"Sigh, did you hear? That noble young master personally said he's going to marry Annie!"
"I heard it too! I was standing right next to them!"
"Annie? Which Annie?"
"He even said he'd have His Majesty witness their wedding in person."
"That's so romantic! I want His Majesty at my wedding too."
"Who do you think you are? You want to see His Majesty? Don't let the smell of horse manure on you offend him."
"Are you asking for a fight?"
…
Late at night, at the edge of the training grounds.
Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner sat in a small circle.
Annie spoke first.
"While you two were making friends and sleeping peacefully, I was crawling through the sewers of the Royal Capital."
She remembered the terrifying man she had encountered there.
Even now, a faint chill ran down her spine.
Reiner smiled lightly.
"Didn't you enjoy yourself, too? To help that noble young master, you even risked being eliminated with him."
Annie's expression darkened.
"Wasn't it you who told me to get close to him?"
She mocked, "What? Now that you've actually seen me stay close to him, are you jealous?"
Bertholdt sat with his head lowered, silent.
Reiner did not react to the jab.
"It was the right decision," he said calmly. "He's clearly taken with you."
"As long as we place in the top ten, we'll have the chance to approach the King at your wedding."
He smiled faintly.
"If you really like him, we can just bring him back to Marley while we're at it."
Annie shot him a sharp glare.
"What kind of joke is that?"
Reiner stood.
"It's late. That's enough for today."
Annie rose as well.
"Annie."
Bertholdt suddenly spoke.
She turned, confused.
"What?"
He forced himself to meet her eyes.
"Do you really think he likes you?"
Annie's face was unreadable.
"What do you think?"
"I… don't know."
Bertholdt hesitated.
"That day. When you were drunk. When Reiner and I walked over…"
"He didn't offer to carry you back himself."
"He didn't ask Reiner either."
"He called me by name instead."
"Don't you think that's… strange?"
Annie looked at him for a long moment.
Then she answered flatly, "He didn't want Reiner touching me. And he knows you're honest."
"He also knows you wouldn't dare."
Bertholdt lowered his head again.
"Maybe I'm overthinking it. Sorry."
"It's fine. Go back."
After walking some distance, Annie glanced back.
Bertholdt remained seated, unmoving.
Like a dormant volcano.
…
"Bang!"
"Annie Leonhart. Ten rings!"
"Bang!"
"Lock Leon. Nine rings!"
Lock glanced sideways, puzzled.
How was Annie so precise with a weapon that should have been unfamiliar to her?
"Bang!"
"Eren Yeager. Seven rings!"
"Bang!"
"Mikasa Ackerman. Ten rings!"
"You're amazing, Mikasa!" Eren said, unable to hide his admiration.
Mikasa brushed her hair aside calmly.
"With more practice, Eren can do it too."
"Bang!"
"Jean Kirschtein. Seven rings!"
"Bang!"
"Marco Bott. Nine rings!"
Jean slapped Marco's shoulder happily.
"Not bad! Didn't expect you to have that talent."
He added quickly, "But shooting scores don't weigh much. If you want the top ten, you can't slack in other subjects."
Marco nodded earnestly.
"Right. You too, Jean."
"Bang!"
"Reiner Braun. Nine rings!"
"Bang!"
"Bertholdt Hoover. Ten rings!"
Both wore calm expressions.
"Bang!"
"Connie Springer. Seven rings!"
"Bang!"
"Sasha Blouse. Ten rings!"
"What? How can Sweet Potato Girl score ten?"
"That just means you're worse than I am!"
"Bang!"
"Ymir. Eight rings!"
"Bang!"
"Krista Lenz. Five rings!"
"That won't get you into the top ten."
"Since when did I say I wanted the top ten?"
…
"Annie! Over here!"
As Annie entered the cafeteria, she saw Lock waving from a corner.
Ignoring the teasing, envious, and curious stares around her, she walked straight toward him.
Eren muttered flatly, "They're not even trying to hide it anymore."
Armin nodded thoughtfully.
"I didn't expect Annie, of all people, to open up like this."
…
"I brought this for you."
Lock produced a round wooden box.
Annie sat down opposite him, already accustomed to his small offerings.
She opened it.
Inside was a simple-looking pie.
She did not look disappointed.
She knew Lock well enough by now.
He would not make things so simple.
Sure enough, he spoke slowly.
"My mother made this herself."
Annie frowned slightly.
"Your mother?"
"I thought she passed away years ago."
Lock paused.
"…Fine. My stepmother."
He pointed at the pie.
"My father married her recently. He said it was to improve our relationship. So she made this and sent it to me."
Annie understood the implication.
"You don't like her."
Lock's voice turned colder.
"She married him because he's ill."
"What do you think she wants?"
Annie watched him carefully.
"Why are you telling me this?"
Lock looked genuinely confused.
"You're not an outsider."
Then he seemed to realize something.
"You think I'm testing you?"
He shook his head lightly.
"I was the one who pursued you. It's not like you sought me out. Why would you project yourself into this?"
…
Back in the dormitory, Annie still replayed his words in her mind.
"Hey, Annie! What did Lock bring you this time?"
"More sweets?"
"Mung bean cakes?"
"Idiot, he never brings the same thing twice!"
"Open it already!"
…
You're not an outsider.
Annie did not open the box.
This pie—
She did not intend to share it.
…
Annie.
Promise your father.
You must come back.
"Clatter."
The box slipped from her hands.
The grapefruit pie rolled onto the floor.
---
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