Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

FORTY-ONE

'The past sometimes lies ahead.'

-An extract from philosopher Adette Briggs' autobiography.

<><><>

FORTY-ONE

Wall Sina, Interior, Mitras, Royal Palace

Lorelai could feel the eyes on her— every eye in the room. Her enemies, her allies, the undecided— they were all watching her. She calmed her shaky breathing and began.

"Thank you, minster. Now, I may begin with an umbrella statement. I, Lady Lorelai Bervik of Havas, advocate for the complete, willing cooperation and allyship of our two nations. We have remained strangers for too long." She measured the room's reaction, so far, so good. "I wholly believe that now is the time to break the chains of pride and come together, not as two nations, but as one race, the human race."

"Now," the minister began. "That's all very noble, my lady, but Havas is barely surviving as it is. I would use the metaphor of the flea and the dog. The flea is hardly in the position to consider itself the dog's equal, wouldn't you agree?"

"You misunderstand, minister. I am standing here not in the hopes of receiving further charity... but to offer a gift."

That seemed to pique the interests of the nobles. Levi furrowed his brow; just what did Lorelai have up her sleeve? He hoped she wouldn't use the weapons they had encountered in Titan Country as a bartering tool. That, he was sure, would end very badly.

"A gift?"

One word, just one single word, graced Lorelai's lips, and it revolutionised the game. "Gold."

"Gold?" he repeated incredulously. "What gold could you possibly possess?"

"Hitherto, I have told your Lord and Ladyships that when Havas fell its resources, and its riches fell with it. This is a lie," stated Lorelai clearly.

Shock echoed throughout the chamber; nobles exchanged hushed conversation with those around them. Levi looked to Erwin in front of him, but he seemed just as clueless as everyone else.

"Explain," the minister insisted. Lorelai was playing a dangerous game; if Levi knew anything about nobility, it was that they weren't fond of being made a fool of.

"You see, what Havas lacks in land, we make up for in technology. One of our latest initiatives has been underground construction, not dissimilar to your own Underground City. However, instead of vagrants and the impoverished, our caverns house riches and cutting-edge technology."

Lorelai smirked; the entire chamber was wrapped around her finger. Well, all but that one woman at the roundtable who would not stop glaring at her.

"It is dubbed the Krüger Tunnels." She hesitated just slightly as she formed the name. To anyone else in the chamber, it was simply nerves, but Levi knew what that name had meant to Lorelai... and what it had meant to the Underground.

The minister stuttered, dumb with shock. "A-And the extent of this construction?"

"We have tunnels stretching all the way from Havas to right under this very palace, minister. You see, that is how we were able to lay siege to your Underground City. We are all but a hair's breadth from the stockpile of Havas' riches."

"And what exactly is stopping us from going down there ourselves?" someone demanded.

"The tunnels are blast protected. No cannon nor explosive of yours would so much as make a dent. The doors will only open for me and me alone."