Military officials from Survey Corps, Military Policies and Garrisons had attended Levi's wedding. Levi was bored enough but still appreciated their presence. He glanced at his new wife, Mikasa in a white dress without her wedding veil sitting beside him boredly, with her hands on the table to support her chin with her passive face, her dark eyes examining all the guests who started to get drunk around. Despites her obvious boredom, Mikasa was polite enough to smile and gave a simple; "Thank you." whenever the guest greeted them to give their blessing.

Under the moonlight and garden lights, Mikasa Ackerman was indeed the prettiest woman, many guests had said the same thing, even with her sitting there - bored and tired, she was effortlessly gorgeous. Levi found Mikasa all night always looking towards the entrance of the churchyard, as soon as someone entered, she immediately sat upright to check the person who just came, followed by the same disappointed sigh, as if the person who'd appeared was not someone she had been waiting for a long time.

"Are you waiting for someone?" he finally asked in a distant voices, as though he wasn't really interested in what she'd been thinking.

Mikasa put her drinking glass on the table, unbothered by not looking at her new husband "...yes," she replied briefly.

"Is he not here yet?"

He noticed her implied sneer for a mere second straightly after he registered his question.

"I don't think it's your business," she said shortly, there was an obvious disdain in her voice. Levi raised both his eyebrows hearing that peevish tone from her.

"It is my business, sorry if it's disappointing you. I need to know if you're still waiting for someone because we're going to get out from here," Levi replied, loosening his cravat. The young woman grunted something he couldn't hear, turned her face away from Levi.

It wasn't even 2 hours since they exchanged their vows, but he found her considerably irritating for no reason.

"We can go. He's not gonna come." she continued, sighing - a disappointed look was obvious now.

"All right. We're going to go to Rose's wall - "

He was cut off immediately, "I don't really care." she clarified, turning to him - he caught her flashed eyes out of anger and hatred despites she still had that bored look on her beautiful face. "Take me wherever you want , I don't care . All of you…" she scoffed. " - are the same." she said quietly, almost sounded like a whisper, as if she was talking to herself.

And he didn't reply.

For a moment, Levi frowned deeply, witnessing the girl's evident irreverence, but he chose not to think any further about that. She was probably just tired. Hanji did that sometimes when she was tired, she'd become infuriating women with her mood swings.

"We're leaving now," he said.

Mikasa Ackerman followed Levi, they returned to Yaeger's residence first to pack Mikasa's belongings and change her clothes and bid their goodbye to Grisha Yaeger. The adoptive father was almost crying, saying he was sorry for being a bad father or something like that. Mikasa replied to Grisha's with a tight hug and teary eyes and she said nothing, like she was having difficulties to convey her feelings.

Along the way, in a horse-drawn carriage, silence accompanied them.

They arrived at Levi's residence in Rose, the nearest village of it was Ragako and Dauper just as the moon was exactly above their heads, Levi glanced at his new young wife who momentarily staring blankly at her new home for the rest of her life, Levi couldn't say what Mikasa had in her mind. The girl's gaze, as usual, was always sort of somber. Levi decided to go down first from the horse-drawn carriage, with Mikasa following him.

Levi turned his head towards Mikasa, while the girl looking around Levi's home which was larger than Yaeger's, Levi moved his head towards his old castle, as if beckoning Mikasa to immediately catch up with him.

"This is where you're going to live," Levi explained briefly as he opened the main door to her. "Your belongings have been brought in by Mr. Buchwald." he added.

Mikasa nodded. They were greeted by a middle aged woman, bowing to them with a smile on her face.

"This is an old castle left by my ancestors, Utgard Castle. Mr. Buchwald takes care of the farm, he lives nearby and comes every morning and evening. This is Mrs. Springer, she's the one I trusted to take care of this castle when I'm not around," Levi said, gesturing to the older woman.

"It's an honor for me to serve Captain Levi's family," said the middle-aged chubby woman smiling cheerfully.

"I hope you treat them well." Levi continued.

"All right."

"I'll show you your room," Levi said, walking ahead of Mikasa as she followed behind him and they went up stairs. They arrived in a large room with a bed big enough for two people with large windows overlooking the airy hills with a balcony outside.

"You can rest here." Levi said shortly.

Mikasa glanced around the room. "The room looks as if someone has never been in here before," she said slowly, examining the room, and wandered around. "Is this not your room?" she asked severely, turning to him.

"It's not. I'm in the other room. My room is next to you if you need anything,"

She stared at him puzzledly, as if she had something to say in her mind. "I thought married people should've stayed together in one room." she said carefully, "Not that I desire such a thing." she corrected herself quickly, she winced right away at her own words.

"I would rather sleep alone," he explained briefly. He didn't wish to share his room with a stranger either, he married her out of necessity and formality, and sharing a room wasn't exactly his plan at the first place.

She stared at him blankly, contemplating his words, she looked as if she was bewildered.

"Does it mean I won't perform myself… as a dutiful wife?" she looked up to him, they exchanged their glance, both of them were sure they had a clear same thought of what exactly she meant.

Levi shook his head right away. "If you mean spending a night together, no." he said resolutely.

There was a silence for a moment, until her answer was a short, "Alright."

She turned away, approaching the bed and asked, "May I know the reason?" she added before facing him.

Levi pondered for quite a long time, he should've answered casually that he just simply couldn't share a bed with a woman, but he had a feeling that she would asked further, he thought and the reason behind it was way more complicated than that and he couldn't possibly able to share all his unnecessary misery and his past to a stranger.

So, his best answer was, "Married is married. We're just two people who happened to live together." he said dryly, clearing his throat.

"And I don't believe in marriage," he added.

What he'd said was true though. For him, for them now, married was simply a meaningless word. There was no particular reason behind their marriage aside from formality and his purpose to protect her, if it wasn't Kenny had asked him to marry her, he would doubt himself ended up marrying her. It wasn't like they married because of love though. He married her for the sake of necessities. So, married was just married. Nothing less and nothing more. Nothing really should be complicated or troublesome.

He didn't want to be overwhelmed by marriage itself. He would fulfill his duty as a proper husband, he'd promised Kenny. It was enough for him to be responsible for her life, and he despised the tiniest possibilities of her falling in love with him or the other way around. So what was best between them, on the sake of marriage, he wanted to make it easier and less complicated to involve something burden like love and set aside all those crap and be rational.

She nodded absentmindedly, "Oh," she said briefly, "- how disappointing." was her answer.

He stared at her, frowning. "How so?"

"It's not quite surprising," she commented in a low voice, she looked away.

"Men like you are incapable of love," she added. "You all just... undervalue it, I suppose."

He didn't exactly understand what she really meant. He wasn't sure if they were really thinking on the same page.

"I'll be at home every weekend. I rarely spent my days here, I stayed at the Trost's Survey Corps Head Quarters on the weekdays." he said, thinking it was necessary to explain his situation.

She turned to him, nodding. "Ah.. I know you're an important figure on the military. Don't bother me, I won't be a burden. You can do your job peacefully." she said.

Levi nodded quietly and excused himself.

Mikasa closed the door and leaned behind it, she sighed long. The new life really began with a complete stranger.

While Levi walked towards his room, loosening his tie that strangled him all night. Opening his room that always feels empty as it could be, the large bed he never touches seemed to haunt him every night. He thought about the young woman who happened to be his wife just next to his room, she was so close yet so distant, just next behind those wall between them. Thinking that they were officially a lawful husband and wife for the sake of formality was weird. It was weird having someone, a stranger, in his house.

"Captain, tell me you were joking," Connie said in disbelief, dropping his tablespoon in shock. Captain Levi and his new special operation squad were having lunch at headquarters in Trost District.

"You said you were just married yesterday," Armin repeated again incredulously.

"What woman is married to you, Captain?" Jean asked skeptically.

"What kind of question was that, Jean?" Sasha, a red-haired women protested.

"Tch. You guys are so noisy," Levi grunted while sipping his tea, thinking that telling his team was unnecessary because he knew their reaction would be inconvenient for him.

Levi's Squad was formed and selected carefully by Levi, his long-time teammates who died in the last expedition left himself alone And Erwin had offered him a new cadet as members of his new squad.

The new member of his squad was a 104th southern division cadet who had just graduated from military training a few years ago. Many senior cadets had passed away and there were only freshman cadets still remaining in the Survey Corps. They were selected carefully by Levi directly.

They were Sasha Braus who likes to eat a lot, she had her considerable intuition as a hunter, she was a witty girl, and then there was a sharp-mouthed Jean Kirstein with his outstanding thoughts in any situation with good physical abilities, Connie Springer was a little slow when it comes to thinking compare to others but he had an excellent fighting ability, Armin Arlert was the weakest cadet among them, but he had a genius brain with his unexpected thought of solving a problem.

The four were now in shock and upset, as Levi casually announced the fact that he just got married without inviting them, or bothering to tell them.

"How could you get married without having us around?" Connie asked, frowning. "I thought we're teammates!" he exclaimed, there was a disappointed look on his face. But Levi knew Connie, the dramatic boy, just exaggerated it, though perhaps he was disappointed because he wasn't invited and all was only because of the wedding's food.

"Ha! This was already planned by Captain Levi by sending us to guard at the frontier though right on the day he got married," Jean commented, wincing at Levi like an obnoxious brat.

"The women in my village must be disappointed to hear this news!" Sasha said, munching her boiled potato. "You know how much they adored Captain Levi!"

"I don't know if Captain Levi decided to get married. I don't think you're the type of person to get married," Armin said unknowingly, the next second he was blinking, "Sorry to have such a thought, Captain. Congratulations on your wedding by the way." he added panickedly.

"You're right, Arlert." Levi agreed casually.

"It was matchmaking, wasn't it?" Jean guessed. Levi inwardly agreed with the young man, indeed a clever man he must admit.

"If that is so, it must be someone from the upper class, I supposed the prettiest woman of Sina Capital." Sasha commented, grinning.

"Is it true, Captain?" Connie asked, turning to him.

Levi shook indifferently, "Actually she's from... Shiganshina."

"You married a commoner from a lower class?" Jean scorned in disbelief.

"Hey, Jean, aren't you a commoner too? It's not like you're a Lord. And, women are women. Upper and lower class there are no different. And Armin is from Maria, do you consider him a lower class person? He's definitely a genius and he's from Shiganshina," Sasha reprimanded him.

Armin simply smiled and nodded, "I am also from Shiganshina district. I know everyone in Shiganshina, what's your wife's name, Captain?"

Levi sighed, "Her name is..."

"You know what? It's not fair that only Armin knows Captain Levi's wife is. At least we need to get to know her!" Connie suggested.

"Yes! I need to know her!"

"Me too!"

Armin chuckled while Levi sighed, "All right. But not for this week, we have a lot to do. You know the well in my house needs to be cleaned too."

Heard the last sentence, Connie and Jean' was the loudest to complain.

Before Levi's departure this morning, he told Mrs. Springer that Mikasa didn't have to wait for his arrival on weekend, as a Captain in Trost District, Levi had encountered unexpected event several times. He was glad at least Mrs. Springer accompanied Mikasa at the castle. It was obvious someone like her needed some sort of assistant, a servant to serve her personally. He couldn't ask too much to Mrs. Springer to be a personal servant for her. But the least he could ask to the older woman was to accompany her at the castle whenever she needed anything.

It was almost midnight as he arrived at the castle on the weekend. It was a tough weekend as Erwin had been planning another upcoming expedition with an endless meeting with the Captain and Commander. It was hard to compile an expedition after such a big loss and achievement at the same time.

After making sure his horse was well-rested, Levi opened the castle's main door and found the reading room that normally welcomed him in the dark, now there was reflection of fire coming from the fireplace. He didn't think that Mrs. Springer would stay until midnight, the woman had family in her village though.

Without a second thought Levi approached the reading room, in the middle of the room, the figure of his new wife stood as if welcoming his arrival with a book in her hand.

They stared at each other for a mere moment, until Mikasa broke the silence, "You're home," she said flatly. Her expression was still monotonous, but Levi could see how Mikasa's eyes were a little more somber than usual. She'd waited for him all night.

"I'm sure I have delivered my message pretty clear to Mrs. Springer that you don't have to wait for my arrival," he started off.

"I got your message and it's understandable and how thoughtful of you think that way of me. But you don't have to worry," Mikasa said tonelessly.

".…"

"About Mrs. Springer." she reminded him, and left him bewildered. He didn't know what she really meant.

As if she could read his bewilderment, she continued, "I can take care of myself. If you think I need someone to take care of me, I don't need that. I'm capable of taking care of myself, undoubtedly."

He stared at her. "...I'm trying to understand your intention."

"What I am saying is..." she cleared her throat. "….you can send Mrs. Springer to the farm, I do not need any companion in this castle. I'm comfortable with myself. Alone."

"... You're saying to me that you will take care of the castle alone when I'm not around?"

"Yes."

"And to fire Mrs. Springer?"

"To send her to the farm." she corrected him.

Levi was absorbing her words, frowning. "I can't possibly do that.."

She frowned, "What I'm saying - " she was about to protest.

"It's midnight." he cut off wearily, sighing. "Let's go upstairs. I'll take you to your room." he sighed.

"We haven't finished talking." she protested.

"It'll wait tomorrow."

She looked unsettled, he noticed that but it was a tiring day, the least he wanted to do now was take a warm bath and relax all his tensed muscles, and avoid a certain woman, a stranger that happened to be his wife in his lonely house and was about to questioned his decision of his household.

But despite her agitation, Mikasa nodded and walked a little behind Levi to the stairs to her room.

Mrs. Springer had worked on his farm with Mr. Buchwald and take care of the castle whenever Levi was not around every weekday. But Mikasa's arrival at the castle made Levi think that Mikasa - like any honorable girl out there - should have someone to help with her day. He never thought that Mikasa could take care of herself alone in this big castle, however the Yaeger family, despite being from Shiganshina was an honorable family and has a notable name in society, they were sure had plenty of servants.

It was a pevensive silences that shrouded them, he couldn't help to think what she'd asked before. But he barely had a sleep because of his insomnia and Erwin's late midnight didn't help either. So he bid her a good night and watched her closed her door.

"The soup is good, Mrs. Springer." Levi said flatly as they were having their breakfast with Mikasa while Mrs. Springer replied to them with a big smile on her face. "I'm happy to see you please as usual, Captain. I hope Mrs. Mikasa is also satisfied with my cooking." she said. Levi glanced at Mikasa, she was nodding and smiling politely, "It's delicious, Mrs. Springer."

"Ah… I'm glad!" Mrs. Springer exclaimed happily. "You're a quiet young lady, so I'm worried that my cooking wasn't exactly to your taste. Oh! It's almost 7, I should go to the farm. Enjoy your breakfast, Captain and Mrs. Mikasa." the older woman excused herself. After made sure Mrs. Springer had seen outside from the window, Levi glanced at his young wife.

"Does Mrs. Springer bothers you?" he started off.

"No," she replied shortly, she stared at her soup.

"Does she make you uncomfortable?"

She sighed, looked up to him. "I know what you're thinking. But it's not like that."

"Why is it then you want me to send Mrs. Springer to the farm?" he asked.

"Because I don't need her. I told you I'm doing fine."

"She's good at doing chores and I'm certain she'll be helpful to you."

"I thought we'd reached a settlement with one and another that I've made myself clear yesterday. And I supposed you understand what I'd implied to you that I'm quite content with myself alone."

"I can't trust you can take care of the castle alone."

She looked offended, "Why?"

"I know how the Yaeger raised you with the servant. And women like you need their servant and - "

"Women like me?" she scoffed, Levi turned to her as she registered him in that cynisme tone. He noticed her flashed eyes in contempt at him. "Yes. Women in particular, like you." he said blandly, assuredly, they shared a glanced with each other.

"You think of me very little aren't you?" she concluded, saying in a disdain tone.

"I consider that Mrs. Springer would be very helpful - "

"Do not patronize me." she cut him off irritatedly.

They stared each other, he didn't understand why she ended up so angry all of a sudden.

"You think of me like I was some spoiled child, like I was a brat that I need someone to take care of me and - "

"Wasn't it you?"

She scoffed in disbelief, biting her lower lips he saw her perturbed and how she clenched her fist. "You know nothing of me." she said bitterly.

"Do I really have to?" he said coldly, put his spoon on the table, suddenly lost his appetite, folding his hand to his chest. If they were really going to be bitter then let them be. The woman was irritating for absolutely no reason. Mrs. Springer had worked and helped him over the year since the first time he moved to the castle and suddenly out of nowhere, an outsider, this young women wished Mrs. Springer to be out of this castle?

He'd seen her, how the servant of the Yaeger treated her like she was some kind of their precious doll and he didn't need any explanation further to conclude that Mikasa Ackerman was raised in spoiled by the Yaeger. He'd provided her someone to accompany her and he'd wished that at least she wouldn't make a buzz of something unnecessarily and interfere with his household decision.

"If you really think that we should know each other then sorry to disappoint you for thinking so highly of me. Don't bother, I have absolutely no interest in knowing you."

"You think I'm interested in you?"

"It's not what I said. All I'm saying - I thought you're like any honorable woman out there simply need someone to help out your days. And I can't possibly fire Mrs. Springer. I need you to understand that circumstances."

"How many times do I have to explain to myself that I don't need a personal servant!" she exclaimed resolutedly.

"It's not something for you to deny. It's a common thing to have a personal servant, women need someone to help out their days, didn't you have one in your previous house?"

She frowned, "How low do you exactly think of me?"

"You don't need to prove anything. I'm not going to validate your… personality . I've seen enough."

"Validate?" she snorted.

"Mrs. Springer is staying and will help you out and she'll work at the farm too."

"You really are like them aren't you? You never take your partner's opinion as a consideration."

"We're talking about partner now? Married is married. That doesn't make us a partner. We're just married on paper why do you make such a big deal and you, as an outsider asked me such an impossible request to fire Mrs. Springer that has been working with me over the years? Don't you think you're outrageous?"

"I'm finished with my breakfast." she abruptly stood and walked away. "I have nothing to say anymore." she added.

"Then it's final," he said.

He hated being complicated. And he hated exaggerated unnecessary things. Mikasa Ackerman clearly was a complicated woman, she was hardly agreeable to talk with and she was irritating. He hated how she thought that she could do whatever she wanted and was intractable and act like a brat. How could he possibly fire Mrs. Springer all of a sudden? What was she thinking? He knew Mrs. Springer was a nice woman. Not only she was a very loyal and hard working person, she was also the mother of his subordinate, Connie Springer.

Would he be reasonable enough to fulfill her ridiculous request?

The answer was no. He couldn't help but annoyed at his new young wife. He should've known that the thought of a young woman could be very troublesome and childish. They thought they could rule the household unreasonably as the new wife.

So Levi spent his weekend cleaning his yard, to clear up his mind and barely spent his days inside. His weekend was supposedly peaceful enough as usual, spending his days on his castle alone but the presence of his wife peeved him, the last thing he'd wished was nothing but to be alone on his house. And he had absolutely no intention of knowing what his wife did inside.

They'd decided to eat in silence, he sensed her perturbed, how unsettled she was of their last conversation.

"My comrades have a plan to visit us. They... want to meet you, if you don't mind," Levi said carefully, starting off.

She just nodded, wordlessly. Having no interest either to talk with him.

Levi's squad plan to visit his castle had to be postponed several times. The Survey Corps were planning an undercover expedition. The next few weeks Levi always came home at midnight and he spent most of his days either at his room or at the pub at Dauper or Ragako village, the nearest village and Mikasa didn't wait for him anymore (not like she would). Today before Levi had work to do in Sina Capital, Levi had decided to go home earlier to inform Mikasa of his departure for a month in Sina, the moon was just above his head as he entered the castle's yard

When passing through the village, there were still many people greeted him on the street. Come to think of it, it had been 3 weeks since Levi didn't talk and met Mikasa. Levi believed Mikasa must be fine and able to take care of herself in the castle, either she despised the idea of Mrs. Springer was eventually staying at the castle to help her out.

Levi found the sound of plates and spoons from his dining room. He was aware it was dinner time. Levi stepped towards the dining room, finding the dining room bright with candlelight and Mikasa Ackerman arranging the dining table.

"Ehem."

Levi didn't mean to surprise her, but Mikasa was startled when she found Levi arrived earlier than usual.

"You... surprised me." she said, trying to look cool as usual after managing to calm herself with her monotonous face.

"I didn't mean that way,"

"You came home earlier than usual."

"Yes, I do. I would like to announce that I'm going to Sina Capital for a month."

Mikasa nodded, "All right," she said briefly, then sat down and started eating and Levi was still standing there discreetly watching her eat.

"If you're hoping to have dinner with me, you can't." she said flatly.

"I don't think I can stand the idea of sharing my meal with you," Mikasa continued in a cold tone without bothering to look up to him.

Levi just blinked while standing there. He couldn't help but notice her, all over her. How cold her tone was when she talked with him, how she avoided him as much as he did, and how she looked up to him with those flashed eye full of hatred. When was it again they ended up hating each other? He couldn't recall. It was obviously after her last request. Hate each other wasn't exactly his plan, his plan was to set aside any unnecessary feelings to involve, but he realized hating each other would bring no good either.

It was almost a month since their wedding and they hated each other most likely. And all he did was busying himself with work at the Head Quarter in Trost, when it was the weekend he always avoided her and she did the same, even now they barely shared their meals together. And Levi, as he had said before, had zero interest in what she'd been up to. It wasn't his business either. It should've not bothered him. The way she acts around him, how she - as if every part of her body despised him. But in fact, he actually cared and realized it thoughtfully. This wasn't right.

"I'm going upstairs," Levi said, turning his back without thinking about turning around and walking to the stairs, away from the dining room. He felt ridiculous to think of the necessity that his decision to come home earlier only to tell the young woman about his departure but only to get her extremely unpleasant attitude that she clearly didn't care about. Her obnoxious temper made everything clear; Levi didn't have to bother coming back here, the castle had never been a home to him from the very beginning.

"Did he really think we're sane enough to share a dinner?" he heard her saying quietly, seemingly aimed at herself.

Something between them felt so distant. The fact that she lived so close to him but her cold attitude always made him rethink to be near with her. Mikasa was nothing more than a stranger who happened to live in his house.

"Uncle, when will you stop smoking?" Levi asked his old uncle while the old man smoked his cigarettes pleasantly.

Kenny chuckled, "Until I die."

Levi snorted. His uncle's habits caused him headaches every time he visited Stohess.

"Speaking of death. Uri told me that the doctor said he wouldn't be long, only about 3 months he's able to survive. The Royals already prepare a will and everything if Uri dead suddenly."

"Hasn't Doctor Yaeger dealt with this kind of disease before?"

Kenny shrugged. "They can't find Doctor Yaeger anywhere,"

"Mm." Levi hummed indifferently, he didn't have any interest with the Royal stuff anyway.

"By the way, how's married life?" Kenny asked out of nowhere.

"Not you trying to give me a man's talk, Kenny." he reprimanded his uncle, annoyed.

"What? We can't have a man talk?" Kenny laughed.

Levi stared at him in contempt.

"Oh, come on. That young lady is so pretty, ya know," Kenny chuckled.

"Indeed, your marriage has been a talk in town." Trauten joined them.

Levi sighed, "I don't care what the town says - "

'You know, there's nothing wrong with you getting married. Everyone deserves to live their life, deserve to earn their happiness including you, Shorty."

"Uncle, I can't. You know that."

"Really, Levi. I've been in a position like you," Kenny said, inhaling his cigar.

Kenny was now talking in a serious tone "Have you ever heard about time heals people? That shits literally happened to me."

"Why exactly did you need to heal?"

Kenny startled, "Um…well… What I mean is… spend your marriage life like everyone else does it." Kenny added.

"Kenny, you forced her into this marriage." Levi reminded him. "No wonder she turned out to be barely… agreeable. She despised me and an irritating woman unreasonably."

"Oi, Shorty, I gave you a solution to your problem, and you chose the solution I gave you. You're the one who made your choice and you are the one who dragged her into this. At least try to live normally, that's my point."

"Kenny I.… do not have the right to live a normal life. I'm different from you. You killed an unknown person. I killed my comrades out there. I failed them and let them died."

"All right... Don't give me that deadly stare. I know… I know, you're different from me."

"I need to leave," Levi said, putting his teacups on and standing up.

"You see, Caven? He has anger issues." Kenny shrugged.

Trauten laughed, "No wonder where he gets it from."

"At least treat her pleasantly, Levi," Trauten said. Levi turned around, Trauten and Kenny looked at him seriously.

"If you decide to live the way you think, it's up to you. But treat her at least well. It's not entirely Kenny's fault. You got her into this too, Levi. You don't have to share your misery with her, she knew absolutely nothing of your sins," Trauten said.

Levi stared at his uncle's wife for a moment. He remembered last night when Mikasa indirectly refused to have dinner with him and how he could feel her resentment to him the way she talked and the way she looked up to him, as if all her misery was caused by Levi, which was probably true.

And how Levi deliberately busy himself with work until late, was the only reason of him to avoid being home because of her indignation demeanor. They now were just too far from each other even to share their bitterness.

Levi sighed. "I understand. Thanks for the advice."

"I didn't know that... Commander Erwin is THIS tall and handsome closer." Sasha whispered to Connie, with her right hand on the chest saluting Commander Erwin followed by 4 Captains of the elite squad of Wall Rose. Special Squad Operation led by Captain Levi of Trost District, Captain Mike Zacharias of Chlorba District, Captain Nanaba of Nedlay District and Captain Hanji Zoe of Karanese District. The four are the leaders of each District in Rose, the Survey Corps along with the Garrisons were focused to fortify in Rose, to restrain any unexpected threat from Marley colony.

The Survey Corps and Garrisons each sent one Captain with their Special Squad Operation member to supervise and guard each district in Rose and Sina. While 4 others the District in Maria was guarded only by the Garrison regarding a fewer number of Survey Corps compared to Garrison and Military. While the Military Police Force was not included in the 57th expedition meeting as the Military Police only worked in wall Sina to serve the King and Lords.

Those who graduated from the top 10 were only allowed to join the Military Police on the Sina Capital. Despite the frequent number of cadets who died in the war against the Marley colony, the Survey Corps remained known as a symbol of humanity's freedom from Marley's colony and had the most elite cadets in the military.

"I know, at our graduation, we saw Commander Erwin standing on the podium and I didn't expect him to be this tall," Connie whispered.

"I still can't believe we were selected as an elite squad for Levi's squad," Armin said.

"I can't believe we're going on an expedition with the elites!"

"Hey, isn't that Bertholt and Reiner?" Connie asked, referring to Reiner Braun and Bertholt Hoover along with Marco Bott and Marlo Freudenberg who stood in salute to Captain Nanaba who then joined them.

"Ah.. I think they were chosen as Captain Nanaba's elite squad then," Armin replied.

"Were they assigned to Nedlay District in the North? Ah they are really lucky, it's the safest District of the Rose to think that Marley always coming from the South." Sasha said.

"The district is not an assurance for anything. You remember the last expeditions that were assigned for Captain Levi's Squad and Captain Nanaba's? And you see the two squad members who were the most elite squads at the time were killed mercilessly by the Marleyans? It's just a matter of time we fated the same thing," Jean said.

Sasha shook her head. "You just too pessimistic, Jean."

"We have the best leaders in history so far. Captain Levi, Hanji, Mike Zacharias, Nanaba, even from the Garrison we have a potential Captain Rico Brezenska, Ian Dietrich you named it - you see they are the strongest person ever known. We can win this war and live in freedom!"

"Yeah but Captain Levi almost dead from the last expedition." Connie said, join the pessimistic Jean.

"I am not pessimistic. I'm being realistic, you remember Marley's technology when we guard the south frontier? Yeah, how come we win against them."

"But it all paid off with Captain Levi finally had managed to take the southern port from Marley Colony, didn't?" Sasha asked again.

"But if you remember, weren't Reiner and Bertholt very ambitious to join Captain Levi's elite squad?"

"Yes, I do. Isn't that weird? Captain Levi didn't choose them, instead he chose us who ranked lower than them. They were the 1st and 2nd rank."

"Captain Levi must have seen something of us so he chose us," Armin said.

"Still, it's weird,"

"You know what's weirder? All of us. We are all miraculously top 10 graduate cadets. Instead of choosing to join the Military Police, we're joining the Survey Corps. The only sane person from our batch is Annie Leonhart." Jean added.

"That's right. Annie must have served the king directly considering she was ranked 3rd. Lucky girl," Sasha said.

"Armin, what kind of expedition do you think they're going to do?" Jean asked. "... I heard this was a secret expedition to sneak into the Marley area."

"They must have gone crazy. We don't even know how to cross the ocean!"

All four of them saluted when Levi came up to them and sat next to his team. Then, Commander Erwin began his meeting.

"I want to thank everyone for coming here. As we know this is a big mission that I and Commander Pixis have been thinking carefully about." began Erwin.

"As we know, yesterday's 56th expedition has succeeded in bringing the victory of Paradis to take over the southern port from Marley Colony and we have lost our best comrades in order to regain our freedom. The name of our friends is: Dirk, Dieter, Marlene, Klaus and Harold of the Nanaba Squad who died to protect Levi's team. Oulo Bazard, Eld Gin, Gunther Schultz and Petra Ral failed in their duty to infiltrate the Marley area," Erwin said.

"Expedition 57, our main goal is to infiltrate the Marley region." Erwin started off.

After the meeting, Levi spent a regular visit whenever he had free time, the place that came to his thought first was not his castle, not Kenny's. But the public cemetery where the soldiers were died in the name of war to defended their country in Sina Capital's public cemetery.

Their hard work followed military training, their courage to fight against the Marley colony, their pride and beloved of their family, hope as heroes of the country... Now they were all the same, lying lifeless rotting down there, where one day what was left was only unindetified bones.

Levi always followed the pattern of his visits, from one gravestone to another... he was never absent to visit his colleagues one by one who worked under him directly. And the last gravestone he'd visited was always the same one. The name on the gravestone, it used to make him know what it was like to feel loved and be loved for a second time. Now, that name only left him haunted every night in his endless nightmare.

It was funny how one person from a different dimension of time in the past and present can give a million mixed memories. Love and pain for him - the two are inseparable like two different sides of a coin but hold together, it caused one and another and linked each other.

Levi knew this was a sin he must endured for his dream. His grief in any deepest burrow couldn't be matched evenly. Levi was too devastated for it, everyone nearby always left him behind. Until all left was him alone. They said it was because he was Humanity's Strongest soldier that he could stay alive until today and fate. He preferred to say that fate wasn't kind enough to let him die in war. He was the chosen one of the fate to carry the burden of the lifeless body down there. He was the one that should win the war so their death wasn't a waste. It was what made him survive until today. His guilt, grief and dreams all at once on the same page of a miserable chapter of his life.

Levi repeatedly regretted his decision to entrusted the last expedition to his team. He should have been able to refuse the mandate Erwin entrusted to him and his squad, and perhaps now he could still guard Trost District together with those buried down there.

The name on the tombstone once had gave a cheerful smile that seemed to continue to exist every day for the rest of his life, also promised to faithfully accompany Levi either as a subordinate, co-worker, or life partner - he remembered how the face was blushed in red when the women offered him to be a life partner coyly, now that name only gave him nightmares every time he closed his eyes while sleeping.

What an irony.

The nightmares happened too often and he lost count on it, until he realized that in reality he was living an endless nightmare for the rest of his life and it was a matter of time he need to accept it. Levi wished he had never known her from the beginning - never met Erwin and was recruited by him, joined the Survey Corps and didn't have to meet her at all from the very beginning.

Petra Ral.

Whenever he read the name on the gravestone, Levi still wished deep down from his heart that he was only having nightmares that one day he would wake up, greeted by the girl's orange hair when opening his eyes, with her sweet smile, asking him:

"Captain, did you sleep well?"

But Levi knew his life was just a long cycle of endless, hopeless suffering. He seemed cursed by what they said was luck - that his life was longer than those buried under his feet. The fact that they died because of his decision, made Levi hated himself even more every day.

He knew he wasn't going anywhere. He was trapped, circling endlessly in his circle of suffering.