The night before the mission, Violet arrived at the Scout Regiment headquarters. Hange was with Violet, she yawned lazily as she walked down the rain-drenched cobblestone path.
"I just dropped you off here, Violet."
In front of the main building, Levi was waiting, leaning calmly against the wall with his arms folded. His gaze lingered on Violet for a moment, his expression unchanged.
"He's Levi, yes Captain Levi." said Hange shaking Levi's shoulder with a smile that looked mocking.
Violet bowed her head in respect.
"Formally here you just clench your fist like this." Hange demonstrated directly, "You'll take care of the rest," she added, turning to Levi as she walked.
Levi pushed his body away from the wall.
Without a word, he immediately turned around and started walking.
Violet fell silent for a moment. Her gaze shifted from Hange's direction to Levi's retreating back.
"..."
She finally followed a few steps behind him.
The Scout Regiment headquarters consisted of several buildings separated by dirt roads. The rain had left some of the paths muddy, so they had to navigate the open corridors connecting each block.
They occasionally came across members of the Scout Regiment who were still awake.
Some merely glanced at her, others paused their conversations for a moment. Curious gazes followed Violet down the corridor, especially from the senior soldiers who had never seen her before. Despite this, Levi didn't slow his pace in the slightest, and Violet continued walking silently.
They stopped at the end of the block.
There stood only a small building.
Beside the entrance, a man was asleep on a long chair. His head leaned back with his mouth slightly open.
As soon as he heard footsteps approaching, his head tilted slowly.
Then suddenly he stood up straight with a pale face.
"W-Whoa! Captain Levi!"
His gaze then shifted to the figure behind him, he moved his head slightly, narrowing his eyes to look at Violet.
"Wait... who are you?"
Before Violet could open her mouth, Levi answered first.
"She's a new recruit."
Levi turned half-way around.
"He will stay here for the time being."
"Tell Petra, Oluo."
"Really?" Oluo's face lit up. "What a coincidence. I still have a spare bed if—"
Levi turned his head. Just one glance at Oluo made him smile.
"W-well, no." He said with an awkward laugh, "I was just kidding." His voice trailed off at the end of the sentence.
Levi shook his head slightly and then walked as if nothing had happened.
Once Levi was truly gone, Oluo let out a long breath, his body looking more relaxed.
"I actually have a lot of questions." He scratched his cheek lightly. "But it's no use. The captain will probably just say, 'It's none of your business.' Or something like that."
Violet just kept quiet.
"Oh, that's right." Oluo slapped his forehead. "You're the new kid, huh?"
He looked at Violet from head to toe.
"But if the Captain himself brought you here... then you're no ordinary person."
Oluo took a deep breath, closed his eyes, put both hands on his waist and then slightly raised his chin with an expression full of pride.
"Then listen carefully." In a tone that was as grand as possible, he cleared his throat.
"You are speaking to one of the finest soldiers, in the finest squad the Scout Regiment has."
He pointed to himself with his thumb.
"My name is Oluo Bozado. I—"
His words were interrupted by the door behind him suddenly opening quite loudly.
Despite this, he still maintained his proud pose.
Three people came out from inside.
A girl stepped forward, followed by two men behind her.
The girl had brownish blonde hair, while her two friends just watched from behind with curiosity.
Her gaze immediately fell on Violet, her eyes widening slightly.
The girl approached just one step in front of him,
"Eh? So you're really a new member?"
Violet fell silent. Levi didn't say anything other than that she would be staying here for the time being. She wasn't sure if he would be part of their squad... or just a stopover before being assigned elsewhere.
Violet slowly clenched her fists in front of her chest. Her back straightened, as if she were about to give a report, but she said nothing.
The girl tilted her head slightly.
Then, as if just realizing something, both of her hands immediately covered her cheeks.
"So sweet!"
Her tone of voice sounded friendly, accompanied by a small, sincere smile.
"Let me introduce myself, my name is Petra Ral."
Petra turned slightly to the side, pointing at the man behind her.
"The one with the tied hair is Eld Jinn. The tall one is Gunther."
Petra turned back to Violet.
"Hey Me! Me!"
Oluo's shout came from behind, but Petra ignored it. Eld only glanced at her briefly before returning to Violet, and Gunther didn't seem too bothered either.
"She looks so happy," Gunther said dryly.
Eld nodded slowly.
"Since we've been in the same squad, this is the first time I've seen her like that."
Gunther smiled faintly.
"Yes, I understand." His gaze shifted briefly to Violet. "Besides, she's been the only female member of this squad all this time."
Violet shifted her gaze slowly towards the three men, then looked back at Petra.
"I feel like...everyone is closer than they seem."
Petra chuckled, sounding a little awkward.
"Not really. We tend to disagree quite often," she said, tilting her head slightly. "What makes you say that?"
Violet was silent for a moment.
"I've seen relationships like that."
Her gaze returned to them.
"They seem to not care about each other, sometimes even teasing each other."
She looked back at Petra.
"But actually not."
Petra was silent, her lips slightly open as if she wanted to say something but in the end it turned into a thin smile.
"Then... you'll be there too."
Violet blinked once.
"About that..." She looked a little hesitant. "Captain Levi didn't say anything. Am I really joining this squad?"
Petra laughed softly.
"Sorry. Our captain is like that, we weren't told anything either."
Petra glanced briefly at the corridor where Levi had left.
"But it's okay, if the Captain decides I trust him."
Violet's eyes slowly widened.
"...Oh, I see."
Petra nodded.
"Then... introduce yourself."
Violet didn't answer right away.
She shifted her gaze to them one by one, no matter how they gave her the same look, she could see the smiles even though they were barely visible.
Violet took a slow breath.
"Okay." Her voice came out softly.
She placed her right hand on her chest. this time it wasn't a fist.
Slowly she bent down until her golden hair fell, covering part of her face.
"Cadet 104..."
"Unofficial training north of the Rose Wall."
Violet slowly raised her head again.
"My name is Violet Evergarden. I would be grateful for your guidance."
The night wind blew gently, swaying the strands of her golden hair as soon as the sentence ended.
They were all silent without blinking, so quiet that only the sound of the distant canteen's commotion could be heard.
Petra's eyes slowly widened and she smiled at the end.
"Come on Violet."
.
.
.
Inside a small room, Erwin sat behind his desk, his eyes fixed on the documents before him.
Without a knock, the door creaked open and Levi stepped inside.
"You wanted to see me?" Levi asked.
Erwin leaned back in his chair for a moment and clasped his hands together.
"Yes. There's something I want to discuss."
"The operation plan?"
"No. I want you to pull the girl out."
"Why? That position should be filled by Mike and Hange."
"Not behind him any longer. I want her with the Logistics Squad."
Levi fell silent for a moment before turning his gaze to the board, where the formation had already been drawn.
"If you're trying to cut off the enemy's escape route, Mikasa should be enough. The enemy won't make it any farther than that."
"I have reason to believe the enemy possesses abilities we've never seen before."
Levi drew a sharp breath.
"Shift Mikasa's position by forty-five degrees. The girl will take the opposite flank."
He let out a slow breath.
"...Understood."
Without another question, he turned to leave.
"Levi."
Erwin's voice stopped him.
Levi halted but did not turn around.
"I'm sorry to trouble you."
For a moment, there was only silence. Then Levi opened the door and walked out.
.
.
.
In the canteen, Petra and Violet carried their trays of hot food to a table by the window.
Violet glanced towards another table.
Oluo was laughing loudly, while Eld merely shook his head. Gunther continued eating in silence, as though he were used to it.
"Why don't we sit with them?"
Petra turned to look as well and smiled faintly.
"I usually eat with the girls from the other squad."
She gave a soft laugh.
"So I'm rather glad you came along. At least I have someone to eat with now."
She glanced out of the window.
"Besides, I quite like sitting here."
Violet followed her gaze for a moment before looking back down at her meal.
As Petra set her spoon aside, her eyes lingered on the hand with which Violet carefully held her cup.
"...Violet."
"Yes?"
"Why don't you take them off?"
Violet's hand immediately stilled, her eyes dropping for a moment.
"You mean..."
She raised one hand and opened the other, showing her palms.
"These?"
Petra nodded slowly, her curiosity undiminished.
"Yes. I'm only curious. If you'd rather not answer, that's perfectly all right."
The question reminded Violet of her encounter with Hange, though this time it was different. Violet herself felt strangely calm, almost prepared.
"This—"
Her voice hung in the air as a shadow suddenly fell across the table.
The aroma of freshly brewed tea drifted towards them. Levi had appeared behind Petra, a steaming cup in his hand.
Without a word, he took the seat beside her.
Petra froze.
"C-Captain?"
Too close! she screamed inwardly.
Levi set his cup down, the tea rippling gently as it touched the wooden table.
Violet slowly raised her eyes.
As their gazes met, Levi finally spoke.
"That's rather interesting. I'd like to hear it as well... Violet."
The hand hidden beneath the table clenched tightly. Violet continued to steady her breathing, which had grown heavier.
"This..."
Her voice finally emerged.
"It is only a small sacrifice."
She smiled faintly as she looked at her palm.
"For someone so precious to me... even if I were to lose this hand entirely, I would never regret it."
For the first time, Petra saw her smile. Since they had first met, Violet had shown almost no expression at all.
She glanced at Levi. She did not need to guess; Captain Levi would know that those words had come from the depths of her heart.
Violet let out a quiet breath and looked up again.
Levi was no longer looking at her. He calmly blew across the surface of his tea.
For some reason, she felt that something about his presence had changed.
"Are you sure?" Levi asked after taking a sip. "Make certain I don't hear some idiotic story about your hand slipping and ruining everything."
"I will do my utmost, Captain," Violet replied firmly.
Levi said nothing more, as though nothing had happened.
Petra glanced at Violet and smiled to herself.
"Why are you smiling?"
A loud voice suddenly came from behind Violet.
"Have I missed something?"
Petra blinked, unable to hide the colour draining from her face.
"W-What? No! Who's smiling?"
She turned to find Oluo, Eld, and Gunther standing behind Violet, each carrying a tray of food.
"Y-You lot..."
She pointed at them one by one.
"How long have you been standing there?!"
Oluo's gaze shifted from Petra... to Levi... and then back to Petra.
Wearing a grave expression, he looked at Levi.
"Captain, I'd like to make a report. She deliberately moved her chair."
He pointed at Petra.
"So she could sit closer to you."
He narrowed his eyes as though conducting an investigation.
"The evidence is that there's still about seven centimetres of empty space over there."
Gunther immediately closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
Eld turned his head away, pretending not to hear a thing.
Petra's cheeks instantly turned crimson.
"W-What?!"
"That's not true!"
She slammed a hand onto the table, causing the cups to rattle.
Levi tried to remain focused on his tea, though one of his eyebrows twitched slightly.
"If you lot keep making a racket..." He set down his cup. "...I'm leaving."
"No, no, Captain!"
Oluo immediately raised both hands in surrender.
"Please don't go!"
Eld pulled out a chair and sat down first.
"It's not often we all get to eat together like this."
Gunther placed his tray on the table as well.
"Quite right."
He raised the mug in his hand.
"Since we've got a new member, let's celebrate."
No one responded.
He was the only one who had brought beer.
"Eh?" Gunther blinked.
Petra had already started eating.
Oluo was busy helping himself to the bread.
Even Levi continued sipping his tea without paying him the slightest attention.
"...Well, never mind."
Smiling faintly, Gunther took a sip of his beer.
As the conversation gradually grew livelier, Violet remained silent.
Her eyes moved from one face to another.
They interrupted one another, teased one another, and occasionally burst into laughter, yet there was not the slightest trace of awkwardness between them.
Her gaze slowly dropped to the cup of hot chocolate in her hands.
She raised it slowly.
Then, in silence, she took a sip.
.
.
.
That same night, Annie knelt beside a box in the corner of her room and lifted the lid.
Inside were neatly folded clothes. Beside them lay a set of ODM gear that occupied more than half the box.
Suddenly, the door opened.
Someone had entered.
Annie immediately turned and shut the lid in haste.
It was only her roommate.
Hitch Dreyse.
With an easy stride, Hitch walked in, idly twirling an envelope in one hand.
"What?" She raised an eyebrow. "Why do you look like that?"
Annie said nothing.
Their eyes met for a moment.
Hitch took a slow breath.
"Oh..."
The corners of her lips slowly curved upwards, and the look in her eyes changed.
"I see." She raised her hands in surrender. "Don't worry. I'm a trustworthy friend."
Walking past Annie, Hitch placed an envelope on top of the drawer.
"This is for you."
"...A letter?" Annie repeated, as though she had misheard.
Hitch merely shrugged.
"Someone left it with me earlier."
She headed towards the door, then turned back with a faint smile.
"Enjoy."
The door closed softly behind her.
When Annie opened the envelope, she found only a single sheet of paper. As Hitch had said, it was handwritten.
Her eyes immediately fell upon the first line.
Within seconds, they slowly widened, and the cold expression she always wore disappeared.
The fingers holding the paper tightened little by little until its edges began to crumple.
Her jaw clenched.
She did not move for a full minute.
She simply stared at the letter with the same expression before finally crushing it into a ball in her hand.
...Impossible.
I didn't leave the slightest opening.
I'm certain of it.
Annie closed her eyes for a moment, forcing herself to retrace every step she had taken, every decision, every trace she had left behind.
No...
Her eyes opened again.
Or...
Could that idiot have done something...?
The letter read:
'Annie Leonhart, top recruit of the 104th Cadet Corps.
I know who you are.
And I know about your two friends.
Come to the tavern in western Stohess tomorrow night.
I have an interesting proposition for you.'