♥︎ 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 ♥︎

Chapter twelve

Jean was becoming agitated. He'd spent the previous few weeks doing what he did best: hunting, eating competitions, and taking one of the local girls out to dinner. But he was curious as to when Y/N would return.

Erwin was most likely no longer alive. He wasn't going to annoy Jean again, and when Y/N returned from wherever she'd gone, the road to their marriage would be open. Yes, everything was going to be perfect, Jean reasoned as he made his way to the tavern for his evening dose of adoration and booze. He just wanted his future wife to return home quickly.

And he needed Marco to stop talking.

Jean's constant companion was babbling about Erwin once more, making it impossible for Jean to fully forget about the incident. The slightly smaller man exclaimed, "Wow, this is some storm." At the very least, we're not stranded in the middle of anywhere, right? It's not too late, you know. We should simply go and get him."

Jean didn't respond.

Marco persisted. "I just see Erwin stranded out there every time I close my eyes. When I open them, He's there..."

As Jean flung open the tavern doors, revealing Erwin, Marco's voice faded.

"Oh, that's funny, I was just about to say 'dead,'" Marco said, his voice quivering.

Ymir and Dot Pixis were among the tavern patrons who surrounded Erwin. He appeared unharmed, apart from a red nose, and it was obvious from the daggers the villagers were hurling at Jean that he had recovered enough from his ordeal to tell them all about it.

"Did you try to kill Erwin, Jean?" Ymir asked, her voice solemn.

Jean was well aware that he only had a few choices. His normal response was that he should fight. He might run, but it was a poor choice that made his skin crawl. So, after a fast scan of the room, he decided on another course of action: deny, deny, deny. He walked quickly to Erwin, who had his arms crossed, with a soft smile on his face. He started, "Oh, Erwin. Thank goodness. I've been looking for you for the past five days. Why did you flee into the woods in such a state?"

"Wait, what?" Erwin was taken aback. With a shake of his head, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation. "No way! You attempted to assassinate me! You abandoned me to the wolves!"

As if Erwin's words had wounded him, Jean placed his hand on his chest. "Wolves? What exactly are you saying? "'What did he say?' He rolled his eyes at the villagers as if to ask, 'Are we really going back down this road? Will you really believe him instead of me?' When the bulk of them returned his eye roll, he tried not to smirk smugly.

"The wolves near the beast's fortress," Erwin replied, his voice growing to match his maniacal demeanor.

"You're right," Jean said dismissively. "How come there's a beast with a castle that none of us has ever seen?"

Erwin paused for a moment. He noticed that everyone was waiting for his answer as he looked around the rooms. He eventually said, "Well...yes."

Jean had Erwin - and the rest of the group - just where he needed them. He had Erwin on the defensive when he cornered his prey on the chase as if Erwin realized his time was running out. Jean shook his head slowly. "Favoriting your delusions is one thing," he said. "It's one thing to accuse me of murder." 

Dot Pixis, not Erwin, was the one who spoke up, much to his surprise. The priest took a defensive move in front of Erwin. He then turned to face the assembled crowd. "Listen to me, everyone," he begged. "Erwin is our neighbor. Our acquaintance. He is a decent person."

Jean made an effort not to smile. He couldn't have done a better job of setting up the final blow if he tried. "Are you implying that I'm not?" he asked, his tone hurt. "Didn't I save this village from the Marleyan marauders' wrath? Isn't it true that I'm the only reason you're not buried up on the hillside this evening?"