Sophie took a deep breath and rubbed her face. Her chest pounded as she stared at the door leading to the Survey Corps Commander's office. She bit her lower lip, trying to talk herself into knocking and ending the nightmare for once and for all. She had no guarantee that she would not end up in the darkest and dirtiest cell possible, but she had no other choice.

You can still do the right thing here.

The words Levi had whispered that night resonated in her head. After all those years of lies and pain, she finally had the chance to do the right thing.

She knocked with a trembling grip, wrinkling her forehead in distress as the banging sound invaded the hallway. A deep voice echoed from the other side of the door.

"Come in."

She used a hand to brush her pulled-back hair, gathering the last bits of pride she had to open the door. There would be no turning back.

"Commander Erwin," she said. She lifted her chin to look imposing, despite the weakness present in her face. Erwin was sitting at his desk, surrounded by various papers. He was wearing an elegant suit, with one of the sleeves swaying with every move due to his missing arm. His right eye still had a purple shade around it, caused by his violent arrest during the Uprising.

"Chief Lhant, what a surprise. Please, take a seat," he greeted. Sophie obediently followed. She rested her hands on her lap, clenching the fabric of her dress to conceal her nervous tremble. However, that was not enough to fool an experienced soldier like Erwin. "Everything alright?"

Sophie scanned the room. When it came to Asbel, there were not enough precautions.

"Is this a safe place to talk, Commander?" she asked. Erwin frowned and silently stood up. He walked to the door and locked it with a key before returning to his seat.

"I would expect so, now that we have cleansed the Government." Sophie impulsively clicked her tongue in response. The gesture caused Erwin to stare at her with curiosity. "Am I mistaken, Chief?"

She cleared her throat and straightened her back, ready to tell the truth. Her only regret was not having a drink beforehand.

"You are probably aware of my involvement in the anti-personnel gear design."

Erwin nodded, "Captain Levi insisted that you were just following orders, and you had no other connection with the Royal family complot."

"I am afraid that was the Captain's mistake. Those units, alongside other military equipment and secret projects of the nobility, were produced with Underground citizens as a labor force. My husband used them to ensure the confidentiality and swiftness of the production, therefore pleasing the nobility and securing our position in Mitras." Sophie paused to analyze Erwin's expression, unable to read anything beyond his cold, judgmental gaze. "I not only designed those illegal requests, but I also provided him with information on governmental decisions and Military operations to benefit his business. I am here to acknowledge those crimes and face their consequences."

Erwin remained silent. Sophie gulped, figuring out whether he was angry, disappointed, or pondering at the situation.

He closed his eyes for a moment and whispered, "Why?"

"Huh?"

"There have always been moles and corrupts in the Military, Lhant. One gets better at spotting them through the years, but I must say I never expected you to be one of them. Especially given your background and how much you have helped Hange. So tell me, why?"

She had expected him to arrest her at once. Instead, he attempted to empathize with her. She had admired him beforehand, but only then she could see why Levi had decided to follow his conviction, risking his life in the process.

"I'm…tired. I'm tired of lying and hurting people. When I started at Engineering, I thought I could make a difference. I wanted to prove to everyone that I deserved to be there, that I could help the Military and the civilians. I wanted to do the right thing, but I ended up doing the opposite. I became hooked on all the money and prestige because I thought it would make me happy."

"So what happened? Why did you turn your back on your goals?"

"There was no way I could succeed on my own, so I joined the only person who would help me. Asbel promised to get my plans approved and subsidized if his company managed the production. I knew him promoting my projects was not exactly legal, but I convinced myself it was for the greater good. He was constantly asking questions on who was doing what and details on the missions. I figured it was just gossip, and that I could trust him. Later on, I took over other projects, things that Asbel had specifically requested me to do without the Board's approval." Sophie paused, "I…thought I owed him for being by my side."

"Your love was stronger than your duty, I see." Erwin sighed. His gaze had turned softer, but there was still judgment in his voice.

His words caused discomfort in Sophie. She took a moment to reflect on the naiveness of her first years on the surface. How she had hoped that Asbel's promises of happiness and power would fill the void in her heart.

"Love? I'm not sure about that", she scoffed, looking away. "When my colleagues from the Underground died, I felt responsible for what happened. After that, I only had Asbel and my work, without them I was nothing." She cleared her throat before concluding, "I wasn't in love; I was desperate."

Erwin frowned. Not even Sophie was sure about the truth behind her statement. She had tried to convince herself that her feelings towards Asbel had been a byproduct of her loneliness, but there had to be another reason why she always came back to him.

"You shouldn't feel responsible for their deaths. That's just how war is," Erwin said. Sophie felt her blood boil at his collected expression. He was probably used to seeing his soldiers die, but she could not tolerate how easy it was for him to diminish their deaths.

"They were my friends, Commander," she hissed.

"They died fighting for a cause greater than themselves, not because of you. Don't blame your weakness on them."

"Is that what you tell yourself at night?"

Erwin lifted an eyebrow. Sophie bit her lower lip, realizing how out of place her comment had been. He countered, "If you disagree with my outlook, then why did you come to me? Why not tell Zachary?"

Sophie looked down, recalling Levi's words once more. "Captain Levi…trusts you, right?"

"Perhaps too much."

Sophie smirked and straightened her back. If he had bet his life on Erwin, so could she.

"Zachary wants a culprit. All the evidence for these crimes is signed with my alias. If I confess them to him, I will get arrested, but Asbel will walk free. That may be enough for Zachary, but not for you; you want answers." Erwin bent forward, attentive to her reasoning. "I know I've turned a blind eye on Asbel's operations for years, but he was the one behind the forced labor. He was the one making me work on secret projects and sending my reports to people I've never met. He has to be punished."

"Then how do I know that you are not trying to pin it on him? It sounds to me like you want to save yourself."

"I'm here, right? Because I'm just as guilty as he is. As much as I wanted to change things, I decided to drown in a farce of power instead of facing the truth. Even if I didn't do those horrible things myself, it does not excuse my silence. Besides, I still disclosed confidential information to benefit my husband. Both of us must respond to our crimes."

"How long have you been…silent about what was happening in the Underground?" inquired Erwin. Sophie blushed in response. She could feel her reputation and pride fade away more with every question from the Commander.

"I...I didn't know it at first. I was too drunk at the time, so my memory is a bit blurry. I only remember working day and night, signing papers, and getting more successful. But I could feel that something strange was going on; it didn't make sense that the production was so fast and cheap, while we were getting richer every day. When I was able to…manage my relationship with alcohol, I started looking into Asbel's affairs. He was very secretive; I couldn't find the original letters or the blueprints I had signed. It wasn't until I took a trip to the Industrial City to monitor the production that I figured out what was truly going on."

"Even when you found out about it, you still worked for him? You kept providing him with plans and information?"

"Yes," she replied, ashamed. "We were both trapped in a zero-sum game; he couldn't stand my affairs, drinking, and recklessly spending of his blood-stained money to deal with the atrocity of it all. But he needed me to keep his power and sign everything for him. I couldn't stand everything he had done. I couldn't stand myself for letting it happen. But I had nothing else, no one else." She put her hands on the table, as a gesture of honesty. "I know I am a coward, and you have all the right to hate me. Those people died because of me. The Corps suffered because of me. But I can't let him walk free. I just want to do the right thing."

She could feel her word's merging with Levi's. She looked down to avoid dealing with Erwin's indecisive expression. She knew he had no reason to trust her. She had become a traitor in the name of survival; she didn't deserve his respect.

Erwin reflected on her words before asking, "If there is no evidence, then what's your plan to catch him?"

"I'm not sure, but that's also why I stayed by his side. I am the only person close enough to him to get evidence of his involvement, but I need help. The little proof I currently have can be easily destroyed if he were to find out, including the lives of those in the Underground. Including my life."

"Proof? What kind of proof?"

"Just a couple of letters I managed to gather, some contacts and their meeting points…It's not much, and they don't incriminate him directly, but I think they can be useful." Erwin looked at the ceiling and frowned. There was nothing else she could do than reassure him of her good intentions. "Please, Erwin. I know I've failed you and the Corps, but I can get you more information. You have to trust me on this."

Erwin wavered on his seat before replying, "It's not a matter of trust. If he has as much power as you say, we have no guarantee that he will not see through it. I can't help you, and risk both the new Government and the Corps in the process."

"So he just gets to get away with this?" she said, exasperated.

"That's not what I said." He moved his hand, signaling her to calm down. "Tell me, what will you do if he finds out you are here with me? What if he decides that you are no longer useful to him? Have you considered that?"

"No…" She looked down, imagining all the possibilities and outcomes. "Maybe I can convince him that he needs me, maybe he still loves me…" she mumbled. The ideas kept coming, but none of them were strong enough to gamble Erwin's help on them. She threw her head back and sighed, "I don't know."

Erwin tapped his fingers on the table, thinking about her words. Sophie kept staring at the ceiling, figuring that he was a breath away from putting a pair of handcuffs around her wrists.

"How much are you willing to sacrifice for this?" he asked. Sophie incorporated herself and fixed her gaze on the Commander.

"Everything," she ensured.

Erwin closed his eyes for a moment, reflecting before replying. "I can't say I'm not disappointed in you. However, you have supported our operations even when it wasn't in your best interest. You showed up to my office, admitting those crimes instead of living your luxurious life. I can't ignore that." Sophie looked down in shame. She had helped them in the fight against the Titans, but at the cost of hundreds of workers in the Underground. She didn't feel like that was something Erwin would have to thank her; she was still a traitor to their cause. He continued, "You are right about Zachary. He wants someone to blame, but I've always chased the truth. It would be hypocritical of me to turn my back on you." He paused, stretching his arm towards her. "I will help you, Sophie." She blinked, perplexed. It had been the first time that he had referred to her with her first name.

"Thank you. I will not let you down," she smiled and shook his hand. Erwin smirked at the gesture. After their hands separated, he recovered his imposing look.

"I know you won't. However, I fear that you are not fully aware of what your confession means. If we are to do this, we must be very careful to avoid that the new Government falls apart. If your life—and therefore knowledge—are in danger, then there must be no way that Asbel can trace any of this back to you. You shall never discuss this with anyone, nor will I share with you anything from the operations on my side. You will have to blindly follow my orders until I can find a way to detain him without risking our establishment. Do you understand this?"

"Yes," she answered, firmly.

"Lastly, if this doesn't succeed, you will be on your own. I cannot risk the Corps' reputation to protect you; you will be arrested and trialed as a criminal. Our involvement must remain as concealed as possible until he is taken down—if that is ever to happen. Even then, I cannot guarantee your safety. I hope you understand that and are ready to bear the consequences."

"I am. I promise that I shall never talk about this or reveal your cooperation until Asbel is seized," she said with confidence.

Erwin nodded in agreement. Sophie stood up, but before she left the room, she gave the Commander one last look of apology. "Erwin, if this doesn't work out…Please, tell Levi I'm sorry. Tell him how I tried to do the right thing."

"I will do my best so you can tell him yourself."

"Thank you."

Hange slammed the Commander's desk as they finished reading the letter.

"So I got it all wrong?! Damn it, Erwin!" they shouted.

"Calm down, Hange. We need to keep our cool, now more than ever," said Levi, putting a hand over their shoulder.

"You are right…but what are we supposed to do now? He left us no clues on how to proceed! I can't use a letter from your dead boyfriend to stop the trial."

Levi grunted; Hange was right. The trial was about to begin, and they couldn't just storm into the room asking for a recess without any proper evidence that Asbel was guilty. Anyone could've written that piece of paper and signed it with Erwin's name.

"I guess he didn't leave any indications in case someone else found the letter. As he said, Asbel is a meddling jerk."

"Why didn't he tell you this back at Shiganshina? I doubt Asbel would follow the Corps all the way there."

"No idea, but we both know that Erwin loves to hide his plans from everyone else. Just like he sends Scouts on suicide missions and organizes coups on the tight rope. It's like he gets off on keeping secrets or something."

Like the striking of a match, something sparked inside him. He had heard that phrase before.

I've always liked to hide little things in my works.

"Secrets only I knew were there…" he whispered, remembering Sophie's words.

"What?" they asked, confused.

"Hange!" he shouted, startling the Commander. "When you went through Erwin's stuff, did you ever find prototypes or metal pieces? Anything that Sophie could've sent him?"

"Uh, maybe? There were a bunch of boxes." They stood up and opened the large cabinet of their office. Levi joined his colleague, only to find a messy clump of crates, files, and other utensils inside. He passed a hand over the surface of one of the containers, shuddering as he felt the dust sticking to his fingertips.

"What the hell is this?" he said, placing his dirty index finger in front of Hange's face and delivering a murderous look.

"Sorry, Levi," they replied with mockery, rolling their eyes. "I was too busy trying to avoid hell breaking loose inside the walls to do a spring cleaning."

He scoffed, using his handkerchief to wipe the dirtied hand. "I'm starting to believe Sophie isn't the only criminal around here."

"Do you want to help her out or keep whining about some dust?" they said. Levi groaned in response.

They took out all the boxes and files, scattering them over the floor. One by one, they analyzed the content of each crate; most of them consisted of strategy plans and reports, but a heavier box jingled as Hange retrieved it from the cupboard. They removed the cover and turned it upside down, observing flare guns, ODM parts, and other models drop to the floor with a clattering sound. Levi reminisced a similar scene back in the Underground, with Sophie and the others sitting in the basement, evaluating and putting together all kinds of metal pieces. Only at that time, there was much more at stake.

"This is useless," concluded the Commander as they inspected one of the mechanisms from the box.

Levi kneeled and grabbed a flare gun prototype. He turned it around, rubbing his fingers through the metal surface. "Come on, there has to be something…" he whispered.

He observed the barrel, noticing a small ring on the top part surrounding the muzzle. He pushed it slightly with his thumb. He sensed a turning motion, which proved it could be unscrewed. He gulped and quickly loosened it. Below the ring, another encircling covered the muzzle. It was made out of copper and had a series of numbers and letters engraved on it. Levi caressed the inscription and smirked, remembering the similar texture of his initial on the switchblade she had gifted him.

"Anything interesting?" Hange interrupted his thoughts as they crawled next to him.

"There is something written here, but I can't figure out what it means."

"Let me see." Levi handed the gun to Hange, who adjusted their glasses to revise the inscription. "It looks like a serial number to me," they said. Levi sighed, disappointed. "No, wait. I've seen these before." Hange quickly stood up and headed towards the desk. They started spreading papers all over the table, anxiously flipping and moving them around. Levi stared at Hange, hoping that something good would come out of all the mess they were making. "Aha!" they shouted.

"What?" Levi stood up. Hange handed him the flare gun back, alongside a letter. He quickly scanned the document, signed by Cheria Oswell.

"Look at the date; the format and numbers are similar to the first part of the inscription. The letters that follow are the initials of the receiver, and the numbers at the end are district codes," they smirked, crossing their arms in satisfaction. "Maybe she was going to meet this noble or deliver a request at that place and time, and she wanted Erwin to know. Still, this is just speculation."

Levi wasn't going to give up. "There has to be something else. Those two freaks do not leave anything half-assed. " He sat back on the floor, fixing his eyes on a piece of ODM gear housing. He wondered why Erwin would have such a mechanism lying around his office. Flare guns had been his proposal, but ODM inspection and preparation was part of the Garrison's duty.

He grabbed the device, paying close attention to the feeling of the metal on his fingertips, looking for more engravings. He inspected the entire surface without success, but he noticed an unusual, loose screw on the top cover of the housing. He asked Hange to pass him a screwdriver and used the tool to unbound the other joinings.

Gently, he removed the circular plaque. Inside, a couple of papers were carefully wrapped, hidden on the sides of the housing. He took them out, unfolding them with apprehension. Many of them were reports and letters between nobles, and some documents were signed by Erwin himself. However, one letter caught his attention as he fixed his eyes on the signature at the bottom.

Asbel Barnes.

He turned the paper around, showing it to Hange. "What do you think, Commander? Is this enough evidence to arrest him?"