It was Hange’s first time venturing beyond the Walls.

Down by the harbor, the air was alive with scents and sounds—food stalls sizzling with unfamiliar aromas, shops displaying goods unlike anything the Survey Corps had ever seen. Or rather, unlike anything the people of Eldia had ever seen. And of course, the one most visibly excited was none other than Hange herself.

For someone who thrived on discovery, who lived to seek out new things, this was paradise. They drank in every detail—until their gaze caught on her.

A woman stood alone at the edge of the pier, the wind tugging gently at her hair as she gazed out over the vast, glittering sea. There was something about her—something strange, magnetic—that sent Hange’s heart into a frantic rhythm.

They wanted to walk over, to say something, anything—If only Levi’s grip on their arm wasn’t holding them back so firmly.