Chapter 36: Past
(Erwin POV)
The glow of a lantern was the only source of light Erwin had. He glanced at dark skies; the weather had been horrible ever since the recent expedition ended. It was raining almost every night. Today, the downpour had started since noon and got only worse with time.
He took a few steps back and sat beside the banks of the river underneath the huge stone bridge. Levi was really late. What exactly happened? Perhaps something urgent came up regarding the Female Titan, and his help was needed.
But Annie had already been confined by him in the underground chamber of Stohess. Upon returning to Karanes from the expedition, he had taken his trusted soldiers and made straight for that district. The chances of the place being revealed were close to zero.
A splash broke his train of thought, and a drenched figure landed beside him.
"Took you long enough."
Levi pulled his hood back and placed a lantern beside him. "Sorry, Erwin. The main roads that led to Stohess were blocked, the same for Ehrmich as well. I ended up having to enter through Yarckel to get here."
"Blocked?"
"Trees. Damned huge, and loads of it clogging up the choke points along the paths. It's probably due to the heavy rain the past few days." Levi said. "Sneaking from Yarckel into Inner Mitras was difficult too. The secret routes in the underground world that led to it have almost all been destroyed. There should only be a handful of people that have knowledge of them, it's strange."
"At least you were able to make it. Have Hange and Miche made any progress?" he said.
Levi took off his cloak, then spread it on the ground. "They're still sifting through the records, the chaos from the fall of Maria meant many of them are missing or incomplete. A new soldier called Armin has been assisting them with it."
Erwin nodded, he had specifically instructed Armin to help out before he left for Mitras. Based on the plan Armin came up with to retake Trost previously, there was potential within him. Although the boy was still timid and lacking in self-confidence, he had a brilliant mind for strategy and planning; his insights might prove critical.
Their enemies would have probably left the Survey Corps by now also - thanks to King making their success and capture of Female Titan public.
"Did anyone disappear from the Survey Corps when you left?"
Levi shook his head. "After I went to pass your instructions to the rest of the soldiers in Karanes, I only left a day later. Everything's still a mess. We lost so many people to capture that damned titan in the expedition. Hange, acting as your stand-in, has her hands full trying to uncover the identities of the Female Titan's allies. If anyone did disappear it would take some time to account for it."
"I see." Erwin paused, and a sigh almost escaped from his lips. "There's a warehouse not too far from here, I've already paid a merchant to smuggle a set of odm gear in."
Levi gave a blank look. "Huh?"
"In two days' time, there will be a gala at night after the award ceremony. Most of the interior brigade should be directed to protect the nobles attending. I need you to sneak into the Reiss Manor in Inner Mitras at that time, to do some investigation. I'm suspecting that Rod Reiss of the Reiss Family ... is the true king."
Levi's mouth parted slightly, revealing a portion of his teeth that he so rarely saw. "Okay, Erwin. I trust your judgment."
"I have news about Kenny as well, Kenny the Ripper."
"He's alive?"
"Probably not," Erwin said. "An Assembly Noble hired him twenty-one years ago to assassinate a member of the Reiss family, and he most likely died in the failed attempt."
Levi cocked his head. "No, something's not right."
"Oh?"
"I was ten years old when Kenny found me, and I'm thirty-one now. This means he found me in the year 829. According to your information, he carried out an assassination attempt in 829 as well. But I stayed with him for around a year before he left me."
Erwin's chin tilted up as he stared at the keystone above him. "I see where you're coming from. But Lord Dale's information is reliable." His eyes drifted back to Levi's. "That means Kenny most probably carried out the assassination attempt on the Reiss family and somehow managed to stay alive, then found you afterward and proceeded to take care of you."
"Kenny wouldn't die so easily, I've seen how he fights. It would take … a God to defeat him in his prime back then." Levi said.
Erwin's brows furrowed; that was a very high evaluation coming from Humanity's Strongest Soldier. It seemed that man was extremely dangerous. "Kenny most probably had some kind of deal with the Reiss family, something that allowed him to continue living; despite him trying to kill one of them. Although I cannot fathom why they would do so, it is likely that he is working for the Reiss Family now. But there is something even stranger."
"What is it?"
Erwin folded his arms over his chest. "Why would Kenny know where to find you when you were a child? It doesn't add up. And he chose to do so after the assassination attempt. He could have done it earlier."
"Actually, he was looking for … my mother. Her name was Kuchel." Levi's voice turned soft.
There was silence for a moment amidst the pitter-patter of the raindrops, and Erwin kept quiet, deciding not to push him. While Levi wasn't someone who got emotional easily, his mum was after all his only family member; being shaken over it was normal.
Levi continued. "I didn't tell you the full story back then. She had been dead for a day, then Kenny showed up. He somehow knew my mom's name and told me he was an acquaintance of hers."
"Did he say anything else?"
The captain sat down beside him, then turned to face the screen of rain right outside the bridge. "When Kenny found me, he asked for my name and muttered something about my mother; about how he understood now there was no point in using her name."
He raised a brow. Perhaps it was something to do with Levi's family name. "I have a theory, but it might sound a little insane. Interested to hear?"
Levi turned to face him. "I'm waiting."
Erwin posed a finger to his chin. "Lord Dale did mention to me that the Ackerman Proclamation was issued a few weeks after the Assembly Noble approached him. I suspect that Kenny is probably an Ackerman. This would explain why he came for your mother after the assassination attempt and not earlier. Since the persecution of the clan had ended, this allowed him to search for your mum more easily without fear of being hunted down."
The captain gave him an incredulous look, his eyes widening.
He continued. "And your mother was likely an Ackerman as well. That was why she didn't tell you your family name; she wanted to protect you from the persecution of the King. Kenny was probably not just a mere acquaintance of her, but a family member. Why else would he spend an entire year taking care and training you if he was not?"
Levi's gaze darted away, fixed on the empty air in front of him. He didn't reply.
Erwin stood up and gave the captain's shoulder a squeeze. "I should head back to the hotel now, it'll be suspicious if I return too late without a proper reason; in case someone asks. Don't read too much into what I said, it's still my conjecture after all."
"No, you're most likely right," Levi said. "The word Ackerman sounded familiar, I had a feeling about it back then when Mikasa introduced her name to my squad. It was as if I had heard it before. Someone might have called Kenny that; I just couldn't remember."
Erwin's lips curled into a smile. "I see. At least you know your family name now and have a relative in your squad. Your bloodline appears to be made for fighting too - considering Mikasa's abilities and your opinion of Kenny." He pulled his hood over his face and picked up the lantern beside him. "I'll meet you here again, right after the gala ends."
"Okay." Levi's voice was a little frayed.
Erwin stepped into the rain, pondering about the next move he should make.
A/N: 1.4k words
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