"What? A coup? Is that real?" Eren stood up in shock, but the injuries on the Ackermans in front of him were impossible to fake.
Inside the dungeon, dealing with those Military Police had been easy enough, but there were simply too many of them. By the end, when things turned into a bloodbath, those Military Police didn't even care about their own comrades anymore—they just raised their rifles and fired. Dozens of rifles at once—anyone would have died in that situation.
The Ackermans weren't idiots. When the situation turned unfavorable, they naturally wouldn't fight to the death. Under A-Five's lead, they broke through the encirclement with ease, though A-Three and A-Four each took a bullet. Fortunately, the injuries weren't too serious.
After breaking out, the Ackermans immediately found Eren. A-Five believed that the Military Police's attack on the Survey Corps' dungeon was likely aimed at freeing the Marleyan Titan Warriors. Whether to use them as reinforcements or to sow chaos, they couldn't be underestimated.
"Marleyan Titan Warriors? Zeke... my brother?" Eren frowned, then suddenly seemed to realize something.
"If that's the case, could their target be me? Or Historia?"
For a moment, countless thoughts flashed through Eren's mind. Then he made a decision and said to the Ackermans,
"The situation is urgent. A-Five, take everyone and find a place to hide first. Settle A-Three and A-Four, then come meet me. We'll head to the royal palace together. I think the Imperial Faction's coup is very likely targeting me or Historia."
"You? Why would the Imperial Faction target you?" A-One asked, puzzled. Eren shook his head and pointed to his chest.
"Not me—what's inside me. The Founder. Back in Marley's capital, didn't that blond noble say it? The Founder's power seems capable of threatening the entire world. It's just that I can't seem to use it."
A-One said, "If you might be their target, wouldn't it be better for us to escort you out of the capital?"
Eren shook his head again.
"No. If I'm their target, that's even better. To capture me, they'll have to commit a lot of forces. If I leave, the civilians in the capital might suffer instead. Staying here will let me tie down the Imperial Faction more effectively."
A-One blinked her wide eyes in surprise as she looked at Eren.
"Didn't expect you to be so righteous, Eren. Impressive." Over the years, A-One had also learned how to praise people.
Eren's face turned red, but with the urgency of the situation, everyone quickly sprang into action.
...
Meanwhile, relying on the mobility of the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment, Keith Shadis led the instructors and arrived at the royal palace ahead of the Imperial Faction. They quickly met with Historia.
For Historia, the word "coup" felt both familiar and unfamiliar. After all, the last coup had been to overthrow the puppet king secretly controlled by her father. The cycle of fate—was it now her turn to face a coup as queen?
However, Historia did not panic. After all, her royal-blooded Jaw Titan was no mere decoration. The young queen was quite confident in her own power. In fact, a faint, mischievous thought even crossed her mind—if the Imperial Faction succeeded, would they overthrow her? Would that mean she wouldn't have to be queen anymore?
But it was only a fleeting thought. She was no longer a child and understood what needed to be understood. Her status as queen was unanimously recognized by all factions on Paradis Island and served as a balance point among them. Perhaps one day the Eldians would no longer need a king, but for now, they did—and it had to be the adorable Queen Historia.
"Your Majesty, the rebels may attack the royal palace at any moment. Please leave with us immediately. We will do everything in our power to escort you safely out!" Keith Shadis knelt on one knee and said solemnly.
As if on cue, a large number of Imperial Faction Military Police were already advancing toward the royal palace.
...
Elsewhere, in the dim dungeon, Serena slowly opened her eyes.
Her blurred vision gradually cleared, revealing bare, damp walls. A musty smell filled her nose, making her uncomfortable.
Slowly sitting up from the ground, the sharp pain throughout her body made Serena gasp. Her face itched as well—when she touched it, she found it covered in dried blood.
Enduring the pain, Serena forced herself to observe her surroundings. It was obvious—she had been imprisoned in some dungeon by those Imperial Faction bastards.
At the same time, Serena saw two of her Eldian Revolutionary Army subordinates lying in another cell. Their injuries were likely even worse than hers. After all, considering Serena was a woman, Arno Zott had shown at least a bit of restraint.
Serena fumbled as she tried to stand up, but suddenly her hand touched something soft and limp. Startled, she scrambled backward on her hands and feet, retreating a good distance before daring to look at what she had just touched.
In the dim light, it looked like… a person? The figure was wearing a Paradis Island military uniform. From the insignia on the back, Serena recognized that this person seemed to belong to the Garrison.
Summoning her courage, Serena carefully approached. In the silent environment, she could clearly hear the person's faint breathing. Good—he wasn't dead. That alone was enough to make her sigh in relief.
Drawing closer, she finally saw his face clearly. Short, neat hair, a face that gave off a resolute impression—yet now it was covered in bruises and wounds, swollen and battered. Dried blood covered his face. There was no need to imagine how much pain he must have endured.
This Garrison officer was none other than Lance Uriel, commander of the capital's Garrison, responsible for nearly a thousand stationed soldiers. Clearly, at the teahouse, Lance had firmly refused Arno Zott and the others' invitation to join the coup—even though he himself was one of the veteran members of the Imperial Faction.
However, Lance's overly rigid personality and his lenient stance toward the Restorationists had long caused dissatisfaction among many Imperial Faction members. So when he refused the coup, Arno Zott decisively moved to capture him.
Under normal circumstances, Arno Zott wouldn't have been able to subdue Lance without injury. But at a critical moment, Lance's trusted deputy, Hermann, suddenly betrayed him, making it easy for Arno Zott to take him down.
At this point, Serena had no time to worry about anything else. She needed to find a way to escape as soon as possible. Before leaving, she hadn't told Yago that she would meet Nacke again. In Yago's eyes, she had probably already left Paradis Island.
Even if the Eldian Revolutionary Army in Marley's capital realized something was wrong—if Serena, their boss, failed to return on time—and then contacted Yago for confirmation, six or seven days might have already passed. By then, she might starve to death in this dungeon. She had to find a way to save herself.
As for Lance on the ground—he could only fend for himself. Serena had no time to worry about others. She was in pain herself.