There were still murmurs of unease among the crowd, but the voices of approval began to rise above them. After all, many thought, it wouldn't hurt to at least give it a try.
Only one priest dared to protest loudly, his face flushed with righteous fury. "Why even try? The great King has already built the high walls to protect humanity! As long as we pray sincerely to the Walls, the great King and the Walls will surely protect us!"
Eren couldn't resist leaning toward Bertholdt with a mischievous grin. "How about you turn into one?"
Bertholdt blinked, utterly baffled. "???"
Zachary slammed the table, silencing the chamber in an instant. "Enough," he commanded. His voice carried the weight of authority.
He turned toward the throne. "Your Majesty, what is your opinion on this matter?"
"I…" The King hesitated, eyes flicking nervously toward his Left Minister.
The Left Minister immediately rose and spoke sharply. "Of course not! Zeke Yeager has a history of violence.
If we keep him alive, he may kill us humans before he kills a single Titan! Your Majesty, please give the order to hand him over to the Military Police Brigade immediately for execution!"
Without a moment's thought, the King barked, "Execute him!"
"Your Majesty!" Zachary's face drained of color.
"Your Majesty!" cried the citizens of Shiganshina District.
"Your Majesty is wise!" shouted the sycophants.
Zachary's mind reeled. How could His Majesty make such a reckless decision—here, in front of all humanity?
And already, the boots of the Military Police Brigade echoed through the hall as they approached to carry out the order.
"Your Majesty!" Zachary stepped forward, raising his hand in protest. "There are still many mysteries surrounding Zeke Yeager. We must investigate them thoroughly before any execution. Please, revoke your order!"
The Left Minister scowled. "Your Majesty, surely you jest! The royal decree has been issued.
There's no reason to retract it now!"
Zachary rose, his voice booming across the chamber.
"Which is more important—Your Majesty's pride or justice? Which is more important—Your Majesty's face or the survival of mankind?"
He snatched up a large sketch of the Colossal Titan and held it aloft. Gasps spread like wildfire.
The sheer scale of the creature, towering above the Wall itself, was enough to paralyze everyone in fear.
In that instant, humanity once again remembered—the terror of being ruled by Titans, and the shame of living caged behind the Walls.
"Even if Zeke Yeager is to be executed," Zachary declared, "let him be thrown into the midst of Titans and die fighting them! Let him at least die as a soldier, not as a criminal!"
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
"Yeah! If he's doomed anyway, why not let him fight first?"
"Exactly! Let him kill a few Titans before he dies!"
The Left Minister's confidence began to crack. "D-Do you intend to defy the King's command?"
Zachary stood firm. "I was chosen by the people to command the three military branches. My duty is to prevent the King from becoming a dictator and making rash, unjust decisions.
Therefore, I object to the execution of Zeke Yeager. His Majesty's decree cannot be carried out."
The Military Police Brigade, who had been marching toward Zeke, halted mid-step.
This—
This was the power of a public trial.
The King could not be a dictator.
Erwin quickly stepped forward. "Commander Zachary is right. Even if Zeke must die, let him die fighting Titans! And before that, he must be allowed to speak. He promised that at this very trial, he would reveal the truth—about the Titans, and about the world itself—before all humanity!"
The Left Minister's face turned pale. "W-What truth? There's no such thing! The world is exactly as we know it! Titans appeared, destroyed civilization, and forced us to hide behind the Walls! That's all!"
Erwin's sharp gaze cut through him. "Then why not let Zeke speak? If your version of the world is true, what harm can it do to let him talk? The Titans have tormented us for a hundred years. We finally have a chance to strike back—and the King destroyed that chance the moment it appeared!"
Gasps and whispers swelled again.
Erwin turned to Zachary. "Commander, please—let Zeke speak before judgment is passed!"
"Bold Erwin! How dare you ignore His Majesty's command?" The Left Minister was red with rage.
Erwin immediately faced the throne, lowering his head in a crisp salute. "Your Majesty, please—grant permission for Zeke Yeager to speak the truth before all mankind!"
The King sat motionless, eyes distant. No one could tell what he was thinking—or if he was thinking at all.
Erwin pressed on, his voice echoing in the silence. "This is essential, Your Majesty. We have discovered that some humans are conducting experiments—turning humans into Titans through secret tests. These experiments use human beings as live subjects. Those who succeed become Titan Shifters like Zeke. Those who fail… become like his mother."
The hall froze.
Zeke's pupils widened violently. Though his body was bound and sedated, he thrashed against his restraints, struggling to move, to speak—anything to stop Erwin from continuing.
But the truth had already fallen like thunder across the chamber.
Whispers erupted. Faces turned pale. The people began to realize that the nightmare outside the Walls was not just born from Titans… but from humans themselves.
And high on his throne, the King sat still, expression blank, as the fragile order of his rule began to crack.