Humanity's Butterfly

Chapter 8

The old Scout Regiment. It was just what Sunako expected from a renovated, old, fancy castle. From what she have heard, it was back in the early days when everyone had high hopes for the Scout Regiment. It's a shame that it ended up being useless for the Scouts due to being so far from the wall and the river. To think that this oversized decoration would be the perfect holding place for Eren.

The Special Ops Squad were going through the forest with Eren at the center among them on horseback. Sunako was riding at the front with Eld and Gunther so she was able to see the old castle, while Levi was at the back with Petra. Usually, she would've been riding either beside or behind him but after their argument yesterday, it would be best that she have some space from him. As humble as she is, she also has some pride reserved within her as a member of the Uchiha Clan. Plus, her keen sense of her surroundings would be needed in case of an angry group of people try to ambush them due to Eren's Titan Abilities and keeping him alive, but so far nothing has gone amiss in these parts of the forest as they continued forward.

The petite, raven-haired woman have also noticed the subtle changes among her squad, she can see their wariness towards Eren and she doesn't blame them. They don't know the extent of Eren's Titan ability, not even she knows how far his ability is capable of, and they don't know him fully well that they could completely trust him. But she knows him. His temper can indeed make him act irrationally but she can tell that he means well for other's sake.

However, Sunako couldn't help but eavesdrop on Eld and Gunther's conversation, which was about Eld's girlfriend, Seraphine Keiner, which is what she recalls her name was. The two met when the three of them went to the market on one of her rare off days since she has been terribly busy on most days. They were at a restaurant to eat lunch after walking through the streets and visiting her personal blacksmith. It was there that Sunako saw Eld eyeing their blonde waitress. She saw how different he looked at her compared to the other times she caught him ogling the other women during their training days and Gunther seemed to have noticed this as well.

Being the ever supporting and lovely friends they are, they decided to help him out on getting the girl which went successfully well. Now, they have been dating ever since. Sunako inwardly smirk when she remembered that memory. Eld wanted to propose to Sera, as he called her, as soon as their mission was done so that he could retire and they would move together.

"You owe us some thanks for that!" Gunther said with a hearty chuckle along with Sunako, who gave out an amused chuckle herself. "Who knew that after all those ogling since our training years, she would be the one to have enchanted you the most." Sunako teased with mirth in her eyes as Eld flushed a bit at her statement, but she's actually happy for her friend who was getting married and possibly starting a new life as a civilian. At some point in her life, she sometimes wondered how it must've felt like to be married to someone you love very much and live a civilian life without the titles and the name she bore. But that was merely a fantasy, an illusion masking one's perception from the cruel reality of it all.

"You always need a woman in your life to get things done, right Eld?" Gunther asked his blonde friend as Eld raised an eyebrow then sighed. "Are you insinuating something, Gunther? As far as I remember, both you and Sunako are still single. I know Sunako can handle things on her own but does that mean you can't do anything by yourself?"

"Right now, I don't need a partner. My mom is the only woman I need in my life right now."

Eld looks at Sunako, expectantly as she shrugged with her ever-present smile on her face. "No one has interested me as of yet." She lied. There is someone that she came to love but she has put those feelings aside for her friend's happiness. Plus, Eld and Gunther would scurry the men off if they as so much as even tried to flirt with her and they would place her in the middle between them.