"Captain Lock, the Commander has returned to base!"
Lock paused his sword-cleaning and turned. "Erwin's back?"
"Yes, sir. The Commander said we're departing for the capital within the hour to present our report."
"Understood. Go ahead, I'll meet you at the gate shortly."
"Yes, Captain!"
The soldier saluted smartly and jogged off.
Lock watched him go, a flicker of anticipation glinting in his eyes. So, it's finally time. A formal audience with the royal council.
He smiled faintly to himself. This time, I'm not some nameless soldier standing outside the chamber doors. Let's see what surprises the high command has in store.
He turned back toward the castle, heading upstairs to wash away the sweat of the morning's drills.
Inside, the warmth of the manor was filled with the murmur of conversation. Ymir and Eren were seated together, talking easily—an odd pair, but somehow harmonious.
When Lock stepped in, Eren immediately jumped up. "Lock! You're back!"
Lock nodded, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be heading to the capital soon with Commander Erwin. Reporting our operation results will take a while, so don't wait for me."
Eren beamed at the attention, and Armin and Mikasa hurried over as well.
Lock couldn't help a small sigh. Honestly… when did they all get so clingy?
Still, he didn't push them away—he simply rested his palm lightly on each of their heads in turn. Armin flinched in embarrassment, but Mikasa's eyes softened almost imperceptibly.
From across the room, Ymir muttered dryly, "Tch. Acting like some kind of saint. Or a pervert."
Her tone was mocking, but there was a flicker of envy behind her eyes.
Petra, who was seated nearby polishing her blades, only shook her head, amused.
Across from her, Historia watched Lock with undisguised admiration. She had never known warmth or care growing up, and seeing Lock—barely three years older than her yet already a leader and symbol of hope—stirred something new in her heart.
Ymir noticed the look instantly and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Great. Another rival. Just what I needed.
Lock, oblivious to the undercurrents, finished his short conversation and went upstairs to wash. The shock of cold water made him exhale sharply, but he didn't flinch. Years of discipline had hardened both his body and mind.
Soon after, dressed in a clean uniform, he came back down. Petra and the others followed him to the door, offering their goodbyes as he set out for the gate.
Watching him leave, Petra couldn't help but smile faintly. "He's gotten taller… and more composed."
Ymir scoffed. "He's fifteen."
"That didn't stop you from staring," Petra teased.
Ymir's face flushed red. "You're imagining things."
Historia blinked between them, confused. Armin just tilted his head. Eren, of course, had already lost track of the conversation.
Outside, Lock arrived at the base entrance where Commander Erwin awaited with a small convoy.
"The Captain didn't return with you?" Lock asked as they climbed into the carriage.
"Levi's still leading cleanup operations along Wall Maria," Erwin explained. "He'll file his own report separately. Ours will focus on the expedition's results."
As the horses began to move, Lock peered out through the window. Civilians lined the streets, staring curiously as the Survey Corps passed—some with admiration, others with fear.
Erwin's voice broke the silence. "The casualties were immense. Even with Wall Maria reclaimed, I can't bring myself to celebrate."
Lock leaned back, folding his arms. "It's easy for common folk. Chop wood, tend fields, raise families. They don't have to think about what keeps this world standing."
He gave a faint smile. "Sometimes I envy them."
Erwin turned toward him, thoughtful. "You sound like someone who's already seen too much. We share that restlessness, you and I—the need to go beyond what's expected, to chase something others call impossible."
Lock shook his head. "No, we're different. You chose this path. I was forced onto it."
Erwin's brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't interrupt.
"If I didn't know what's really beyond the sea—Marley, the power of the Nine, the way this island is seen by the world—I might've just stayed quiet inside the Walls," Lock continued. "I fight because I have to. Because I want to live."
Erwin regarded him in silence, then said softly, "Sometimes I forget you're only fifteen. You think like a man who's lived through decades of war."
"Experience shapes us faster than time," Lock replied simply.
Erwin nodded. Knowing Lock's history—the loss of his parents, the years surviving as an orphan—it wasn't hard to understand his guarded maturity.
The conversation faded, replaced by the steady rhythm of hooves on cobblestone.
By midday, they reached the royal capital within Wall Sina.
Unlike their last visit, there were no blockades or interrogations. The carriage passed freely through the inner gates and into the heart of the city—a place of impossible luxury.
They dismounted before a sprawling marble palace. Every column gleamed white under the light, gilded fixtures catching the eye at every turn.
For a kingdom that constantly complained of poverty and shortage, the opulence was sickening.
Lock's gaze swept the grand hall—the chandeliers, the silk curtains, the golden-framed portraits. I bet selling just one of these could feed the refugees for a year, he thought bitterly.
Such a government… how could anyone love it?
Beside him, Erwin maintained his usual calm. His expression revealed nothing, but his eyes were sharp, calculating.
Led by Military Police escorts, they passed through rows of guards until they reached a tall set of double doors—the council chamber.
"Commander Erwin, Captain Lock," a soldier announced quietly. "The council has been expecting you."
Erwin inclined his head and pushed the doors open.
Lock followed him in.
Inside, a long table stretched down the center of the room, flanked by men in fine uniforms and ornate robes. Their gazes turned immediately toward the newcomers.
The room was filled with the most powerful figures within the Walls—the core of the royal government itself.
Lock straightened his back, meeting their eyes without flinching.
So these are the people who hold humanity's fate.
Let's see what kind of "rulers" they really are.
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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