Royal Capital, Military Government, Erwin's office.
"Erwin, Dr. Phil is here," Levi said flatly as he pushed open the door. Behind him stood a tall, thin doctor in his fifties, wearing silver-rimmed glasses.
Erwin looked up from the Titan intelligence he had been studying.
"Your routine checkup, Commander Erwin," Phil said, adjusting his glasses.
"Sorry for the trouble, Dr. Phil." Erwin nodded, then removed his jacket, exposing his empty right sleeve, and rolled it up. He had lost an arm. His right arm had been charred during the ambush in the Giant Tree Forest, and he had chosen to have it amputated to prevent the infection from spreading throughout his body.
"Hmm, it's healing well. No infection, and new skin has already started growing." Phil held up a magnifying glass and examined the bone below Erwin's shoulder.
After the routine application of medicine, Dr. Phil left the office.
Levi glanced at the battle plan on the desk, along with a list of names that had been crossed out.
"You're choosing successors?"
"Yes. A Titan's strength depends on the person possessing its Titan Power. Chris is badly injured. I originally intended to have her inherit the Female Titan..."
"Absolutely not!" Levi immediately refused, his dead-fish eyes widening slightly.
"Anyone who inherits Titan Power will have only thirteen years left to live. Mike and Chris have already done more than enough. As for them..." Erwin gave Levi another long look, then paused.
"Chris didn't follow me out of the Underground District to give her life for some damned war, Erwin," Levi said coldly.
"So I've decided to choose someone else to inherit the Female Titan. It has to be a girl, and naturally, the best candidates are the girls from the 104th Cadet Corps," Erwin continued evenly.
"The 104th Cadet Corps... They're