Facing Lock's continuous questioning, Lock remained silent for a long time.
He said slowly, "I don't know the exact reason, but I suspect it's due to Ymir's Curse."
"Ymir's Curse?" Lock's eyes flickered.
"Before she disappeared, she forcefully prevented your fusion with me."
"Why did she do that?"
"I don't know."
Lock frowned, lowered his head, and pondered in silence.
Hearing that he didn't ask further, Lock turned back and said, "I thought you would ask about Annie."
The sea breeze blew past, carrying an unspeakable bitter taste.
Lock struggled to control the turmoil in his heart... After a long while, he forced a bitter smile and said, "Aren't you me? You must have reasons for doing this that I don't know about, right?"
Lock stared into Lock's eyes, realizing that Lock still felt guilt and anger over having killed Annie.
He did not possess such trivial emotions.
Therefore, Lock was not Lock.
Perhaps this was Ymir's objective.
Lock sighed inwardly and said, "Alright, the sightseeing is over. It's time for you to go back."
"Huh? So soon?"
"The time here should be infinite, shouldn't it?"
Before Lock could react, Lock touched Lock's glabella with his finger.
A current ran down his spine and throughout his body.
[System Connection Interrupted]
His vision darkened, then brightened, and Lock returned to the Real World.
"Rumble!" The vibrations caused by the running Titans instantly jolted Lock awake.
Lock realized where he was and what he had just been doing.
Eren had activated the power of the Founding Titan, drawing all the Pure Titans toward him.
Everyone around stared blankly at this shocking scene.
Except for Ymir, no one noticed Lock's momentary abnormality.
"I don't know what happened, but let's take this chance to escape quickly!" Connie finally reacted.
Sasha quickly agreed, "Let's leave now."
Lock said to Ymir, who was staring at him, "See, Ymir, I wasn't lying to you."
Ymir finally gave up on taking Historia and prepared to return inside the Walls with everyone else... She looked back at Reiner and Bertholdt, who were surrounded by Titans due to Eren's manipulation.
Watching them struggle desperately, Ymir stopped moving again.
"Ymir?" Historia stopped as well.
"Hey, ugly, what are you doing? Retreat now," Connie said, pulling his horse, confused.
Lock also stopped in front of Ymir, waiting for her decision.
"Lock!" Ymir, in her Titan Form, spoke slowly.
"I'm here," Lock replied.
"You promised... to help me do one thing."
"I remember."
Ymir reached out and gently stroked Historia's face: "Help me... take good care of her, don't... let her suffer."
Lock thought about his plans and didn't respond immediately.
Ymir grew anxious: "Lock! You promised me!"
After a long pause, Lock said seriously, "I promise you."
Ymir finally felt relieved.
She turned and left, running alone toward Reiner and Bertholdt.
Historia's cry of "Ymir!" sounded so powerless.
Lock watched Ymir's receding figure, filled with emotion.
A kind-hearted person, after enduring unimaginable pain, decided to live only for herself.
But at the end of the story, to repay a debt, she once again chose to die for others.
Lock sighed, "How pitiful, Ymir."
He looked at Historia beside him, who was full of sadness and confusion, and whispered, "You gave me quite a troublesome request in the end."
...Night fell over the entire world once more.
Using the torches held by the welcoming party atop The Wall to orient themselves, the group finally returned to their starting point.
Lock supported the exhausted Historia and ascended The Wall using his Omni-Directional Mobility Gear.
Several Soldiers wearing Garrison Regiment uniforms approached, holding torches.
"Is this child injured?" Rico quickly asked.
Lock set Historia down and said, "She's fine, she's just too tired."
Rico walked closer with a Waterskin, handed the torch to Lock, and helped Historia up, saying, "Have some water. You've worked hard."
"It was no trouble, but what a coincidence, Captain Rico."
Rico finally looked at Lock, her expression instantly freezing.
"I told you we would meet again." Lock's smile seemed utterly infuriating to Rico.
She turned her head away, continuing to give Historia water... The injured Mikasa was transported up by The Corps using a Lift.
Eren followed a Veteran Soldier and slowly lifted Mikasa onto a stretcher.
Looking at Eren's self-reproaching face, Mikasa comforted him, "Eren, I'm fine."
Eren lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry."
Armin also patted Eren's shoulder.
"Commander! Can you hear me, Commander!"
The Soldier's voice immediately drew the attention of those nearby.
"This is bad! He's already passed out!"
"Quick! Get the Commander out of here!"
"Commander!" Eren also stood up, looking terrified as he watched Erwin lying motionless in the Soldier's arms.
If Commander Erwin died because of him, too... He looked around at the sparse crowd, most of whom were wounded.
Eren couldn't help but ask, "How many people... died because I was captured?"
Silence fell over the group. Jean stepped forward and said, "Including the Military Police Corps, the total number of people in the team before departure was around 100."
"The Military Police Corps was basically Completely Wiped Out due to lack of combat experience..."
"As for the others, there should be about 50 people left on The Wall, most of them injured."
Jean's tone was heavy: "The Survey Corps also lost many Veteran Soldiers with rich combat experience. What are we supposed to do now?"
Armin saw Eren's expression growing worse and couldn't help but say, "At least when we retreated, the Titans didn't pursue us anymore."
"And at that moment, wasn't it Eren who shifted the Titans' target of attack onto the Armored Titan?"
Looking at the suspicious and surprised gazes of the crowd, Eren was also helpless: "I was... completely confused at the time, I had no idea what was happening..."
...Lock looked at Historia, who was unconsciously taking small sips of water, and said, "Captain Rico, why did you come personally?"
Rico still didn't look at him, speaking stiffly: "I was nearby. After completing my mission, I received orders from the Commander to bring my unit here to meet you."
"Oh, I see."
Rico reached out and wiped Historia's mouth, saying, "You certainly have nine lives. I can't believe you survived this."
Lock said sincerely, "It's all thanks to your concern."
"You're welcome," Rico said flatly.
"Cough... cough..."
Historia, in Rico's arms, opened her eyes.
"Good evening, Your Highness, the Princess." Lock smiled.
Rico couldn't help but shoot Lock a glare, assuming he was just flirting with the young girl.
Historia stood up unsteadily.
Eren and the others looked over.
Armin reached out to persuade her, "Krista, you still shouldn't..."
"Wrong!"
"My name is Historia!"
Historia looked at everyone and said quietly, "Let's move outside the Walls immediately."
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