Perennial Rose | {Levi x OC} | Shingeki no Kyojin |

Chapter 10: A Decision is Made

Within Wall Maria, Trost District

We are silent for the entire journey back.

This silence never bothered me, however.

I'm not one to talk that much.

Upon entering the front door of the former mistress's house, I see the dreaded bushy eyebrows and slick blonde hair of Commander Erwin sitting at the large table in the main room. He looks different somehow. He emanates pure exhaustion, but his eyes are still full of ambition.

"Good evening," I greet him as I gather my hair and try to squeeze the water out. I am still drenched from the heavy rain.

He doesn't move the slightest bit and solemnly says, "Good evening, Renata."

I look behind and find a group of grim soldiers, shivering and dripping with water. Gunther sneezes and Petra gives him a wet handkerchief which isn't very effective for its purpose. Guilt settles in me for not having done anything to warm them. I run towards the entrance to the courtyard to get anything on the clothes line which they can use to dry off. Before I can even take a step outside, Erwin's voice reels me back in. "Renata, do it later. I need to discuss something with you."

Returning to the main room, I tell Kilian to help the squad dry off, and he obeys right away. Without making any eye contact with Erwin, I take a seat in the chair right across from him.

We are the only ones in the room.

I hear Erwin's heavy sigh. His composed yet serious expression makes him reflects distress.

He finally breaks the uncomfortable silence and says, "You have probably heard me say this many times already, but I need to reiterate once more."

I back into my chair with caution, fearfully anticipating his glowing yet gaudy praise. My skills have been showered with the light of his words to an extremity I cannot fathom to quantify. It is not settling. Especially for a person who had been relentlessly degraded for the majority of her life.

Without putting my thoughts into words, I listen.

Erwin leans forward and looks me deep in the eye. With a baritone voice, he explains, "Ever since the fall of Wall Maria, I've been working on a countless number of plans for our expeditions outside Wall Rose. Formations, tactics, maneuvers... I've been trying to find the perfect combination. Some of them have succeeded, but they have not been successful enough to conquer the land that we lost two years ago."

"Even though we have humanity's strongest, we can't negate the fact that the Titans are more powerful. But I have been motivated to search for a way out of the bars of that statement. I'm sure you are acquainted with my subordinate, Levi?"

I answer with a lonesome, "Yes."

Erwin continues, "Although he doesn't acknowledge it himself, he is renowned for his title: 'Humanity's Strongest Soldier. He has proven to be an essential part of our mission and we have progressed ever since I recruited him. However, even with this great push in our strength, we haven't advanced enough."

He pauses, looks down at his clenched hands, then looks once more. "So, my point is... Even if we have this power, we are all discouraged to believe that it is still insufficient to bring humanity one step closer to victory." Erwin looks up and quietly adds, "Then, I met you."

I tap my feet uncomfortably at this comment and discretely avert my eyes away from his gaze. Not again...Please stop this.

Erwin tackles the air with his words. "Why should we depend solely on the power of the strongest of soldiers? What about the others, the ones who aren't recognized as our strongest? Those questions came to mind as I gained a better understanding of what kind of person you are. As strong as you may be, you also have embedded in you a gift that can save my men, Renata. You can change people's hearts. I've already witnessed it in your time with the Special Operations Squad. You can make my men stronger, more determined, more ambitious. You-"