Chapter 8
Now the rehearsal is done, the adults are now sitting at the table, and Eren asks, "Mikasa, is Hizuru still an ally to the Paradis Island?"
Mikasa frowns, "I don't know, ever since the Rumbling, they have never contacted me..."
Jean says, "I'll explain. Hizuru still has traded with Paradis Island, but their nation is also rebuilding because of the Rumbling, and thanks to the queen who provide some resources to the nation of Hizuru, the process is good."
"I see..." Eren frowns.
Historia says, "And thanks to your suggestion, we manage to reduce the food shortage in Stohess."
"I see. I'm glad to hear that." Eren says. "But even now, I think being a shadow king is not the right idea. It just made me like your father..."
"Considering the royal government was killed for treason, the only ones who can lead the government are the Yeagerists that you and Floch recruited. Besides, they weren't complaining when you become the shadow king. Especially since you have memories of the previous kings." Historia says. "But I'm glad that the two of you manage to take this easily."
Jean says, "As much as I hate to admit it, if it was for political skills, Eren does know more. And since he doesn't have future memories pressuring him, I guess he doesn't need to do something as horrible as a Rumbling."
Gloria says, "I can say that this is quite an atonement."
Back outside, Erich, Fay, Wade, and Laura are helping Ymir with the farmwork. Carla also wants to help as she takes all of Erich's haystack from his hand.
"Hey, Carla. Those are heavy, are you sure you can do this?" Erich asks.
"Why can't I?" Carla says. "I'll do anything to help you."
Ymir turns to Fay and asks, "It seems like Erich and Carla are so close. What happened?"
Fay says, "Let's say that Erich saved Carla's life, and he also gave her the green scarf."
"Really?" Ymir says.
"And we're going to make sure that the two of them are together in the end. Do you want to join us?" Wade asks.
Ymir smirks and says, "You can count me in."
"Laura Tybur! Get back here!" Just then, they see Erich and Carla chasing after Laura, who yells, "I told you I'm sorry!"
It doesn't take a second guess, Laura probably bumped into either Erich or Carla and now the haystack is scattered. At the same time, Reiner and the others also hear Erich's shouting.
"Lara Tybur? Isn't that the War Hammer Titan shifter that Eren ate?" Pieck asks with surprise.
"Is there a survivor from the Tybur family?" Reiner asks, "Because I thought that Eren killed them all..."
At the same time, Eren and the others walk outside and Eren asks, "What's with the fuss?"
Laura quickly hides behind Gloria and says, "Save me, Mama. Erich Kruger is trying to kill me!"
Aya turns to Erich and asks, "Is that true, Erich?"
"She knocked out the haystack that Carla is holding, I'm not going to kill her, but she should be punished for that." Erich says.
"Right." Eren says, "Just leave the adults to it. Shouldn't you help Carla get the haystack together again instead of chasing her?"
Erich widens his eyes as he quickly rushes to help Carla. Gloria says, "And Laura, instead of running away, you should apologize to Carla and Erich for the mess you made."
Laura lowers her head and mutters, "Yes, Mama."
Eren says, "Seeing them helping with the farm work really makes me remember those two months when we're helping out the farm after Historia's coronation."
This causes Mikasa and Jean to widen their eyes, but Historia is smiling, "You wouldn't need to help out since you were already tired with those Titan hardening training. But then again, ever since that day, you rarely smile anymore."
"Learning the whole truth is painful after all..." Aya says. "That's why Eren needs real friends who understand the pain of how he's feeling."
"And that's why all we have is one another." Peter says.
After staying for more time, it's time for the others to head back home. Armin and the others are still tailing them until they arrive at Eren's location.
"So this is where Eren lives? And isn't that Mikasa's house?" Connie asks.
"They manage to bring the whole house here as well? Why?" Reiner asks.
"I don't know. Probably since Mikasa isn't a soldier anymore." Annie sighs.
Now with the others getting back inside the house, Eren and Aya are now alone as they sit on the bench behind their house. "No matter how many times we're here, the forest looks refreshing, don't you think?" Aya asks.
"It sure is refreshing, and I'm glad that the forest keeps growing even though we used them for firewood." Eren says.
"However, the peace has been interrupted now that the alliance who tried to kill you to stop the Rumbling knows you're alive." Aya frowns. "What will you do if Reiner and the others really come?"
"If they want to fight me, then I'll fight back. If they want to just talk, then I'll just refuse. After all, no matter what happened, I still never forget my mother and my aunt's death."
"I'm the same, I never forget my brother and my parents' death. And also mine as well..." Aya mutters.
Eren hugs Aya, he knows that Aya's parents were killed when Trost is breached, and her brother Akira is one of the people who were in charge of Floch, Marlo, and other new recruits to the Beast Titan.
"Do you think when Erich joins the National Military, he will have the same fire as I used to have in the past?" Eren asks.
"I don't know if the future is doing the same as the past... I have high hopes that Carla will keep Erich safe considering Fay isn't interested in joining the military while Laura and Wade just want to be teachers and caretakers."
"You're right about that." Eren says while Aya leans her head onto Eren's shoulder.
At the same time, Reiner asks, "So that's Eren's wife? I have to admit that she's hot."
Pieck says, "Although she looks familiar to me..."
Armin says, "She used to be one of the Yeagerists. She was involved in the bombing of Premier Zachary."
Connie widens his eyes and says, "You mean her? She's the one who killed Premier Zachary?"
"Mama! Papa!" At the same time, they notice Erich and Fay rushing toward them. Eren asks, "What's the matter, you two?"
Erich says, "Dad, can you tell us your past, please?"
This causes the two adults to be surprised. Aya asks, "And why do you want to know about your Dad's past?"
Fay says, "We want to know more about the Titans and the Rumbling. I know Papa is doing this for our sake, but it just feels like the story you told us before misses a lot of things."
Eren says, "If that's the case, I will tell you everything for tonight's story time, what do you think?"
"We love you, Papa!" After the two children hug Eren, they decide to go back into the room. Eren suddenly turns into a frown. Aya asks, "Are you sure you're going to tell the kids about what you've done in the past?"
"At first I don't want to, but after they heard the story of how I unleashed the Rumbling, instead of being scared of me, they sympathize with me and I'm very touched." Eren says. "My father never told me everything since he came from outside the walls, he kept it a secret until we managed to get to the basement. And I am not going to be like him. I am not going to keep any secrets from my children."
"And what about us?" Aya asks.
"I already spill all the secrets to you guys. Compared to those who betray in the end, those who blame the faults on others without knowing what's in their minds, and those who just all talk but do nothing."
"I have to guess the three people mean the world and the soldiers aside from the Yeagerists 10 years ago, am I right?"
"I'm glad you know me very well." Eren says with a soft smile. "The thing is, after doing the Rumbling, I already have Freiheit listening to their conversation. And I was surprised that Jean of all people was the one who understood what I was thinking. Never even Mikasa, Armin, or the others."
"Really?" Aya says. "I mean, didn't the two of you fight so often back in the training camps? That's what I heard from my brother."
"Yeah." Eren says as Freiheit lands on Eren's shoulder. "The more I heard from the conversation, the more I was mad at them, well, maybe except for Jean and Mikasa. Especially Commander Hange of all people. She said something about did our deceased comrades want genocide on humanity that they don't know existed beyond the walls. The humanity that they want to protect 'want' genocide of our people. Before I saw the future of Rumbling, all I saw in my nightmares are how the deceased comrades blamed me for not stopping the enemy and letting them get killed. It was basically my choice that caused their deaths, I mean, Thomas, Mina, Levi squad, and those people who tried to save me when I was kidnapped by Reiner and Bertolt, and it also included Hannes."
"Eren..." Aya frowns as she pulls Eren into a hug. Eren says, "What Yelena said to them was just what I want to say to those people who think that they're going to stop 'me' and save the humanity who wants us dead. And she's right. They gave themselves to the sublimely exciting that they will save hundreds of millions of lives and gulped it down as if to wash away all the hatred that they felt in the past. I also wanted to tell them that if I didn't activate the Rumbling, would they be able to have a talk like that?"
Aya says, "But still, you let them work together and kill you in the end, you could have just used the Founding Titan to make sure they won't be able to interfere, right?"
"And I could just make a vow just like how Karl Fritz did the Renouncing war so that even if they manage to kill me, the Rumbling won't stop until the people outside of the island were killed as well. But I didn't, because there was still a part of me that I wanted to be stopped before it was too late. Mikasa was right, there were children outside of the walls, children who knows nothing about us Eldians. If the Rumbling could be selective, I definitely would kill all the people who are responsible instead of killing everyone on sight."
Aya stands up and says, "By the way, it's almost dinner time, let's just go back so we could give the children the story of your life."
Eren nods as he leaves with Aya, and at the same time, Armin and the others were just stunned at what Eren just said. "We never knew what Eren was thinking even until now, did we?" Connie asks.
"I don't know..." Armin frowns.
Here is a new chapter, and as you can see, Eren decide to reveal some of his thoughts and there will be more starting from the next chapter. I hope you like this chapter.
