Every day, Mathias’ father Jörg drilled into him all kinds of knowledge, from stock fulfillment, sales strategies, and managerial techniques to methods of ingratiating oneself with the royal government. It wasn’t an easy life, but it was worthwhile. And Mathias believed it when Jörg told him that hardship builds character.
“Well, I think it’s admirable. In light of our situation,” Doris turned her eyes to her daughter.
Rita shrank into her chair. “You’re making my ears sting.”
“When this one was little, she was always calling ‘Daddy’ and trying hard to learn the ropes.”
“Medicine?”
“That’s right. Then before we know it she finds this obsession with being athletic. I do wonder if it was in her blood.”
“Huh? My blood?”
“Oh, nothing. Umm…you know…just that I used to be partial to a bit of exercise, too, when I was younger.” The answer sounded evasive especially since this was Doris.
“You did? I didn’t know that about you, Mom.”
“Anyhow,” Henning intervened, “Rita doesn’t need to worry about the business.” No doubt thinking about the apothecary below, he threw an unconscious glance toward the stairs. “I’d be happy to end it at my generation. It’s nothing special.”
“Yes, I suppose so,” Doris seconded with a big nod.
“You don’t need to do that! I’m not going to let it fold. I’m planning to take it over someday, and I still study remedies…sometimes?”
“Don’t look at me,” Mathias recused himself with a wry smile.
Their dinner to celebrate Rita’s entry into the Garrison proceeded without further mishap. Eventually it grew late, and they brought it to a close.
“I’ll walk with you back to the mansion,” Rita offered as Mathias got to his feet.
“No, it’s okay. You’d be alone for the return trip. That’s far more dangerous.”
“I’ll be fine, I’ve got my training. What do you think I joined the Garrison for?”
“Yes, it is what she does now!” “A first duty to commemorate!” her parents chimed in.
“Well, if you insist…”
Losing three against one, Mathias left the house with Rita.
Together they wended through the nighttime town’s alleys.
The sky blinked with stars. The streets were cast in pale light from the nearby houses. It was busier than they’d expected, and they passed people scurrying home, late-shift workers on their way out, jovial drunks.
“It really is great news. Congratulations,” Mathias said, still faced forwards.
“Thanks.”
“I’d have probably been against it if you’d said it was the Survey Corps. But I’m honestly glad to hear you joined the Garrison.”
The former was tasked to investigate the world outside the walls. As they were all but guaranteed to encounter and battle with Titans, more than twenty percent of their number ended up losing their lives with each operation.
“My parents said the same. That they’d have been against my joining the Survey Corps.”
“The Garrison also performs bodyguard duty, doesn’t it? For example, escorting merchant association members when they travel to other towns.”
“That’s right.”
Journeying to another town did not mean leaving the walls to brave the lands where the Titans roamed. It only necessitated crossing through the interior. An escort detail merely needed to watch out for bandits or feral dogs.
Mathias went on. “So there’s a chance we could travel together. South to Shiganshina, or into the interior and Fuerth.”
“That…would be great. I’ll make sure to do my best.”
“Do your best?”
“They’re more open to requests if you’ve performed well.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Yeah.”
Rita let her hand brush over the hilt of the blade slung around her waist. The sheath contained the firing control for the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment; on her back she wore the motor that recoiled the wire. Mathias couldn’t say it really suited her. Maybe he just needed to grow used to seeing her with it on.
“The truth is, I wanted to join too.”
“Join? The Corps?”
“Right. The Training Corps.” Before he realized, Mathias had begun his confession. He wasn’t even sure why he’d chosen to broach the topic.
“You did?”
“I actually told Father I wanted to join, one time. It didn’t work. He just told me: ‘Everyone has a duty to fulfill. Yours is to devote yourself to people as part of the merchant association.’” Mathias had spent a long period in deliberation but had eventually taken his father’s words on board.
“Wow. I had no idea.”
“That would be because I never told you.”
They crossed a stone bridge. There was the faint susurration of water. Moonlight sparkled, reflecting off the surface.
Mathias continued to talk, his mouth seeming to work independently of his will. “I sometimes wonder why it has to be me. I think to myself that anyone could perform the same duty, and just as well. That all I have going for me is that I happened to be born a Kramer.”
“That’s just─”
“Which is why,” Mathias cut in, “I wanted to believe I had at least the same abilities as everyone else. To prove I was skilled enough to be a soldier if I’d wanted. Then I’d be choosing to serve in the merchant association.”
“That’s why you wanted to join the Corps?”
“Yes.”
“Nonsense.” Rita gave a reprimanding shake of her head. “You work really hard. You say you just happened to be born a Kramer, and yes, perhaps that’s true, but I’m sure people who weren’t born into it mostly don’t show your level of determination.”
Taken aback by this, Mathias found himself gazing intently into Rita’s face. She wasn’t particularly taciturn, but she certainly wasn’t the type to wax eloquent.
Nevertheless, it was with increasing fire that Rita continued, “There are so many jobs in the world, it’s impossible to experience them all. So there’s no way to really know who’s best suited to a particular role. In other words…I’m not sure how to say this, but all we can do is choose the work we’d be best at from among whatever options we have.”
Mathias was stunned. Until then he’d always considered Rita his junior, psychologically. He’d styled himself a kind of guardian who watched out for her. Perhaps the opposite had been true.