Chapter Two:

As the group made their way into the headquarters, the Androsian soldiers began

unloading their equipment and advanced tech from the ship. Among the crates and

supplies, a tall, humanoid figure made its way down the gangplank with precise,

calculated movements. The figure was sleek and metallic, its form unmistakably

human-like but with a subtle, otherworldly quality to its design. Its surface gleamed

under the morning sun, and its eyes glowed a soft blue. This was Demetri, the android

Tiana had built herself—a marvel of Androsian engineering and a testament to her

genius.

Tiana had almost forgotten to mention Demetri amidst all the excitement. She turned

back just in time to see him approaching the group, his metallic frame gliding smoothly

over the uneven ground. "Oh! Demetri!" she called out, waving him over. "Come here!"

Demetri paused for a moment, as if processing the command, and then continued

toward them. As he drew closer, he lifted a hand in a polite wave. "Hello," he said in a

perfectly even tone, his voice modulated to be calm and soothing. "It is a pleasure to

meet all of you. My designation is Demetri. How may I assist you today?"

The reaction from the scouts was immediate and visceral. Several of them recoiled in

shock, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons. Hange's eyes widened, a

mix of astonishment and excitement flickering across her face. But Levi was the

quickest to act. In a blur of motion, he had drawn his swords, his stance tense and

ready, eyes fixed on Demetri with a deadly focus.

"Stay back!" Levi barked, his voice sharp and commanding. The other scouts quickly

followed suit, drawing their blades and forming a defensive line.

"Wait!" Tiana shouted, stepping forward, her hands raised in a placating gesture. "Wait,

please, don't—he's not dangerous! Demetri is harmless!"

Erwin held up a hand, signaling for the scouts to hold their positions, though his

expression remained wary. "What is that… thing?" he asked, his eyes never leaving

Demetri.

Tiana took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "Demetri is an android," she

explained quickly. "A robot I built myself. He's designed to assist me with my work—he's

not a threat, I promise."

Levi's eyes narrowed, his grip on his swords tightening. "An... android?" he repeated,

the unfamiliar word sounding foreign and strange on his lips. "You mean it's not

human?"

Tiana nodded, still keeping her hands up in a calming gesture. "That's right. Demetri is

not alive. He's a machine—a very sophisticated one, but just a machine. He's here to

help, not to harm."

Hange, ever the curious one, took a tentative step forward, her eyes wide with

fascination. "A machine… that looks like a person?" she murmured, almost to herself.

"Incredible… I've never seen anything like it! Can it think? Can it feel?"

"Demetri has a basic AI," Tiana explained, trying to keep her voice steady. "He can

process information and respond to simple commands, but he doesn't feel emotions like

we do. He's purely logical."

Levi remained unconvinced, his gaze flicking between Tiana and Demetri. "And you're

sure it's safe?" he asked, his voice low and intense. "We've had enough surprises lately;

I'm not in the mood for another one."

"I swear," Tiana said earnestly, meeting Levi's piercing gaze. "He's completely safe. I've

programmed him myself—he can't hurt anyone."

Demetri, sensing the tension, lowered his raised hand slowly and took a small step

back. "I apologize if my presence has caused distress," he said in his even tone. "I

assure you, I am here to assist Dr. Belrose and her allies in any way I can."

Erwin studied Demetri for a long moment, his mind clearly racing to understand what he

was seeing. Finally, he lowered his hand, signaling Levi and the other Scouts to stand

down. "Alright," he said cautiously, "we'll take you at your word, Dr. Belrose. But

understand, this… Demetri will be watched closely."

Tiana nodded, exhaling a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Thank you,

Commander. I promise, he won't be any trouble."

Levi slowly sheathed his blades, his eyes still locked on Demetri. "I don't like it," he

muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else. "A machine that looks like

a person… it's unnatural."

Isaac, who had been watching the whole exchange with a mixture of concern and

curiosity, stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Tiana. "Are you

sure about this, Tiana?" he asked, his voice low. "I mean, these people… they're not

used to things like Demetri. It might cause more trouble than it's worth."

Tiana placed a reassuring hand on Isaac's arm. "It's okay, Isaac. They'll get used to

him," she said softly. "And we need all the help we can get right now."

Hange, still buzzing with excitement, stepped even closer to Demetri, her eyes

practically sparkling. "Can I… touch it?" she asked, her hands hovering in the air. "I

mean, him. Can I touch him?"

Demetri turned his head slightly, regarding Hange with his glowing blue eyes. "I have no

objection," he replied evenly.

Hange reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing against Demetri's smooth metallic

surface. "Wow," she breathed, her grin widening. "This is incredible… Dr. Belrose,

you've outdone yourself! We have to talk more about this—there's so much I want to

know!"

Levi shot Hange a sharp look. "Hange, focus," he said sternly. "We have more important

things to deal with right now."

Hange nodded, though her excitement was still palpable. "Right, right, of course. But

later, we're definitely going to have a chat."

Tiana nodded, feeling a mix of relief and lingering tension. "Absolutely, Hange. I'd be

happy to explain more."

As they moved further into the headquarters, the Scouts continued to cast wary glances

at Demetri, clearly unsettled by his presence. Tiana walked alongside Levi once more,

sensing the tension in his every step.

"I didn't mean to cause any trouble," she said quietly, glancing up at him.

Levi's expression softened, just a fraction. "It's not your fault," he replied. "Just… don't

be surprised if people around here take a while to get used to… whatever that is."

Tiana nodded, understanding his caution. "I'll keep that in mind, Captain."

They continued down the dimly lit corridor, and Tiana couldn't help but wonder what

other surprises awaited them in this strange, war-torn land—and whether she would

ever truly be able to bridge the gap between her world and theirs.

As the group made their way through the dimly lit corridors of the Scouts'

headquarters,

the atmosphere gradually shifted from tense to one of cautious curiosity. The walls,

lined with old stone, seemed to echo with the footsteps of countless soldiers who had

passed through before them. Tiana walked between Hange and Levi, with Erwin leading

the way, his presence commanding yet thoughtful. Behind them, Demetri and the

Androsian soldiers, including Isaac, followed closely, their expressions a mix of wariness

and intrigue.

Hange, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, turned to Tiana with an inquisitive

smile. "You know, Dr. Belrose," she began, her eyes sparkling with interest, "we've

heard a lot about you and your achievements, but… I don't think any of us know your

first name. All we were told was that a 'Dr. Belrose' was coming to help us. We, uh,

might have assumed you were an old man with a big, scruffy beard," she added with a

chuckle.

Erwin and Levi both nodded slightly, confirming that they had held similar assumptions.

Levi's eyes, however, remained sharp and focused, betraying a mixture of interest and

caution.

Tiana couldn't help but smile at the notion. "I suppose I can understand that

assumption," she replied, her voice soft yet confident. "But no, I'm not an old man with a

beard. My first name is Tiana."

Hange's eyes widened with delight. "Tiana," she repeated, letting the name roll off her

tongue. "That's beautiful! I've never heard a name like that before. Is it common in

Androsia?"

Tiana shook her head slightly, a warm smile gracing her lips. "Not particularly," she

replied. "It's a bit unique even where I come from. My mother always said she wanted

me to have a name that stood out, that carried a bit of melody to it."

Levi, standing just to her right, glanced at her with a hint of interest. "It suits you," he

said quietly, his voice low and almost imperceptible amidst the chatter. It was a simple

statement, yet coming from him, it carried a weight that made Tiana's heart skip a beat.

Erwin, who had been listening intently, offered a nod. "It certainly does," he agreed, his

tone polite and measured. "And I must say, Dr. Belrose—or Tiana," he corrected himself

with a small smile, "we're grateful to have someone of your expertise here with us."

Tiana inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Commander. I'm

grateful to be here and to have the opportunity to work alongside all of you."

Isaac, who had been following the exchange with a barely concealed frown, took a step

closer, his presence immediately felt. "Tiana," he interjected, his voice carrying a hint of

possessiveness, "has always been exceptional. Even back in Androsia, she was the

best of us. We're lucky to have her."

Hange, picking up on the slight tension, gave Isaac a curious look. "It sounds like you've

known each other for quite a while," she observed, her gaze flicking between him and

Tiana.

"Since we were children," Isaac replied, his eyes still fixed on Tiana. "She's always

been… remarkable."

Tiana gave Isaac a polite but firm smile. "Thank you, Isaac," she said gently, subtly

redirecting the focus of the conversation. She didn't want things to get too personal,

especially not in front of the scouts, and especially not when Levi's intense gaze was

still on her.

Hange, ever the enthusiast, seemed oblivious to the undercurrents and continued with

her barrage of questions. "So, Tiana," she said, emphasizing the name with a grin,

"you've done so much already, but what's next for you here? Any big plans for new

inventions or projects? I'd love to collaborate on something. I'm always looking for new

ways to innovate!"

Tiana laughed softly, charmed by Hange's energy. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of

opportunities to work together, Hange. I've heard you're quite the inventor yourself. As

for what's next… I'm here to help in any way I can. We've brought some of our

technology from Androsia, and I'd love to see how it can be adapted to your needs

here."

Erwin nodded thoughtfully. "That's good to hear," he said. "Our biggest challenge has

always been our lack of resources and knowledge of the outside world. Your

perspective could be invaluable."

Levi, still silent but watchful, added, "Just remember, whatever you're planning, it needs

to be practical. We don't have time for experiments that don't work. Every resource

counts here."

Tiana met his gaze, sensing the challenge in his words. "I understand, Captain," she

said evenly. "I'll make sure everything we do has a purpose."

For a moment, their eyes locked, a silent understanding passing between them. Despite

his stoic exterior and sharp words, Tiana could see a flicker of respect in Levi's eyes,

perhaps even curiosity. She felt a strange pull toward him, a desire to understand the

man behind the cold, disciplined exterior. But she quickly pushed those thoughts aside.

Now was not the time for distractions.

Isaac, noticing the exchange, felt a pang of something—annoyance, jealousy? He

wasn't sure, but he didn't like it. "We should focus on what's immediate," he said, his

voice a bit sharper than before. "Like setting up defenses and ensuring Tiana's safety."

Levi turned his gaze to Isaac, his expression unreadable. "You're right," he said. "And

the best way to ensure that is to follow the command structure here. We work together,

as a team."

Tiana could feel the tension rising again and quickly stepped in. "I think what Isaac

means is that we're all here to support each other," she said diplomatically. "And I'm

grateful for that support, from both the Androsians and the scout regiment."

Erwin gave a slight nod, clearly pleased with her response. "Exactly," he said. "We're all

on the same side here, working towards the same goal. Let's make sure we remember

that."

The group continued down the corridor, the initial shock of Demetri's presence slowly

fading as new topics and plans began to take shape. But as they walked, Tiana couldn't

shake the feeling that something significant had just happened—something that had

subtly shifted the dynamics between them all. And she wondered, as she caught

another glimpse of Levi's sharp eyes, what else this new world had in store for her.