Chapter 17: Attack On Titans, Part 6

“Annie, what are you doing?”

“Nothing.”

“Then could you spare a moment?”

“Sure.”

A week had passed since I defeated Annie in hand-to-hand combat.

During that time, Armin had, inexplicably, become quite close to her.

‘What’s going on…? Did Armin comfort her while she was vulnerable after our fight?’

That was the only explanation that made sense. At this point in the original story, Annie was a Marleyan warrior, sent to gather intel on the people within the walls.

She should have returned long ago, but her comrade, Marcel Galliard, had been devoured by a mindless Titan before they entered the walls. Returning to Marley empty-handed, having lost one of the Nine Titans, would have dire consequences for her family, who were held hostage.

Reiner, standing over there, was the Armored Titan. Next to him, Bertolt, the Colossal Titan. And Annie, who had befriended Armin after our fight, was the Female Titan.

Marcel, the Jaw Titan, had also been present, but he was devoured by Ymir, a mindless Titan wandering outside the walls. Therefore, Ymir, standing next to Christa, was the current Jaw Titan.

‘I suppose she had a tragic story, too.’

The mindless Titans, driven solely by the instinct to devour humans, were all once human. They were subjects of Ymir, sharing the same bloodline.

They hadn’t chosen to become Titans.

The Marleyans had forcibly injected them with Titan spinal fluid, transforming them into monstrous beings. Eldians, subjects of Ymir.

Every mindless Titan roaming beyond the 50-meter walls was once human. Trapped in eternal torment, devoid of reason.

Ymir, standing there, had also been a mindless Titan.

In the original story, she described it as wandering through an endless darkness.

I considered saving her.

In the original story, she sacrificed herself for Reiner and Bertolt, allowing them to return to Marley, only to be devoured by Porco Galliard, Marcel’s younger brother.

Fate was a cruel mistress.

“Annie, look! There’s an ocean beyond the walls! Let’s go see it together someday!”

“Uh, s-sure. If we get the chance.”

‘She seems flustered.’

Well, she was from Marley, so she must have already seen the ocean.

‘Why are there so many tragic figures in this world?’

Bertolt lurked in the corner, radiating a gloomy aura and glaring at Armin.

He would be devoured by Armin, bequeathing him the Colossal Titan, along with his unrequited love for Annie.

Even after being devoured, the inheritors of the Nine Titans lived on within the memories of their successors. He would have witnessed Armin’s interactions with Annie, his heart breaking with each shared glance.

In the original story, Bertolt appeared within the Paths, the realm connecting all Eldians, his expression filled with anguish.

He had likely seen it.

Armin’s intimacy with Annie.

While not explicitly depicted in the original story, it was plausible. Armin had a surprisingly bold side.

I recalled a comment I had read online.

[Jean: Eren! Is this the sight you longed for? I’ll enjoy it for you!]

[Armin: Bertolt, so this is what you wanted to see… It’s beautiful.

Thank you for giving me the Colossal Titan!]

Well, Bertolt hadn’t wanted to die. He was defeated and devoured.

Who would willingly choose death? No one I knew.

As a fan of Attack on Titan, Armin’s words didn’t bother me. I had always shipped Eren and Mikasa.

However, Jean’s words were unbearable.

Before reading that comment, I had rationalized Mikasa ending up with Jean. Eren was dead, and Jean was a good person.

I had wished her happiness.

But after reading that comment…

‘Hmm… Couldn’t Eren have just continued the Rumbling? Rather than being NTR’d like this.’

My mind was tainted.

The pure mind that had shed tears for Eren in the final chapter!

Mikasa, remaining celibate for ten years in Eren’s memory, then ending up with Jean, bearing his child, visiting Eren’s grave year after year…

Even after starting a family with Jean, she continued to visit Eren’s grave until her death, where she was buried beside him. I had found it bittersweet, a fitting end.

Until I read that comment.

“Mikasa, do you want this?”

“What is it?”

When did that bastard get close to Mikasa?

“Jean, haven’t you been beaten up enough?”

“What? Eren, what’s wrong? What did I do?!”

“Wrong? Wroooooong?!”

I ended the day by giving Jean another beating.

I really needed to stop hitting him.