Wings [Levi Daughter]

Chapter Fifty-Six

One Year Later

The sound of metal clashing with metal was heard in the valley. Working under the hot sun, the small squad of Scouts hammered the nails of the planks to the ground, creating the railroad that has been in construction since the harbor was finished. Iris stopped with her hammering and took a breath; she rested the hammer's head on the ground and leaned on it for support.

"Is this really what our job is now?" Connie asked as he carried a plank of wood on his shoulder.

"Last I check, this isn't in part of our job description." Iris groaned.

"No, we don't have to do it." Jean said.

"If that idiot go about saying something weird, such as, this helping training our bodies and the island's development.." Eren said.

"Currently, we can only sit and wait for Hizuru's reply." Jean said.

"Is there any chance of that even happening?" Connie asked. "What was it... something about the Eldian's human rights, or selling resources?"

"The most important this is that we talk to the world through Hizuru." Leon said. "And if we improve relations and become a country for ourselves, then we won't even have to rely on the Rumbling plan."

"With that," Jean continued. "Historia and Iris wouldn't have to suffer through such terrible circumstances. We can only grasp straws right now..."

"Right." Connie said.

Iris frowned at the mention of their current state. After the meeting with Hizuru last year, there was a talk about Iris' duty of having a successor for her Titan, though Historia was also essential, she was on a time limit given that she only has a few years left to help the child grow in understanding the its responsibility, and for it be ready – physically – to take the Titan. There were even noblemen who presented their sons to father the child, but with the help of the Yelena, Ambassador Azumabito, and Masrur, such plan was put to hold until the Island receives word from Hizuru. But, as they waited, time was ticking, and as of the moment, Iris only has about nine years left.

"Hey!"

The sound of horses running and Hange's voice caught their attention, turning, they saw their Commander and Captain riding towards them. Once they reached the train that took them and the supplies to their current location, Hange and Levi dismounted from their horses and approached the squad.

"Commander! Captain!" Jean and the others greeted them.

"Hello, I see you're all working... it's hot today, thanks for the effort." Hange said.

"No... we had no choice as this idiot's escort." Jean said.

"You guys only grew in size, it seems." Levi told them as he noticed the height increase of his soldiers.

Levi approached Iris, he handed her a flask of water and took the hammer from her hands. As she drank every last drop, Levi took note on how she grew as well, she was quite taller than him now, probably by a few inches (he wouldn't admit it, but he was now standing at the height of his daughter's eyes).

She got it from her mother... He thought (not that he was annoyed by it).

But it wasn't his daughter's height that had him frowning, but the respond they got from the Azumabitos.

"It is an urgent requirement?" Eren said.

"Just now, we received a reply from the Azumabitos." Hange said.

"So?"

"Seeing how it is, they probably couldn't aid us." Hange replied. "As expected, Hizuru want a monopoly of Paradis Island's resources. And won't allow the trading of the with other countries. It seems they do wish for our human rights, but they are putting on a weird face, as if they don't want to help anyone... not only that, but the world seems to hope that Paradis will be a center for disaster so that other countries can remain stable."