Vengeance Of A Human

To the Very End: The 15th Commander

From here on out is material that hasn't been animated yet, to the very end of the manga, so if you're anime-only and want to stay that way, I suggest you don't read any further. If you don't care, carry on.

I believe the truth of Historia's child is that the farmer guy she knew is the father, but in the original story I said it was Eren's and I've kept it that way. So bear with me on that.

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"Liberio is lost." It's almost ironic to feel bad about a place just a month after raising hell there ourselves. I turn towards the sun, softly sighing. The Marleyans, after the death of their general and the news of the detour to Odiha, have taken the news pretty hard, Annie most of all. Her sole reason to continue fighting soon to be gone. Reiner and Gabi, through a means I indirectly initiated, will lose their family and "complete" my vengeance. If this is poetic justice… I hate it.

"Oh, there you are." I look up to see Historia, the young queen looking back at me with relief. "Thought you'd jump overboard by now."

"Thought about it, but I hate swimming."

Historia chuckles and sits beside me. I face her as she sets her hands on her stomach while gazing silently at the sea. Unlike her beauty, the four last years haven't been kind to her freedom as the new leader of a new government, but she has been successful so far. Paradis Island is advancing into the modern world, and Paradis Island might soon be the last light of civilization as we once thought us to be. Historia's rule exposed the truth, and Historia's rule will make it true. Whatever world comes out of the next few moments in our lives, whether it goes Eren's way or a deterrence of fifty or so years before the remaining quarters of the world attack again, Historia's rule is forever cemented in victory for Paradis.

And her child will inherit the world forged by her.

"I should have told you everything," she says. "Eren came to me, told me his grand plan."

"He did?"

"Three months ago, before you all went to Marley the first time for the conference. He tried to convince me to fight the plan to feed Zeke to me. I told him how I knew of it, and despite how he defended me way back then, I was okay with the plan to go on. It was enough for me, but not for him. Then he told me what he was going to do and… Obviously, I was against it. I tried to convince him to not let innocent people become like his mother, but there was no appealing to his mind. He wants to remove all traces of hate against us, innocent or guilty. He asked me to stay silent."

I frown. "Why?"

"Because I'm the girl who saved him back then when my father had us. I'm the worst girl in the world, in his words. He threatened to wipe my memories if I didn't comply, so I did, even if it eats at my core. But that's why I'm here now, Joshua. If I cannot stop Eren, how can I hold my head high ever again? Or how could I...look our child in the eye?"

I glance down at Historia's stomach. So Floch was right, the child is Eren's. How unfortunate that before this child is born, his or her legacy will be the freedom of Paradis and the destruction of the world. By now, the Marleyan coastal defenses will be desperately and futilely fighting the rumbling. Ships will be crushed with ease, so will the soldiers. And once that line of defense is squashed… Sighing, I stare out towards the hazy horizon, just off the coast of Marley. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Not fulfilling Ymir's request of me. For not protecting you when I should have. For not being there when you needed me. For not...requiting your love back."