Lock received a reply from his father today.
His father had finally agreed to his plan and urged him to be careful in all things.
Lock was deeply moved; after all, he knew his father was loyal to the Reiss Family to his core. Making this decision must have involved a significant internal struggle.
Perhaps sensing that death was approaching, his father's courage had grown.
Of course, the main reason was that his father did not yet understand Ymir's Curse; otherwise, he certainly wouldn't have agreed.
Lock burned the letter to ashes and left the office...
In the square he had visited last time, Lock unexpectedly ran into Annie.
Of course, this wasn't actually an accident, nor was it a chance encounter.
Lock smiled and greeted Annie as she noticed him. "Yo, Annie! Long time no see."
He walked up to Annie, who was sitting on a bench, and gestured with his eyes to ask if he could sit down.
Annie obediently moved to the side.
Lock sat down beside Annie. For a while, neither of them spoke, simply watching the fountain in front of them in silence.
In a noisy square, a quiet man and woman—who would have thought these two young people were carrying the weight of the world's most complex matters in their hearts?
Lock was always the one to break their silence.
"I have to go home tomorrow."
Annie turned her head to look at him.
Lock continued, "After all, I haven't been back in a long time, and my father has been worried about me."
Annie's eyes lowered, seemingly touched by Lock's words.
As long as she completed her mission tomorrow, she could also return to her hometown and see her father... No, she couldn't think about that now.
Annie changed the subject. "Didn't you just agree to help Hitch with a case?"
Lock smiled, pulled a handwritten report from his coat, and handed it to Annie, saying confidently, "It's already handled. I even helped you guys catch a gang of criminals manufacturing prohibited drugs."
Annie looked over the report carefully, sounding a bit surprised. "Codeine?"
"Yes, that new drug flowing in from the Capital."
Lock smiled as he explained the details of the missing person case. "The missing daughter was actually the inventor of Codeine. To help her father through business difficulties, she used the knowledge she learned at Einrich University to help him manufacture the drug."
"However, she demanded that her father not sell it in the Stohess District, because it is her home, after all."
Annie read the report and said calmly, "But the father broke the agreement."
"Yes, so the daughter disappeared in a fit of rage. The father didn't want to lose his cash cow, which is why he commissioned the Military Police Corps to find her."
Annie gave a dry evaluation. "How stupid."
Lock leaned back against the bench, looking somewhat lazy. "Don't say that. At least he got his wish and saw his daughter, though it was in your Military Police jail."
"I solved such a big problem for the Military Police; you guys really ought to give me a medal of honor."
Although Lock's tone was joking, Annie didn't think his statement was an exaggeration at all.
She couldn't help but say, "It's impressive that you managed to investigate all this and arrest them all in a single day."
Receiving rare praise from Annie, Lock replied, "It wasn't actually that hard. They were all very unprofessional; there were loopholes everywhere."
"If you had done it, Annie, it would have been the same."
Annie was a bit surprised but didn't argue. She tucked the report away and stood up. "I'll help you hand this to Hitch. I'm heading back now."
"Wait, Annie!"
Annie turned back. Lock looked at her and said seriously, "How about you come back with me? My father wants to meet you,u too."
It took a long moment for Annie to understand Lock's meaning.
She quickly composed herself and flatly refused. "I... have to... patrol tomorrow."
Seemingly realizing she had lost her composure slightly, Annie looked down and added, "Didn't we agree not to mention this?"
"Sorry, that was forward of me."
"It's fine. I'm leaving..."
Watching Annie's reaction, Lock knew this was his last chance if he still wanted to change her fate...
"Sigh."
Lock sighed, stood up, and blocked Annie's path.
"Why? Annie, why must you push everyone away?"
"Everyone has secrets, but no matter what they are, I can bear them with you."
Lock grabbed Annie by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. "Annie, even if it means being an enemy to everyone, even if it means being an enemy to the world, I will definitely stand by your side."
"Annie! Come with me!"
Although neither of them had explicitly said it, before the trainees graduated, they had both tacitly accepted that there would be no future for them.
At least, that was what Annie believed.
Ever since Eren revealed the Power of the Titans, that thought had naturally become even clearer.
But now, looking into Lock's eyes and hearing his voice, Annie suddenly felt an impulse to agree.
But what about her father?
What about Reiner and Bertholdt?
Would there be a future for the two of them on this island?
How much longer did she have to live?
...A series of questions weighed on Annie's heart like a heavy mountain.
She broke free from Lock's hands, avoided his gaze, and whispered, "Don't do this. I have to go."
After saying that, she turned and left without waiting for Lock's reaction.
[Detected elevated adrenaline levels in the Host. System evaluation in progress.]
Lock slowly clenched his fists, then slowly released them.
[Levels did not meet the threshold. System self-activation failed.]
[A waste of effort. She'd have to be out of her mind to agree to you.]
Lock gave a self-deprecating smile. "I had to try."
[Don't tell me you won't be able to go through with it when the time comes. I won't help you again.]
Lock looked at his hands and, after a moment of silence, said, "I'll do it myself."
Taking one last look in the direction Annie had left, he also turned to leave...
The next day, early morning, Karanes District of Wall Rose.
The Survey Corps' 57th Exterior Scouting Mission was departing from here.
Two hundred members of the Survey Corps stood ready.
All the 104th recruits who had joined the Survey Corps were in the ranks, including Eren Yeager, who possessed the Power of the Titans.
Bells echoed through the sky as the stone gate, engraved with the Goddess Rose, slowly rose.
At the very front, Erwin Smith roared, "Advance!"
He was the first to gallop out of the gate, shouting again, "The 57th Exterior Scouting Mission begins! Advance!"
...Stohess District of Wall Sina, Military Police Corps Branch.
Annie Leonhart, who hadn't slept all night, stood in the shower, letting the cold water wash over her body.
Warrior, devil, Marco, father, Lock... everything would end today.
Her eyes gradually grew determined.
Today's mission: Capture Eren Yeager during the Survey Corps' 57th Exterior Scouting Mission...
Southern inner district of Wall Rose, Leon Estate.
Lock Leon swung the heavy iron spear in his hand.
He felt the power flowing through his body, the strength the weapon granted him.
At this moment, he felt omnipotent.
But today was not the day to bring it.
Lock looked at the Omni-directional Mobility Gear sitting to the side, a lion-like intensity hidden in his eyes.
"Annie, I hope you don't regret yesterday's choice."
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