Isolation Second Chance

Chapter 11

The following day unfolds with Eren tending to the animals in the backyard—a pair of horses named Eliza and Alex, a small flock of chickens, and Fierheit, the cherished dove. As he goes about his tasks, he becomes aware of Carla Kirstchien's presence standing nearby.

"Uncle Eren," Carla's voice breaks the quiet, drawing Eren's attention. He turns to see her and asks, "What's on your mind, Carla?"

"Could I participate in the training session with Erich today?" Carla inquires eagerly.

"Absolutely, but first, you'll need your father's permission. I'm certain he'd have my head if something happened to you," Eren responds with a faint smile.

Carla's eyes light up with excitement before she nods, saying, "I'll go ask my father right away."

Once Carla departs, a sigh escapes Eren. "With no more Titan powers, she won't inherit the Ackermann abilities, will she?" he muses, his thoughts drifting to the complexities of their world in the wake of the absence of Titan abilities.

At the same time, on the other side of a wall, Gloria tends to her flowers when a voice interrupts her, "Excuse me, could we have a chat?"

It's none other than Armin. Accompanying him are Annie, Connie, Reiner, and Pieck. "Certainly, I have a moment. What's on your mind?" Gloria responds calmly.

"Thank you. If it's alright, could you come with us?" Armin requests.

Gloria agrees and follows them until they're out of sight from Eren and the rest. Once there, she asks, "Armin Arlert, what's this about?"

Armin is taken aback, "You... know my name?"

"Of course, I know who you are. I used to be among the volunteers who came to this island with Yelena, Onyankopon, and the others," Gloria replies with a hint of disinterest.

Reiner's inquiry strikes a chord with Gloria. "Your last name is Tybur, correct? Are you the only surviving member of the Tybur Family?" he asks.

Gloria, unmoved, responds, "What if I am? I assume you want to know about my life and why I betrayed Marley?"

Connie chimes in, "We've heard that the Tybur Family used to hold significant influence among Eldians and was respected by other nations. You could have had a comfortable life in Marley, couldn't you?"

"You're correct," Gloria acknowledges. "If I were as self-serving as my family members, I wouldn't have attempted to aid Paradis Island and then left it to face destruction. But I'm not cut from the same cloth as my family. I witnessed the suffering of Eldians firsthand, and I couldn't reconcile with the idea of them enduring punishment for the sins of their ancestors. It's pure brainwashing."

Directing her attention to Connie and Armin, Gloria continues, "I was present on the day you arrived in Marley. Let's just say I didn't wear the Marley uniform by force; I chose to be there willingly. When I saw Eren emerge alone after the conference, I approached him and revealed my identity."

"So, even back then, you sought out Eren? Why?" Connie probes.

"I've been observing Eren for quite some time. That includes witnessing him wandering alone in the streets. Once, he saved a boy from a refugee camp. Afterwards, he was visibly distraught, crying and apologizing intensely, despite the boy's inability to understand him. From that moment, I realized he wasn't planning a partial Rumbling; he intended to initiate the full Rumbling," Gloria explains.

"You knew all this firsthand?" Annie inquires.

"At first, I was taken aback by Eren's intentions. Initially, I didn't support the idea of activating the Rumbling. That's why, after Eren departed that day, I decided to bring him along, accompanied by some of my family's soldiers, to visit other nations. My hope was to negotiate and prevent Eren from carrying out the Rumbling," Gloria reveals.