A creak could be heard from down the hall. It was followed by the sound of shuffling before another creak indicated the front door being shut. Two sets of footsteps drew closer, one diverging off into the kitchen while the other continued down the hall. Their pace was slow, but deliberate. There was no shuffle or falter indicating their mood. It was a cadence that never changed and was quickly becoming something Erwin found himself familiar with.

"Is that you, Levi?" Erwin asked.

He turned his head slightly from where he was facing the window. He could feel the tingle on his cheek begin to fade as he shied away from direct sunlight.

"Yeah," Levi said. His footsteps came to a stop. A click indicated he closed the door to Erwin's study before making his way forward. The sound of his boots dampened as he stepped from hardwood onto the area rug at the center of the room.

"I'm getting more attuned to identifying my visitors by the sound of their footfalls," Erwin said. "Although it's a skill I'm not certain of just yet."

The small chair facing Erwin's desk let out a soft hiss as it moved over the rug. It squeaked as Levi took a seat. Erwin could imagine him taking a familiar posture of putting his elbow over the back while swinging one leg over the other.

"Why are you at the window?" Levi asked. "Or is it you think you're facing something else?"

Erwin couldn't help but smirk. He turned, using the cane he had in hand to keep himself steady. "An old habit." He reached out to place a hand on the back of the plush leather chair pushed into his desk. "Being at the window still gives me a picture. The warmth on my face tells me the weather is fair. When I hear the rustling from the tree, I know enough leaves haven't come down yet to mark the beginning of fall. And a handful of things tell me the chickens have been fed. That must mean it's a little after one."

"The fact I'm here when you asked me to be is an indication of the time enough," Levi said.

"That as well," Erwin said. He took a seat, setting his cane against the side of the desk before lacing his fingers. "As for the reason you're here … I've reviewed Hange's report of the incident. I wanted to ask you to clarify your relationship with Kenny Ackerman since it's mentioned you two have a history."

"That 'history' ended before I hit puberty," Levi said. He made a frustrated sound. "I can only imagine what he'd been up to since then. Before I saw him a few days ago, I thought he might be dead."

A hum accompanied Erwin tilting his head. "Is that so? That's unfortunate. Hange has asked me to lead the investigation and unfortunately our findings have come up short. The members of his group who we captured alive had nothing of note even after being submitted to torture. No one could say why they were after Eren, only that Kenny was supposedly following orders from the king."

"Do you believe that?"

"Without a doubt," Erwin said. The bandages over his eyes shifted as he furrowed his brow. "However, questioning members of the council has been at a standstill. A body was discovered in a burnt-down farmhouse the day after Eren's kidnapping attempt. It hasn't been confirmed, but so far things are pointing toward the victim being a noble named Rod Reiss who was a member of the council. The royal family and remaining council members have holed themselves up in their manors; the Military Police feel investigating this murder warrants more attention than an incident where the perpetrator is already dead."

A low grunt indicated Levi's displeasure. "What the hell does that have to do with Kenny?"

"Possibly nothing," Erwin said. "Right now, I'm casting a wide net in the hopes of gathering information to put the pieces together. The timing of these incidents may be more than just a coincidence."

"Is that so?" Levi said. A light vibration through the carpet accompanied Levi shifting his weight. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you further. The only information I have for you was that Kenny was a piece of horseshit at his best. Is there anything else I can check out?"

"Two things," Erwin said, not skipping a beat. "The first is I need you to lead a squad through the Underground. Some of the possessions collected from Kenny's group lead me to believe that may be where their base of operations was located."

"Seriously?" Levi said. He sighed. "The last thing I want to do is go back to that sickening place. If you're going to send me, it better be on more than a hunch."

"I can't guarantee that," Erwin said. "All I can do is take actions according to what I've been given. That includes being limited in my ability to conduct certain tasks myself."

Levi hummed. The sound of gentle rustling was likely him pulling a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe down his fingers. He'd confided on more than one occasion that the simple thought of the Underground caused an unpleasant sensation to crawl over his skin.

"Fine," Levi said, his tone less than pleasant. "What's the second assignment?"

"I'll need a statement from the last person believed to have held a conversation with Kenny Ackerman," Erwin said. "If she survives her injuries, that person would be Celine Bodt."

The rustling sound of cloth stopped. Erwin waited for a follow up to the statement that didn't come.

"Levi?"

There was no answer. Erwin frowned. His imagination was failing him when it came to how Levi could be regarding him at the moment.

Levi's chair creaked. Erwin tilted his head as a response to Levi getting to his feet.

"News doesn't travel out here as quickly as if I were in the city," Erwin said. "Has something changed concerning her status?"

"No."

Erwin nodded. He waited for Levi to elaborate. The following silence indicated that wasn't going to happen.

"Obviously it would be ideal if she regains consciousness," Erwin said, filling the silence. "There are a number of questions I would like to ask, including her insight on the unusual ODM gear in Kenny's possession. In the case a less ideal outcome comes to pass, make sure I receive a copy of her autopsy. Also request a warrant to search her possessions. Hange gave me the impression Celine and Kenny may have been acquainted and I'd like to follow up on that lead."

There was another moment of silence. Erwin's frown deepened. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Levi said.

The floorboards groaned under slow footfalls. The familiar click of the door handle accompanied a gentle gust of air from the hall.

"I'll do as you ask, Erwin," Levi said. With that, he was gone.

Something shuffled from the hall. A moment later the door opened again.

"What happened?" Erwin asked.

"The captain shoved me on his way out," Conny said.

There was only a trace of irritation in his voice. The young man's temperament had leveled out dramatically in the past few weeks, a development Erwin paid attention to with interest. Molding Conny into someone who could become a valuable contact once he's placed back on active duty would equate to another weapon in his arsenal. Erwin could no longer fight with swords and cannons; information and loyalty had elevated themselves to be the only things he could truly rely on.

"It doesn't sound like you're upset over the fact," Erwin said. He tilted his head. "Why is that?"

"The look on his face," Conny said. "It was like he couldn't see me. It reminded me of how Ymir was when Historia died."

Erwin frowned. This sort of behavior from Levi was unusual. Even when his old squad was slaughtered, Levi only showed signs of mourning for a day or two before regaining his focus. Whatever was happening now could affect Levi's ability to conduct his investigation.

"Do you have any insight into his reaction?" Erwin asked, hoping Conny's contacts on the new special operations squad may've mentioned something of importance.

Conny made an uncertain sound. "Maybe he's pissed off? I know I would be if I put in all that effort to get back into Trost unnoticed and someone blew the whole thing apart."

"Unlikely," Erwin said. "Levi possesses a level of flexibility which means he doesn't have to invest too much into an idea in the case that it falls apart. He'll place his trust in the orders given to him by his superiors, but the reason behind his level-headed nature is because he knows he's capable of pulling off adjustments if necessary. Right now he's holding something back; for what purpose, I can't say, although I'm sure he wouldn't do so for no reason."

A squeak in the floorboards indicated Conny shifting his weight. Erwin had learned over time this meant that he was collecting his thoughts.

"I'll reach out to Armin," Conny said, his voice steady. "He's pretty observant. I think he may be able to tell us what's going on better than some of the official reports."

"Agreed," Erwin said. "Include an inquiry about how the Military Police is conducting the investigation into Rod Reiss's death. Something's off about their conduct and the overall mood of Trost. The rogue sub-branch of the Military Police led by Kenny was completely crushed along with their kidnapping attempt; I'm failing to see a reason behind the anxious nature all my visitors seem to have churning under the surface."

"Got it."

The sound of Conny's footfalls faded down the hall. The familiar space by the window was once again occupied as Erwin started to think.

If there was a chance the noble's assassination was connected to the kidnapping, it was likely an attempt to keep things quiet. It meant that what he's dealing with has a far wider reach than the aftermath of a single psychopath in the Military Police coercing followers into a coup.

"I'm still at a loss for a motive," Erwin said, his only audience now the grandfather clock letting out methodic ticks in the corner. "The Capital and the Underground are the innermost parts of our territory. What would anyone so far within the Interior do with Eren Jaeger?"