The delegation from the Hizuru Nation has arrived, coming aboard a gigantic ocean liner. The massive ship could not even dock at the ports on Paradis Island—the harbor was simply too small—but the delegation could not be delayed. The council urgently dispatched craftsmen to expand the port, while also sending several newly launched steamships to go out and receive the delegation.
On the steamship, several bodyguards dressed in black suits whispered among themselves, occasionally pointing at the steamship with gestures. Indeed, in the eyes of these bodyguards, such a backward steamship was truly quite poor.
However, standing at the bow was a woman with a calm expression. She wore a simple yet elegant light-green women's suit, paired with a long white dress. The wrinkles on her face showed that she was no longer young, but her deep-set eyes made it impossible for anyone to ignore her.
Azumabito Kiyomi of the East, diplomatic ambassador of the Hizuru Nation, and the head of the Azumabito family, the largest financial conglomerate family within Hizuru.
The bodyguards' contempt for Paradis Island did not affect Azumabito Kiyomi's cool judgment in the slightest. If the intelligence obtained from the Marleyan warrior Zeke proved to be correct, then this journey to Paradis Island would become the hope for the reemergence of the long-declining Hizuru Nation after a century.
A different light flickered in Azumabito Kiyomi's eyes. At the same time, she raised her hand and brushed aside her exquisite wristwatch. Beneath it, on her wrist, was a small tattoo—three interwoven samurai swords. This was the crest of the Azumabito family.
However, although Zeke Yeager had acted as the intermediary between Paradis Island and the Hizuru Nation, neither Paradis Island nor Hizuru truly understood Zeke's purpose.
According to Yelena's account, Zeke Yeager had in fact inherited his father Grisha's belief in liberating the Eldian people. He merely pretended to serve the Marleyan government. If one had to speak of a motive, Zeke was more eager to meet his younger brother Eren Yeager, whom he had never seen before.
As for this explanation, both Paradis Island and the Hizuru Nation could only choose to believe it. Paradis Island needed development, and Hizuru needed an opportunity to rise again. Everything was like iron chains, one link locked to the next—none could be missing.
The unfamiliar Hizuru delegation entered within Wall Maria under the curious gazes of countless civilians.
Seeing the fifty-meter-high Wall Maria for the first time, even Azumabito Kiyomi widened her eyes in shock. Thinking of the Rumbling threat plan Zeke had mentioned, she immediately felt that its feasibility was extremely high.
"If there really are tens of thousands of Colossal Titans within the walls, then the entire world should be crawling beneath the Titans' feet," Azumabito Kiyomi thought silently with her head lowered, while continuously recalculating the potential of Paradis Island in her heart.
Soon, under the protection of the Garrison, the Hizuru delegation entered Wall Sheena and headed straight for the royal palace.
...
At the same time, inside the royal palace, Commander-in-Chief Zackly had selected numerous representatives from the council, preparing to hold talks with the Hizuru Nation.
Inside the conference room, Historia, wearing a crown, rested her chin on her hand and gazed boredly at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window.
Poor Historia was very angry, because the last time the Survey Corps set out and went all the way to the sea, they did not bring along Her Majesty the Queen. This made Historia extremely unhappy.
But the explanation given by the military was roughly: "It's not that we didn't want to take Her Majesty along—it's just that this happened too suddenly. We originally only planned to clear out the Titans outside Wall Maria, but then—hey—the Titans really couldn't take a beating, so we ended up fighting all the way to the sea."
"Uh, Yago, what's going on with your face?" Eren asked curiously as he looked at the bruises on Yago's face that had not yet fully faded.
Yago shot him an annoyed glance and said, "Why do you care so much? This is the price of love. Eren, you wouldn't understand."
Hearing this, Eren retorted without any courtesy,
"What? Hah, wasn't it just that you got beaten up by Annie? And you still won't admit it? I've heard all about it these past few days—at the training grounds you were shouting for Annie to spare you."
Being poked right in a sore spot, Yago's expression instantly changed. He lunged forward and put Eren in a chokehold, clamping down on his neck as he warned,
"Eren, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want! We're friends—you can't slander me behind my back! Of course, I also believe Eren wouldn't slander me, right, Eren?"
Eren's face turned red and his neck thickened from the pressure as he hurriedly said,
"Got it, got it, I was just joking. Stuff like Yago getting beaten up and begging for mercy at the training grounds—none of that exists at all."
Only then did Yago release Eren. But after thinking it over, something felt off. Why did those words still sound so weird?
Before Yago could make another move, Erwin lightly coughed a few times, signaling that the Hizuru delegation had already arrived.
So Yago temporarily let Eren off the hook, deciding to settle accounts with him after the meeting ended.
Yago and Eren's little antics were all seen by Commander Pixis, but he didn't mind. What he was thinking about now was that once things settled down, he could quickly let Erwin take over, so he himself could go enjoy a wonderful retirement.
As Azumabito Kiyomi entered the conference room with several bodyguards, the talks officially began.
First, Azumabito Kiyomi stood up from her chair and solemnly bowed to the representatives of Paradis Island before her. Such a posture made the Paradis side rather unaccustomed—were countries in the outside world really this reasonable?
"Esteemed representatives of Paradis Island, it is a great honor to be able to hold talks with you all. I believe that this meeting will surely bring our two nations long-lasting friendship and exchange, just like a hundred years ago," Azumabito Kiyomi said sincerely and kindly, but the content of her words left the Paradis side somewhat shocked.
"A hundred years ago? Ambassador Kiyomi, could you elaborate on that?" Erwin was the first to ask, and Historia also turned her curious gaze toward Azumabito Kiyomi.
Azumabito Kiyomi was a bit surprised. Did these Eldians not know the relationship between the Hizuru Nation and the former Eldian Empire?
Under Azumabito Kiyomi's explanation, everyone present roughly came to understand the events of a hundred years ago.
The relationship between the Eldian Empire and the Hizuru Nation was like that of close allies. Relying on the strength of the Eldian Empire, the Hizuru Nation also prospered alongside it for countless years.
The royal families of the Eldian Empire and the Hizuru Nation even had deep connections.
However, with the sudden outbreak of internal strife within the Eldian Empire—the Titan civil war—the 145th King Fritz led a large number of Eldians away from the continent and to Paradis Island. As a former supporter of the Eldian Empire, the Hizuru Nation also suffered a crushing defeat in the war.
Not only did the nation's economy suffer devastating losses, but even the Shogun clan were almost wiped out. The army suffered countless casualties, and under sanctions from other countries, today's Hizuru Nation cannot even muster a respectable field army.
Although over the past hundred years of recovery and development, Hizuru's technological progress has been rapid and its economy has seen an initial revival, it has never returned to its former strength of a century ago, and in recent years has instead declined further.
With the history understood, the topic returned to the main point. A sharp glint flashed in Azumabito Kiyomi's eyes as she took out a crystalline ore from a retainer's bag. Looking at the people of Paradis, she asked the question she cared about most:
"Does this type of ore originate from your island?"
Erwin stared at the familiar stone and sighed. "Iceburst Stone..."
Commander Pixis reached into his coat, but suddenly realized he hadn't brought any alcohol, so he awkwardly withdrew his hand, muttering, "So it really was true—Yelena didn't lie."
Yago sat together with Eren, and Yago was quite clear about Azumabito Kiyomi's purpose. For the Hizuru Nation, so resource-poor that it could almost be said to have no resources at all, the thirst for energy was incomparable.
Azumabito Kiyomi represented the Hizuru Nation, and at the same time she represented the Azumabito family. If they could grasp the Iceburst Stone resources, then the Azumabito family's status within the Hizuru Nation would reach its peak, and no one would be able to shake it.