Reluctant Heroes: Levi x Reader (Erwin's daughter)

Chapter 31- The truth

"So what's the deal with all the secrecy, huh?" I questioned Erwin as we sat in his office.

"(Y/N), there's something I want you to have," he proceeded to reach into one of his drawers and pulled out what looked like a ring box, and handed it to me.

"What is this?" I asked in confusion.

"It belonged to your mother. Open it."

I opened it and sure enough there was a ring inside. It was beautiful, it had a small diamond and some pretty engravings on it. "This was mom's? Why do you have it?"

"Well you see, I gave it to her."

"You mean like you proposed? Or what?" He was being so vague for some reason.

"Yes. I proposed to your mother after finding out she was pregnant," he started. It seemed like this was hard for him to talk about, and I was about to find out why. "But, you see, she gave it back to me just a few months later."

"Wait. Lemme get this straight. You're saying that you proposed to my mom, and she accepted... and then a few months later she... called off the engagement?"

"Precisely."

"Now why would she do that?" This wasn't making any sense at all. They were really engaged at one point? Why didn't anyone ever tell me this?

"Well, that's where it gets complicated," he began. 'Isn't this already complicated?!' I thought. He continued, "you see, your mother and I had a whirlwind of a romance. The whole affair only lasted about 5 months. But it was a wonderful 5 months," he said with a small smile.

I couldn't help but smile slightly as well. 'So he really did love her then, but... why would she call it off?' I thought before he continued on with the story.

"We found out she was pregnant about two months in, and I proposed right after. Everything went well for the next few months, we were living together and planning the wedding, and I was doing the best I could to be there with her as much as I could while still being in the military. Then, one day, when I came home... she wasn't there. She left a letter for me, ending the engagement and saying that she wasn't coming back. She left the ring with it. I never saw her again after that."

My heart shattered at that moment. 'Mom left him? Just like that? She had the chance to marry him, and give me the chance to have a dad, but she didn't.' At this point, the tears were starting to come out. "I'm so sorry... I don't understand, why would she do that?"

Dad handed me a handkerchief to wipe my tears before continuing, "I'll get to that, but first, there's something I need to explain to you. It's about my past."

"O-okay," I replied as I attempted to stifle my tears.

"My father- he was a teacher. One day, we were learning the history of the walls. To protect themselves from the Titans, humanity took refuge within the walls and realized 100 years of peace. But in this process, we lost all records of what humanity's earlier past might've looked like. That's what we were all taught. However, having doubts of my own... I asked my father a question. He evaded the question, and ended class as usual. But... once we got home, my father answered my question. He said the history books given by the government were full of contradictions and mysteries. He then proceeded to tell me a theory of his. There was a reason he didn't share that theory with the entire class, but I wasn't smart enough to see it. I told the other children what he had told me, and one day, the MPs arrived to question me. My father didn't come home that night. They said he died in a freak accident. But I knew that wasn't true. He'd been silenced by the government. 107 years ago, when humanity fled to these walls, the king altered their collective memory to make them easier to rule. That was my father's theory."

"Holy shit," I whispered as I took it all in. I was completely shocked by his story, but I was beginning to understand. "Mom... she used to talk about that theory. I never knew how she came up with that."

"Yes, after I joined the scouts, she was the only person I talked about it with. I became obsessed with proving my father's theory. It was my dream. My whole purpose for joining the scouts and fighting was to prove my father's theory to be correct. I was fighting for myself. For my own dream. Your mother knew that better than anyone. She saw me for the monster I truly am. In her letter, she explained that she believed in my dream, and my father's theory, and that she needed to leave so that I could fulfill that dream. Your mother understood that I would have to let go of everything dear to me to face the monsters and create the change I wanted to see. Seeing how conflicted I was between the choice of having a family and pursuing my dream, she made the choice for me. I thought I could do both, but I've proven myself wrong. Look what I've become... I've sent you, my own daughter, into the face of death along with countless other soldiers, not for the sake of humanity, but for my own selfish dream."

"Now I understand... mom left because she knew we'd only get in the way," In that moment, I felt a sense of clarity.

"No, she left because she wanted a better life for you. She didn't want you being corrupted by my selfish ways. Your mother couldn't allow you to be cast aside by me in my pursuit of the truth. She wouldn't want you following me straight into the hands of the titans. She realized the monster I was even before I did. And here I am, using you as one of my elite soldiers, sending you straight into hell again and again, in pursuit of my dream. I'm sorry, (Y/N)."

"If that's your dream, then I support you fully. I'll follow you straight to hell if that's what it takes. I want to help you prove your father's theory. I don't care if your reasons are selfish. Without you, humanity wouldn't have come this far."

He then stood up from his seat and came over to give me a hug. I stood up too so that we could embrace. "I love you (Y/N)."

"I love you too, dad," I started crying again as we embraced. I was still taking in everything he had just said, and honestly I didn't even know what to think of it all. It was going to take me a while to process all that information.