"Please!"
Outside the dining hall, the three of them called out to Rayan. Eren spoke with utmost seriousness, his eyes burning with urgency and anxiety.
"Rayan, today, I saw that you also failed many times before you succeeded! This shows that we both have very poor talent! But, I want to know how you managed to succeed!"
...
Rayan stared at Eren, thinking how stubborn the kid was. Armin and Mikasa both looked somewhat awkward, as asking someone for help while admitting they had poor talent seemed a bit lacking in emotional intelligence.
"Eren..." Armin hurriedly tugged at his arm, smiled at Rayan, and tried to smooth things over. "Um, Eren didn't mean it like that, he just wants to ask you for some advice."
"What are you talking about, Armin? That's exactly what I meant!"
...
"Eren." Mikasa spoke this time. Eren looked into her eyes and seemed to understand something. He recalled his words, and his expression shifted.
He immediately felt some remorse. "Sorry, Rayan, I didn't mean it like that. It's just... I just want to succeed! I want to be able to do it too!"
As expected, someone with such a strong sense of purpose. Rayan looked at the determination in Eren's eyes, thinking that only someone with this unwavering resolve, once he decided on something, could perfectly control the "Attack Titan."
"I don't have any special experience to offer," Rayan said. "It's just that the body isn't used to it at first, but after a few failures, it gets better. I believe it's the same for everyone else, right, Armin?"
"...Yeah."
Armin nodded. He didn't want to hurt Eren's feelings, but, as Rayan said, there was really no secret to it. It wasn't about some highly technical work; it was simply a matter of practice making perfect.
However, when Eren heard this, it felt like a heavy blow to him. His face turned pale, lips pressed tightly together, filled with disappointment.
"Is that so, then I..."
Rayan sighed softly, looking at Eren.
"Eren, have you ever considered that the problem might not be with you?"
"...What?" Eren was stunned, confused by Rayan's words.
"I mean, you've been diligent, more diligent than anyone else. But if you keep failing and can't succeed even once, then maybe it's not your fault."
"Not my fault?!" Eren asked, puzzled. "Whose fault is it then?"
Rayan looked toward the sky outside. The sun hadn't set yet, and he spoke, "Follow me."
Without waiting for a response, he walked off. Eren, seeing a glimmer of hope, immediately followed. Armin and Mikasa exchanged glances, unsure of what Rayan meant, but they followed too.
The four made their way to the boys' dormitory. Rayan told them to wait outside for a moment before going inside. After a short while, he returned, carrying his waist belt and straps.
"This is..."
"If it's not your fault, then maybe it's the problem with this thing. This thing is also man-made. Who can guarantee it won't break?"
The three of them were stunned. They hadn't thought of this possibility.
"Indeed!" Armin said, realization dawning on him. "If this is broken, then Eren..."
"I'll go try it now!"
Eren snatched the waist belt and straps from Rayan's hand and rushed towards the training grounds.
"Eren!"
Mikasa and Armin immediately chased after him, while Rayan walked slowly behind, muttering to himself as he went.
"Such a small change shouldn't cause any problems, right..."
Indeed, Rayan could have told Eren the answer right away, but why wait until Eren approached him? It was because he didn't want to change the plot. Not even a small part of it.
After all... though Rayan now possessed one-third of a titan's power, he still couldn't guarantee he could survive in this world. The key to his survival lay in his knowledge of the plot.
And if he started changing the plot, could he handle the resulting consequences? He wasn't confident enough to risk it. Therefore, he tried his best to avoid disrupting the storyline. He refrained from actively befriending or pleasing the protagonists, hoping that doing so would minimize changes to the plot. Of course, this wasn't entirely possible.
With the existence of the "butterfly effect," even the smallest change could lead to a massive storm. So how could Rayan, just one person, not alter the world?
But for smaller matters, like Eren's failure, he could make a change without fearing the consequences. The bigger questions, such as the identities of the warriors he knew, were much more delicate. Should he reveal them? To whom?
The royal government? They would likely execute him on the spot. Commander Erwin of the Survey Corps? Perhaps, but how would Rayan explain knowing this information? A lie? He couldn't deceive someone as sharp as Erwin. With Erwin's personality, he might even restrict Rayan's freedom, which was not something he desired.
Therefore, Rayan would not reveal anything major until he was certain of his absolute safety.
Thinking this, he arrived at the training grounds.
Eren had already put on the waist belt and straps and was connecting the wires to his waist. Armin was turning the lever beside him, and Eren's feet slowly left the ground.
Armin and Mikasa watched nervously. Eren, too, was extremely anxious. His body began to shake, but the movement wasn't too intense. Then, a look of joy appeared on his face as the trembling diminished! He hurriedly composed himself and focused, keeping his balance! He managed to hold it for more than five seconds!
"I did it! I succeeded!"
Eren shouted in excitement, thrilled with his achievement.
"Mikasa! Armin! Did you see that?! I did it!!"
"Eren..." Both Mikasa and Armin couldn't help but smile. Rayan, observing from a distance, nodded slightly. Then, without disturbing the three of them, he silently turned and left
------------
Try Other Fics I Have
•SAO: I replaced him?
•Anime: I Want Harem
•DxD: I am Kanda Sorata
•Anime: Curse Of Immortality
•Genshin Impact: I have Broken System.