Erwin's hand shot out, snatching the folder before Hange could hide it.
"Haha, hi~ Erwin," Hange greeted with her trademark grin, holding a thick stack of medical reports behind her back as if that would help.
Erwin's piercing stare could have frozen magma. "Where's the interrogation report?"
"I, uh… finished the review!" Hange's smile trembled.
"You didn't even ask a single question," Erwin said coldly. "And you leaked the results of the medical examination!"
Hange crossed her arms, trying to sound righteous. "What leak? Isn't it normal to tell the patient about their test results? That's basic ethics!"
Erwin pinched the bridge of his nose. "…Then explain that logic to the captain."
"Eh?? That's not necessary, right?!"
Erwin slung an arm over her shoulders in an uncharacteristically cheerful way that only spelled doom. "Come on, Hange. Let's go together. We can also discuss why the captain of Squad Two came to Squad One, and how they lied about being able to extract all the secrets from our prisoner." His tone was smiling, but his jaw was not.
"If I didn't say that, how would you have let me in?!" Hange protested, stepping backward inch by inch. "And besides, it's scientifically proven that interrogating someone who's just lost both parents yields no results! I was being considerate! Anyway—see you later! I've got a report to file with the captain~ Bye!"
And just like that, Hange sprinted away before Erwin could grab her again.
Erwin sighed. "Unbelievable."
Before he could comment further, Isabel piped up from the observation window. "That candy…"
The word "Zeke" wasn't mentioned, but both Erwin and Hange immediately turned their attention to her.
Inside the dungeon, Zeke had stopped crying. Slowly, he unwrapped one of the candies and popped it into his mouth, his face still wet with tears.
Hange frowned. "Where did he get candy? There's no candy in the dungeon."
Erwin replied calmly, "He brought it himself."
Hange's jaw dropped. "You let him bring candy into a military prison?!"
Erwin sighed. "At the time, he only had a small knife and two candies on him. I confiscated the knife, but when I tried to take the candy, he—well, let's just say he nearly killed everyone. He didn't react to being restrained or interrogated, but the moment anyone touched those candies, he lost control. I decided it wasn't worth the risk."
He remembered that moment vividly—Zeke's eyes wild, his breathing ragged, the faint rumble under the floor like something primal about to awaken.
Hange adjusted her glasses. "You weren't afraid they were poisoned?"
"He said they weren't."
"You just believed him?!"
Erwin's expression shifted. Hange's too. And then—almost comically—both of them gasped at the same time.
"Wait—could it be the Titan serum disguised as candy?!"
The thought sent a ripple of panic through the observation room.
Everyone stared through the window at once.
And then—
Plop.
Zeke fell asleep mid-chew.
The room went silent.
"…He fell asleep again," Isabel muttered, deadpan.
Hange's shoulders slumped. "Well… at least he didn't transform into a Titan."
"But why does he treasure that candy so much?" Erwin rubbed his chin. "Is it sentimental, or… does it have some special property?"
Levi, meanwhile, had seized Isabel and Farlan by the scruffs of their necks. "You two little sugar junkies! Spit it out right now!"
"Too late!" Isabel cried, waving her hands. "I ate those candies days ago! Even if I wanted to vomit now, I can't!"
"Then die trying!" Levi barked.
When that didn't work, he dragged them both toward Hange. "Oi, Four Eyes—run a full-body check on these two right now!"
Hange blinked. "And you? You didn't eat any?"
"Of course not! I'm not a three-year-old!" Levi snapped.
"But that candy was pretty good," Farlan mumbled.
Hange raised an eyebrow. "You still have some of it?"
Isabel perked up. "Yep!" She dug into her pocket and produced a single wrapped candy. "I was saving this one for big brother Levi, because he always refuses to try it. It's really good. He'll definitely like it."
Levi's eye twitched.
Hange held the candy up to the light, inspecting it. "Interesting. Maybe it contains a mild narcotic or hypnotic compound—it could explain the suggestive behavior. After eating it, people want to share it with others."
"See?" Levi said triumphantly. "That candy's cursed! Makes people weirdly generous! Good thing I didn't eat it."
Hange tapped the wrapper thoughtfully. "Are you sure this is the same type Zeke had?"
"Of course," Isabel said. "Eren gave them to us from the same jar. There weren't any special ones."
Hange's eyes widened. "A jar? Wait—who else had candy from that jar?"
"The kids," Isabel replied. "When we visited Eren's house, the floor was covered in candy wrappers. They must've eaten them all."
Hange smacked her forehead. "That explains everything! No wonder the test results came back normal—if everyone's eaten the same candy, the control samples are corrupted!"
She turned toward Levi, squinting. "Wait. Are you sure you didn't sneak one?"
"I said no!" Levi shouted.
"Relax, no need to be embarrassed," Hange teased, stepping just out of arm's reach. "Our Levi's still a little kid at heart."
Levi's veins popped. "Say that again."
But before his temper exploded, Hange—ever the survivor—was already halfway down the hall, clutching the candy sample and laughing. "Thanks for the sample! I'll test it right away!"
Levi glared after her. "Don't let me see you again next time!"
"Forget it," Erwin muttered, exasperated. He turned his gaze back to the dungeon below, where Zeke still slept soundly.
After a long pause, he spoke quietly. "I have a feeling… the next time he wakes up, he won't fall asleep again."
The others fell silent, the mood shifting subtly. Even the air seemed heavier—as though something in that stillness was about to break.