The people's will prevailed. Zachary took control of the proceedings. "In that case, let us hear the truth Zeke is about to tell us."
"Wait!" the Left Minister objected.
Zachary glanced at him. "Do you have anything more to say?"
The crowd had already reached consensus — how dare he stand in the way?
"I…" The Left Minister felt the tide of public opinion wash over him. He knew his authority could not stem the torrent. Stammering, he added, "I only think we must be cautious. Who knows if Zeke will turn into a Titan after the gag is removed?"
Erwin replied quickly, "Titan transformation requires a corresponding trigger, and Zeke doesn't have one."
"You don't know that — maybe he really does need something to become a Titan!" the Left Minister blurted, panic rising in his voice.
Erwin fixed him with a look. "Then how do you suppose he'll transform?"
"He will…" The Left Minister fell silent.
Erwin kept his eyes on him.
Sweat beaded on the Left Minister's forehead. Teeth clenched, he hesitated, then finally managed, "In short, none of us can confirm whether what Zeke says is true — or how Titanization would work — so…"
Before he could finish, Mike, captain of the Survey Corps' Third Division, cut in. "I can guarantee that Zeke will not turn into a Titan. I once pushed him to the brink of death with my own hands; even at his closest, he did not transform. That proves Zeke cannot change without a trigger. Physically, he's no different from any of us."
"Yes, my personal doctor can attest to that," Zachary added. "Thanks to her examination, Zeke can stand here and be judged by all."
The Left Minister was at a loss for words.
Attempting to save face, he said with feigned concern, "I'm only raising reasonable doubts. Who can guarantee Zeke isn't pretending?"
"That would mean he's an extraordinary actor!" Mike scoffed. "A dagger nearly pierced his heart and he still didn't transform. He's a great actor — and with that performance, he deserves a chance to tell the truth."
The Left Minister was silenced into sputters.
Reluctantly, he conceded, "Fine — the gag may be removed, but I have one small condition.
Bring Zeke's brother Eren before him."
Eren blinked in surprise. Suddenly being named drew every eye.
"Why is that?" Zachary asked.
The Left Minister replied, "Isn't it said that Zeke loves his brother very much? Bring the brother here. If he transforms into a Titan, at least he'll be mindful of his brother and won't trample him to death."
A horrified chorus of thoughts rippled through the audience.
Zachary, momentarily speechless, said, "Good idea."
The Military Police Brigade opened the railing of the witness stand and seized Eren.
"Wait — he's just a child!" Carla and Hannes lunged for Eren.
"Didn't you call Zeke your hero?" one of the Military Police Brigade snapped. "If he's a hero, why are you so afraid he'll hurt his family?"
Carla's heart dropped. Her hands shook. Rational arguments fled in the face of a memory she could never erase — Zeke had eaten her father.
Hannes recoiled as if burned, then gripped Carla's arm. "I believe Zeke won't harm anyone," he said firmly to the soldiers.
The Military Police Brigade laughed coldly and dragged Eren away.
"That's my only child…" Carla watched Eren being carried off, then covered her face and wept.
"It's all right. Zeke won't hurt Eren," Hannes murmured, though worry darkened his eyes.
Eren was bound and brought before Zeke.
When Zeke saw him tied to a chair, anger flared in his eyes again.
"He can still glare like that," one of the Military Police Brigade muttered, unsettled after fastening Eren.
The Left Minister resumed his theatrics. "Why don't we subject the boy to an injection too? Who knows — maybe he could become a Titan."
"Arthur, didn't I just confirm with the child?" Zachary said. "He swore by his parents that he's human."
"What good is swearing before a monster?" the Left Minister retorted. "There could be more Titans in disguise!"
"No one can look me in the eye and lie," Zachary shot back. "If that child meets my gaze and honestly says he is human, then that should be enough. We must place more trust in one another."
The Left Minister fell silent.
The Military Police Brigade removed Zeke's gag, but trained guns on both Zeke and Eren.
"Kid," Davion said in a low, threatening voice, "if you attempt anything here, I'll shoot you in the head. Then you can see whether you turn into a Titan faster, or our bullets do."
Zeke said nothing.
Eren didn't either.