Reiner's pupils trembled. He stood rooted to the spot, repeating, "That's impossible... that's impossible..."
"Eren..."
Eren's deep blue eyes remained still, like a bottomless pool of stagnant water.
"Sit down, Reiner. This is a good spot. We can hear all the noise from the stage. There's an ordinary boarding house upstairs. Even though it's behind the stage, plenty of residents are looking forward to the opening ceremony. They're right above us."
Reiner opened his mouth, his lips trembling as though he were in a trance. At that moment, he could no longer feel his legs.
"Sit down, Reiner," Eren said again.
This time, as soon as Eren finished speaking, Reiner collapsed onto the stool in front of him.
[This is a story from long ago. A hundred years ago, the Eldia Empire ruled the world through Titan Power. Since Ymir, the Founder, first appeared, Titans have claimed more than three times the world's current population in lives.]
[Titans trampled countless peoples and cultures, robbing them of their histories. Human history became a history of slaughter written by the Eldia Empire. Eventually, with no external enemies left, the Eldia Empire began tearing itself apart. This was the Great Titan War.]
Willy Tybur's speech carried through the venue's loudspeakers, reaching Reiner and Eren in the basement.
Terror, unease, regret, anguish, and despair filled Reiner's heart. He clutched his head with trembling hands, his vacant eyes quivering.
Eren kept watching Reiner with the same calm gaze.
"Reiner, why did my mother die that day?" Eren asked calmly.
Reiner's pupils contracted. His voice shook. "Because I released the Titans at the Survey Corps' Base Camp. That's why your mother..."
"Why did you release the Titans?"
"Because I wanted to weaken the Survey Corps so I could take you back to Marley and seize the