He Told Me to Live

2 | A Wax Seal

"It's humiliating! We've been properly trained, and we're expected to bring in some underground thugs?"

I sat in that meeting, my fists clenched in my lap, clenched so tightly that I felt my nails digging into my skin. Erwin put his hand over mine, his hand scaling larger than my by a long shot.

"If we're recruiting people just because they're talented–" Flagon noticed my unamused expression and sighed. "Look, I get that the Scout Regiment needs more recruits, but the fact that we're being treated the same way as some underground criminals is going to affect our troops' morale."

There. That's when my nails broke my skin and blood began to seep through my fingers.

Erwin noticed this and spoke up. "Y/N, say what's on your mind."

"I don't like the fact that you enjoy to judge people based on where they live." I was planning on being short and blunt, but I went on. "Where they live wasn't decided by them. Underground isn't just some garbage dump of rats and rabies. The people down there that you call criminals are just trying to survive. More than half of the people living down there can't do so much as walk. You're not being treated the same as 'underground thugs.' You're being treated the same as another human being. What's unfair is that they aren't treated the same themselves."

I saw a proud smile appear on Erwin's face. He did make the decision to invite them onto the Scout Regiment, after all. Although, I doubt my statement put a good word under his name. I should probably apologize for that later.

"I understand your concerns, but I can vouch for their skills with their ODM gear."

"Besides, Erwin's new formation idea is revolutionary."

We turned to the commander of the Scout Regiment, his face concluding in this decision of bringing Isa and her friends into the Scout Regiment.

"We've focused on how to beat the Titans, but this gives us a way to avoid encountering them. It's sure to reduce the amount of casualties."

I tugged at Erwin's uniform. "Please speak your mind." He said.

"If what you're thinking about is their lack of discipline, it should not be too much of a problem. They're not fools." My glare set itself on Flagon.

"Alright then. This meeting is concluded."

•••

I walked into the barracks and saw the shorter one of Isa's two friends staring Flagon down, a rather irritated look in his eyes.

I noticed the dirt that had fallen from the crevices beneath the bed frame and onto the bedsheets and bowed my head, everyone turning to the door.

"I apologize. I was tasked to clean the barracks before your arrival but hadn't been able to get to it before dusk. The fault is mine."

Flagon scoffed. "I told you that they probably wouldn't care."

A silent response was all that he had gotten as I set a bucket of water down next to the bed, as well as an empty basket. I didn't really like speaking to him.

Erwin tried giving me the "speak when spoken to" instruction when he sent me to do something independently, but I often forgot it. Sometimes on purpose.

He scoffed again and left the room, leaving me, Isa, and her two friends in the room together.

"Hey, I didn't see you at that introduction ceremony thing." The blonde one that was with Isa held out his hand. "I'm Furlan Church. Isa wouldn't shut up about you once she realized you were part of the Scout Regiment."