Am I in Attack on Titan with a Death Note???

"Hmm."

"I wonder what the reaction of the Colossal Titan will be after finding out his friend died for no reason?" Zen muttered, staring off into the distance.

Somewhere Inside the Walls...

Bertholdt sat in silence, his expression unreadable as he processed the failure of their mission. The gate to Wall Rose still stood, untouched. It was supposed to be Reiner's job to break through, yet for some reason, it hadn't been done. That meant Bertholdt had to go back, transform again, and finish what Reiner failed to do.

His fists clenched. "Why… Why do I have to clean up after him?"

The more he thought about it, the more his frustration grew. He trusted Reiner to handle this part of the plan, yet now he had to take the risk again. He would have to expose himself, become a massive target, and endure the painful transformation once more.

His breath was shaky. His body felt tense. But he had no choice.

Standing up, he turned toward the walls in the distance, preparing himself for what came next.

"Reiner… You better have a damn good reason for this."

 ...

Next Morning

Zen slowly woke up as the morning sunlight hit his face. Blinking a few times, he let out a quiet sigh before sitting up.

A pleasant scent filled the air.

"Food?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes. His gaze drifted toward the kitchen, where he saw Carla moving about, preparing breakfast. Mikasa stood nearby, quietly assisting her.

The peaceful scene was oddly comforting. It was easy to forget the chaos looming over them.

Pushing himself off the bed, Zen stretched before making his way over. "Morning," he greeted casually.

Carla glanced back with a warm smile. "Good morning, Zen. Did you sleep well?"

"Well enough," he replied, taking a seat. His eyes shifted toward Mikasa, who simply nodded in acknowledgment before returning to her task.

"Where's Eren?" Zen asked, keeping his tone casual.

Carla's hands paused for a moment before she sighed. "That's what I was wondering too. He didn't come home last night."

Zen leaned back slightly. "Huh. That's unlike him."

Carla frowned. "That boy… Always causing trouble."

Mikasa, however, didn't seem convinced. Her sharp gaze lingered on Zen. "...You're not worried?"

Zen met her stare with a faint smile. "Of course I am. But you know how he is—he never backs down. He probably got caught up in something again."

Mikasa's eyes narrowed slightly. "You say that like you know exactly what he's doing."

Zen exhaled, keeping his expression neutral. "I don't. But Eren talks a lot about wanting to prove himself, right? It's not hard to guess he'd be up to something reckless."

Mikasa didn't respond right away, her suspicion still lingering, but she had less reason to question him now.

Carla placed a plate in front of Zen, breaking the moment. "Eat up before it gets cold."

Zen nodded in thanks and took a bite. "He'll turn up soon, you'll see."

Mikasa remained silent for a moment before turning back to Carla. "...I'm going for a walk."

Carla glanced at her. "Alright, just be careful."

Mikasa gave a small nod before stepping outside, closing the door behind her.

Zen tapped his fingers lightly against the table, watching Carla as she moved around the kitchen. Now that they were alone, he figured it wouldn't hurt to plant a few seeds. Subtle. Just enough to get her thinking.

He exhaled, shaking his head slightly. "It must be tough."

Carla turned to him with a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

Zen leaned back in his chair, letting out a low chuckle. "Raising Eren on your own, pretty much. I mean, Grisha's barely around, isn't he?"

Carla's smile faltered for a second. It was quick, but Zen caught it.

"He's busy with his work," she said, though there was something a little weaker in her voice.

Zen shrugged. "Yeah, I get it. Being a doctor and all. But still… feels like you're the one who's always left to handle everything."

Carla didn't respond right away. She turned back to her task, wiping the counter a little slower this time.

Zen took another bite of his food, acting casual. "Must be frustrating sometimes. Having to be the one Eren actually listens to, while Grisha just… does whatever it is he does."

There it was again. That slight hesitation.

Carla didn't respond right away. She turned back to her task, wiping the counter a little slower this time.

There it was again. That slight hesitation.

The Shinigami, Kuyr, stood just beside him, watching with mild amusement. "Hmm… You are also good… at this…"

Zen didn't react, keeping his expression neutral. 

And this wasn't real manipulation. He wasn't twisting Carla into something unnatural, just… nudging her toward the thoughts she likely already had. He wasn't making her into some kind of sacrifice.