They reached the Survey Corps headquarters, and after a brief pause, they were instructed to wait in the dimly lit courtyard. The air felt heavy with anticipation, and Sana could tell that Levi was already wrestling with his thoughts. He muttered about killing Erwin, his words hanging in the air like a dark cloud.
Sana watched him, a flicker of frustration crossing her face. "Do you think any good will come of this? Are we really going to make that choice?" she asked, her voice sharp.
Levi never thought things through fully, but this time, she couldn't let him plunge into a decision that might cost them all.
It was evening now, and the tension only deepened as they prepared for their next mission: sneaking into Erwin's office to search for documents. Sana was starting to feel the weight of it all, her unease growing with every passing moment.
"Oye, Sana, look—your books are here!" Isabel's whisper broke her from her thoughts.
Sana turned to see her precious books stacked neatly in a corner of the office. She felt a pang in her chest at the sight.
"Yeah," Sana replied quietly, "I entrusted them to Erwin. He promised he'd keep them safe. You can't just leave books like these lying around here. If anyone finds them—especially the higher-ups—they'll kill whoever has them."
Isabel's face went pale at the idea. "I didn't know it was that serious."
Sana sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
"No, Sana," Isabel said, her voice low. "I'm not scared. I'm worried about you. What if Erwin hands your books over to the higher-ups?"
Sana gave her a reassuring look, though doubt gnawed at the edges of her mind. "He won't," she said, her voice firm. "I trust him. Besides, he needs us to join the Survey Corps. He wouldn't jeopardize that by giving my books to the higher-ups."
But even as she said it, a little voice in the back of her head wondered just how much she could trust Erwin—and how much the Survey Corps really needed them.
After their search was over, they quietly slipped back to their quarters. Night had fallen, and the camp was silent, save for the occasional rustle of wind. Levi was sitting outside alone, his gaze fixed on the starry sky.
Sana, unable to resist, found herself watching him from the shadows. His usual brooding expression was softened in the dim light, and for a moment, she wondered what thoughts ran through his mind.
Isabel and Farlan arrived, Isabel with three bottles of alcohol. Sana, as usual, didn't drink, but the others were eager to unwind.
"Is it true that stars really spin round and round?" Isabel asked, her voice a bit too loud in the stillness of the night.
Sana chuckled softly but couldn't help herself from rolling her eyes. "Well, it's not that simple," she began, feeling a slight smile tug at her lips. "If you're talking about Earth, it rotates around its axis and revolves around the sun, which is why we have seasons. The moon revolves around the Earth, too. Every celestial body moves and spins in order to conserve angular momentum."
Isabel groaned. "Sanah, don't start with the complicated stuff."
"It's not complicated," Sana teased. "I'll explain it to you sometime later, okay?"
They all fell into a comfortable silence, their eyes drawn back to the sky above. But then Farlan's voice broke through.
"Sana, you're from around here, right?" he asked gently, his tone curious.
Sana's heart skipped a beat. She had been waiting for this moment, but now that it was here, she felt a strange knot in her stomach. This was the moment where she had to tell them the truth about where she came from.
Before she could gather her thoughts, Levi suddenly interrupted, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "Farlan, I've decided. I won't kill Erwin—at least not for now. I'm going to trust him," Levi said, his decision final.
Sana let out a relieved breath. "That's so good to hear. Thank goodness," she murmured.
Levi shot her a sideways glance, his usual smirk tugging at his lips. "I'm noticing something, Sana. You seem a little too concerned about that guy. You sure you don't have a soft spot for him?"
Sana's face flushed. She couldn't help but feel defensive. "Not at all," she said quickly, though the words felt rushed. "Where is this even coming from? It's not like that. I was just worried about you all. If we kill him, we don't know what's going to happen next. Erwin seems like a reasonable person. I think we can trust him. Who knows if the person who spoke about our citizenship was telling the truth?"
She didn't know why she felt the need to defend Erwin so fiercely, but the words spilled out of her before she could stop them.
The following day, they were given their official Survey Corps uniforms. They were well-made, the fabric thick and sturdy—just the kind of clothing they would need for the tough road ahead. For a moment, Sana felt a sense of finality. This was it. They were truly joining the Survey Corps now.
The introduction ceremony followed, and Sana found herself dreading it. As an introvert, the thought of standing in front of so many strangers, all eyes on her, made her stomach twist with anxiety. She usually kept to herself, only opening up to those she trusted most.
Standing on the podium, she kept reminding herself, Just say your name and salute. Nothing more. You can do this.
When her turn came, she took a deep breath, walked forward, and said, "I'm Sana. I'll be joining the Scouts starting today."
It wasn't much, but it was enough. She hadn't made a fool of herself, at least.
After the ceremony, they were assigned to Captain Flagon's team, as Erwin was busy assisting with the new formation of the recruits. Sana was grateful for the assignment, but at the same time, the uncertainty of their future with the Survey Corps weighed on her.
Later, when they were given their quarters, Captain Flagon quickly ran through a set of rules, including the importance of keeping their space clean. Levi, true to form, was ready to argue with the captain over something trivial, but Farlan stepped in and avoided the confrontation.
Sana, however, couldn't shake the thought of Farlan and Isabel. They had done so much for her, even when it wasn't easy for them. They had always supported her, even when they didn't have to.
She promised herself that, when everything settled down, she would tell them everything—everything about where she came from, and the things she had kept hidden for so long.
After cleaning their quarters, it was time for training. Isabel, as always, seemed to have a natural rapport with the horses, and the rest of them followed suit, doing their best to keep up.
When the training break came, they all sat together, catching their breath. That's when one of the Scouts approached her.
"Sana-san, Captain Erwin is calling for you in his office," the Scout said, his tone polite but urgent.
Sana's heart skipped. She didn't know what this was about, but there was no choice but to go.
"I'll be there," she said, trying to keep her voice steady as she made her way to Erwin's office.
As she left, she heard Levi's voice trailing after her.
"See, Farlan? What did I tell you?" Levi's tone was full of suspicion, almost teasing. "Now I want to kill him even more. Are you sure there's nothing going on between you two?"
Sana didn't dignify him with a response, giving him a pointed look before she headed off to Erwin's office after asking Flagon for permission to go.