Warning: implied/referenced suicide, homophobia (yes i am projecting to this one (1) aot character because of her people-pleasing tendencies)

When you fled on the wall where Erwin stood, you reported. "They were able to slow the colossal down from transforming. Squad Hange and others are still seizing him as of the moment. The armor seems to have a hard time keeping up as well, just as we expected."

"Then we could have more time to usher these squads up to assist Eren and the others." Erwin mused. As you're about to fly again, however, he calls your name lowly. "I was planning to talk to you about this once we manage to come back but given the situation right now, I doubt you'd let that happen. Most of the squads you're holding are really positioned as sacrificial lambs and almost every one of them is dead now. That'd include you later on." He let out, displeased. "Your revisions predicted every intricate move no one could ever think of. It's as if we're having this fight for the second time. Tell me, ever since you woke up that afternoon along with the very drastic change of yours, what have you seen?"

"I had nightmares about it."

"We don't have time to fool around. If you go with your plan of dying here, I would bring your body back with countless doubts. I'd end up thinking that you know everything all this time but deprived us of such important information. That you just played along as if this was just a silly game for you. Answer my question: am I speaking to the same person right now?"

You clicked a wistful smile. This man is surely sharp. "This vision and the power of the titans came from the same place. Like the Reiss clan, my ancestors got something as well and pretty much urged the King to bring humanity here. And no, seeing me with utter doubt won't last long. I've prepared something back inside the walls. Lastly, the squads I'm handling aren't mere sacrificial lambs. They knew this would happen all along. We've talked about it before the expedition."

When you glanced at Erwin, he just urged you to continue. "In another place, this world is just a mere nightmare I get whenever I lie down and sleep. People are actually living their lives well without the existence of walls and giants. Just like how I assured you that your dreams about our comrades aren't real, I once convinced myself that this is nothing but a fragment of my imagination. That is until you started appearing in those nightmares. Your existence confirmed that I would need to confront this world one way or another."

This time, you shot him a genuine smile, perhaps one for farewell. "You saved me from those, Erwin. You gave me the chance to do this for myself. I don't want to be riddled by nightmares anymore and if that would happen in exchange for my existence, I have no regrets choosing it." As you thought you couldn't say more than that, you fastened your gear to fly again. "You'll see the basement this time. That's what I traveled worlds for."

As expected, the beast titan was still unbeatable this time. But with your knowledge of his powers and the formation they had as he threw the boulders, you were able to save some squads from it. The plan also ensured that your former squad, Moblit and the others, would avoid their demise. All of it in exchange for your death.

And upon facing it valiantly along with your comrades that you assured with the last smile, you finally heard Wahren again. You did your job well. As your body became an immovable heap on the ground and nothing glazed your vision but the cloudy sky, Wahren asked you if you'd prefer to see something different instead, perhaps another moment to relive to stall you from the pain. He could do that much, after all. He's been giving you the vision of different things and worlds ever since you got aware of his existence.

Your brother came to me, and then he came back with the rest of our comrades— all of them to put me in my place.

You were shot awake with a loud gasp and it didn't take long for you to realize that you were crying already. However, when you were about to wipe your tears and sit down, you felt a weight on you. You also realized lips were nuzzled on your head.

It's Erwin and he's awake.

"There, there." He tipped your chin up to face him, then brought his lips to yours. It was a soft one, very gentle, very assuring. "Didn't know your nightmares are this bad," Then held you tighter to his embrace.

You quickly came up with a lie, "No, this is… a rare occurrence. I just wake up abruptly from time to time. Doesn't happen every day."

"Rare?" He almost chuckled. "This is the third time you've done this and it's almost morning now."

"Third?" Your mouth almost gaped open. "I'm sorry. It must've bothered your sleep a lot."

"I haven't slept yet. Besides, you immediately drift away nonetheless."

"What did I do?"

"Nothing. You just puff a breath then open your eyes wide but when I kiss you, you're sleeping again." Your fluster got very evident then and Erwin stifled a strained chuckle as if in disbelief at you flustering about such a thing when you've already done this much, along with it was the rattling thought that you should've done this sooner. Perhaps it'd save both of you from the heap of nighttime miseries. However, upon realizing what your dream is about just now, you immediately inquired. "You're having bad dreams right now too, right? That's why you can't sleep."

He looked at you for a while, "No."

"You're lying. You're holding me right now."

Erwin was taken aback then. "How did you know about that?" But you didn't answer, you just rested your palm on his cheek and waited. After a while, he finally replied. "Yeah, that's why I'm trying to stay awake."

This time, you're the one who ushered yourself up the bed, leaned his head on your arms, and spooned him to you. "The one thing you're at fault for is that you never became honest with yourself. Everyone here had their personal reasons as to why they joined the Scouts just as you had your own. If it's not about humanity's freedom for you then you don't have to be so conflicted about it in the first place. Our comrades would've followed you even if they are aware of your motives nonetheless — because they had a will of their own. I told you to not deprive them of that, didn't I?" You paused for a while to see his reaction but it seems like your words are still not coming to him. "I'm not telling you to abolish your guilt. If you see it as a huge mistake, enough to be so remorseful about it, then it's fine. But if you were to embody that for eternity then know what you have to compensate for — your honesty. It's okay, you don't need to have nightmares about them while holding me."

When you looked at him again, you saw the same poignant smile he gets whenever you remind him of these things. "Your words are enough for now." He landed a chaste peck on your neck and finally closed his eyes. You closed your eyes smiling as well.

There, you said it. You finally did. Even though you could just easily say this to the Erwin you have in that world, this is something that must be heard by the commander instead.

Indeed, you traveled worlds just for these words to reach him, after all.

"And to say it again, you did so well, my young descendant." When you opened your eyes again, Wahren finally greeted you upfront. You're inside the parallel again. "It seems like you're much more at peace now unlike the fret during our last encounter."

"I apologize for assuming you manipulated me into it." You looked down with a sad smile. "This is something I would choose over and over again."

"You must not look at me as someone you're indebted with. Every time my descendants would get aware of the parallel and realize that they could still live instead of sacrificing their lives, no one ended up using it. No one has been selfless enough to use it. They were already at ease at the fact that dimensions where their opposites could be happy exist. They don't desire to be gone in those worlds as well. That's why I was stuck here in the parallel as the only human founder, protecting my every descendant's will and respecting the fear they've felt." This time, he placed his palm on top of your head. "Then you came without hesitation even at the cost of your existence. Because of you, I can finally be set free by my own power and fear. You're finally here after a thousand years of waiting."

You let the silence envelope the place for a while. Right, you'll cease to exist now. Every single piece of your existence will be gone everywhere. The thought was almost enough to make you shudder and cry but it's not like you have all the time to lament over it now. Fortunately, you are moments away from turning into dust. "If you'll be finally freed from it, are we supposed to go together?"

"Is that what you desire?"

You forced a laugh, "Dear founder, I beg you to not get my hopes up."

He was silent for a while, "Before anything else, would you like to see what was supposed to happen had you not been born in the world you've set conditions with?" When you nodded, he made you watch another series of scenarios again. Instead of a TV screen, you're a mere passerby as the events ensue this time.

The first place was years ago inside Historia's house. As you're very much aware, Historia has always been a silent girl who kept on shining with kindness. There was nothing in her priority but to appear as someone likable and confirmative to norms even at the expense of the things she truly wanted. She was nothing but an empty shell — that's what made her glue to you in Paradis, after all. Your will gave her the leverage, at the very least, to be freed from its confines. And so the moment she'd have a chance to do so came one morning.

"Mom," She fidgeted on the laces of her skirt. "I have to tell you something."

Alma curled her eyebrows. It was another weekday when she begrudgingly cooked her high school daughter's breakfast. "Be quick. I'm about to get late."

"I think I—" She exhaled in hopes that it would slow down her ringing heartbeat. "I think I like someone."

"Yeah?" She scowled. "You think you're still in elementary and need to bother your parents with that?"

"No," She worriedly shot back in defense. "It's because I— because—"

"I told you to be quick."

"It's because it's a girl!"

It got silent then. Historia felt like she'd rather die than looking at her mother's expression. And she's right because after the tormenting silence, she got nothing but a hard slap.

"Really? You really opted to tell me such a horrendous thing first thing in the morning? You think what we do to raise you properly is nothing but a joke?" She glowered and harshly dropped the kitchen utensil on the counter. The clank made Historia flinch as tears crept up her eyes. "Don't ever say that again! You'll get more than a slap by then." Then turned the stove off. "You're not getting breakfast. Get out of this house before I lay a hand on you again."

And so she did with a cry. She really knew better than to repeat that thought again. She severed her ties with the person she likes then went on being a good girl through and through. When she realized someone in school didn't like her, she tried earnestly to gain their favor, one of which included Isabel.

"Huh? Why?" Isabel grimaced as soon as Historia went up to her as they walked down the field.

"I—" She stuttered with pants. "I heard that you were annoyed at me and even though I'm not sure why I would like to apologize if I did something wrong." And worriedly added.

Isabel was unmoved. "I'm not in a place to lash out my anger at you, we're not even that close. But if you want me to say what I dislike about you then have it." She completely faced the nervous girl then. "It's because you reached out to me and went all kind and sweet but as soon as someone told you I'm not the kind girl you thought me to be and whoever hangs out with me is a weird outcast, you started avoiding me as well. I even heard you laugh weakly at someone talking shit behind my back. Does that feel good for you?"

"No! That's not true!" It is. That's one of her greatest fears. That laugh was a nervous one. She had to appear as if she was humored by everything people around her say because she wants them to keep looking at her nicely. "I don't believe you're a bad person at all! You're true to yourself without any fear. It's really admirable of you and—" I'm jealous. Fuck. I'm so jealous of you. "I can't hate you for that."

Despite Isabel getting quite too used to this, she at least hoped Historia would be different. Isabel somehow clung to the thought that if she ever got sick of trying to fit in, someone would come to her company this time. She thought it'd be Historia. "I know you don't hate me. I'm not that shallow to think so. But I can't keep hanging out with you. I know you've been faking it all along and I'm done with it, so done to ever waste my energy on you. See you then." She turned her back on the young girl and walked again.

Historia's utterly full bucket of composure finally broke. Perhaps it's been broken since her mother gave her a slap. Nothing good is running in her mind anymore. She had done everything she could just so people would look at her kindly— heck, even a mere blank look from her mother would suffice. It would be enough for her to stop being as pathetic as this. "So what if I'm fake? Is it that bad that I want to fit in? So what if I laughed? It's not a real one! I just did that so they'd think I'm interested in whatever they're trying to say! Don't ridicule me for something that you used to try as well!" She was about to cry then. This is normal, right? This is something a fifteen-year-old girl would worry over. It's not a bad thing at all. She's not being weird at all.

Still, the slightly older redhead only shot her a dead stare. With a sneer, she muttered. "Annoying fake bitch."

She was about to walk away again until Historia retorted. "If I'm annoying then you're a weird lad who never fits in despite trying so hard!"

As expected, Isabel never took that lightly. It says a lot about how a commotion ensued that ended both of them in the guidance office. And what annoyed Isabel the most was that Historia went away with it so quickly even if she started it. Historia let it happen too. She never admitted that she was the one who sputtered banters first.

In Historia's mind, she was trembling in utter fear to even speak. The time her mother gets called for this, she certainly won't get a mere slap. Slowly but surely, Historia's limit was pushed further. She quit school altogether and ran away from home. No one ever heard from her again.

Your knees went weak at the sight. Yes, they pretty much ended up like that but you never let them go on with that conclusion. You were able to pinpoint their insecurity and assured them that it's completely valid all the while encouraging them to get past it by practicing maturity. This was Historia's darkest moment and so you did nothing but stay by her side, kept her from running away from the person who could finally let her out of her confines.

But now she ran away and you can't even know where she went anymore.

Isabel cried about it too but she had Furlan somehow. However, when she finally graduated from high school, she instigated a commotion again inside her household.

"Yeah, you don't understand it at all! You and Levi have always been so close, doing all sorts of things while I'm left alone because you think I'm a frail little girl!"

"And do you think a grown person would sulk like that?" Furlan retorted.

Levi finally went out of bed to watch the commotion between his two siblings unfold. "What's this noise all about? It's six in the morning."

"Isabel doesn't want to go to college. She said she wants to travel and shit." Furlan then flashed the luggage he grabbed from her. "And she'll start today. She even got a ticket without our knowledge!"

"Huh?" Levi turned to Isabel with squinted eyes. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I'm not. I just—I just want to do something I want even if I'm all alone with it." Isabel muttered in lament. "This is the first time I desired something without the need of a company. I spent months looking forward to it but I know you won't let me so I didn't let anyone know."

"Who said you're all alone?"

"I am! No one befriends me because I'm too tactless. I grew up being teased by everyone I've been trying to befriend with because I don't act like them, and all this time I attempted to jive in whatever you and Furlan have but I still always end up left behind!" She brought back her glare at Furlan. "And now you're all trying to stop me from doing things that I'm confident I would want to do alone? I'm tired of trying to keep up with everyone's standards!"

"And what I'm seeing here is you being a little brat who's desperate to be treated like an adult but cries for such an awful reason."

"You don't understand, Levi. Furlan, too. You don't understand at all because you two have always been together. You think leaving me behind to jive in with other girls would do me better because I'd like to have friends. But you know, it just became miserable for me instead." Isabel choked on her sobs. "That's why I'm not gonna listen to you anymore. To hell if I don't see both of you again! I could die hating all of you!" Then grabbed the luggage Furlan was holding and stormed out of the house. Levi and Furlan were left aghast.

Oh, Isabel, you don't mean that.

And it's been like that for Isabel since then. Levi never allowed her to work in the cafe unless she got back to her senses and went to college. Furlan also let her do whatever she wanted without giving her a message because he thought Isabel would eventually come back on her own after her sulking subsided. They tried to understand her, to say the least, but what could a family do and comprehend is limited. What Isabel felt that day and what she said as she cried were all real and the way the two thought that it was just a silly matter hurt her. Much to her family's surprise, she never went home again. They tried to reach out after a while but Isabel shut them off. The only way they could assure her safety was through her social media accounts that she intentionally updates so they would know she's fine. It went on for a year or two until Isabel's emotional connection with them decreased. She's not the clingy girl anymore. It's needless to say that she ended up estranged from them.

And so you realized why you're seeing this as well; the foundation both of you had is what helped her family the most in dealing with her eccentricities.

It's only a huge turnout of events that made Isabel rush home again. It was a call from Levi, and his voice was laced with sheer pain.

"Erwin… He's gone."

Your heart dropped. You can't even feel your body. It's as if you dissipated into thin air. The next thing you did was reach out — to ask for the details and to run wherever Erwin was — but they couldn't hear you. The scenario just simply shifted again.

Levi walked inside the funeral room and placed a cold coffee drink on Hange's forehead. "You've been sitting there for almost a day already. Go home and take a bath. Your smell reeks at this place. Erwin would get up to scold you."

"I'd prefer that." Hange lamented and sighed loudly. "But really? Do I smell bad now? This room is air conditioned and I can't even smell myself!" Then proceeded to take a sniff on their armpits.

"Stupid four-eyes." Levi tossed the can quite harshly to stop Hange. "Miche's on the way now. If I still see you here after an hour, we'll knock you off and bring you back by force."

Before Levi could start walking away, Hange spoke again. "He seemed to be a lost soul ever since I saw him. It's like he never belonged wherever he was — as if he had a world on his own and he wasn't meant to be here." They turned to Levi, "Do you think we could ever see it? The world Erwin saw throughout his life?"

Levi took the time to respond. "The last thing he said to me is that he's starting to enjoy this life a bit too much and he's not meant to end up like that because of the debts he needed to pay. Whatever that world is, the only thing I regret is that I never snapped him away from it." Then after glancing at the coffin for the last time, Levi finally walked away from that room.

After you see more and by the time your vision is back inside the parallel, your knees have finally given up on you. The sobs tempting to get out of your mouth came flashing down all at once.

"When you were born in that world and conditions about your existence altered, glitches piled up one after the other. Your brother who was supposed to exist had died even before he was born. Your mother got the power triggered as well and you need to be aware of how major that was — the parallel isn't supposed to exist in a world instigated by a bearer. Further conditions arose that even I wasn't aware of anymore."

You let your cries die down at first before asking again, "Why did I exist in the first place? How did those glitches arise?"

"You protected your loved ones' will so they could get something they strongly wanted to have for themselves, something that wasn't granted in the former world." You looked up and urged him to say more. "And apparently, one of them vehemently wished nothing for himself but to see you again. Even a small glimpse would suffice for him. His will instigated chaos yet again."

Even before you could process that remark, you were thrown into an abyss again. Amidst your dark vision are voices you could hear nearby.

It seems like you're back this time.

"Police just issued a search warrant for her. As expected, she'd try to escape this one." Levi tiredly mused.

"I doubt she would," Erwin replied.

"Yeah? Why?" As if Levi just realized something, he added. "You didn't do anything to her, right?"

"What do you think I'll do?" Erwin forced a chuckle out. "I told you, the only time I would kill that woman myself is when this lady dies."

"We're not getting any good news about that brat, though. All the doctors say to Kuchel is that we should be ready for the worst." He sighed. "Isabel keeps on waking up in the middle of the night crying or throwing up. Furlan and I have to take shifts tending to her. It didn't help that she was here when the doctors reiterated that yesterday."

Erwin took a while to respond, you just felt him drape a hand on your cheeks. "She's having a completely similar situation there. And upon seeing that, I was made aware the next day that her condition here got a little bit better. That gives me hope somehow. Never in my life did I think I'd ever say I can't wait for her to die there just so she'd wake up here."

And as if that was the cue for your body, you finally got the strength to open your eyes. Despite the blurry vision, you could see Erwin right beside your bed while Levi sat on the couch behind him. It doesn't take long for them to shoot their eyes wide either.

"She really did." Levi muttered in aghast and upon processing the sight, he quickly rushed outside to call for the nurses.

Erwin cupped your cheeks in surprise, "You're back. Can you hear me?"

You tried to nod, at the very least. However, it's not only Erwin you could hear. Strong flashes of wind draped your body as well. You could smell the stench of blood and death. You could feel the cold ground of Wall Maria.

"She's still breathing." You heard Hange from behind.

Erwin is still standing above you though, patiently waiting for your response.

"Man, that's one serious concussion." You could hear Connie speak as he gently maneuvers your body. "I doubt she'd last long with this."

You flinched quite a bit and so Erwin asks if you feel anything bad.

"Doesn't matter. As long as she's alive. Put her in the wagon." Before they could go, you felt Hange squeeze your hand first and whisper. "You should live. Erwin's waiting for you."

"Erwin's… still waiting for me…" You muttered almost inaudibly.

Erwin curled his eyebrows at first. However, it doesn't take his astuteness to comprehend what that remark was about and so he quickly interjected. "No. I'm not waiting anymore. You're here. You don't have to worry about anything else but staying awake here." You didn't answer; you look like you're chasing and running around because someone's waiting.

He's still waiting. He's still alive. Oh god, he lived. He outlived his fate.

The Erwin above you seems like pursuing something as well — no, it's not just something — he's chasing for you. He doesn't want you back in that world. What the commander would deem as utter relief would be a complete nightmare for him. He could throw away that person in his entirety if that means he could have you back in this world.

"Don't go back. Stay here instead. Isabel, Furlan, all the people you have are here and living their best lives and they're waiting for you." Erwin sounded like he was catching his breath. Despite your vision getting hazier and your sight drifting from the hospital ceiling to the vast cloudy sky, you could still see how he's trying to pull you back, how desperate he is for this talk. It's as if he's having a battle with a completely different entity; as if he's grabbing you away from someone entirely different from him.

Erwin is fighting with his counterpart. He's separating himself from the commander for the first time.

"The woman who did this to you will suffer a completely terrible death if you end up killed by her and everyone who knows you will lead lamentful lives from thereon. All your efforts to give them a relatively better life would be for naught." Yeah, he's not doing it for you. He's doing it for his own desperation and desire, for Isabel's continuous wailing, for Furlan's and Levi's teetering composure, and for your friend, Historia, who's in the precipice of breaking down at the university and would come here to cry and talk to him about you. "If you end up dying here, I'll kill her. Her death will be slow. I started it days ago but I won't make her kill herself this time. I'll do it myself."

Indeed, that remark halted you down. No, that's not what I'd like to happen. However, you were too late. By the time Erwin dropped the last word, you already reached what you had been chasing for.

The scent of the hospital still reeked your insides but the uncanny distinction from the earlier one made you realize you're back in Paradis.

"Your hunches are right, Erwin. That heck of a book she gave me as her will is full of strange stuff. And I could attest she's not fucking around." Hange spoke from behind along with a thud of a book on your bed. "What we just found in Grisha's basement is written here as well. With more details, even. I wonder why she didn't just tell us sooner. That'd save us tons of lives."

"With the major revision she did in the battle strategy, she was able to spare as many lives as she could." The commander mused. "Also, no one would believe her. It's more likely she'd end up getting interrogated behind bars because of it."

"I doubt you'd let that happen."

"Yeah, I would never. However, if she decided to drop all of these at once, even I would end up doubting her for it." Erwin sighed. You're unsure if it's due to frustration or guilt. "She's been very strange since the coronation. I wonder if things would go a different way if we just decided to confront her about it. Especially the time she revised most of the strategy we had come up with."

It was Hange's turn to sigh; a sad chuckle followed. "There's no point in pondering about that, though. Should we tell this to the higher-ups?"

"I'll read everything first. The last thing we want to establish is that she's been a spy all along."

"Right." Hange concurred as you heard them go nearer to you. "I just can't help but be frustrated at the fact that I have so many questions but she's just lying dead here. It's as if we're inside a game and she gave us an entire book of cheat codes and foresight only to leave without a word. Well, at least we were able to get her back—" Hange cut themself off upon seeing you open your eyes. "Erwin!" Then screamed.

"What?" Erwin asked blandly as he continued flipping through the pages.

Hange pointed at you shakily, "She–oh god–she's finally awake!" Erwin dropped the book then. He quickly scooted towards you as Hange checked your pulse. "Oh, I can finally hear it loudly. Hold on, I'll call the doctors up." Then finally rushed away from the room.

"You're back," Erwin muttered as he cupped your cheeks; his face laced with nothing but surprise and relief. However, as much as you want to celebrate the good news with him, the exact same sight of him welcoming you like this in the other world completely broke your heart. You felt Erwin wiping up the tears with his fingers. "Why are you crying?" Hange came back moments after with the doctor but what caught them instead was you wailing so loudly for reasons they can't decipher.

After a while of examinations and letting you rest after your cries, Erwin stayed beside you again.

"You look terrible," You lightly remarked, your voice strained because of not using it for long. "Commander Erwin not having his usual fixed hair is a completely rare sight."

"If I knew you'd wake up today I'd see to it that I'm physically prepared." He bantered. He went back to his sad smile after a while. "We thought you're not waking up again. You've been unconscious for a week now and the doctors were telling us to expect the worst."

"I saw lots of things after that day. Saw what'd happen if I didn't exist in that world at all." Your voice broke with another strain. "Saw that old man explaining everything to me. And saw you—" You can't even continue that remark anymore as a heavy lump formed up in your throat.

"The old man you're speaking of, is that Wahren? The one who got the power from the same source where titans originated?" He asked and you nodded. It took him a while to speak again. "I'm well aware of the doubts you might get if you told this beforehand but you should've just trusted us. I won't be able to throw you away into prison-like interrogation unlike the others because you've been with us for so long. And according to what you've written, you just became aware of it after the uprising."

"No, it's not that. I could only do so much with the limited time I have. The last thing I want is to cause an unnecessary commotion. I'm also just a little too caught up in changing things so that everyone wouldn't suffer the same fate, for the two of us to have a different ending but—" You closed your eyes tight and heaved a deep sigh before continuing. "Just now, I saw that Erwin begging me to go back there."

"You regained your consciousness in that world?"

"Momentarily. Right before I woke up in this one."

"And you chose this world instead?"

"Not yet. Despite feeling much better here at the moment, I can still hear what's happening in that world behind my ears. And I… feel weaker and weaker as time passes by right now."

Looking at the commander's reaction, you were reminded again and again that they were never different persons. "Stay here. I'll make sure you'll live a good life from now on. You'll have everything you want and you won't need to suffer anymore." Not only does his face lace with surprise but he also looks convicted of winning another bargain. He cupped your cheeks and looked you in the eyes. "I might've been awful all these years but I'm not riddled by knowing the answers anymore. I could do so much better this time. Stay here and grant me the chance to show you everything I've been yearning to give all these years."

"You're about to kill someone who led me to this same situation in that world, Erwin."

He paused for a while to ponder. "Indeed, that sounds like something I would do."

"I know and I'd never doubt that. That's why I can't let it happen."

Still, Erwin's resolution didn't falter. "But you don't have to think about it if you stay here. I can't kill anyone who would dare lay their hands on you because you'd do it before I could. I've always been the one to take care of the aftermath, haven't I?"

You huffed a sad chuckle, "It's not like I couldn't defend myself there but still—"

"I'll resign from my post. I could do that with ease if that's what you want." He cut you off and so you realized he's indeed willing to do everything. "I'm aware that there are still so many things to know and work on but I was only able to reach this far because you made us live. Every single person standing here owes you that much."

"You can't quit. There are lots of catastrophes to happen from hereon. You should know what those are by now."

"Then I won't. I would do everything you want. You could have everything you want in this world."

There, it daunted you again. Of course, you'd be able to live wherever he is. That's everything you could ever wish for. You existed again because of him but for all the dimensions you've traveled so far, you can't help but think of your friends too.

Furthermore, you also heard Wahren speak again as if he's watching you from afar. "You have to choose now." He called out your name seriously, voice laced with urgency. "You'll be dead in both worlds at this point."

"But Isabel—" Tears attempted to well up your eyes again due to immense pressure. "She needs to have someone right now. Furlan's having a hard time, too."

"Isabel and Furlan…?" Erwin's hand on your cheeks weakened its grip. His face faltered slightly.

That's not something he could ever give even if he tried.