Summary: Eren and Erena finally talk and it might lead to deal...or something like that. And while they are talking, Erwin, Hange, and Levi have their own world doing assumptions from their informations. Finally, Grisha's full name was mentioned.

Chapter 4: Talks, Deals, And Assumptions

Erena walked inside the lab with Hange. The smell of herbs greeted her with the expectant look of Kruger who forgotten that he was supposed to make the medicine rather than look as though he was so close to pouncing at her.

"Erena." He drawled with a longing in his voice.

"What do you want to talk about?" She asked calmly. Hange sensed the tense atmosphere even if both look calm on the surface and decided that it's best to leave.

Upon the sound of Hange's footstep faded away, it looks like Kruger can't take it anymore and pulled Erena to a hug.

Erena was startled and jerked away from him. She did not expect that he will be so shameless to even hug her when he knew what he had done to make her hate him. Yeah, he might look ready to tackle her but she thought that he will even have the slightest hesitation before doing it. But who knew that she will be caught off guard.

"I'm sorry, Erena. I'm very sorry." She understood that he was not asking about forgiving him for hugging her but instead asking for her forgiveness about his sins years ago.

"What do you want to talk about?" Erena asked again, ignoring his apology.

"I..." Kruger fidgeted awkwardly. He did not know how to start a conversation with her. He really wanted to talk to her about everything but he did not know how.

Kneeling in front of Erena while looking at her with unreadable emotions in his green eyes, no one would have thought that he really looked lost. It's like all his knowledge disappeared as he stared at her niece who was facing him with blank eyes.

How he wished that he can see those twinkling green eyes that were the same color as him again.

How he wanted those days with her again where he is a family to her.

He wanted to utter another sorry but he knew it was of no use. No amount of apologizing can earn her forgiveness for what he had done to her.

He broke her trust.

He broke her family.

He broke her entirely.

Why did he have to leave her behind?

Why did he not grab her when they flee?

In that place full of cruelty, how can she live peacefully like how he wanted it to be?

"I..." His voice disappeared.

Erena did not want to talk to him at all. But she was standing before him and that alone makes him very happy. So to not upset her any further that may cause her to step away from him, he decided to change the subject.

There is plenty of time to earn her forgiveness.

There is plenty of time to spend with her again.

And this time, he did not want to fail her again.

They will be family again.

"I wanted to ask how you are feeling." He didn't believe he managed to speak these words without stuttering.

Erena rolled her eyes. "I'm fine."

Kruger did not believe her.

"You're still having a fever." He checked. She swatted his hands away and glared at him. How she wanted to curse her fever for making all her senses sluggish and dull.

"For the last time... What do you want to talk about?"

Kruger sighed helplessly. "Before that..." He looked at the table where he was making the medicine and Erena followed his gaze.

"Yeah, right... Hange told me you are having a hard time. Didn't expect that to be true." She turned to him. "Do the diseases of the devils in here that complicated and hard to treat?"

Erena furrowed her brows like she was checking about something. "But that's weird. It just looks like a very bad cold although I felt weaker as the cold stays longer. If people are dying from this cold, then it must be a new virus. It cannot be the-" Erena caught herself off.

"The what?" Kruger asked. Erena shook her head ignored him. She walked towards the table and looked at the ingredients. Kruger followed her quietly.

After seeing the ingredients and looking at the cauldron, the she instantly knew that luck was not on her side. And she was beginning to feel something on her chest. Like a dormant fuse that was lit up and became active again. But whatever she was feeling inside didn't show on her face. "This kind of disease already has a treatment and you knew how to do it. So why did you make an excuse of having a hard time doing it? Was it just to talk to me?" She interrogated him in calm manner but there's something else in her voice that Kruger can't help but notice.

"N-no!" He denied. "I really don't know what's wrong with it."

Erena raised an eyebrow. Something flickered in her eyes. Kruger just knew she's doubting him. But how could Kruger explain it? He did not even know why the medicine he kept making was still not right. At first, doctors thought that it was a simple case of colds and no need to call someone like him. When more people have been affected, they said it was a kind of cold that spreads faster but it's still a cold. Just another varient. That's why the Shiganshina went in lockdown. An old man died from it but they said he can't take the cold due of old age. But another death occured and it was children so they became much more alert and tried to make a cure. They thought that they were succesful but the patients who suffered from the virus have a recurrence much worse than the first one and died. That's when they decided to call him, the noble doctor. But the virus was spread throughout Shiganshina and if a cure was not yet made, the death toll would rise higher.

Fortunately, luck was on his side because he knew the cure for the virus. The thing was, he didn't know why that medicine was still not the right one even if he followed every steps to make it.

Erena looked at the table again and checked the ingredients inside the pouch. She saw a bunch of leaves but one particular kind caught her attention. She grabbed and smelled it.

This leaves... She was right. And she was not happy about it.

Instantly, the room's temperature became cold.

"Hey... Kruger... Are you... Are you fucking kidding me?!" She shouted. Kruger flinched at her outburst.

"What?" He asked, confusion was painted over his face.

Without looking at him, she grabbed the leaves inside the pouch and showed him bunch of leaves. All of them showing only one kind.

"Do you know what is this?" She asked in a shushed voice filled with venom.

"That's the-"

"How stupid! Of course, you wouldn't know what it is! The mess proves it." She snapped.

"What?" Kruger was starting to become stupid as he had no idea what Erena was talking about.

"I told you a long time ago that this kind of leaves were very similar to another kind. One of them is the most important ingredient in making the medicine while the other one can be an alternative but it will cost you much more ingredients to waste. You cannot distinguish it from their appearance alone, you have to smell it first!"

Kruger's body grew stiff. He remembered similar words like that. Similar words that he had long forgotten because it was connected to that day. But now, it's like a strong typhoon that was destroying his body emotionally and mentally.

"I'm wondering what's wrong with this medicine but it turns out it's the leaves that I've got wrong."

"Yeah. This kind of leaves were very similar to another kind. And you got the kind where you need to use more herbs to make it right."

"Really?"

"Of course!"

"Then how can I distinguish them from the other one?"

"Since you cannot distinguish it from their appearance alone, then you have to smell it!"

The look on Kruger's face made Erena realized something.

"You've forgotten it." She shook her head "No... You've intentionally forgotten it." She rephrased and looked at Kruger in utter rage.

"How dare you..."

"I'm sorry."

A punch met his face. He was surprised at the strength she possessed despite her small stature. Even if that punch hurt, he was happy deep inside.

Erena has grown stronger.

But while he was happy, he also can't help but be sad and heart-broken at the same time. Because to get this kind of strength, she needed to train hard and improve through blood and sweat. And he knew full well how Marley train their warriors.

Just thinking about all her hardships made him regret...

"You felt guilty. You felt ashamed. You wish to change everything. That's why you regret it." Erena said slowly. She tiptoed to reach the collar of his shirt and forcefully dragged him downwards to stare straight into his eyes, his face level with hers.

"But it's no excuse for intentionally forgetting every mistake you've done." Kruger can see the forming tears in her eyes due to anger. "REMEMBER IT KRUGER! Only the victim can choose if they wanted to forget it or not. But you, as a culprit. As an offender, the perpetrator. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO FORGET IT! You need to torture yourself with the sins you've committed until you wish you've just DIED!" She punched him again. This time he noticed that it was weaker and slower. He can even feel the hotness of her knuckles.

"Do you understand me?" She asked firmly. Another punch was about to come so he closed his eyes. But nothing came after a while. He opened them as see Erena staring coldly at him. No emotion can be seen in her eyes. Only the cold look that spoken many sights she had seen in her life.

This cold look that he had seen many times in the past.

From the eyes of Marleyans who hates them.

And from the eyes of Eldians who fought wars.

When will those cold eyes disappear?

"Kruger!" He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Erena, his beloved niece. "I said, do you understand me?" He nodded.

Erena let him go. "Even if you wanted to forget it, you won't be able to because I will make you remember it every single day."

Kruger, who was wiping the blood on his face suddenly looked at her with eyes that express his intentions.

"I knew it." Erena smirked as her last sentence gave Kruger away.

Kruger stared at her, not even embarrassed that the main reason he wanted to talk to her, aside from getting help with the medicine was to...

"You wanted me to come with you." She exposed.

Kruger stayed silent.

Erena scoffed. "What makes you think that I will come with you?"

"You needed to make sure that I won't revealed anything to the King; Otherwise, your plan to destroy and infiltrate these walls will be finished."

"You are okay with us destroying these walls?" She asked, rather surprise.

He became a spy to protect the devils and he suddenly looked like he was agreeing to their plan. Was his head hit or something?

"No." Kruger shook his head. "But I knew Marley won't be so stupid as to just destroy these walls and the humanity inside without information."

"We knew-" Now it was Kruger's turn to cut her off.

"You knew about the vow of the king renouncing war but you also knew its risks. King Fritz managed to renounce the vow, how can you all be sure that the current holder of the founding titan won't reverse anything? Marley won't risk it when they send you here. After all, the founder is the founder, the titan shifters are titan shifters, and eldians will always be an eldian." Kruger grinned knowingly. He was happy how Erena's body grew stiff. It means that the chances that he will be with her again were growing bigger. Although he was risking angering her at his words, it's okay since she was already angry at him to begin with. He will just make it up to her later.

"And don't forget the founding titan is not the only titan on our side." He was supposed to be guilty for forcing her like this. But he can't help but be happy about it. No matter what, he will always place his family on the top of the list.

"That's why I wanted you to come with me."

"I would never betray them!" Erena immediately turned him down.

"No. It's not like what you were thinking."

"What?" She asked in sudden confusion. "Explain it." Kruger paused for a moment to see if Erena was listening before he speak.

"As long as you came with me, I won't tell anyone especially the King that someone from outside the walls is already here. You can also infiltrate with the other warriors without needing to destroy these walls and quietly find the coordinate. He will be only surprised that you are here to take the titan power away from him."

"In short, it's a double-edged sword." She concluded sarcastically.

"That might sound like it but it's not."

Erena sneered at him. "Oh please." She drawled. "To infiltrate inside these walls, we need fake information about us to fit in. You may help with that but it also means that you will know about us. We will be hidden to everyone but you." She pointed at him. "So if you decided to betray us, we will all be killed without accomplishing anything."

"No-"

"Oh come on, Kruger!" She exclaimed angrily. "You'll tell me that it won't happen? That you won't turn your back against us?" She fiercely glared at him. "You turned your back years ago. How can you not do it again?"

"It's n-"

"And just like you said earlier, the founder is the founder, the titan shifters are titan shifters, and eldians will always be an eldian." Her fierce glare was staring daggers at him. "As long as the titan shifters are all connected, losing the will to live was unacceptable to Marley! And if that ever happened even if it won't, there will be no escape inside these walls for us!"

"That's why they send you here as an assurance!" Kruger argued. "And you are all warriors! I'm sure Marley trained you for this very day." He added while trying very hard to keep the images popping on his mind on the possible ways on how Marley trained them.

"So what? I still won't come with you. Besides, since you already knew about us, the risks in our mission will be much higher. It's better if I kill you first."

Kruger can't help but barked out a laugh. Her methods would always be simple and straight to the point. Since he poses a threat on their mission, she will eliminate him to get rid of the enemy that block their way. His laughter slowly died out and he smiled. A smile that will push Erena to kill him in the most torturous ways. "If you wanted to kill me, do so. That would make it easier for the coordinate to get the information from me even if I wanted to or not since he will be curious who suddenly killed me in a place with the best soldiers. And not only that..." He raises a hand with the four fingers clenched except the index that was pointing upwards. It's like how a teacher will lecture a student. "You didn't know if that other titan is me. I can transform and you would be killed instantly. And just like I mentioned, this building is filled with skilled fighters who battle the titans and capable of bring you down given your current state. You are sick and lacking in strength as of the moment, everything will be disadvantageous in different ways."

Erena gritted her teeth in anger. Anger that Kruger was right. She clenched her fist and forced herself to calm down. And she smiled like Kruger.

"Then," She started and looked directly at Kruger's green eyes. "If I cannot kill you at the moment, I will knock you out and get out of here. You can't transform as long as you didn't draw blood. Since it came to this, wouldn't it be better to destroy these walls first and let the Coordinate see how powerful we are? After all, he was still under the King's will. If he wanted to reverse it and save the devils, it wouldn't be that fast." Her eyes glittered in ruthless excitement. "And if he can't fully use the power of the coodinate and he is againsts titan shifters, he will be hopelessly outnumbered! You can also bring out that other titan that your family holds for centuries. There's nothing special with that titan! I can even fight you all by myself. With those two titans defeated, our mission is finished!"

Silence rang over the room before Kruger spoke.

"Erena..." he called quietly and looking intently at her green eyes that were similar to his. Erena's body became tense when she heard something with Kruger's voice. Her knuckles was twitching, waiting to attack him if he ever done something offensive in her eyes.

"I know you don't believe all the good things I say except the bad things that came from my mouth. If you do believe me, you will immediately laugh and say that it's impossible when I told you that I can transform and kill you. You didn't believe that I cared for you but believe that I will kill you. But Erena," He took a deep breath before resuming.

"If I wanted to reveal that you are already here, I can find many different ways to tell him. I can tell him anything even if I am in this room right now if I am ever the other titan. Or if you wanted to kill me and I die, getting information from me was still possible for the coordinate. Of course, you cannot take out in the list of possibilities that I maybe a normal person. And if I am really a normal person, I can still tell him about you even if I am in this room in many different ways. In other words, he might know that you are here IF I wanted to tell him everything." His eyes was dancing with mirth that he cannot hide as he pushed everything just to force Erena to accept coming with him.

"AND if he knows, he can start reversing everything while your fellow warriors are still outside the walls. He will know everything about you while you don't have any idea about him. You will never knew if he will show up the moment you destroy the walls in his former glory. ALSO, you needed to wait until morning when the titans are active and can be used as a diversion. If the founder reverses the will, that diversion will be used against you. That would be a tragedy for you warriors, right? You need to wait the whole night but can't accomplish anything while the one you dubbed as the Coordinate can reverse everything." He finished with a grin.

"You!" Erena spat in utter rage. Her nails was dugging deep in the flesh of her palms. Her fist was clenched so tightly he can see the veins. But no matter how hard her fist was clenched, Kruger still has that irritating smile that cannot seem to be wiped away from his face. He stretched out his hand to her. "But if you wanted to come with me, it possess great advantages. The coordinate won't know a single thing and your fellow warriors will be safe from being discovered. Risks will always be part of your mission but you know there are kind of risks that is only a product of your doubt. You cannot see the whole picture because you are doubting me. You are letting your hate towards me cloud your judgment. If you let your non-existent pride get in your way, you cannot achieve you goal. That's why, let your pragmatic mind take over for a while. Now, I will ask you. Are you willing to trust me and take your mission to a much safer risk?"

Inside, Kruger was cursing himself for saying harsh words to her even if his harsh words were cotton compared to the words Erena was used to hearing. But right now, it doesn't matter. No amount of negativity can dampen his happiness as he knew that he can convince Erena.

"OF. COURSE. NOT! Everything about you cannot be related to 'a much safer risk'. It only spelled DOOM!" Kruger grimanced. His previous thought was long forgotten as he finally came to a realization that Erena is not similar to other people who he can easily convince through his eloquent tongue. And that alone can really dampen his happiness. It looks like he really need to try hard.

"You can do anything you want without informing me of anything. If you need fake information then you do it yourself. I will only tell you how to do it and where you need to put those documents yourselves. You will also be more secured inside the walls if you can use me. You can use my name and connections to pull strings and informations so that you can be safe. Taint my name as you like it." He suddenly smirked playfully. "Since the Coordinate was hiding in the dark, shouldn't you do the same?

"Kruger..." Erena said through gritted teeth. Kruger was worried that her teeth might get crushed from the intensity of her anger that he continued to fuel unintentionally. "What are you playing at?"

"I will protect you. So if you wanted to protect those warriors then it's fine but please just come with me." and gave me another chance. He wanted to say those words but he cannot. Not right now.

"You are willing to side with us just to protect me?" She laughed mockingly. "Who will believe those shits? You're still an Eldian who will protect the devils inside these walls. That's why you became a spy!"

"I will not side with Marley. I will also not side with Eldians. I will side with my family." He declared. Yes... From the beginning he only sides with his family.

"Grisha is also your family. Who knew what's going on in my father's crazy head." She said in contempt.

"Grisha might be family. But he is not a family." Erena looked at him like he had grown another head but he did not care.

Eren Kruger will only side with Erena.

He will protect his last family until the end.

"So, Erena, what do you say? Is it a deal or no deal?"

While Eren and Erena are talking...

Hange burst through Erwin's room, nearly destroying the door at the process. Inside, she saw that Levi was already sitting on the chair infront of Erwin's desk. This meeting was not planned but they look like they have a tacit understanding on what they planned to talk about.

"Erwin! Levi! I think that Erena might be in Wall Sina but have live in the-"

"Underground." Erwin finished.

Hange blinked behind her glasses and nodded. "At first I thought she lives outside Wall Sina. But they way she acts and her ability to fight definitely smells from the underground." She sat at the chair across Levi. "But you certainly moves fast. You've investigated her already."

"No." Erwin shook his head. "But I investigated Dr. Kruger's information months ago." He gaze at the papers in his table.

"Hange, what do you think of Erena going outside the walls? How did she manage to escape from underground and pass three walls?" Erwin asked.

"She can easily get past the people guarding the stairs because of her strength. It's also easy to pass three walls as long as you were going out but the Garrisons stationed in the outer gate that connects to the titan territory won't let anyone outside the walls without proper permission. Even us, the scouts, can't just go outside casually. But I knew that Kruger is not behind it. Erena herself may be the one who made it possible by sneaking outside with ODM gear. But because the gear was destroyed earlier before we've met, we saw her without anything."

After contemplating for a bit, she thought that even if Erena managed to take down a titan without a gear, it's still impossible to climb over the walls without it. Hange can only see that as a possibility. Mikasa have done that when the Shiganshina was in lockdown due to plague. Although she managed to do it because the guards in the inner gate was pretty lax in security.

Erwin agreed with Hange. "But you can't deny that Kruger can order the guards to let Erena outside. We will assume that was the case if we didn't see their current state of relationship. After all, no matter how much Kruger hides it, we already have an inkling feeling that he was powerful behind the scenes even if most people think he's not because of his feud with the government years ago."

"Yeah. I can never forget it. I really thought that the scouts was done for! The order came out so suddenly without prior notice." Hange still remembered how the scouts owe Kruger a favor for saving them when the nobles and the other sectors in the government wanted them to disband.

"Kruger performed a single speech and persuaded most people to appeal to the government. He did not use any sort of connections but rather strike the faces of the nobles with the people's power. Even smart people will think that Kruger's connection with the government was severed except the authority he got as one of the nobles." Erwin paused and look at both people in front of him knowingly.

"The brat's existence proves otherwise." Levi said.

"No information or even the name Erena has been found even with the extensive research I did with Kruger's information. We didn't even know her surname until now and unless we ask, it's highly possible she won't tell us. She's an entirely unknown variable who suddenly showed up and made us realize that Kruger's hidden secret is much bigger than we thought." Erwin sipped his tea before continuing. "And as a doctor, it's no doubt that he'd got connections within the underground where his medical knowledge is more needed and in demand. But..."

"If our assumptions are true that Kruger really left Erena in the underground which explains why she hates him, then he might have some reasons for doing it. Otherwise, he won't leave her there when he knew the dangers of that place. And if he ever uses his connections within the underground to protect Erena then it might backfire. Somebody like the thugs in the underground might use Erena to threaten him. So the best protection he can give her is to be with him. " Hange finished.

"Oi, Four-eyes." Levi called. "You are forgetting about her family. There was supposed to be a mother who can't bear to part with her child and the child who wanted to be at their mother's side... It's clique but realistic."

Hange blinked repeatedly as she thought about what Levi just said and barked out a laughed. "Levi! I didn't know that you are a Mama's boy!"

Levi almost choked on the tea he was drinking but managed to compose himself from embarrassing himself in front of this Shitty Glasses and the squad leader Eyebrows.

How the hell she manage to came up with that assumption?

"But if you are talking about cliques. Then it's also clique about mothers begging her family members or other people to adopt their children because she can't bear to see them suffer." Hange leaned a little with her arms placed on her thighs. Levi made sure that he still have lots of space between the both of them. Who knew what dirt this shitty glasses have on her after helping a doctor make medicines and taking care of a sick brat. "Besides, do you think that Kruger will let that happen?"

She laughed creepily and Levi can immediately tell that she was turning crazy again. He was getting ready on his feet to leave the room immediately after she started sprouting nonsense. She will only waste his time when he still have more paperworks to finish about their mission.

"Knowing Kruger, he won't let that happened." Erwin answered.

Hange nodded excitedly. "Yes! Kruger cares about Erena a lot than he lets on. So do you think that Kruger, who strike the faces of the nobles and the government directly because he did not want the scouting regiment to disband, let his beloved niece rot and suffer in the underground when he can protect her better in the surface just because her mother said so? Someone like Kruger wouldn't do that! Not even in my wildest dreams!" She exclaimed, nearly standing in her chair for a moment.

"So the reason why she was left in the underground and why she went outside the walls remained a mystery." Levi leaned back to the chair. The shitty glasses did not say anything crazy and for the first time, she did say something that caught his interest.

'Erena, huh...' He thought.

"Yeah." Hange nodded. "But Kruger won't give that information away so easily. He was ready to protect her very existence judging from how you cannot get any information about her."

"You've noticed her clothes, right?" Erwin asked Hange suddenly.

"Her clothing can only be found in Wall Sina. Only the richest can afford it."

"And there's no such things like that in the underground. Kruger can only send it to her." Levi added.

The three of them knew what each other was implying.

If Kruger ever sent those clothes to Erena, it won't escape the keen eyes of the thugs in the underground no matter how subtle it was. She was bound to catch the attention of the people that can put her in danger. A fight will errupt and the military police will soon heard of it. The people guarding the stairs also won't keep quiet about Erena's escape. But they have not heard any sort of information or even rumors about a little girl no more than 10 years old was receiving luxurious clothing or even a big fight because a piece of clothing that were not supposed to appear in the underground.

"Our work's jurisdictions might be outside of the walls but it did not mean we are not informed about anything that was happening in Wall Sina since we become targeted once without us noticing." Hange said. "That only proves that Kruger pulled some strings. It's probably the first interior squad he used. That's the only squad we cannot infiltrate."

"But the reason that brat's wearing those extravagant clothes were still unanswered." Levi said.

"Yeah. Erena looks like someone who won't wear the clothes sent by the person she loathes. And yet she was wearing it. It contradicts everything their current relationship possess." Hange knew that when pride becames dominant, with Erena's skills, she can get her own clothes even if it's not extravagant just to prove herself to Kruger that she didn't need him. Wearing that kind of clothes will also make her easily noticed when she leaves the underground or went outside Wall Sina.

"We'll leave it like that for now." Erwin said and placed another bunch of paper on the desk. Hange and Levi went to see it. "While I can't find information about Erena, I became curious why they have not yet made a move on Eren Kruger. As he said a while ago, if the King prosecuted the Ackerman's like erasing them from history then he is right for saying that they don't value skills."

"That might be because Dr. Kruger is not talking about the outside world. He just wanted to stop the Scouts from disbanding. Some people like him have hope and wish for a change. A world without titans." Hange said.

"And we still do not know if the Ackerman's are killed because they are related to anything shitty about the walls." Levi reminded. "It maybe because for another reason."

"That's right." Erwin agreed. "But you knew Kruger's ability to talk. A few words can spark more hope to the people. He is considered dangerous to the government because he might persuade many people to be curious about the walls and maybe he, himself might be finding information about the outside world. So to prevent their worst possible outcome, won't it be okay to just make him disappear?" That might sounds harsh but Hange and even Levi agreed he has a point.

"I reviewed his information from the investigation months ago and found a familiar name mentioned recently. I ordered an investigation about that person. It's about the only secret that he has." Hange's eyebrows shot a little. Who was the familiar name mentioned recently? She knew it was not Erena's information because he has Kruger's backing. So it can only be that doctor, the only mystery in Kruger's life as the people knew it. But they did not know his name and they did not bother knowing it. So how can be that doctor be familiar?

"Hurry up and explain it." Levi said impatiently.

Erwin cleared his throat. "The doctor that taught him medicine was promoted four years ago and currently working in the castle as a personal physician of the royal family. I thought that he is nothing but a doctor but who would have thought he will be a very important person that might help us discover something." He pushed the papers to them. Hange and Levi read the info written on it.

"What the..." Hange grin excitedly as she clutched the papers. "So he is the familiar name that was recently mentioned."

"Tch. It's just a shitty doctor."

Hange teased him. "Come on, Shorty. It's not only just. He is a doctor who might know something."

Then she turned to Erwin. "Now that I thought about it, the Garrisons never checked the cart like they always did even with dead bodies when Kruger was with us. I thought that it's nothing since we are only a small group of scouts who went outside this month. But if one look closely, how can they just be lax at their job when they are in the direct order from the government to be strict at their job at all times? I still remember how a member tried to be lax at his job and be expelled the next day."

Levi understand what she was pertaining to and his interest peak even more. He leisurely drink his tea while listening as Hange continued her ramblings.

"But it looks like some Garrisons who are guarding the outer gate knew that Kruger is someone very powerful inside these walls AND that's the real reason why they never checked the carts. That's why Erena was never found." Hange stared at Erwin with knowing eyes.

"This person like what the Commander accidentally blurted out, had been found outside the walls. It might be the Garrisons on the outer gate who saw him walking outside or maybe it was the scouts who saw him during an expedition. But in both cases, no matter how they tried to keep it private, we will naturally know of it as a scouts because we are squad leaders." Levi snorted at her statement.

"It's only because you keep involving yourself at the stuff you shouldn't know." He interjected.

"It's not my fault that they are sloppy in keeping things private. But I say that this time, they really keep things a secret." She said unrepentantly as she explain her point. "If this man was ever found during an expedition and we are scouts at that time, if the people never knew of it then we will naturally know of it as a scouts. That's why similar to Kruger, this man might also be powerful behind the scenes." She drank the cup of tea on the table after she was finished. Her throat was becoming dry for talking too much. She then noticed that two pairs of eyes were staring at her. She look at the two men in the room, waiting for one of them to talk.

Erwin and Levi keep staring at her as if waiting for something. "What is it?"

"You've still got tons of shit inside your head. Keep talking." Levi ordered.

Hange pouted. The shorty hated noises and her babbling that he deemed nonsense, but this topic gained his interest and attention to even ordered her to express everything she had. But...

She looked at Erwin who did not say anything except sipping his tea with unusual diligence. It's clear that he was asking her to talk on his behalf. But if she thought about it, why did they needed to express everything? Even without her saying anything, these two will connect the dots and understood it. It's just that Levi was too interested and became lazy to even think about it.

So the only reason is Erwin.

"Erwin, are you stuck or something?" She asked worriedly.

"I just wanted to confirmed if I am right."

"You will be naturally right! That brain of yours can think two steps ahead."

Erwin sighed. "I'm only wondering if my conclusion is real or not."

Hange sighed. It's two against one and she's obviously on the losing side.

So Hange continued. "The thing is, we did not know anything about it. Everyone was very tight-lipped if not for the Commander blurting it out. But even if we did not know anything about that secret, at least we can feel that there is a secret. Like how we feel that Kruger is someone with connections deeper than we thought. So if Levi and I didn't know about it and you also didn't know despite being here in the Survey Corps for a decade, then we can deduce that the time he was found wandering outside the walls can only be 13 years ago where none of us are a scout yet and the current Commander Shadis was still a squad leader."

She then flips the paper hastily. "Not only that. If you look closely, it was said that he was working in the Palace all his life. And four years ago, he became the king's physician the same time Kruger became known in the field of medicine. And Kruger himself admitted that he studied under him for three years after they've recently met so seven years in total. So if we go by that logic, this person-" She pointed at the picture of the man."- have stronger connections than Kruger."

"Maybe his authority can rival the Supreme Commander Zackly." Erwin deduced calmly. "Or maybe even greater than that. But still more powerful than Kruger."

Hange nodded in agreement. "Yes. After all, this man's connection might be coming from the royal family itself. Moreover, Kruger's connection might be also coming from the royal family through this man's close ties. This man who have not yet met Kruger 13 years ago when he managed not only to be saved from being punished for the crime of illegally going outside the walls but also managed to hide the information from the public. It's like no one was found outside the walls at all."

"The former and current commander, maybe some of the scouts as well as some Garrison members are maybe the only one knew of it. No matter how he manage to get inside the walls. Maybe through an expedition or seeing him through the top of the walls, it didn't change the fact that he manage to keep it a secret because of his connections. So that they let him pass through without a word." Erwin said.

Hange hold her chin like she was thinking about something. "But it would be really troublesome to investigate who the scouts and garrisons were present in the scene at that moment. Not to mention that the royal family got a hand on this. And the commander might not be willing to reveal anything about this man without Dr. Kruger's consent." She laughed a little. "I mean, who wouldn't notice how Kruger wanted the Commander to keep quiet about it. Almost everyone can tell."

She then pointed in a specific information about the man. "And it was said that he was a personal attendant of the Royal Family, the one who took care of their private matters before becoming a physician. He is not just any other servant who can sneak out of the palace." She smirked as the idea forming in her mind. Just thinking about it is not as exciting as telling it for real. She's thankful that Levi and Erwin pushed her to talk.

"Can you tell me, how can someone like him whose job was required to be close to the royal family all the time was found wandering outside the walls? Not to mention, he is living in Wall Sina. Why does he needed to endanger himself by going outside willingly?"

Hange understood why Erwin was having a hard time believing it. Hell! Even she herself had a hard time believing it. "Unless...the royal family ordered him to go outside but caught by accident years ago. This explains why he's still serving the royal family and all the information remained hidden."

Hange noticed the scowl on Levi's face as he noticed the tightening of his knuckles. "So you mean... The royal family who strictly forbid the people to fucking step outside the titan territory when he is not having a stupid expedition, ordered someone to go outside the walls?" Levi asked slowly.

No one aswered.

Erwin cleared his throat and spoke. "This discussion breeds nothing but countless questions we cannot answer yet. But we cannot hide the fact that the royal family was hiding secrets from us specifically the secrets pertaining about the outside world. And Kruger has a hand on it that's why they haven't made a move to eliminate him. Maybe they trust him that he wouldn't reveal anything."

"Ne, Erwin, Hange." Levi suddenly called. "What if he was not found outside the walls 13 years ago? What if we are already a scout that time?" The three of them became silent. They never forgotten that point. Since no one really knew when that man was found outside the walls, they can only assume a date. And they three of them were naturally a very perspective people and confident that no secret can be hidden from them even if they didn't knew about it. If that happened then...

"Then," Hange was the first to broke the silence and voiced out her thoughts. "We need to acknowledge the fact that despite the corruption in the government, some poeple were more powerful than us." Yes... That could only be the reason. If someone was smarter than them then they are the powers not to be trifled with.

"And if that were really true," Erwin said. "Then getting an information from the Royal Family wouldn't be easy. Even infiltration maybe useless against them who manage to hide a secret for a century since the wall came to be. But the first step presented themselves to us, the only line we have to know the truth. Those people who we identified as Dr. Eren Kruger, Erena, and the man same as Erena who was found wandering outside the walls years ago...Grisha Jaeger."

AN: Just like the chapter title said, It's all about talks so don't blame me if it was a boring chapter, okay? I didn't mean it to be a long talk but I just wanted to show how the two sides differ.

AN: I feel like I got lost when I wrote it and haven't really edited it yet. It might be boring and I know that most of you wanted action than talks when it came to AoT but I'll tell you much earlier that I am not good at writing action scenes so that you won't be disappointed in later chapters.

Sorry for the long note again but I don't want to add another part just for this.

Have a very good day, Everyone!