Everyone cheered their return. The people worshiped them like heroes. Lyla's face was still pale.

When they arrived at HQ Mikasa and Eren were sent into the punishment room. Armin and Lyla stood watch. Levi was a little bit reluctant in leaving Lyla to stay up all night but Lyla insisted.

Once Mikasa and Eren both fell asleep Lyla quietly started.

"Armin…"

Armin turned his head. Lyla took a deep breath and continued to tell one of the things that were heavily resting on her mind.

"When they were fighting over the injection… I didn't stand up for you. If Levi decided to give the injection to the Commander, I was ready to follow his decision, even if it meant your death. I know as your sister I should've done otherwise. But when Mikasa tried to stop Levi… I… I threw her off and pulled out my sword. I was going to fight her…"

Armin was silent.

"I'm sorry Armin," Lyla finished as silent tears rolled down. Armin didn't do anything for a minute, then placed his hand on Lyla's. Lyla looked at him with a surprised face. Armin smiled and said,

"It's okay. I understand…" Armin looked at the ground and said with a soft smile. "You love him, don't you?"

Lyla looked at him with wide eyes. "How did you…?"

"Oh come on. You were acting like love birds since day one. You just didn't want him to get hurt. And I'm sure Mikasa was ready to kill him."

Lyla slowly nodded and said, "Thank you."

She hugged him tightly and whispered, "I'll find a cure."

"Hm? A cure?"

"You'll understand later."

Suddenly there was a loud cry and Eren bolted up from his bed. He looked like he was going to throw up. Armin walked up and said,

"Calm down Eren. You're here in the punishment room for insubordination."

"Did you have a bad dream, Eren?" Mikasa asked. Her hair was crazy as she just got up too. "Are you crying?"

"I feel like I had a really long dream." Eren walked a little further away and slowly sat on the ground. He sat there thinking and slowly said, "No, it's not a dream. It's a memory. Right now, I was connected to Father's memories. That titan… It was you… Dina."

Armin suddenly went into Eren's prison and started writing down what he was saying.

"The Owl called it 'Ymir's Curse'. 13 years is the time where the descendants of Ymir awaken their powers and die."

"I have 13 years. And Eren, you have…"

"8 years. Maybe not even that much."

"No…" Mikasa muttered out. "Something's wrong. It has to be."

Lyla was silent as she just listened to their conversation.

"If a titan shifter dies without a successor," Eren continued. "The power goes to the next born descendant of Ymir. All descendants of Ymir are connected with an unseen 'something'. Some shifters say that they saw a 'path'. Bones or blood that make the titan, sometimes even memories come through that path. And all those paths come across one coordinate, and that is the Founding Titan. All descendants of Ymir are connected through that coordinate. There's no truth in this world. That is the truth. Anyone can be a god, or demon if somebody says that's the truth."

Again a moment of silence.

"All 9 titans have a name. The titan you'll inherit is no exception. No matter what, this titan will thirst for freedom and move forward. It fought for freedom. That name is the Attack Titan."

"What are you doing?" Hange asked. At some point, Armin had gone out and brought Hange and Levi. Even Lyla didn't notice as she was deep in her own thoughts.

"Attack Titan… you said, right?" Hange asked as she imitated Eren.

"No…" Eren said.

"What? But you did. You guys saw it too, right?"

"Yes… but," said Armin. It sounded like 'it's not really Eren'. Levi started to unlock Eren.

"You said it was your titan's name, right?" Hange said. "Why were you muttering on your own?"

"Don't you think that's enough, Hange?" Levi cut in. "He's 15 years old too. Everyone has that 'stage'."

Lyla rolled her eyes.

"What do you mean that 'stage'?" Hange asked with curiosity.

"I'll explain everything later, so stop talking in front of him," Armin said. But Hange continued to wonder.

"Why are you here anyway!?" Eren wailed out. Levi opened the jail door and said,

"Come out."

Lyla's eyes widened with surprise.

"I still have about 10 days of punishment left," said Eren.

"You just got your punishment worth 10 days from Hange."

"We discussed everything with Chief Commander Zackley so don't worry," said Armin.

"He said that it's not good to see the hero who smashed the Armor Titan and Colossal Titan to the ground rot in jail," Hange quipped. "And your superior is treated like an idiot who let go of the Beast and Armor Titan."

"That's not true!" Lyla fired up. Hange turned to her and grinned.

"Speaking of it, you're quite famous too, my dear. As the person who covered her superior's flaws. And we imprisoned all the titans in separate jails as you said.

Lyla walked up to Levi and whispered in his ear.

"Why didn't I hear any of this? About you going to the Chief Commander and all."

Levi glanced at her.

"Armin tried to call you but he said you didn't budge. He said that you had a weird glint in your eyes. You're not in that 'stage' too, are you? You're supposed to be 20 something."

Lyla again rolled her eyes in exasperation. "No! I was just deep in thought. I'm 22 years old and I never went through that 'stage'."

Levi made a face saying 'whatever' and said, "You two, get ready. And you too Lyla."

Eren looked lost. "What are we getting ready for?"

"To go see the Queen. Her great majesty came all the way here to Trost."

"What!" Lyla exclaimed. She then started to whisper to Levi furiously. "Levi you should've given me a heads up!"

"I just gave you one."

"No! How am I supposed to go meet the Queen like this? My hair's a mess and my uniform as well. And—"

"You look fine," he cut off. "Just take care of those brats."

Lyla huffed out but then smiled.

...


After dressing Eren and Mikasa, Levi took them to Historia, the Queen.

"Your majesty!" all four of them said.

"No, no. Stop that. We're not even in public!" Historia said, clearly flustered. "It seems like there's been a lot of things going on while I just stared at the sky southward."

"It's important enough just you staying alive," said Armin. Everyone agreed with Armin's words.

"It's good to see that you're all like yourselves," said Historia.

"I guess that's because the truth hasn't sunken in yet," said Eren.

"Then, shall we get going?" Hange said as she gathered a few papers.


...

"The life of Grisha Jeager, facts we know now about titans and the history, and the truth about the world outside the walls. It's only us in this room that knows about this book. That's the 10 soldiers from the Survey Corps and the other 199 soldiers from other factions that are not present. Today, I would like to put together our current state in front of the Queen and discuss what to do henceforth in this council. Commander Hange Zoe of the Survey Corps."

"Sir," Hange stood up. "With the sacrifice of Erwin Smith and other heroes, we succeeded in retaking Wall Maria and obtaining the power of the Colossal Titan. We also were able to capture the Beast, Cart, and Armor Titan. Still, the humanity inside the walls is highly in danger. It would've been great if the enemies were only titans…But our enemy is humanity, civilization, and if you put it in a drastic way, the world. According to the journal, we are special humans called 'the descendants of Ymir' that can turn into titans. So fearing that we might rule the world again, the whole world wants us gone."

Hange continued on. Saying that Grisha Jeager has fulfilled his mission and the titan was entrusted to his son, Eren. That the true power of the Founding Titan will only be activated if it's given to a member of the royal family and the drawbacks of it. That's when Eren suddenly stood up.

"What's wrong Eren?" Hange asked with wide eyes. Everyone was staring at him. But Eren just stood there with a dumb expression.

"Please continue, our titan," Zackley said but Eren still was silent. He looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't. Finally, realization hit Lyla and she looked at Eren with a knowing look. Eren glanced at Mikasa, then said,

"It's nothing, sir. I apologize for interrupting the meeting."

Hange eyed Eren for a while, then said with realization.

"It seems that he is going through that 'stage' where—"

That's when Lyla raised her hand and cut in.

"If I may speak, sir."

Zackley nodded his head.

"The true power of the Founding Titan can only be used when given to royalty. But I believe there are other ways to pull out the true power from Eren."

She looked back at Eren who had a pleading face. Lyla gently smiled with assurance.

"The reason why the true power can only be activated by the royal family is because there is a magic that designed it that way. I believe with some studying, I can change that magic or temper with it to fit Eren. I propose time and the right to do so."

Silent murmurs went through the other soldiers. Zackley raised his hand to silence them. He said with a serious expression as he pulled out a letter.

"I presume that you must be the Magician, Ms. Lyla Peltner."

Lyla nodded her head.

"Is everything written here true?" Zackley question.

"I'm afraid to say that it is."

"So, how do you plan to turn these titans 'back'?"

Another wave of murmurs. Lyla calmly continued.

"That brings us to my second proposal. There is a person that can help me, train me to be more efficient with my skills."

"And who may that be?"

"She is a fellow Magician but I can't find her here."

"I see. Then where can you find her?"

Lyla hesitated for a moment. She glanced at Levi and took a deep breath.

"In the Underground City. I propose to go there for 3 months to train."

All the soldiers started to whisper simultaneously.

"Wasn't that city a legend?"

"No, Captain Levi himself came from there."

"So it was real."

"But why would a Magician be there?"

"Where did Magicians come from in the first place?"

"It said that they were from outside the walls."

Lyla looked around and all of the Survey Corps members were staring at her with shocked eyes. Only Hange's face was blank. Lyla looked at Levi, who was staring at her with equally shocked eyes. His eyes changed from shock to anger, to hurt. Lyla averted her gaze and waited for the commotion to die down. When it was quiet again she continued.

"After that, I'll come back with a solution. I'll turn the titans back into humans so the people could live inside Wall Maria once again."

"So that means that the people will have to wait 3 more months to go back to their home," said Zackley.

"Yes, sir."

"The people wouldn't want to wait. How do you plan to explain that 3-month gap?"

"I'll explain it to the people myself. Give me a chance to demonstrate my powers in front of the people please."

Zackley seemed to consider all of this. He silently discussed something with Historia, then finally said.

"All of your proposals are granted."

After the council, Levi pulled Lyla aside.

"We need to talk."