With all their training successfully completed, the cadets of the 104th class reached graduation day.
That evening, the hundreds of cadets who had passed their training stood in neat ranks on the grounds, like an army awaiting inspection.
Every face had lost the youthful innocence it had carried upon arrival at the Training Corps and grown more mature.
Once all the cadets had formed up in their separate blocks, Keith, who had been waiting for some time, stepped onto the platform.
First, he swept a conflicted gaze over the students he had taught. After spending three years with them as their instructor, he had grown attached to them.
Though reluctant to part with them, he knew that all good things had to come to an end.
Keith cleared his throat, then called out.
"Congratulations! As of today, you have officially graduated. You are the best of those who completed three years of training. Now, as graduates, you face three choices!"
At Keith's words, everyone grew attentive. After all, this was important information that would determine which regiment they would serve in.
Keith continued, "Your first choice! The Garrison, responsible for maintaining the walls, defending the towns, and protecting the people!"
"Your second choice! The Survey Corps, whose members must be prepared to sacrifice their lives and venture beyond the walls to investigate and explore for the sake of humanity."
"And!" Keith emphasized the word.
"The Military Police Brigade, which operates within Wall Sina under the king's direct command, overseeing the populace and maintaining public order. Of course, only the top ten in the overall rankings across your three years of training may join!"
"I will now announce the top ten!" Keith took out a list, his expression immediately turning serious.
Most of the cadets grew nervous as well. After all, many hoped they would have a chance to join the Military Police Brigade.
That would allow them to live comfortably without risking death fighting Titans just for bread and a meager salary.
"Anyone whose name I call will step forward."
With that, Keith cleared his throat and began reading from the list, starting with tenth place.
"Tenth place, Historia Reiss."
Hearing her name, Christa froze for a moment, then glanced at Arthur and Ymir. Both smiled and nodded to her, and she stepped onto the platform to stand at the front.
"Ninth place, Connie Springer!"
"Yes! I knew I was a genius!" Connie was thrilled to hear that he had made the top ten.
"Eighth place, Marco Bott."
"Thank goodness." Marco was quietly relieved as well.
"Seventh place, Jean Kirstein."
Jean smiled faintly and strode proudly to the front, as though he had known all along that he would make the top ten.
"Sixth place, Eren Yeager."
Eren stepped forward with a serious expression. Beside him, Jean was annoyed; he had never expected to rank one place below this hotheaded idiot.
"Fifth place, Annie Leonhart!"
Annie stepped forward silently.
"Fourth place, Bertholdt Hoover."
Bertolt did the same, saying nothing.
"Third place, Reiner Braun."
A flash of delight crossed Reiner's face when he heard his name.
"Second place, Mikasa Ackerman."
A slight smile curved Mikasa's lips.
"Top graduate, Arthur Ackerman!" Keith emphasized Arthur's name, his gaze filled with satisfaction. Truthfully, Arthur was the finest cadet Keith had ever trained.
In his eyes, Arthur could already stand shoulder to shoulder with Levi, the man known as the Titans' nemesis, and might even surpass him.
Everyone around Arthur looked at him with envy and congratulations, sincerely happy for him. No one felt jealous; after all, he truly deserved it.
He had earned the title of top graduate through sheer ability.
Arthur walked over to Mikasa and took his place at the head of the class.
"Congratulations. I hope you will make outstanding contributions to humanity," Keith said as he shook hands with each of the ten.
"Yes, sir!" the ten shouted in unison.
"Good." Keith smiled with pride at his ten finest students.
Once the rankings had been announced, some were happy and others disappointed. Jean and Marco, who had wanted to join the Military Police Brigade from the start, were both delighted.
Sasha, however, was dejected. She had originally joined the Training Corps to enter the Military Police Brigade as well, but had failed to make the cut.
After the graduation ceremony, the Training Corps held a celebration to mark the special occasion.
The Training Corps had spared no expense, purchasing plenty of food and drink for the graduates' final communal dinner there.
Countless sumptuous dishes were brought to the tables, most of them cooked by Carla herself. Their aroma alone was enough to make mouths water.
Having gone so long without meat or alcohol, everyone was thrilled by the abundance before them.
Sasha, in particular, pounced like a starving wolf, grabbing a whole roast chicken and tearing into it. Neither Jean nor Connie could pull her away. She had completely turned her frustration and grief into an appetite.
The sight of Sasha eating sent everyone into laughter, filling the dining hall with cheer.
Most ate at a leisurely pace rather than wolfing down their food, clinking glasses and chatting about everyday life with classmates who would soon leave for different regiments.
Everyone treasured this final meal with their old comrades, unsure whether they would even remember one another after parting.
Some of the boys also used the courage the alcohol gave them to confess to the girls they liked. Some succeeded; others were left heartbroken.
In contrast to the merriment elsewhere, Arthur was caught in a battlefield. Christa and Mikasa flanked him, constantly putting meat and vegetables into his bowl.
There even seemed to be a faint air of confrontation between them, leaving Arthur at his wits' end.
After that incident, Arthur and Christa had officially become a couple, but they had kept their relationship secret. No one knew apart from the two of them.
"Christa, Mikasa, stop putting food in my bowl. There's hardly any room left," Arthur said with a wry smile as he watched them relentlessly feed him.
Seeing the food piled high in Arthur's bowl, the two girls realized they had gone a little overboard and stopped, though they still glared at each other, neither willing to back down.
Ever since the snowy mountain training, Mikasa had keenly noticed that Christa was always clinging to Arthur. The two would often act like lovers, which made her terribly jealous.
So whenever the two were together, Mikasa would appear and appoint herself their watchdog.
She kept feeling that Christa and Arthur must have done something the night they disappeared, but she could not work out what. Surely it could not have been that. Mikasa trusted that Christa was not that kind of girl.
After all, Christa struck her as a sweet, well-behaved girl with a beautiful face and a kind heart-provided she stayed away from Arthur.
"You're such a lucky guy, having two gorgeous girls serve you food," Ymir teased as she watched Christa and Mikasa fuss over Arthur. Of course, she was also a little jealous of Christa's concern for him.
"Nobody will think you're mute if you keep quiet. Just eat your food," Arthur shot back.
"You!" A vein bulged on Ymir's forehead as her temper flared. With her fiery disposition, she could hardly stand it.
"Arthur, Ymir, why do you act like sworn enemies, bickering every time you meet?" Christa asked, feeling a headache coming on.
"..." Arthur and Ymir exchanged a look and fell silent.
"Ymir, why are you always picking on Arthur?" Mikasa asked, defending her "husband."
"I just can't stand the guy," Ymir said bluntly.
"The feeling's mutual," Arthur added quietly.
"Oh, now you've done it!" Ymir flew into a rage again.
"Ymir." Christa took her hand, calming her down once more.
"Christa, I want you to put food in my bowl too. Please?" Ymir wheedled, tugging at Christa's hand.
"All right, all right." It was the first time a girl had acted so coy with Christa. Blushing a little, she quickly agreed and placed a few morsels in Ymir's bowl.
Ymir ate the food Christa had given her with a blissful expression.
"Ugh! What's with that look, you tomboy?" Arthur mocked Ymir's rather lecherous expression.
"None of your business!" Ymir snapped, glaring at him.
Suddenly, she looked at Mikasa with a sly smile and posed a question.
"Hey, Mikasa! There's something I want to ask you."
"What is it? Go ahead," Mikasa said, leisurely eating the food Arthur had placed in her bowl.
"Hehe, what exactly is your relationship with Arthur? I always feel like you're less like siblings and more like lovers," Ymir said outright, seeing that her bait had been taken.
"!!!" Ymir's question left Mikasa speechless, and her face instantly flushed scarlet. She stole a shy glance at Arthur, quickly looked away, then lowered her head and refused to say a word.
"Ymir, why would you ask that?!" Christa had never expected Ymir to ask such a question. She reproached her indignantly, her pout looking especially cute.
Arthur likewise fixed Ymir with a warning stare.
"All right, all right, sorry," Ymir apologized, though a faint smile tugged at her lips.
From Mikasa's reaction, she had already deduced that Mikasa definitely had feelings for Arthur. She had heard from Eren that the two were not actually siblings, and it seemed that was true.
This works too. As long as I get those two together, Christa will be all mine.
"Mwahahaha!" Ymir let out a villainous laugh, as though victory were already assured.
That tomboy is definitely up to no good. Seeing Ymir's wild laughter, Arthur knew she must be plotting something underhanded again.