X -A very instructive dinner

The journey to the Capital took almost five hours, and Amos slept on a bench for the entire journey. Armin was also exhausted, the relief he had felt after all the violent emotions he had been through today almost got the better of him. But he fought against sleep to avoid leaving Mikasa moping all alone because of her incredible vitality.

'So…' he began unsurely, observing their sleeping comrade, 'Amos is a noble. I knew he had a secret, but I didn't expect this.'

"Me neither," she said, shaking her head.

"But it's a good thing," he hastened to add, "thanks to that Eren is sure to be treated well, and he has a real chance of winning his trial."

Mikasa clenched her fists, she really hated this feeling of helplessness that crossed her. Her family was in danger, and she could do nothing to protect them despite all her determination and immense strength, she could only rely on Amos' promise.

"Why is he on trial? What crime did he commit? He did nothing wrong..."

"He has the power to transform himself into a creature that has been devouring us for a century, the authorities are surely afraid that he will turn against them. He has to prove that he is on our side, I'm sure it will be fine."

Mikasa did not share his optimism, she really had a hard time entrusting the fate of everything that made her life to someone else.

"What Amos said scares me," she finally admitted after a moment's hesitation, when he said 'some people' would use us or what we say to condemn Eren... Who was he talking about?"

"I don't know… but they are certainly powerful men, maybe other nobles, or very high-ranking soldiers. In any case they will certainly be present at the trial."

The oriental girl felt a storm of hatred take hold of her body, and she clenched her fists so hard that her knuckles turned white.

"Mikasa!" Armin exclaimed seeing her palms bleeding. "Calm down!"

The girl let go of her fingers with a gasp, and discovered little red crescents where her fingernails had been.

"It's nothing," she said, wiping them on her pants, "just a few scratches."

The little blond was not convinced, and quickly thought of a way to distract his friend from her dark thoughts.

"I wonder how Eren will react."

She gave him a questioning look.

"When he learns that Amos is noble," he clarified.

"Not very well I guess," sighed the Ackerman, "he always hated those people. And he has a very high opinion of Amos.

Armin lowered his head.

"He will experience it as a betrayal, whereas in my eyes, it embellishes everything he has done. I mean... why would a Hannibal join the Survey Corps?"

Mikasa cocked her head, visibly confused.

"What is a Hannibal?" She asked naively.

Armin looked at her, smiling.

"You should read the newspapers, it's important to keep up to date with what's going on within the walls."

"I didn't care about that before it affected us," she admitted, hiding the lower part of her face under her scarf.

"I understand," the little blond said before looking at Amos, "well…, House Hannibal is, at present, the most powerful noble family in Humanity."

Mikasa widened her eyes in surprise.

"But... isn't the royal family the most powerful?"

Armin shook his head.

"The King's mother is a Hannibal," he explained, "his grandfather—Lord Peter Hannibal—is our Prime Minister. As his Majesty is still very young, it is he who reigns in his place."

The Oriental was flabbergasted, the fact that their friend was noble was already quite impressive in itself, but that he came from such a family…

"So…" she hesitated, following Armin's gaze, "Amos is related to the King?"

"No doubt, but I don't know exactly who he is, the only time the newspapers spoke of a potential heir to House Hannibal, they had mentioned the fact that he had died of a serious illness. I imagine we will have time to ask him questions when we arrive."

With that, Armin yawned, Mikasa put a hand on his shoulder.

"You should sleep, it's been a long day."

He nodded, he wanted to stay awake but his body refused to listen to him.

"You should take your own advice, you know? You are very strong, but you are not invincible."

"I know," the girl said, covering her face with her scarf.

She knew perfectly well that she had limits, contrary to what others might think, but today more than any other day, she hated having reached them.

"I'll try," she promised.

Armin doubted his success, however he was not able to do more than he had already done. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Mikasa watched him sleeping, and smiled for the first time since seeing Eren lift the huge boulder, she approached her friend, and put a protective arm around him.

'We'll survive them," she murmured as much to convince him as to convince herself, "we'll survive them like we've survived everything else."

She glanced at Amos, still unconscious.

" I'm counting on you."

(-)(-)(-)

Amos regained consciousness a little less than a quarter of an hour before they arrived at their destination, he straightened up, and saw that his guests were slumped together. A smile lit up his face. He got up, and went to open the window of the door to determine the distance they still had to go. Then he approached his friends and stroked their heads.

"Wake up, we're almost there."

If Mikasa woke up slowly, that was not the case for Armin who opened his eyes with a start, and pushed Amos' hand away with the back of his arm before starting to struggle.

"Calm down!" the latter exclaimed, seizing him by the shoulders to keep him on the bench.

"Armin!" the oriental girl called, forcing him to look at her in the eyes. "Everything's okay."

The little blond panted like a bear for about ten seconds, before relaxing his muscles, thus encouraging his friends to let go.

"I'm sorry," he blurted, "I…"

"You don't have to apologize," Amos reassured him, "it's been a very long day."

Mikasa gave him a comforting smile, which kinda worked and gave him some color back.

"We've arrived in Mitras," Amos Hannibal announced to change the subject. "I thought you might want to see what the capital was like.

Their curiosity was immediately piqued and they got up in turn to observe the most famous city of Humanity.

First, they were impressed and amazed by the beauty and size of the buildings. They were in the central district of Mitras, where the majority of the constructions were the mansions of the nobles and the large houses of the wealthy. These were made of finely cut stones, some of them marble, with a dazzling white color that looked particularly good under torchlight. The people on the street were all dressed so elegantly that you would think a royal wedding was about to take place, the only people who were recognizable to the cadets were the various members of the Special Brigades patrolling. But unlike the soldiers of Trost, they seemed on the lookout, ready to stop the slightest spoilsport.

"Is all this luxury and extravagance really necessary?" Mikasa ended up asking once the wonderment had passed.

"Of course not," Amos replied, "luxury is never necessary. But what did you expect? As soon as one guy has delusions of grandeur, the neighbors hasten to imitate him or to see bigger to avoid being looked down."

The oriental grimaced in disgust.

"Is status the only thing they care about?"

"Most of the time, yes," he replied simply.

"I can't believe you grew up here," Armin said, struggling to take his eyes off the magnificent buildings.

"I didn't grow up here," he corrected, "I grew up West of Sina. Ordinarily, the mansion is a residence for members of the court."

"Usually?"

"As the majority of the family is of royal blood or works in the Government, they all live in the Royal Palace. The mansion should be empty, but in case it isn't, or worse, if my grandfather ever comes to pay us a visit, I ask you to act as politely and respectfully as possible. And to apply the same strategy as with the MPs, okay?"

They nodded simultaneously.

"Good, see that big building over there?"

Armin and Mikasa leaned forward, and saw a kind of marble temple whose entrance was lined with the military crests of the three branches, themselves overhung by the portrait of the Goddess Sina.

"It's the courthouse," he informed them, "Eren will - if he's not already - be held in one of the cells in the basement. I'm not telling you this so you can plan something as stupid as a jailbreak, I'm telling you this to make you realize he is not that far from us."

Mikasa seemed ready to jump out of the stagecoach to rescue him, but she had learned her lesson, she would not be guided by her emotions, no matter how strong they were or how right her actions were. She had to control herself, and trust her comrades.

"All right," Amos said as they walked through the gates of a private property, "we have arrived."

The two friends would be lying if they said they weren't curious about the building they were going to stay in, and their eyes widened as they got out of the stagecoach. The Manor in front of them was made entirely of marble so radiantly white you'd think its construction had been completed the day before. It extended over at least sixty meters wide by thirteen meters high, surrounded by a low wall two meters fifty tall, it overlooked a courtyard with a perfectly trimmed lawn, in the center of which a fountain in the shape of a knight of old stood proudly, sword pointed skyward. A bat-shaped emblem proudly adorned the arch of the great gate and the shield of the knight.

Although Amos was genuinely amused by the bewildered expressions of his friends, he felt the need to reiterate his warning one last time:

"Remember what I told you, be respectful and polite, do not give in to insults, mockery or threats if there are any, and do nothing without my approval. The slightest misstep could have serious repercussions for you or Eren."

The two teenagers gritted their teeth, before nodding and putting on impassive faces. Satisfied, Amos waited for the coachman to open the stagecoach door and got out first. A man of about fourty in an elegant black and white outfit was waiting for them, his back straight and his smile welcoming.

"Welcome to Hannibal Manor, Master Amos," he said, bowing, "I'm glad to see you again."

"Good evening Frederic," the latter replied with a broad smile, "the pleasure is shared."

The so-called Frederic sat up and took a moment to examine the nobleman from head to toe.

"My how you've grown," he noted with a hint of pride, "you grew from a serious little boy into a strong young man."

The tall blond scratched his head in embarrassment, before stepping aside to introduce his friends.

"Frederic, I'd like to introduce to you Armin Arlet and Mikasa Ackerman, two of my comrades from the 104th cadet corps, they will be our guests for a few days."

He turned to them.

"Armin, Mikasa, this is Frederic, the First Butler of the Hannibal family. He will be at your disposal during your stay, if you need anything, do not hesitate to ask him."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Master Arlet and Mistress Ackerman," the servant said, bowing again.

They exchanged an uncertain and a little embarrassed look, it was the first time that someone had greeted them and called them that way, the little blond thought quickly about the best way to answer, before bowing in turn.

"Thank you for receiving us."

"Yes," the oriental nodded imitating him, "thank you."

Frederick seemed particularly amused by their answers, but he said nothing and turned to the young nobleman.

"Do you have a preference for guest rooms?"

"Yes, put them on the fourth floor, in the linked rooms."

"Very well, I take it you'll be going back to your old room?"

"I'm not Lord Hannibal yet," the tall blond pointed out, shrugging his shoulders.

The smile on Frederic's face twitched for a split second, long enough for Armin to notice.

"Take them to their rooms and give them clean clothes," the young nobleman said lightly, "I'll find my way back on my own."

"Very well, Master Amos," replied the butler, bowing before reaching for the front door, if you would follow me.

"We'll see you at dinner," their host informed them with a smile.

His two comrades nodded with a slight hesitation, before following in the fifty-year-old's footsteps.

The Manor was almost as impressive on the inside as it was on the outside, the wallpaper and paintings hanging on the walls embellishing the hallways with their radiant colors. Armin felt like a curious child exploring a mysterious castle, everything around him was new to him, and he couldn't contain the gaping smile that betrayed his wonder. Mikasa was not sharing his enthusiasm, yes, she was impressed by all this architectural beauty, but this extravagant luxury annoyed her greatly. All the unnecessary expenses that would have to be generated by even the maintenance of this mansion could support many families. She could not bring herself to admire what she considered to be the source of misery.

"Excuse me, Frederic?" Armin asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Master Arlet?"

The little blond lowered his head in embarrassment, before continuing:

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Why was there a giant bat on the front door?"

"Ah," the butler said admiringly, "this is the Hannibal family crest. It is related to the very creation of their Noble House."

Armin's eyes lit up with curiosity.

"I think Master Amos will be happy to tell you this story at dinner," he added, chuckling politely, for the moment here are your rooms.

He pointed with his gloved finger to two doors to their left, before opening one and inviting them inside.

Unsurprisingly, the room was incredibly large for one person, as was the four poster bed.

"The bathroom is here," Frederic announced, pointing to a door before pointing to another, "as Master Amos requested, your rooms are directly connected. Dinner will be served in an hour, I'll pick you up myself to guide you to the dining room. For the moment may I suggest that you relax in the bathroom? You will find there all the necessary products to recover from your exhausting day, as well as bathrobes that you can put on while waiting for us to bring you clean clothes.

"Thank you for everything, Frederic," said Armin, bowing.

"I'm only doing my duty," the butler replied, smiling before leaving them alone.

The little blond stared around the room for a few moments, a silly smile on his face.

"I can't believe what's happening to us," he finally admitted, "this morning again we woke up in our cadet beds, then we officially became soldiers, then the titans attacked us, then Eren s turned into a titan, then Mankind got its first victory thanks to him, then we find out that Amos is a noble, and now we're here, and it's not yet midnight...

"Yeah," Mikasa admitted, chuckling briefly, "it was by far the craziest day of our lives.

Armin chuckled as well, before heading to his own room.

"We should follow Frederic's advice, the dinner will probably be the best we've ever had, it wouldn't be proper for us to show up covered in sweat and titan's slime."

Mikasa nodded, and waited for his friend to reach his quarters to head for the bathroom. At this point she was no longer really surprised by the luxury of the room, and she gladly welcomed the opportunity to bathe in hot water and forget all the hardships and violent emotions she had been experiencing. crossed on this day.

However, when she took off her scarf she remembered that Eren was in one of the cells of the Courthouse, barely a few hundred meters away from her. She didn't know how he was. Was he still unconscious? Was he being treated well as Amos had promised? Was he scared? Was he depressed?

She restrained herself from continuing to torment herself, she had to accept the fact that Eren's fate was no longer in her hands. He wouldn't want to see her worry so much, he would tell her to take advantage of this luxurious treatment to regain her strength, which she deserves. These thoughts made her smile, she delicately folded her scarf, ran the water at the temperature that suited her, and undressed completely. She really needed that hot bath.

(-)(-)(-)

Meanwhile, Commander Erwin and Captain Levi were paying a little visit to the new resident of the Courthouse. In order to offer him a place within their ranks, and to reassure him about his trial, informing him that he had a powerful friend watching over him, but refusing to divulge his name however as a precaution.

An hour later, a guard brought him a sumptuous meal to his utter surprise and shock. When he asked who had given him such a gift, the MP reluctantly handed him a letter, obviously furious to see a monster like him receiving a king's feast. The Rogue titan ignored him to decipher the message written on the paper.

"Hi Eren, I hope you'll enjoy the dinner, see it as your just reward for allowing Humanity to defeat the titans for the first time in history. Do not deprive yourself, Armin and Mikasa will eat the same thing tonight, they are very well by the way. Your trial will take place as soon as Trost is cleared of all the titans still within the city walls, which should take all day tomorrow. Therefore, it should logically take place in two days. I will see you there. Rest and don't open your bloody mouth, the slightest wrong word will be taken into account and used against you. See you, you suicidal bastard."

Eren frowned as he read his nickname, only his comrades from the 104th Cadet Corps knew him. Could one of them possibly be the powerful friend Commander Erwin was talking about? If so, he had no idea who it was, and he will have a lot of questions for him. But he would be content for now with the knowledge that his two best friends were safe and sound.

He looked down at his dinner, and heard his stomach growl like Sasha's. Who was he to refuse a free feast?

(-)(-)(-)

As Frederic had promised, two maids came to bring them clothes their sizes. Armin inherited an elegant black shirt and jacket, while Mikasa ended up with a pretty blue dress, simple enough that she could wear it without a second thought. The butler picked them up shortly after midnight and led them to the dining room where Amos was waiting for them. He had traded in his military uniform for a black shirt and trousers, as well as an aristocratic silver-blue jacket.

"Welcome dear guests," he said before freezing slightly noticing their outfits.

But he quickly came to his senses:

"I imagine you're hungry after such a day," he smiled, pulling out a chair before looking at Mikasa, "Milady, if you would?"

The oriental hid her face with her scarf, and responded favorably to the invitation. The boys sat down after her, Frederic then signaled three servants to bring the covered plates they were holding.

"As a starter, the chef offers you his smoked salmon tartare on his bed of avocado, covered with his slices of tomatoes and red onions."

The guests' retinas almost burst as the lids of their dishes were lifted, revealing the artistic presentation of the most appetizing food they had ever seen.

" They are adorable."

"Armin," he reprimanded suddenly as the little blond was about to attack his tartare, "good manners dictate that we, gentlemen, wait for the lady to begin before following her."

The young man blushed with embarrassment, and put down his fork. Mikasa raised an eyebrow, a little surprised by this rule of politeness, before grabbing her own fork and starting to eat.

Amos then gestured to Armin that they could get on with it, and the little blond was only too happy to comply. However, he had the presence of mind to eat properly.

"That will be all for now Frederic."

The butler bowed before leaving the room.

"I imagine you have a lot of questions for me," the young man said after wiping his mouth. Go for it.

"How's Eren?"

Of course that would be Mikasa's first concern.

"He's fine, he's awake." I made sure the same meal that we will have tonight was brought to him, I thought he deserved a reward and a little comfort."

A smile of gratitude lit up the face of the oriental girl, she nodded in thanks.

Armin seemed to hesitate for a few seconds, before finally asking:

"So… your real name is Amos Hannibal?"

"Yes."

"Why did you join the army?"

He sighed sadly, but continued to eat.

"All Hannibals perform military classes, it is a tradition that aims to teach us discipline, we engage under false names in order to preserve our anonymity and avoid benefiting from preferential treatment.

"That's all?" A disappointed Armin dared to ask. "Is that the only reason why you joined?"

"Officially," Amos replied with a smile, "unofficially you know my reasons. I never lied about that."

His guests returned his smile, it was good to learn that their friend was indeed the one they had always known.

It was then that Armin noted a detail that momentarily stopped his tasting, he hesitated, he really hesitated.

"Can I ask you a question… about your mother?"

It was Amos's turn to stop eating, his fork halfway between his plate and his mouth.

"I'm sorry," the small blond hastened to add, "I should not have asked."

"No," the nobleman replied, putting down his food, "it's nothing..."

He took a deep breath, and seemed to debate inwardly for a few moments, before sighing.

"I've never told this to anyone," he admitted as he resumed eating, "except Historia." "I imagine you're wondering what a lady of nobility was doing in Holst when Maria fell?"

"As smart as ever," the little blond noted, nodding shyly.

Amos took his time chewing, arousing the curiosity of his guests. Mikasa too was genuinely interested in the young nobleman's past, but feared they were going too far. Her rival hardly ever spoke of his parents, just like her.

"The woman I call my mother is not the one who gave birth to me," he blurted out suddenly.

Like someone dropping a dumbbell they've been carrying for too long.

"The only thing I'll tell you about the woman who gave birth to me is that she doesn't deserve to be called 'Mom.' Neither by me nor by anyone."

The cold hatred in his voice was barely perceptible as he knew how to control himself, but his guests both managed to detect it.

"My mother ..." he began hesitantly. "She wasn't noble, she was…everything my father wanted her to be. Maid, cook, masseuse, singer, courtesan..."

"And she accepted that?" Mikasa asked, shocked.

"My grandfather controlled every aspect of her existence, she was not like the other servants, she was not paid, just fed and housed. And she was in love with my father, only the Goddesses know why," he added, rolling his eyes.

As no comment was made, he continued:

"My dad wasn't exactly a good person, but he wasn't a bad person either. He loved me, and I asked for nothing more. My grandfather was not so lenient, he had once hoped that my father would become the perfect, cunning and strong heir he had always dreamed about. But he was a lazy drunk, unable to become the man he should be. When my grandfather understood this he hastened to marry him in order to obtain his much desired heir: me.

"Why not try to have another son?" Armin asked.

"My grandmother died giving birth to my aunt, my grandfather refused to remarry after her death."

The little blond nodded, satisfied with this answer.

"So my father married the woman who bore me, and eleven months later I was born. To the greatest relief of her, my father and my grandfather, I was born a boy, so there was no need to have other children."

Mikasa didn't seem to believe his ears. Children are not objects, they weren't made according to our needs, but according to our desires. To hear Amos, it would seem that neither his father, nor his… nor the woman that bore him, wanted him. She couldn't imagine something so heartbreaking.

"The woman who gave birth to me stopped caring about me as soon as I came out of her womb," he lied, "she retired to a country house belonging to the Hannibal family and would have reappeared only if the conception of a second son should be necessary. I grew up under the tutelage of my grandfather, training my body, sharpening my mind and expanding my knowledge. I had to master any ability that could make me better, ODM maneuvers are a good example. That's one of the reasons I'm so good at it, I've been learning how to use this thing since I could walk."

The story he told them was heartbreakingly sad in their eyes, they secretly hoped that it would brighten up soon, even if they already knew the end.

"My mother…was oriental."

They widened their eyes in amazement, none of them expected this.

"Is that why you…?"

"Yes, she always spoke to me in her mother tongue since I was born, it has become my second mother tongue. This is also the reason why my grandfather kept it, so that she could teach me her culture and her language."

"What for?" Armin wondered. "How could this be useful to you?"

"I don't know yet," he admitted, shrugging his shoulders, "but he never does anything by chance. So there must be an actual reason."

Mikasa felt a shiver of excitement go through her, despite her origins she didn't know much about Eastern culture. Her own mother having died before she could pass everything on to her, she was dying to ask Amos for more information, but it was better to wait until he finished his story.

"My mother was technically my nanny, but she loved me from the day I was born. She was the one who taught me how to walk, she was the one who sang me songs and lullabies… In short… well… you get the picture: she was my mother."

They smiled noting the tenderness in his words, he really meant it.

"Unfortunately," he said, his face darkening, "she made a mistake. My grandfather made me undergo a very thorough physical training in order to transform me into… well, into who I am today. I was covered in bruises and wounds all the time, it was very hard for her to watch me suffer, but apart from bandaging me she couldn't do much. It got worse when my father died."

Armin didn't dare ask him the cause of death, even though he was curious about it.

"I knew very well why I was training so hard, my absolute goal was to become the best of the best, and to succeed, I knew that I had to go through many hardships. But my mother didn't understand, nor did she want to understand and I don't blame her at all for that. All she could see was that her little boy was in constant pain. So… She went to my grandfather, and begged him to stop torturing me."

"I guess he didn't like it..."

"He wanted to kill her when I was eight years old," he replied neutrally to their horror, "he saw the love I had for her as a weakness, and claimed that I could not love a commoner. Also, he wanted to teach me a lesson by killing her before my eyes. But… I managed to change his mind."

"How did you do that?" Mikasa asked, surprised. "From what you told us about him, he doesn't seem inclined to show mercy."

"It wasn't mercy that changed his mind, it was a threat."

Armin was flabbergasted and impressed.

"What threat can an eight-year-old child make to hold the hand of such a powerful man?" he asked, sincerely intrigued.

Amos waited to finish his meal and wiped his mouth, before lifting his head to expose the scar on his neck.

"I threatened to kill myself."

Mikasa widened her eyes in horror, had she heard correctly?

"It's brilliant," Armin said in awe, "you forced him to choose between his ego and his legacy. You were the perfect heir, the one he'd always wanted to have, he couldn't afford to lose you."

"Precisely," Amos nodded, "it was the only way I could save her. After that, my grandfather bought her a house in Holst and exiled her there. You know the rest."

When his story was over, he took a deep breath and sighed in relief.

"I didn't think I would talk so much about it," he finally admitted, "the diner barely started after all..."

He burst into a nervous laugh.

"I hope I haven't spoiled your appetite," he added, glancing at their plates.

They had been so taken by his story that they had almost forgotten to eat, their respective stomachs immediately expressed their displeasure.

They blushed in embarrassment at the amused smile of their host, and went back to their food.

"It must have been horrible," Mikasa finally blurted out.

She couldn't even imagine how a child could be reduced to threatening his own grandfather with suicide to save his mother. Or how a grandfather could see a son's love for his mother as a weakness. Or how a woman could give birth to a child without loving it, even if it came from a man she did not love.

"That's far from the worst thing that's ever happened to me, you know," Amos said nonchalantly. "I'm pretty proud of this episode. After all, I saved my mother by outsmarting the smartest man I know, all at the age of eight."

Mikasa shifted uncomfortably in her chair and chose to focus on her food. She understood his point of view, she really understood him. But she couldn't understand how such things could happen, even in such a cruel World. She didn't dare to imagine what this "worst thing" he was talking about was.

Once their entrees were finally over, Amos picked up the bell next to his crystal glasses and rang it. Immediately, Frederic entered the dining room and collected their empty plates.

"Would you like a bottle of wine with the main course?" The butler dutifully offered.

"Why not?" the young man smiled. "I think we deserved it. A bottle of Yarckell 814 will do just fine in my opinion."

Frederic bowed before giving the empty plates to a valet who was waiting at the entrance to the room, then signaling to the three others who were waiting to bring the main course.

"Garlic Provincial Beef," he announced as the servants removed the lids.

Armin refrained with all his strength from throwing himself on his food, the smells of meat, garlic and mushroom that escaped from it were so delicious that they almost made him drool.

"Had Sasha been here she would have caused a carnage." He thought smiling.

The valet who had left with the empty plates returned with the bottle of wine Amos had requested, the butler served a generous glass to each of the teenagers, before leaving the bottle with the young nobleman.

"Enjoy your meal," Frederic said before slipping away.

The boys waited with dignity for Mikasa to begin before following her.

"Can I ask you another question?" Armin asked after he had generously stuffed his belly.

"Of course."

"Why is the emblem of House Hannibal a bat?"

A smile lit up the tall blond's face.

"First of all, you have to know that my family has not always been a noble family."

"No?"

"No, our ennoblement dates back to the year 724, shortly before the construction of the walls and the appearance of the titans. At the time we were already rich merchants, but we did not have a drop of blue blood in our veins. That changed when a debt-ridden house, the Tyburs, offered one of their daughters in marriage in exchange for a hefty sum of money."

"They sold one of their children?" Mikasa exclaimed, outraged.

Amos gritted his teeth, before giving her a sad smile.

"It is, alas, very common among the nobility. The best way to make alliances is through marriage, so bloodlines are intertwined and interests become common. This is a good way to prevent betrayal. And it's not just the girls who are affected, I, myself will not escape it. It is my duty, as the next Lord of House Hannibal, to secure our family's future and maintain its status, by marrying a young woman of noble birth, to secure an alliance that will benefit the next generation."

The oriental clenched her fists, the more she learned about the world of nobility, the more she was disgusted. Who were this people who used their own children as bargaining chips for any material benefit? Her own parents had been simple commoners, but their marriage had been a happy one despite its short duration, and that happiness was priceless in her eyes. The way Amos talked about his marriage as a way to become more powerful, or to stay powerful… She couldn't find the words to describe the disgust it inspired her.

"Damian Hannibal, my ancestor, married Lisbeth Tybur. Normally, this should have been enough for the noble House Hannibal to be created. But the other noble families were reluctant to accept a family of simple merchants into nobility. When she heard this Lisbeth Hannibal née Tybur became furious, and devised a treacherous scheme to force the hand of the nobility. She took advantage of a banquet where the Lords and King had gathered, and paid the maids to spread female bat pheromones all over the dining room. The same evening, the males swept into it and bit all the guests.

A smile appeared on Mikasa's lips, she would have loved to be there to see that.

"As a result, they all caught a serious illness linked to their bites. And when they thought they were all doomed, Lisbeth, who was a genius doctor, offered them a 'miracle' remedy that cured them. In return, the King granted her a favor. I imagine you can guess what she asked."

The smile on the lips of the oriental widened, she was sincerely impressed by the ingenuity and the confidence of her friend's ancestor.

"I would have loved to meet Lisbeth Hannibal," she admitted, swallowing a mouthful of beef.

"She's right behind you," Amos said, pointing to the large painting on the wall.

It depicted a tall, dark-haired man with sapphire eyes and a confident expression, and a young woman with short blond hair and a mischievous gaze. The same look Armin had noticed in Amos whenever he had a burning idea in his head.

"Damian and Lisbeth Hannibal," the latter proudly introduced, "the founders of House Hannibal, my ancestors."

He let his guests admire the painting for a few moments, chewed a good piece of his beef, and concluded:

"And that's why the bat is our family crest, it kinda made sense."

"Do other noble houses use animals as emblems?" Armin asked in wonder.

"Some," Amos replied, sipping his glass of wine, "others use specific weapons or objects. House Syral uses a purple rose for example."

Mikasa froze in place upon hearing that, and her eyes widened in realization.

Hannibal noticed her immediately.

"What's the matter?"

The oriental hesitated, before sighing and saying to them:

"During the evacuation of Trost, there was a merchant blocking a passage to Wall Rose because of his overloaded cart, there was another man with him. He and his guards wore clothes and uniforms covered in purple roses.

Amos' eyes widened too, he took a moment to control his emotions, and gave her an exasperated look. Armin was not at all reassured.

"That other man, did he have a bald head, curly blond hair, a ridiculously long mustache, and a particularly large body?"

"Yes," she admitted, feeling her concern grow.

"What have you done?" Armin questioned on the verge of panic.

Mikasa took a moment to calm her tremors, then she confessed:

"They refused to abandon their cart even though it prevented hundreds of people from getting to safety, they delayed the evacuation while our comrades died. I... threatened to kill them if they didn't clear the way."

Amos' jaw dropped.

"You threatened Lord Syral with death?!" he blurted haggardly before plunging his face into his hands. "Oh fuck…"

Armin obviously had the idea of asking the annoying question:

"Will this affect Eren's trial?"

A long, exasperated growl was his answer.

"But…" Mikasa hesitated, her eyes betraying her terror. "Your family is more powerful, isn't that enough?"

Amos emerged from her palms, and looked at her as if she had just affirmed that pigs could fly.

"First, that's not how it works, second, no one in my family will help me."

"It's probably going to be be the other way around."

"How did you end up in such a situation?" he continued, trying to swallow his dismay to move on and find a solution.

"A Thirteen Meter abnormal had managed to get past the middle guard and was heading towards them, I took it down before telling them to clear the way."

Amos' face suddenly lit up.

"So you saved his life," he concluded, letting out a sigh, "okay. I can work with that."

Immediately, he grabbed his bell and called back his butler.

"Frederic, you will send an invitation to tea tomorrow afternoon to Lady Carolyn Syral, specify and insist on the fact that the matter I wish to discuss with her is urgent."

The fourty-year-old bowed before leaving hastily, Amos allowed himself a sigh.

"You don't have to worry," he said, swallowing the contents of his glass of wine, "I'll take care of that."

Mikasa lowered her head to her food, and ate without taking the time to savor it.

"I'm sorry," she said sheepishly.

His rival brushed aside his concerns with a gesture.

"Don't be, you saved hundreds of people doing that. I'll take care of the consequences."

"How are you going to do that?" Armin asked.

"I won't tell you that," he said, pouring himself another glass of wine.

He swallowed half of it before continuing:

"No need to torment you, I promised you that I will get Eren out of this trap and you know that I always keep my promises."

Mikasa seemed to regain color, and ate more calmly. She wanted to thank him, but she owed him so much that she no longer felt that thanks would be enough.

"How about you tell me about your childhood in Shiganshina?" the tall blond offered to change the subject. "I confess that I have never set foot in the enclosure of Wall Maria, and I imagine that with his temper, Eren must have often find himself in some serious trouble."

Armin immediately understood his tactic to lighten the mood, and spent the next twenty minutes telling their story. Mikasa occasionally interrupted him to make a remark about Eren's recklessness or Armin's intelligence.

It was only when the little blond was about to talk about his book on the Outer World that Frederic's indignant exclamation was heard.

"You can't come in! Lord Amos is dining with his guests!"

"Tch, get the fuck out of my way if ya give a shit about your skin, ya old lackey," replied a voice the young nobleman knew only too well.

He wrinkled his face in annoyance as Armin and Mikasa watched him questioningly.

"Remember what I told you," he reminded, putting a finger to his lips, "not a word no matter what."

The second he was done saying these words, the door opened, and a tall man in his forties wearing a hat and a raincoat entered the room with his hands in his pockets.

"Well I'll be damned," the intruder said with a sneer, "The little demon's all grown up."

Amos quietly wiped his mouth, then gave him a disgruntled look.

"Kenny, in case you missed it, I'm having a nice meal with my friends after spending the day fighting titans. So I hope you have a good reason for barging in here and interrupting it."

The so-called Kenny threw back his head and burst out laughing.

"Relax Evilspawn, I'm here because your beloved grandpa ain't too happy with ya at the moment."

Armin's face twisted in worry, as Mikasa felt her instincts warning her against this man.

Amos, on the other hand, remained perfectly calm.

"And what has my esteemed grandfather to reproach me with?"

"Ya know very well what he blames you for," the big fellow replied, grabbing a chair and coming to sit beside them.

To Frederic's greatest horror, he put his feet on the white tablecloth.

"Get your goddamn boots off my table before I make you eat your hat!" Amos barked furiously, startling Armin.

Kenny gave him a look that meant he wasn't intimidated, but he complied nonetheless.

"As rude as ever," he mumbled before speaking louder, "he wants to know what possessed you to put the titan kid under the protection of the family. He called you a 'silly little brat' by the way."

The young nobleman did not flinch, he took a cigarette out of its packet while Frederic hastened to get an ashtray, not without giving him a disapproving look.

"If that's all that concerns him…" he replied, shrugging, "I felt that Eren Jaeger was a valuable asset to Humanity, and that given his exploits in Trost it was best to prevent a foolish MP from shooting him down out of fear. Also, how would my esteemed grandfather have reacted if another house had tried to take over his powers? It was a situation to avoid. I made the right decision in my opinion."

"Old Peter doesn't think so," Kenny replied, grabbing the bottle of wine and drinking from it, "he and the other nobles fear that the titan kid will lead a rebellion with the people of Rose to invade Sina."

Mikasa raised an eyebrow in dismay while Amos rolled his eyes.

"Eren Jaeger wants to join the Survey Corps and slaughter titans, he is not interested in the Interior's affairs. To tell the truth, we should rejoice, thanks to him Wall Rose has not fallen, and the risks of seeing it fall have considerably diminished. Had it fallen, the rebellion they fear would certainly have happened, kid titan or not."

"And if ya're wrong? What if he suddenly decides to threaten the peace of the Interior?"

"Then I'll shoot him down myself," the young man replied simply.

Mikasa immediately glared at him, and probably would have set him on fire with a string of threats had Armin not grabbed her by the wrist.

None of this escaped Kenny's eye.

"Your girlfriend doesn't seem to like that idea," he pointed out.

"Her opinion doesn't matter," Amos replied nonchalantly.

Which threw more oil in the inferno that burned in the eyes of the young woman.

The man in his forties sneered as he scratched his goatee, he finished the bottle he was holding.

"Well, I hope for ya that ya know what ya're doing, yar grandpa was really mad at ya when I left his office."

"Tell him he should calm down if he doesn't want to have a heart attack, and if he's not happy with my decisions he can always come and tell me face to face."

Kenny raised his eyebrows in surprise, before bursting into a thunderous laugh.

"Damn!" he exclaimed laughing, "the little demon turned into a real devil."

With these words, he stood up.

"I'll pass the message, gotta admit, I can't wait to see the look on his face."

"Sit down," the young man soberly ordered, drawing on his cigarette, "I have a favor to ask of you."

Kenny gave him a puzzled look, he obeyed.

"I'm listening"

"Remember the promise I made to you years ago?"

The big guy's face took on a surprisingly serious expression."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"I would like to break it for one person."

Kenny watched him very carefully for a few seconds, the tension that resulted from their staring contest gave Armin a cold sweat.

"That person ya're talking about, is he what I think he is?"

"She," Amos corrected, "and yes."

The Cut-throat's gray eyes rested on Mikasa, the young girl did not flinch.

"That her?"

" Yes."

The two Shiganshina natives frowned, what were they talking about?

"Since when does a handsome boy like you need to tell secrets to a girl to put her in his bed?" He asked genuinely surprised.

"Ignore him," Amos said to Mikasa, who looked like she was about to rip the Cut-throat's head off. "And Kenny, be respectful to my guests."

The man just shrugged.

"Meh, tell her, as long as she doesn't tell anyone. But you owe me one, little demon."

"I owe you shit," the young man replied, "you owe me fourteen favors in case you forgot."

For the first time since he had arrived, the Cut-throat looked embarrassed.

"Ah Damn… that much?"

"Yes."

"Shit…"

Amos finished his cigarette, before crushing it in the crystal ashtray Fredzric had brought.

"But don't worry, the next favors I'm going to ask you will allow you to practice your favorite hobby."

A carnivorous smile appeared on the face of the Ripper, Armin felt a trickle of cold sweat running down his back.

"Good kid," he sneered before getting up again, "on that kiddies, I still have a few chores to do tonight. See ya."

Without another word, he left the dining room without glancing back. Amos waited for him to disappear from view before motioning for Frederick to close the door to the room.

Once their intimacy was restored, he sighed.

"I'm sorry about that," he said sincerely, "it was necessary to lie to him."

Mikasa relaxed slightly.

"So…you didn't mean what you said when you said you'd kill Eren?"

"It's the opposite, Armin understood, "you said that to protect him."

"Precisely," Amos confirmed, finishing his beef, "it's essential that my grandfather thinks that I'm ready to do his dirty work if protecting Eren ever turns out to be a mistake."

The Oriental girl relaxed her tense muscles, before gazing with cold anger at the door through which Kenny had exited.

"Who was that old maniac?"

"That, Mikasa, was Kenny Ackerman."

The stunned expressions of his guests were predictable, but they were still amusing nonetheless.

"And it's a good thing you've managed to control yourself," he added seriously, "that 'old monkey' is a psychopath, and he's way too strong for you."

The girl didn't know how to react, her face was the personification of confusion.

"That's what you were talking about," Armin realized. "The secret of Mikasa's inhuman strength…it has something to do with her family."

"Excellent deduction little head," Amos complimented with a smile.

The girl was completely lost, too much had happened to her today. If she hadn't taken a nap in the stagecoach she probably would have exploded.

"I'm related to that crazy old man," she realized with disgust.

She pushed the unpleasant thought from her mind, before fixing Amos with a hard look.

"Tell me what you know," she asked coldly.

"Mikasa!" Armin exclaimed shocked by the tone she had used. "He is not our enemy."

"But he knew," she countered coldly, "he knew since the first day we met."

Amos nodded slowly.

"It's true," he admitted without the slightest regret, "however, as you could hear during my conversation with Kenny, I had made him a promise not to tell anyone. And I just asked him permission to break that promise in order to tell you about your unusual heritage."

"He's under your command," the Oriental girl replied, "you didn't need his permission.

This time, Hannibal gave him a look as cold as his.

"I take my promises very seriously," he said with annoyance, "I am a man of my word. Remember that when I'll pull Eren out of his hole."

"Guys!" Armin begged as he was fearing that the situation would degenerate. "Please, we're all on the same side. Calm down."

Amos was the first to recover his natural expression, before ringing his bell.

"We'll have the cheese and the dessert at the same time," he said to Frederic, who hastened to signal to the valets to grant the young man's wish.

Once their plates had been filled and their intimacy restored, the host spoke again under the impatient gaze of his guest:

"Before the walls were built, the Ackermans were the royal family's elite bodyguards. The inhuman strength that flowed from their lineage had made them a clan of warriors feared and respected by all of humanity."

they were both stunned by this revelation.

"How are they so strong?" Armin asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Amos replied. "Legends say they had titanic blood in their veins. But I don't believe it, they existed long before the appearance of the titans."

Mikasa remained dumbfounded.

"Like I said," the young nobleman continued, "they were the bodyguards of the Fritzs for centuries, but that changed after the titans appeared and the walls were built. A year after Mankind managed to escape its natural predator, King Fritz ordered the outright genocides of the Ackerman Clan and all Orientals."

Two pairs of bulging eyes followed this revelation.

"Apparently they had staged a coup to take power within the walls, please understand that this is the official historical version, something you should never trust. History is written by the victors."

As Mikasa looked down sadly, Armin asked worriedly:

"Is…this order still in effect?"

"No," Amos reassured, "with the threat of extinction, the leader of the Ackerman clan concluded a pact with the King. In exchange for his own life, his ruler would spare the few remaining survivors, on the condition that the Orientals live secluded in the mountains and that the Ackermans keep their names quiet. If the Ackermans ever had the misfortune to display their heritage publicly, they suffered persecution from the people. The same was true for Orientals if they had the misfortune to leave their exile."

Mikasa said nothing, she had never known about any of this. She had a thought for her parents, her father had probably made the mistake of accidentally exposing his name and had to flee into the mountains to escape the wrath of the people. There he had met her mother, and both had remained in exile to avoid further persecution. They had thought they had been safe up there, but it had ended up being their downfall.

"When I met you, Mikasa," he continued, looking at the girl, "I can honestly say that I was really, really shocked. Meeting an Ackerman is rare enough, an Oriental even more, so an Oriental Ackerman… The descendant of the two rarest lines of Humanity… I felt honored, and I was even more so when I got to know the incredible young woman that you are."

The Half-blood blushed furiously, and hastened to hide her cheeks behind her scarf. Armin discreetly thanked Amos with a nod, before frowning in realization.

"But…Mikasa never hid her name or features from anyone, and I don't believe she was ever persecuted. Were you?" he asked the girl who shook her head.

"That's because the persecutions ended almost twenty years ago," Amos explained.

"Why?" Armin questioned curiously. "Why stop everything suddenly? And how were the people convinced to stop? Was there a public announcement from the King?"

"No, nothing like that," Amos said, shrugging. "I don't know how the persecutions ended. But I know the reason they ended has to do with something Kenny did when he was young."

Mikasa raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"What did he do?" she asked.

"This I don't know," Amos admitted, "he told me it was thanks to him one night he was drunk. But he refused to tell me how he managed to do it no matter how much alcohol he drank."

Again, the girl didn't know what to feel. She owed this rude old man the fact that she had never been persecuted in her life for what she was, but the fact that his rival had described him as a psychopath sent shivers down her spine. She supposed that she could be grateful to her distant relative without appreciating him.

"You say I inherited my strength from my father," she realized with a confused look, "but my father…he was never strong like me. If he had been… he would have protected us, my mother and I."

Amos felt sorry for her when he heard the sadness in her voice, so he agreed to reveal this last information.

"The power of the Ackermans is innate in each member of your clan, but it is not automatic. It must be awakened through survival instinct."

Mikasa widened her eyes as she remembered the day Eren saved her, she had been terrified, unable to move even a finger until her adopted brother had yelled at her to fight for her survival. She remembered very clearly that sensation she had felt, that power that had blasted her brain and surged through her veins. It was the ancestral strength of the Ackermans, her clan, her family. Her father, on the other hand... had probably never had to go through such an experience, and that's why the bandits had killed him so easily. She clenched her fists in rage and sadness when she thought back to the moment when she had seen her father being slaughtered. He could have been so strong, but he never was and because of that he couldn't protect his family. She didn't hate him for it, far from it, she hated the fact that she had to go through such trauma to gain the power to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. And despite that, she almost lost her family a second time today, the world was really cruel, even for people as strong as her. It's not so surprising that an Ackerman like Kenny shot the way he shot, given the persecution he had to go through in his youth.

Mikasa suddenly felt the weight of a responsibility she knew not ten minutes ago pressing on her chest. She was the descendant of two clans, two families unjustly treated for decades, she was a warrior in the soul and in the blood. And in tribute to her parents, in tribute to her ancestors, she had to live on in order to honor what they fought for and what they suffered so much for. She admonished herself for trying to end her life during the Battle of Trost, she had no right to do such a thing. She would have negated the sacrifices of her parents, she would have spat on her ancestors, she...

She felt tears well up in her eyes, the greatest shame she had ever felt was gnawing at her insides. How could she have done such a thing? The fact that she almost betrayed Eren's memory was already heavy enough to bear, if on top of that she added to that the fact that she almost betrayed her family...

"Mikasa," Armin worried, laying his hand on his friend's. "Is everything alright?"

The young woman wasn't listening to her, Eren's voice echoed in her head:

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

He was right, she couldn't feel sorry for herself, she could only learn from her mistake and keep moving forward. For that, she had to fight. She was stronger than she believed, and thanks to Eren, she was one of the strongest people in Humanity. She had already promised herself, but she did it once: she would never give up again. She would do everything in her power to survive while protecting her family. For Eren, for Armin, for her Father and Mother, and for all her ancestors.

She took a deep breath to control herself, and exhaled loudly before wiping her eyes.

"I'll be fine," she finally said, trying to calm her heartbeat.

With these words, she got up under the worried gaze of the little blond and the intrigued gaze of their host. Before going around the table to join the latter.

"Could you please stand up?" she asked in an impassive voice.

Amos frowned, unable to guess what was on her mind, and Armin's gaze was no help.

He wiped his mouth, and stood to face the oriental girl.

She hugged him without warning, and held him tight, much to Hannibal's surprise.

"Thank you," she said sincerely, tightening her embrace, "you did so much for me today. I don't know if I will be able to return the favor to you one day, but I will never forget everything you have done."

Amos hesitated, the only people who had ever hugged him had been his mother, Historia and Ymir. Mikasa's hug was really sincere, and her words were full of emotion, he felt her tears of gratefulness wet his shoulder. So he hugged her back, albeit a bit embarrassed.

"It was a pleasure," he replied.

Mikasa squeezed even harder, so much so that his ribs started to hurt.

Armin looked at them smiling. At first he was afraid that his friend would get depressed when she learned the fate of her ancestors. This, mixed with Eren's situation could have tortured her. Also, he was relieved to see that she was holding on, and that she trusted in Amos for the rest of the events.

"You know," the latter said with a teasing tone, "we are still waiting for you to start eating."

Mikasa smiled, before returning to her sit. The rest of the meal went very well, and the half-blood was grateful for the opportunity to live this moment.

She only regretted Eren's absence.