Nest & Wings (Annie Leonhardt x Male Reader)

Chapter 52: The Grand Performance

A few days after Annie reunited with her father,

You receive a letter from Rico. It was another transcription of a conversation between Captain Magath and Willy Tybur.

"Age has taken a toll on my home." ~Magath

"Congratulations Marshall, the army is yours to command." ~Willy

"No, the Army belongs to the country. And you are its supreme commander." ~Magath

"I wouldn't say that. I just hold the steering wheel. But I can see why nobody before me has tried to steer this country. It's too difficult a job. I'd love to let it go, but a guiding hand has become necessary. I'm just the man who happened to be in charge when time ran out." ~Willy

"When my house was on the verge of collapse, just one pillar remained to hold it up. That pillar informed me that rats had already infested the house." ~Magath

It was somewhat of a coded conversation. Hange helps you decipher it. "Hmm... the way he's saying makes it sound like he's talking about Marley's political landscape. It looks like he doesn't agree with the way the Marlean authorities think."

"Huh? So who's side do you think he's on?" you ask her.

Hange continues, "Definitely not ours. Look here, I think he's trying to bring a change in Marley's favor and Willy seems to agree. Also, this part where he says that the house is infested by rats. It looks like he's onto your activities in Liberio. Maybe someone in the military caught onto that?"

You respond, "I guess this means they'll rush their plans to attack us, right? We'd better get ready then."

With the disappearance of a number of civilians and two of their warriors, it was safe to say that this information was accurate and you immediately inform Rico that her identity might be compromised and instruct her to keep a low profile.

A few days later you receive another letter saying how they plan to hold a festival in the internment zone where Willy Tybur would give a speech in front of the ambassadors to make them aware of the threat Paradis posed to the rest of the world and attempt to form an alliance to declare war on Paradis.

Rico, who was now in hiding, relays this information to you while you planned your move from Paradis. She mentions how she heard from Willy Tybur's cart driver, who was secretly an Eldian informant, that he expects Paradis to attack them during the speech and asks Magath to use that to prove the argument regarding your threat. You use this to your advantage and let them commence their plan.

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The night of the event,

You once again sneak into Liberio with the help of Hizuru. You, Armin, Eren, Annie, Reiner, Bertolt and Pieck hide in a basement close to the stage and listen as Willy Tybur gives his speech.

He tells the story of how Eldians ruled the world using the power of titans. After conquering the rest of the continent, they began fighting among themselves, leading to the Great Titan War.

The Marlean hero Helos exploited their infighting to overthrow the Eldian empire and with the help from the Tybur Family, he forced the king to retreat to Paradis with his people. Everything Willy said until now was information you already knew from Dr. Jager's notes.

He then says, "The story till this point consists of the facts that everyone knows. However, the truth differs slightly. From now, I'll explain what we know from the memories of the Warhammer Titan." What he says next surprises everyone. While you were aware that he was going to do that, the information he shared was news to you as well.