Walking slowly through the audience, Lock exchanged glances with Ash and Buffon, who were sitting in the front row.
Ash leaned on his cane with both hands, dressed in the classic noble attire that Lock had once looked down upon, as he attended his son's hearing.
He looked at Lock and gave a subtle nod, signaling that everything was under his control.
Lock responded with a confident smile.
Unlike Eren, who had to kneel in the center, Lock had his own seat enclosed by a railing.
It was less than two meters in front of Ash... As he sat down, his father's voice came from behind him.
"Don't worry, everything has been taken care of. Just wait for Zackly to deliver the verdict."
With his back to his father, Lock nodded and then looked toward the representative of the Military Police Brigade who was bringing the charges—
Nile Dok, Commander of the Military Police Brigade.
He saw Nile looking back at him, his gaze filled only with reassurance.
Due to his wife's chronic illness, Nile had long been receiving financial support from the Leon Family.
Surprisingly, Lock recognized all twelve representatives of the jury on the other side.
The Merchant Association, the Agricultural Association, the Wall Cult... they had all received investments or sponsorships from the Leon Family.
Before Zackly arrived, Lock turned his head to look at another row of the audience.
Sitting at the very front was a woman with a face full of sorrow and her son, who was not yet ten years old.
These must be Kitz's wife and son.
Watching the widow's tears, Lock felt not even a shred of guilt in his heart.
At that moment, Zackly walked in and took his place at the highest podium, taking off his military coat—covered in medals—and folding it neatly to the side.
He picked up the report on the desk, took a sip of water, and said, "There are two cases today. This first one isn't very significant, so we won't follow the standard procedure to avoid wasting time."
Zackly added a reminder, "Nile, you don't need to speak."
He flipped through the report. "I've reviewed the internal resolution of the Garrison Regiment. Except for Pixis, who abstained, everyone agreed to strip the deceased of all military positions."
"However, they agreed that the family of the deceased will continue to receive the benefits of a fallen soldier's family."
"The family has also signed a settlement agreement."
Zackly looked at Lock and said solemnly, "Soldiers fighting bravely on the front lines were betrayed and abandoned, resulting in heavy casualties. While I do not condone Leon's actions, I fully understand his anger."
"The military must never tolerate cowards!"
Zackly declared, "This court finds Lock Leon guilty of manslaughter under mitigating circumstances, considering his outstanding military service. He is sentenced to five days of detention and ordered to pay 300,000 in compensation to the family of the deceased..."
"Nile, does the Military Police Brigade have any objections?"
Nile said seriously, "No objections."
"And the jury?"
"We all agree."
Zackly adjusted his glasses. "Good, then it's settled."
"Bang!" The gavel came down heavily... Lock had already been detained for five days since the incident, so he was now free.
Outside the council hall, Ash sat in his wheelchair, looking at his son with immense pride.
Having changed into clean clothes, Lock looked at his father with some self-reproach. "I've caused you trouble, Father!"
Ash waved his hand dismissively. "You've brought so much honor to your father; this bit of trouble is nothing."
"Come, hero. Accompany your father home."
Lock shook his head and said, "I'll wait for the next case inside to be decided, then I'll head back with my two fellow Trainees to attend the branch selection ceremony."
Ash was a bit annoyed, but in the end, he only offered a piece of advice: "Don't choose the Survey Corps."
Lock smiled. "I definitely won't. Don't worry."
He looked at Buffon, who was pushing the wheelchair. "Uncle, please take Father home now."
Ash sighed. "Let's go. This brat's wings have grown strong; I can't control him anymore."
After seeing his father onto the boat, Lock returned alone.
He didn't go to Eren's trial because he couldn't get in.
Relying on his face, which was now known as a hero's in the Royal Capital, Lock found out the location of the Survey Corps' temporary lounge next to the council hall.
He stood at the door, quietly waiting for the verdict that would decide Eren's fate to conclude.
When the members of the Survey Corps led Eren back toward the lounge, they saw the young killer from not long ago standing at their doorstep.
Lock saluted the group.
Eren, his face covered in bruises, said in surprise, "Lock? Why are you here, too?"
Levi, standing nearby, clicked his tongue at Lock and said, "This friend of yours killed the commander of Trost with his own hands, yet here he is, standing perfectly fine."
"Having a noble father really does allow one to do whateverone wantst."
Erwin reminded him, "Levi, it was also Commander-in-Chief Zackly who passed judgment on him."
He said calmly to Lock, "Let's go inside and rest first."
Before Eren could fully process what Levi had just said, he was pushed into the lounge by Levi.
As Lock entered, Miche caught him and gave him a thorough sniffing.
Inside the lounge, Erwin and Miche leaned against the window. On a bench, Hange was gently dabbing the wounds on Eren's face with a handkerchief, staring at him with curiosity and excitement.
Levi looked at Lock, who was standing to the side, and asked, "Hey, Recruit, you didn't come here just to see Eren, did you?"
Lock saluted and said sternly, "Reporting! I have something to report to Commander Erwin in private!"
..."Hey, Erwin, what did that kid from the Leon Family say to you?" Levi voiced everyone's curiosity.
Looking at Lock's departing figure outside the window, Erwin remained calm as he spoke, "Nothing much, just some strange ideas unique to a young man."
"Ah!"
Hange's cry drew everyone's attention back.
Hange stared into Eren's wide-open mouth and murmured, "The tooth has already grown back."
...Lock returned to the Trost District by evening.
Because he was still traveling on his family's private boat, he was even faster than Mikasa and Armin, who had set out earlier.
Lock went to the Garrison Regiment headquarters to reclaim his confiscated Trainee uniform and Omni-Directional Mobility Gear.
Only then did he fully regain his status in the military.
Lock went to the temporary quarters for the Trainees, only to find that there was almost no one there.
He looked up at the fire and thick smoke over the distant plaza and knew exactly where they were and what they were doing.
The recovery and identification of the bodies had finished. After the condolences, there was a mass cremation.
Burial existed within the walls, but the requirements were too high, and only a very small number of people could afford it.
At the very least, Trainees were not eligible.
Relatives left after reclaiming personal belongings and receiving military pensions.
Considering fuel costs and the number of bodies, the military ultimately chose not to perform individual cremations.
The most common sound heard on the plaza was the cracking of bones in the fire.
Next was the sound of many people's muffled sobbing.
From a distance, Lock watched Jean's expression shift from sorrow to growing determination.
"I'm going to... join the Survey Corps!"
Lock remained silent for a long time before turning to leave.
From beginning to end, he didn't give Annie a single glance.
---
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