"Seeking death."
A young girl who had just stopped the arrow dared to attack them empty-handed and on her own initiative.
Naturally, they were extremely disdainful. They were all elite guards of the imperial palace.
These guards had no intention of sparing any mercy. They strode forward, their long knives raised high, and struck directly.
They had already bribed the head of the training camp, ensuring that there would be no patrolling soldiers disturbing them tonight.
"Swish!"
As the long knife descended, it made a piercing sound through the air.
However, Mikasa retreated half a step, avoiding the blade while promptly taking action.
She grabbed her opponent's wrist with one hand and struck the arm joint with the other, resulting in a crisp sound of bones breaking. With a pained cry from her opponent, the long knife slipped from their hand and landed diagonally on the ground.
Mikasa kicked her opponent away, then lifted the hilt of the long knife with her right foot. The blade soared into the air and landed in Mikasa's hand.
"Mikasa."
Historia was already astonished, muttering in a daze.
In a single move, with simplicity and precision, the young girl before them had broken the arm of a guard and successfully taken the knife.
The few guards who had just shown contempt exchanged glances and simultaneously launched an attack.
Mikasa remained calm; this was her first time taking a life, yet she felt no panic.
Perhaps, in hopes of being of use by Lin Yi someday, she had been waiting for this moment to come.
"Clang!"
Mikasa shielded Historia behind her—this was her mission.
Her movements were straightforward; seemingly ordinary slashes and strikes. But Mikasa's speed and accuracy always managed to be one step ahead. Although both sides swung their weapons at the same time, as long as Mikasa struck down her opponent's head first, the attack naturally dissolved.
If a master of swordsmanship were here, they would likely recognize that Mikasa's swordsmanship had reached a profound level.
Lin Yi had to admit that Mikasa was an exceptional talent.
At just sixteen years old, her physical qualities and various abilities had not yet reached their peak, yet she could hold her own against Lin Yi. At least in terms of skill, it was difficult to determine a winner between them.
Of course, that was under the assumption that Lin Yi didn't rely on his abnormal constitution and special abilities to bully her.
Each of Mikasa's sword strikes hit their mark with precision. Within a minute or two, a dozen guards were lying on the ground.
Failure to complete their mission meant that they would meet a dead end even if they returned alive.
So, knowing their fate was death, they charged at Mikasa, hoping for a sliver of a chance.
"Who are you, really?"
Historia survived the ordeal, gazing at the corpses and blood covering the ground. She felt a faint sense of nausea, but she held back the disgust, covering her mouth several times before regaining her composure.
After hesitating for a moment, she finally asked. Historia had a knack for keen observation despite hiding her identity all these years.
Mikasa's swordsmanship was obviously the result of special training.
"You're our boss future wife. Before the wedding, I'm here to ensure your safety."
Mikasa stated her mission calmly. Despite having taken so many lives, she didn't feel any revulsion; instead, she was quite adapted.
"Eh?"
Historia had already imagined many schemes and intrigues, but upon hearing these words, she stood frozen in place.
If Lin Yi wanted to control all of Eldia, he needed the bloodline of the Fritz royal family, and naturally he couldn't it slide.
His words might deceive many, but there were also those who knew the truth.
He was preparing for all possibilities, ensuring a direct ascent to power and minimizing complications.
As for whether Historia would agree or not, Lin Yi never considered it. She had grown accustomed to being a puppet, and in his hands, she would at least have safety and freedom.
...
Today was also the day the Survey Corps returned.
Unlike the gloomy atmosphere that accompanied previous returns, at Hanji's request, the group returned triumphantly and spirited.
A crowd of onlookers, numbering in the tens of thousands, filled the streets, making them impassable.
As someone had leaked the news in advance, the Survey Corps had uncovered the truth about the Titans. The countdown to humanity's counterattack against the Titans and the dawn of freedom had begun.
This news was like a bolt from the blue, stirring up a massive wave.
Both the government and the royal family were paying attention.
With Erwin's death, Hanji, as the vice leader, temporarily took on the responsibilities of the leader, directing the Survey Corps.
Tonight, she would personally visit the palace to report their achievements to the king.
It was also the best opportunity for a coup.
Lin Yi wasn't worried that other corps would oppose. Over the years, the Lin Family had provided military funding to various corps and bribed high-ranking officials. They had become a united interest group.
Even if Lin Yi revolted, they would join him. After all, if Lin Yi failed, they would be implicated.
Moreover, Lin Yi had a banner to rally under, with a resounding slogan.
Lin Yi wasn't concerned about Hanji's Fail assassination attempt either. She had already sent undercover guards, including Eto, to tail her.
By nightfall, the masses remained unaware of the situation, chatting happily and looking forward to the future.
But within the palace, corpses littered the ground, and blood flowed like rivers.
If the Fritz royal family on the throne was fake, Lin Yi wanted to ensure a secure future by eliminating this false royal family completely.
There were some loyalists among them, inevitably leading to some fighting.
However, the outcome of the battle was never in doubt.
Even if only Eto was present, she could slaughter them all. Not to mention the dozen or so trained A-grade or S-grade Ghouls who were now devoted to Lin Yi, armed with several Quinque's.
In every aspect, it was an overwhelming force.
Many people awoke to find that the world had changed.
Proclamations from the palace were spread, revealing that the previous king was an imposter. Lin Yi was the true heir of the Fritz royal family.
And Princess Historia, who had been living in hiding all these years due to the false royal family, would marry him in six days' time.
The royal title of King Fritz was to be changed as well.
In the future, there would be no Eldia; only Lin Nation.
The masses didn't care about the true and false royal family. The fake royals had never cared about the common people and never implemented any policies for the nation or its people.
So, after a century, the people had long since lost hope in this corrupt nation.
But Lin Yi's reputation was well-known: a renowned philanthropist, generous and charitable. People believed that as king, he would improve their lives.
At least, that's what the masses thought. As a result, there was no opposition within the nation. Even if there were dissenters, they were quickly eliminated by the undercover guards.
~~~
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