don't want to be—unless you go through me first!"
"Alright, alright!" Keith broke into a sweat. "Look at Levi—he's an Ackerman too, but he's no killing machine, right?"
Carla shot Levi a look and said coolly, "He's also short."
Keith nearly choked. "Shortness… uh… must be in the Ackerman genes! But hey, if Mikasa grows to, say, one-sixty, that's decent for a girl!"
Eren sighed silently. Mikasa's gonna be taller than the Captain someday…
Levi scowled.
But Eren wasn't in the mood to joke around. His instincts screamed that something was wrong.
Where are they?
Are the enemies going to strike here?
It made sense—if they attacked inside the royal capital, the advantage would be theirs.
After all, no soldiers except the Military Police Brigade were allowed to carry weapons in the capital.
Even if the Survey Corps had numbers, they were effectively unarmed.
Too dangerous…
Then Eren saw it—
A brim of a cowboy hat on a rooftop.
That familiar hat.
That chill that made every Survey Corps veteran's scalp tighten.
Kenny the Ripper.
At the same instant, Levi looked up too. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second.
But when Levi's gaze reached the rooftop—
The hat was gone.
Before anyone could react, chaos broke out.
Eren suddenly bolted forward from behind the formation, leaping onto Zeke's shoulders like a cat.
The move was so fast, so nimble, it stunned the soldiers.
Then—
He bit Zeke on the neck.
The crowd froze.
"What the hell—?!"
Hange rushed forward, pried them apart, and examined Zeke's neck. "You bit him! You actually bit him! Are you some kind of reincarnated dog, Eren?!"
The bite was deep—blood welled from the wound.
Zeke didn't even flinch. His body was still half-numb, but his heart… his heart hurt.
He looked at Eren quietly.
You hate me because I killed Father, don't you?
"No…" Eren started, but Carla swept in, hugging him protectively.
Her voice trembled with rage and sorrow.
"That's enough! Isn't this enough? We stood by you in court, for your father's sake! Isn't that enough, Zeke? Don't come near us again. Please… just stay away."
Her eyes burned with anger and grief.
Zeke lowered his head. "...Alright."
He understood. For now, distance was best—for all of them.
Carla pulled her children close and turned away.
Eren opened his mouth, wanting to say something—anything—but the words died before they formed.
There were things that couldn't be said yet.
Things that only Zeke could do.
So Eren simply watched as his brother was led away.
Bon voyage, Ni San.