"Good, Zeke. You've done very well," Magath said, praising him again and again after hearing Zeke's report. "But I'm still curious—how did you develop this ability of the Beast Titan? As far as I know, no previous Beast Titan had anything like the power to command Titans."
"Ah, who knows." Zeke's Beast Titan scratched under its jaw with a finger. "Maybe I'm just lucky."
Blaming it on luck invited suspicion, yet left nothing to attack.
Magath had nothing more to say, because there truly were no signs—no research breakthroughs hinting that the Beast Titan possessed any "control" ability.
If Zeke insisted it was luck, if he'd somehow "by luck" produced ten thousand Titan soldiers who obeyed him, there was nothing to censure.
After all, he was undoubtedly serving Marley with all his heart. Even if he was hiding something, there was no proof to accuse him.
"Perhaps next week there'll be a new combat assignment," Magath said. "The higher-ups want to see your Titan soldiers."
"No problem at all. I'll give it my all."
"You'd better." Magath added, looking up at Zeke's Beast Titan, "You understand the price of betraying Marley, don't you?"
"Teacher, you jest. Of course I do." The Beast Titan chuckled. "Don't forget—I'm the most loyal of the Warriors."
"You?" Magath shook his head. "It's Reiner. He's the most loyal. Otherwise they wouldn't have entrusted him with the Armored Titan—the Shield of Marley."
"Ah, that is a pity. I did want to inherit the Armored Titan back then, but alas…"
"Your grades were bottom of the pack. If not for developing this ability to command Titan soldiers, you wouldn't even be Warrior Chief."
"Haha, you're right, sir."
Zeke accepted every one of his teacher's remarks with humility and deference.
And precisely because of that, Marley—burned once by betrayal—still couldn't bring itself to trust him, harboring even more unreasonable doubts.
Magath was the Marley officer who trusted Zeke the least. In his mind, even though Zeke had denounced his own parents for being "Eldian Restorationists," at the end of the day he was still their son—born of "Eldian Restorationist" stock.
Had his parents' teachings taken root? Did he harbor thoughts of betraying Marley, his denunciation a mere ploy? No one in Marley's military knew.
For that reason he was never favored. Even when he inherited a Titan, it was the Beast Titan—useful for height, and little else by prior accounts.
No one in the Marley military imagined that Zeke would awaken a hidden power of the Beast Titan.
In numbers and sheer battlefield dominance, his Titan soldiers had become one of Marley's trump cards.
The brass grew so confident they dared leave a single ace—the Beast Titan—at home and send the other Titans to Paradis to retrieve the Founding.
To the world, Marley was fearsome, overwhelming; empowered by Titans, they were the end of days itself.
If Marley's leaders wanted a piece of land anywhere, all they needed was a word and an order; within half a month that land would be taken.
So the world began developing anti-Titan weaponry. But between inertia of thought and fear, they still didn't dare lay hands on Marley.
Because of the deployment of Titan soldiers to Paradis, Marley's outward aggression slowed, shifting largely from offense to defense.
Zeke's Titan soldiers formed a solid bulwark for Marley—but they also gave Zeke enough power to upend the board. So Marley loved and feared him in equal measure, terrified that one day he might defect like Roger.
Magath had come today to sound Zeke out. If Zeke harbored other designs, then…
He had to be eliminated.
Or the consequences would be endless.
But in truth…
Marley's military no longer dared move against Zeke.
No matter how many troops they sent, one roar from Zeke and their soldiers would turn their coats. Then total collapse was guaranteed.
Leaving the Titan Soldier Camp, Magath felt there was no room left to maneuver.
For Marley's future, a "hypocrite" like Zeke had to be guarded against.
"Inform the Commander-in-Chief: I intend to call on the Tybur family."
"Won't that be too sensitive, given the situation…?"
"We don't have time to care. If the Tyburs won't help us, Marley's future is in jeopardy."
"You're right. I'll go now."
The adjutant moved to send the message.
Then Magath remembered something.
"Any word from our Warriors inside the Walls?"
"Not yet," the adjutant said. "With human forces alone, we still can't break through the island's Titan cordon."
"Then send Zeke."
"Sir? Wouldn't that leave Marley hollow at home?"
"You still don't understand. Our greatest threat right now is Zeke," Magath said—and then realized he was saying too much. "What I just said does not leave this room. If I hear anything like it spreading, it'll be your head."
"I understand. Don't worry, I would never betray Marley."
"Good. Yelena."
Magath dismissed her, reassured.
After the great battle, Roger led his people back to the trading company.
The Scorpion Trading Company handled the bulk of their freight hauling, and for certain sensitive jobs, it offered special services as well.
Nelly had been the acting head from the start, and the operation had taken shape. Roger rarely meddled. The company kept booming, brimming with vitality, as if nothing could slow its growth; revenue climbed with each passing day.
Whenever the monthly net-profit report landed in his hands, he would sincerely marvel—"Nelly is a miracle worker"—a one-in-ten-thousand talent.
Fighting might be his weak point, but for business acumen, Nelly left his peers in the dust; they couldn't hope to compete.
The organization's finances were practically sustained by the Scorpion Trading Company's free-running growth. On that foundation, nearly every plan Roger sketched for the armed wing could actually be realized.
Losing Nelly would be a major blow. But thinking it through—Nelly was a man who pursued profit and avoided harm, clear-eyed about his goals—Roger didn't worry. He figured Nelly would be back.
Like the masses: they help whoever wins. Otherwise, no matter how you agitate them, they won't risk everything.
They're afraid.
Nelly is different. He moves for profit.
Sure enough, after Roger slept like the dead in his room for a night…
The next morning, a knock at his door. Tours came grinning.
Nelly was back.
Not only that—he'd brought a crowd that filled the entire street.
They all wanted to join the Scorpio Unit!
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810.