Three Viewpoints: Selected Cases

The Case of the Anonymous Invitation - File No. 10 Marco’s Side (1/3)





Before the recruits could sit down for their long-awaited dinner, Marco was stopped by an instructor. In his hands was a wooden box filled with stacks of paper.

“Marco Bott… You’re on duty today, right? This is mail for the recruits.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll be sure they get this.”

Marco gave the soldiers their letters from family and friends as per his assignment. Just as he thought about sitting down, he noticed one letter left at the bottom of the box.

“Hm? This envelope… Where’s the address?”

He picked it up and checked both sides, but it was only addressed to the recruits of the South 104th Training Corps, his own group. There was no indication of any name.

…Who could it be for?

••••••

…Maybe I should return it to the instructors. I’ll bring it back to them later, Marco thought, and held on to the mysterious envelope before starting his dinner. Jean, who sat next to him, quickly noticed the item placed next to Marco’s plate.

“Is that for you? It’s a pretty nice envelope.”

“No… I’m not sure. There’s not even a sender written on the outside…”

The corpsmates were starved for a good story during their grueling days spent training, so when they heard Marco say this, they excitedly joined in.

“If it just says it’s for the South 104th Training Corps, couldn’t that mean it’s for all of us?”

“Or maybe…it’s a trap set by the instructors to see if they can spot a spy?”

“Pop quizzes even during mealtime? Give me a break.”

As the young soldiers bantered back and forth, Marco was pensive.

I see… If it is part of our training… I would be the responsible party here.

He thought for a while before coming to his decision.

“Okay, let’s try opening it. I’ll take responsibility.”

“Nice, Marco!”

Marco calmed his cheering corpsmates before slowly tearing it open. A piece of letterhead just as fancy as its envelope was inside, and it contained beautifully written words…

…What?!

What Marco saw on the letter was much more complicated than he expected.

Can I…really read this out loud?

“What’s the matter? Was it a trap from the instructors after all?”

“No…it doesn’t look like that, but…”

While he hesitated to read it aloud, it was something he needed them to know. He looked the sheet of paper over from corner to corner, and only when he could find nothing that would identify who it was addressed to, Marco asked everyone to be quiet.

“…No, I think I need to be serious about passing along these feelings. If anyone thinks this is for them, raise your hand, even if I’m still talking.”

Marco calmed himself as much as he could before beginning to read in an objective tone.

“‘You saved me during training the other day. I just had to tell you how I felt, which is why I decided to write this letter…’”

“What…?”

••••••

“‘…You must be tired from all of your training. There is a restaurant I often patronize in Trost District. I’d like to ask you to join me for meal there. I await your reply.’ …That’s all the letter says.“

Marco looked through the crowd to see if anyone had identified themselves as the letter’s addressee…but instead, all of his corpsmates were talking among one another.

"A-An invitation to a meal?”

“Doesn’t that mean it's…”

“A love letter to one of us?!”

The recruits had read into the meaning of the letter, and now they all excitedly looked at one another.

“Huh? …No one knows whose this might be?”

Marco tilted his head, causing Jean to slump his shoulders beside him.

“Even if they did, they’re not going to say it was them after that letter! They’re gonna reply in secret, duh!”

“…Will they really?”

“…I’m at least glad to know that it’s not for you.”

Well…I guess it’s fine so long as someone replies, even if it’s in secret.

With that, Marco felt that the case of this letter was over. However, he had planted the seeds of endless rumors among the *Survey Corps.

••••

••••••

*It’s likely here, the Official Translator, Ko Ransom, had made a mistake in translation and meant to say “Training Corps”! (• ε •)

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories 2

[ PART 2 | PART 3 ]