Armin and Nick looked on as the others began to explore the shop.
"It was really nice of you show us around, Nick-san. But I guess we may not be able to buy anything"
"Oh that's fine. I'm just happy you young ones have taken an interest in this place. May I ask, what's your name, young man?"
Armin turned and answered "Oh yeah sure, my name is Armin."
Nick's and Marco's eyes slightly widened at this
"Did you say your name was Armin, dude?" Marco asked
"Um…yes…what's wrong?"
Nick lightly laughed "Guess it must be fate that brought you here, Armin…I mean, what are the chances that you would meet someone named after the hero of this festival's legend?"
This grabbed Eren's attention
"The festival's…legend?"
Everyone looked to Nick when they heard Eren's words. Armin then asked
"Nick-san, if you wouldn't mind…could you tell me that legend?"
"Oh I will gladly. Seems like the rest are interested as well. Why don't we sit somewhere comfortable because it's going to be a bit long…like the steps of the plaza."
The group then went outside and sat in the steps.
Then Nick began:
"This was a legend passed down in Yeld for the last 2000 years. It's called the legend of the Titan Hunter."
Eren was intrigued at the title
"Titan…Hunter?"
Nick continued:
"You might be aware that the neighbouring nation Marley has a strong bond with Yeld. However, many, many years back, the two nations were constantly at war with one another with each side mercilessly killing the other. In Yeld there was a being of unknown race which had unnatural powers. despite having only a 13-year life span. We don't know his real name but we locals call him the Titan Hunter. Despite all that power, he was gentle by nature. He was very fond of this island and had many friends, one of whom was Armin. He and Armin were inseperable. However, during the wars with Marley, he saw many of his friends die. When he found out Marley was the reason, he marched to the capital Liberio and laid waste to the land. Soldiers, Civilians…all of them were killed. He came back to the mainland, hoping that the war would soon be over with. After Eldia got to know what the Titan Hunter had done, they were horrified. They then sought out to make peace with Marley. However, Marley refused as it was seething with rage due to what happened. In the meantime, the Titan Hunter who believed that Marley must be burned to the dust to keep Yeld safe, came into disagreement with the Yeldians. When the Yeldians tried to stop him, The Titan Hunter unleashed the complete extent of his power and threatened to destroy anyone who came in the way. As this went on, the Marleyan forces launched an offensive on Yeld to take revenge for what happened in Liberio. However, when they saw how Yeld was willing to going against one of their own to prevent the enemy's destruction, they joined forces with the Yeldians to defeat the common enemy. Many lives were lost. However, in the end, the Titan Hunter was killed by Armin. Both Yeld and Marley were saved from utter destruction. The war between the two nations ended and in the years that followed, the bond between Marley and Yeld became stronger, continuing to this day."
Jean slightly clapped "That was a good story Ojii-san."
Sasha also praised the man "True. That was a really good story I heard in a long time."
Eren looked at the man as he completed the story in a traced state. Mikasa looked at him and asked
"It was really such a good story wasn't it Eren?"
Eren slowly muttered
"I-It doesn't feel right."
"Huh?"
"T-The ending… and the wars…it somehow doesn't feel right."
Nick asked Eren as he muttered
"Um…young man, is there something you wish to ask?"
Eren snapped out of his trance again.
"H-Huh?"
"Again." Mikasa thought
"I asked if you wanted to ask something."
"Oh…uh...yeah…why is this legend called the Legend of the Titan Hunter? Technically wasn't it Armin who saved the day? So why is it not called the Legend of Armin?"
Jean then intervened "How does it matter Yeager? I mean, Armin the hero has a festival in his honour right?"
Nick then lightly smiled "I never mentioned that this festival is in honour of Armin the hero. Although that's what a part of the island chooses to believe."
Armin then asked "Then in whose honour do other islands celebrate this festival?"
"They do it to honour The Titan Hunter."
Sasha then asked "Huh?! Why would the people celebrate a festival in honour of the villain?"
"That is a question of the perspective you see the story through Miss. Among others in the story, the Titan Hunter is most mysterious character among them all. Some people believe that Armin destroyed a monster that took a lot of lives and threatened to take a lot more. But there's a flip side to this as well. If the Titan Hunter had not threatened to destroy the other nations, the two nations would have never stopped fighting, probably not even to this day. In other words, it was due to the two nations facing a common enemy that they became one. Some even go as far to say that the Titan Monster intentionally became a devil for the island to bring the two nations together, sacrificing himself in the act. The Titan Hunter is not considered to be a hero or a villain. He's more of a…anti-hero. He was a good person by heart, but had his own faults, like a normal human. His true intentions are a debated topic"
All of them thought about this for a few seconds "That's another way to look at it." Mikasa said
Eren then asked "Why is he called the Titan Hunter? Was it his given name or something?"
"No, that was simply called as such. The reason he's called that is because it is said that among other abilities, the Titan Hunter has the ability to turn into a giant humanoid being which was as tall as nearly 7 humans."
Eren was shocked at this. "A…giant…humanoid?"
Armin and Mikasa looked at Eren
Marco then looked at his watch and said "Oh, it's 9 already! I didn't even feel the time pass! I have to go now. I had a REALLY good time touring guys my age for change."
"Same here Marco." Jean said.
"I'll need to go home as well now." Nick said
" I'll walk you till there Elder Nick."
"That would be nice Marco."
"Looks like we'll have to go too. Thanks for everything Nick-san."
"My pleasure Armin."
Then the two groups parted ways
