"Nicolo!? Where did you run off to? Where's my breakfast?!" Early in the morning, Captain Jeff's duck-like howling echoed across the deck of the "Courage."
The Marleyan soldiers on duty on deck were already used to it. Including the captain, there were a total of sixty-seven crew members aboard the escort ship, but Captain Jeff, a habitual drunkard, could never figure out exactly how many people were on board.
Jeff's love of alcohol was famous throughout the Marleyan military. If not for the considerable merits he had earned within the Marleyan navy when he was young, Navy Commander Haims would have kicked him out of the military long ago.
It just so happened that the navy needed to dispatch personnel to continue investigating and monitoring the situation on Paradis Island, so Commander Haims simply sent Jeff along, saving everyone the trouble of having a drunk Jeff participate in actual combat later.
At Jeff's shouting, a tall but flustered Marleyan soldier came panting out of the kitchen carrying a tray. Because he had gotten up too late, Nicolo hadn't even put on his chef's uniform, and the Marleyan navy uniform on his body was stained with some grease.
"Clumsy fool. Be careful you don't get chewed up as a snack by a titan when you reach Devil Island," Jeff said, taking the tray from Nicolo and biting into a sausage roll.
"Sorry, Captain! I'll be more careful next time!" Nicolo apologized repeatedly, but Jeff merely waved his hand, clearly not caring much.
Jeff carried his breakfast back to the captain's command room.
Nicolo let out a sigh of relief, but when he turned around, he saw someone. Yelena patted Nicolo on the shoulder and said meaningfully,
"Nicolo, we're about to reach Paradis Island. I'll have to trouble you to make some extra food. There should be quite a lot of people."
Nicolo froze for a moment. What did that mean? But Nicolo had only enlisted not long ago and didn't have much contact with Yelena. Since Yelena's rank was higher than his, Nicolo responded and headed toward the kitchen.
Yelena glanced at Nicolo's back, then looked toward Paradis Island, whose outline was already visible in the distance. A faint smile curved her lips as she calmly walked toward the captain's command room.
...
The ship's horn sounded. The Marleyan soldiers standing on deck could already see the port previously built by Marley on Paradis Island. This was also the "Paradise Lost" where those Eldians with rebellious intentions were exiled.
That wall over ten meters high was the place where Eldians were exiled. Of course, the soldiers aboard the "Courage" were all here for the first time and didn't know the specific situation on the island, so they weren't particularly on guard.
At this moment, a Marleyan soldier in the lookout tower suddenly saw, through binoculars, more than a dozen figures wearing Marleyan navy uniforms on top of the tall wall, frantically waving their arms.
"Report, Captain! There seem to be our soldiers on the high wall at the port!" The situation was quickly reported to the captain's command room. Jeff narrowed his eyes, somewhat puzzled.
"Our soldiers? How is that possible? Could they be crew from the Tranquility? But without supplies for these past few months, how did they hold out until now?"
Jeff wasn't stupid. He instinctively sensed something was wrong. But suddenly, Yelena's voice came from beside him.
"Captain, didn't the commander's earlier intelligence say that the port garrison here has supplies? Those soldiers might be relying on those supplies."
"That still doesn't add up. Why didn't they withdraw with the Tranquility? Why stay here? Didn't they say the island devils seized the Colossal Titan and the Female Titan?"
"Maybe they were soldiers the commander ordered to stay behind to monitor the island's movements."
Jeff braced his hands on the table but still shook his head.
"No. If they were personnel left behind by the commander, then why hasn't there been any news at all these past few months? Order to slow down. Immediately send a telegram to Central Command to confirm the situation!"
A cold glint flashed through Yelena's eyes. She hadn't expected this drunk captain to be so cautious. Yelena's hand slowly reached toward her waist.
Jeff also noticed Yelena's movement. Seasoned as he was, he instantly realized the danger and drew his pistol first, pointing it at Yelena as he roared,
"Yelena! What are you trying to do? Are you planning a mutiny?"
Yelena had just grabbed her pistol when Jeff aimed his gun at her first. Yet her expression showed no panic at all as she calmly looked at Jeff.
Jeff frowned and demanded, "Yelena, state your purpose. Otherwise, I don't mind you dying right here."
But before Jeff could finish speaking, the back of his head was pressed with a cold gun barrel.
The Black crewman Onyankopon disengaged his pistol's safety and said,
"Captain, put the gun down."
Jeff's body stiffened, but before he could react, Yelena lunged forward in an instant.
Bang! Crack! A punch followed by a heavy elbow strike knocked Jeff unconscious.
Clapping her hands, Yelena looked disdainfully at the fallen, unconscious captain, then nodded to Onyankopon.
...
Not long after, the Marleyan soldiers aboard the "Courage" escort ship received orders issued in the captain's name: combat personnel were to board speedboats with supplies and land on the island first, while the "Courage" slowed down to prepare for docking.
The simple-minded Marleyan soldiers had no doubts and immediately began executing the orders at a frantic pace.
Crates of supplies were loaded onto the speedboats. Marleyan soldiers with rifles on their backs followed and boarded as well. Three speedboats in total, carrying more than thirty soldiers, headed toward the port.
At this time, the "Marleyan soldiers" at the port also seemed to notice the Courage's movements. Two small boats headed their way as well. Strangely, each of the two boats had only—
Bang! A purple signal flare rose from the port. When Yelena saw the flare in the command room, she knew the plan had succeeded. She immediately ordered the remaining crew on the Courage to assemble on deck at once.
"Hey! You okay? We're from the First Fleet's Courage escort ship. Which unit are you from? Are you from the Tranquility?" a Marleyan soldier on the lead speedboat shouted to the "comrades" on the approaching small boat.
The "Marleyan soldier" on the opposite boat raised his head, removed his helmet, and revealed messy black hair and black eyes.
Soon, several speedboats met up. One small boat from the port headed straight for the Courage, while the other intercepted the three speedboats.
A Marleyan soldier asked in confusion, "What does this mean?"
Yago raised his head and smiled. "Welcome to Paradis Island."