"Yago-san, you really had me completely fooled." Sitting opposite Yago, Zeke reclined comfortably in a chair.
Yago also crossed his legs and said with a smile,
"Zeke, your reaction is a bit unexpected. I thought you'd be furious."
Zeke: "Furious? What would be the point? Maybe this was all destined from the start."
Yago rubbed his chin and asked curiously,
"By the way, Zeke, what do you really think about the Eldian euthanasia plan?"
Hearing the familiar term, Zeke's originally calm expression shifted, a faint glimmer flashing in his eyes.
"The euthanasia plan… let's not talk about it so much. Maybe there will never be a third Eldian in this world who can truly understand it. Yago, even though I now know you were deceiving me, when I first heard you acknowledge the euthanasia plan, that feeling of being understood… it was really nice."
Yago shook his head.
"No one has the right to unilaterally decide the future of an entire race. The euthanasia plan is about making the entire Eldian race disappear from this world. You keep saying it's for the future of the Eldians—but is that kind of future really something the Eldians can accept?"
Zeke gave a self-deprecating smile and didn't answer Yago's question. He turned his head away, no longer paying attention to him. He didn't want to waste his breath—Teacher Ksaver and his dream were probably destined to never gain anyone's approval.
Yago left the room. As he opened the door, a vast blue ocean came into view. The sea breeze, carrying a faint salty smell, drifted into his nose. The deck beneath his feet swayed slightly, and when the seagulls grew tired from flying, they would occasionally land on the railing to rest.
Yago steadied himself, calming the discomfort from being on the ship. Outside the cabin where Zeke and the other Marleyan Titan warriors were being held, an entire squad of fully armed soldiers stood guard, along with A-One and several Ackermans watching over them around the clock.
That's right—Yago was currently aboard the fleet returning to Paradis Island. The fleet carried not only the Survey Corps soldiers who had performed exceptionally in the battle at Marley's capital, but also a large amount of materials and machinery needed for the island's development.
To help develop Paradis Island, Yago had also transferred a large number of elite core members from the Restoration Army to assist with building and training its military. Now that Paradis Island had officially been exposed to the entire world, the challenges it faced had become far more severe.
Although Hizuru had provided assistance over the years, it was not a military power, and its help in strengthening Paradis Island's military was limited.
However, Yago's Restoration Army was different. Its core members had undergone the harshest and most systematic training the Marleyans could offer. In order to turn Eldians into obedient slaves and soldiers, Marley had given their Eldian troops very formal military training.
Through the wars between Marley and the Middle East, many elite Eldian soldiers had been forged. The core members Yago selected from the Restoration Army were the best among them.
With their help, Paradis Island's military should soon be on the right track. The era of using Vertical Maneuvering Equipment against Titans had already passed—now, the enemies the Eldians faced were humans far more terrifying than Titans.
Yago walked to the railing and waved away two seagulls that had just landed there, still acting rather affectionately toward each other.
"Yago? What did you talk about with Zeke?" Eren walked over and asked.
Yago turned his head. "You're curious?"
Eren shrugged.
"Just asking. How should I put it… he is, nominally, my older brother. I also met my grandparents in the hospital."
Yago: "Is that so? Did you talk about anything?"
Eren: "Wasn't I the one asking you first? But… how should I put it… my feelings are complicated. I never thought much about it before. My father once lived on that land, even had a family there, but…"
At this point, Eren suddenly paused, his gaze dimming slightly.
"I don't know how to tell my mother about this. After all, in her eyes, my father has always been that gentle and upright person."
Yago said nothing, simply reaching out to pat Eren on the shoulder.
"Yago, are you hiding something from us?" Eren suddenly asked, catching Yago off guard.
"What? Eren, what are you talking about?"
Eren lowered his head and looked at his palm, speaking softly.
"Recently, I've been having a lot of strange dreams. Most of the scenes are blurry, but I remember large stretches of crimson, and countless massive figures surrounding and entangling me, making it hard to breathe.
But there's one dream I remember very clearly. Yago… I saw you in it."
Hearing Eren's description, Yago's heart skipped a beat. What was going on? Eren suddenly having strange dreams—and even dreaming about him? What the hell? Could it be the power of the Founder?
Yago immediately guessed it might be related to the Founder's power within Eren. But hadn't older Eren said that the Founder's power had already been sealed? Could it have awakened again in just two years?
"You saw me? What happened?"
Eren: "In the dream, half of your face was covered in blood. Then you grabbed my shoulders and said, 'Sorry, I didn't mean to deceive you all… but this is the only way.' That's it."
Yago frowned. Eren's words felt almost surreal, but his firm expression made Yago realize he probably wasn't joking. In other words, Eren really had dreamed about him.
Could he have seen the future through the Founder's power? Yago didn't dare waste time and immediately pulled Eren along to find Historia.
"Why are we going to Historia?"
"To verify whether what you saw was just a dream."
"What??"
Soon, Yago found Historia, who was eating cake with Ymir and Sasha. Under her innocent gaze, he grabbed her small hand, then pulled Eren's hand over as well.
"Damn it, Yago! What are you doing? Trying to take advantage of Historia!? Let go of my Historia right now! Or I'll definitely tell Annie!" Ymir exploded instantly when she saw Yago suddenly grab Historia's hand and rushed forward to pull them apart.
But Yago had no mood to explain right now. His eyes were fixed ahead as he slowly brought Eren's and Historia's hands closer together.
The memory of the battle to retake Wall Maria was still vivid in his mind. If the Founder's power had truly awakened, then at the moment Eren came into contact with someone of royal blood, Yago should also be able to enter the Paths space along with them.
But… even when Historia's and Eren's hands touched, nothing happened at all. Both of them stared at Yago in confusion.
"How could this be?"