"May I come in?" Sana asked, her voice a soft request as she stood at the door.
"Oh yes, please," came Erwin's calm reply.
Sana stepped inside the office, the door clicking softly behind her. The room was cool, quiet, and filled with the scent of old books and polished wood. She turned to Erwin, who was already looking at her with curiosity.
"Sana, could you tell me about these things you made?" he asked, his fingers brushing over the tools and inventions neatly laid out on the desk in front of him.
"Of course," Sana responded, a faint smile playing on her lips.
He gestured for her to continue.
Sana hesitated, her hands still hovering over the items, before she finally spoke again. "Sorry, but... can I close the door first?"
"Go ahead," Erwin nodded, sensing the importance of the moment.
With a quiet click, Sana closed the door and turned back to the desk, carefully picking up the AS-50 sniper rifle. She began to assemble it with practiced hands, each movement fluid and deliberate, until the weapon was fully constructed. She held it up for Erwin to see.
"It looks different from the usual rifles," Erwin said, his brow furrowing as he examined the weapon. "What's special about it?"
Sana's eyes brightened with a hint of pride. "It's an AS-50 sniper rifle. It can fire 250 rounds per minute, and its effective range is 1500 meters."
Erwin's eyes widened in disbelief. "Unbelievable. That's an extraordinary weapon."
Sana let out a breath, a faint sadness creeping into her expression as she set the rifle down. "I could have made even more marvelous things if I had the materials and money to make them," she said quietly. "But I had a wonderful family. Levi never said no to me, even when I asked for things I didn't earn."
Her voice trailed off as she glanced out the window, her gaze distant. She was lost in thought for a moment before turning back to Erwin, her hands moving toward the camera. "I have more to show you."
Erwin nodded, watching her intently as she picked up the camera, checking the film. She carefully handed it to him, her fingers brushing against his as she adjusted the lens.
"Could you sit in any position you're comfortable with?" she asked.
Erwin hesitated, his confusion evident, but he obliged, settling into a chair. Sana raised the camera, capturing a quick shot of him in the soft light.
After taking the photo, she moved on to the other objects. Her gaze fell on the corner of the room.
"Are those mine things as well?" she asked, indicating the pile of supplies stacked in the corner covered with the cloth.
Erwin shrugged slightly. "Those are just old supplies, nothing special."
Sana's eyes narrowed slightly as she pressed on. "Tell me about a place where no one goes. A place that's dark, hidden from everyone."
Erwin paused, a frown knitting his brows together as he considered the question. "Well... there's a storeroom downstairs. No one goes down there. It's just full of old equipment."
Sana nodded slowly, committing the information to memory. She then moved to her favorite invention—the gravity lamp.
She carefully assembled the lamp, adjusting the parts until everything was in place. With a quiet breath, she checked the lightbulb and prepared the weight to drop.
Turning to Erwin, she asked, "Could you close the curtains?"
Erwin complied, his gaze following her every movement with a mix of curiosity and admiration. The room grew darker as the curtains fell, and Sana carefully released the weight. Within seconds, the lamp lit up, glowing softly in the dim room.
Erwin's eyes widened, clearly amazed. "Incredible. How does it work?"
Sana smiled faintly, her voice tinged with pride. "These are just prototypes. The designs in my books are much more refined, ready for mass production. I have plans for weapons, aircraft, even more advanced technology—things that can change the world."
She paused, her expression growing serious. "But you have to understand, these aren't just ideas. They are real. I've already designed them, and they can be built. And outside these walls..." she trailed off, a distant look in her eyes. "There's more. I believe there's humanity out there. Beyond the walls."
Erwin's gaze softened as he took in her words. "Why do you trust me with all of this?" he asked quietly.
Sana met his eyes, her voice steady but full of conviction. "Tell me another Scout I could trust with this. After coming for almost 30 hours from the underground, I know no one else is as dedicated as you are to exploring the outside world."
She turned to leave but paused just before exiting, her words heavy with meaning. "I believe there is humanity out there, Erwin. Beyond these walls."
With that, she stepped out of the office, closing the door gently behind her.
Levi stood in the hallway, his arms crossed, waiting impatiently. He glanced at Farlan, irritation growing with each passing second. "Aniki, what's taking her so long? Why did he close the curtains? Is Sana alright?" Isabel asked.
Farlan sighed, clearly tired of the drama. "Why can't you both just think normally?"
Levi's anxiety flared, his mind racing with thoughts of what Sana might be doing in that room.
'I don't know what's going on in her mind. She better not get into any trouble. She might be showing her machines to that blond bastard. Why she's so obsessed with him? Why had she changed so much since meeting him? It wasn't like her to act so... distant.' Levi thought to himself.
Finally, the door opened, and Sana stepped out. Her face was calm, but Levi's sharp eyes could see the faint shift in her demeanor.
It took a little longer than expected, but Sana finally finished storing the film in the darkroom to develop. Sana's mind had been preoccupied with the conversation she'd had with Erwin. As she walked back to where the others were waiting, she tried to shake off the uneasy feeling that had settled in her chest.
"Are you all done with the training?" she asked, trying to sound casual, though she could sense the tension between her and Levi.
Levi was the first to speak, his voice sharp. "What was that blondie saying? What took you so long?"
Sana clenched her fists, fighting the urge to snap back. "He was just asking about the things I made," she said coolly, trying to maintain her composure.
Farlan, ever the mediator, leaned in and whispered, "Why are you so insecure, Levi?"
Levi's expression darkened instantly. "What do you mean by that?" he snapped, his voice colder than usual.
"I'm just asking," Farlan said lightly, trying to defuse the situation. "Why do you always get so irritated when she talks to him or mentions him? What's going on?"
Levi's eyes narrowed. "I hate that blond. Nothing else. Don't get any stupid ideas in your head," he retorted, his voice tinged with frustration.
Sana didn't want to get caught in the middle of this. "Well, let's get back to training," she said quickly, trying to shift the focus.
As the group began training again, Sana couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between her and Levi. She pushed herself harder than ever, determined to protect her friends. Time passed quickly as they went through various drills.
They were learning the formations they would need to survive in a lecture that had all survey cops.
But Sana couldn't stop thinking. Why did the others seem so calm? Why didn't they have any questions? She raised her hand, unsure if it was the right time but needing to know.
"Sir, the idea of using flares to avoid Titans is great, but... what if it's raining or the weather is bad?" she asked, her voice uncertain but firm. "How do we avoid them then?"
The room went silent, all eyes turning toward her. Sana felt a wave of nerves wash over her, but she forced herself to stand tall.
Erwin smiled, his gaze appreciative. "In those situations, we can't avoid them. But we can use sound flares to gather everyone in one place. Good question. It clears things up for everyone."
Sana nodded, grateful for the answer, but the weight of the day's events was still heavy on her.
As they were dismissed from training, Levi approached her, his voice low but sharp. "Why were you asking so many questions? You don't need to think so much about that."
Sana's temper flared. "Then where should I use my brain, huh? Back in the underground? Can't I do something on my own?" she snapped before realizing how harsh her words sounded.
"I... I didn't mean that," she stammered, immediately regretting the outburst.
Before Levi could respond, she turned and ran off, the guilt settling in her chest. What had she done? How could she talk to him like that after everything? She had never felt so... lost.
Levi stood in the distance, watching Sana's retreating figure with a heavy heart.
She found herself on the terrace, curling into a corner, hugging her knees as tears filled her eyes. The weight of her emotions was too much to bear. She didn't want Levi to think there was anything between her and Erwin, but why was she so irritated?
Guilt gnawed at him. 'Why had he let it go this far? She was upset, and it was his fault. Had he said something wrong?' He hated the thought of her crying.
Why couldn't he understand her? Why couldn't he just make things right? Levi thought to himself.
The ache in his chest grew deeper as he watched her, unsure of how to fix what he had broken.