"The Female Titan… is disappearing… very quickly!" Hange opened her mouth wide and began writing frantically.
After Dina Fritz devoured Annie, her body changed rapidly, and steam burst from her surface, clouding the surroundings.
The reaction was quite fast; within minutes, the Titan had disappeared.
The surrounding steam had not yet dissipated, but faint human silhouettes could already be seen.
Hange rushed forward to take a closer look. She saw a naked woman lying on the grass. When she turned her over, she confirmed that her face was identical to that of the woman in the photograph kept in Grisha's notebook.
"There's no doubt, this is Dina, Grisha's wife, a member of the Eldian royal family!" Hange removed her coat and covered the woman's naked body.
At that moment, Hange heard a faint sound. She lowered her head and swallowed. "Grisha, no matter what I become, I will find you…"
Two clear tears slid down Dina's cheeks.
…
That night, in Karanes, in the guest room of the garrison.
Dina sat on the cotton-covered bed, gazing at the stone houses visible through the window, her hands resting over her stomach.
On the bedside table lay a yellowed photograph. She bit her lower lip and stared at the man's face in the picture.
There was a knock at the door, and she trembled like a frightened deer.
"It's me, Hange. May we come in?"
Dina patted her chest, cleared her throat, and said softly, "Please, come in."
The door opened, and Hange entered along with two companions.
"How are you feeling, Dina? Is there anything else worrying you?" Hange placed a bowl of rice porridge with vegetables on the table and sat on the edge of the bed.
"I'm much better now." Dina smiled—a smile that wasn't truly a smile.
"That's good." Hange said with a grin and pointed. "Let me introduce them. This is Gale Hawthorne. Although he looks a bit young, he is actually a high-ranking government official. He is very powerful, and someone like me can only follow his instructions."
"And this boy… well, how should I put it, he is related to you." Hange said, coughing slightly in nervousness. "His name is Eren Yeager. You should already understand, right? He's the boy I told you about earlier today."
"Are you… Grisha's son?" Dina and Eren looked at each other.
Eren said nothing, only nodded.
"Could you come a little closer, Eren?" Dina said with a gentle smile.
Eren looked at Gale, who nodded, so Eren sat on the edge of the bed.
Dina reached out and embraced Eren.
"I'm sorry… Eren…"
"At that time… it wasn't even me…"
Tears streamed down Dina's face, and warm drops fell onto Eren's face.
"You… Aunt Dina… you remember her?" Eren looked at her in surprise.
"Mmm… It feels like a dream… but those memories are still engraved in my mind…" Dina wiped her tears with her sleeve. "I'm sorry… for reminding you of painful memories, and I would understand if you hate me. I hate myself too…"
When Dina saw Eren, she remembered what she had experienced at Wall Maria… That day, she saw a terrified Eren, but she had been drawn to the woman trapped beneath the house…
"Don't worry, Dina…" Eren shook his head and said, "It's not your fault. You're just a victim."
"I'm sorry…" All Dina could do was say "I'm sorry."
Eren stood up from the bed and returned to Gale's side, who had been observing Dina since he entered the room.
"Did you feel anything special just now?" Gale asked in a low voice.
"No." Eren shook his head and said, "It should be just like you said—I need to have a clear objective to release that power."
"But…" Eren looked at his hands expressionlessly and said, "I don't know what I should do now…"
"What are you talking about? I don't understand anything." Hange turned her head and asked, "What power?"
"The power that allowed Ymir to fully develop her Titan ability," Gale replied, looking at Hange. "That is the power of the Founding Titan."
"The Founding Titan!" Hange exclaimed excitedly. "What's going on? Is Eren's Titan the Founding Titan?"
"No, no, but the power of the Founding Titan does indeed reside within him." Gale approached the bed and looked Dina in the eyes.
"For Eren to use this power, several conditions must be met. First, he must be a member of the royal family and possess the power of a Titan. Second, he must have a goal he wishes to achieve. Finally, he must come into contact with someone of that royal family."
"Miss Dina Fritz, do you understand your situation now?"
"Hmm…" Dina felt somewhat guilty under Gale's gaze. "Earlier today, Captain Hange explained to me that this is Wall Rose within Paradis Island, correct?"
"According to Grisha's notes, you used to be an active member of the Restorationists in Marley, is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Why did you join the Restorationists?"
"Because the Marleyans have always oppressed us Eldians and distorted history. Our ancestors used the power of the Titans to build homes and bridges for the benefit of the world, but the Marleyans slandered them, calling them demons."
"We Eldians have always suffered unfair treatment and have not even been able to guarantee our basic living conditions or our own survival. That is why we joined."
"Then, Miss Dina, what do you think now about the Marleyans and the Restorationists?"
"I have no idea…"
Dina placed her hand on her left shoulder.
The Restorationists marked their bodies, and she was no exception. She had once carved a mark on her left shoulder, but the power of her Titan had erased it.
Marley, the Restorationists…
Those things now felt very distant to her.
Anyone who turns into a Titan, wanders for such a long time, and then becomes human again would experience a deep sense of disorientation.
This was especially true in her case; how could her feelings at this moment even be described?
Her lover, Grisha Yeager, had died, and during the time she had been active as a Titan, she had devoured Grisha's second wife, while the son of her beloved stood right before her.
Everything felt unreal, yet that absurd reality stood right in front of her, and she did not know how to face it.
The slogans and ideals she once proclaimed now left her with a profound sense of emptiness.
In the end, she had nothing left, and she even thought that perhaps it would be better if she were dead.
"You don't know…?" Gale lowered his eyelids. "Miss Dina, you should know that when you were a Titan, the Marleyans destroyed our walls, and many died at the hands of Titans. Although we have now reclaimed the walls, if we do nothing, one day Marley will undoubtedly wage war against us again."
"We fight to protect our homeland. Please, rest tonight—we will see you again tomorrow."
After finishing, Gale said his farewell to Dina and left the room with Eren.
Hange glanced at the door, picked up the warm food, and began feeding Dina.
For several days after that, Dina did not leave the room.
Until one day, Eren saw her coming down the stairs after changing her clothes.
Accompanied by Hange and several soldiers, she arrived at the Karanes market, and as she observed the bustling crowd of buyers, she said the following:
"So this is how Eldians live."