The Unicorn's Plight

The Unicorn's Plight (一角獣の陥穽) is the 3rd chapter of the 3rd volume and the 10th chapter overall of the Attack on Titan: Before the Fall manga, written by Ryō Suzukaze and illustrated by Satoshi Shiki.

Summary
An angry crowd gathers at the edge of Wall Maria, and demands to know when the Survey Corps will be returning. As more and more people grow agitated due to the Corps' late return, Sharle Inocencio begins to worry for Kuklo. A member of the crowd notices the Garrison setting up the cannons atop Wall Maria, and the crowd begins to worry that the Corps is engaging a Titan outside the Walls. As bells begin to sound, Wall Maria's gate begins to rise. The crowd begins to celebrate, but are silenced by the sight of the Corps' beaten and frightened soldiers rushing in. As members of the Garrison attempt to hold back the crowd, Sharle is horrified to see that the cart Kuklo left in was not with the returning soldiers. As some of the crowd begins to leave, they notice another returning Corps member, and identify him as Carlo Pikale. Sharle, however, is more excited to see Kuklo returning with him.

As the gates close, Carlo asks Kuklo if he was able to get what he was looking for by looking at a Titan. After a moment's consideration, Kuklo confirms that he found what he was looking for. Looking at the crowd, Kuklo asks Carlo why they have gathered, and Carlo guesses that they gathered to give the Corps a parade, but that the Corps' return seems to have disappointed them. As Kuklo prepares to slip away in the crowd, Carlo asks him if he obtained the skills he displayed while fighting the Titan from burglary, which Kuklo quickly denies. Carlo asks him if he has learned a form of hand-to-hand fighting, and Kuklo begins to worry that he is losing his chance to escape, and suggests that Carlo wave to the spectators. Carlo, however, tells Kuklo that the expedition was not for show. Kuklo asks what the expedition was for, and Carlo explains that it was for observation and training, before Kuklo interfered. Kuklo, ashamed, asks if he is to blame for the deaths of the other soldiers, but Carlo blames his own ineptitude.

The two fall into silence for a moment, before Carlo suddenly asks for Kuklo's name. Kuklo begins to answer, but is cut off by the abrupt stop of Carlo's horse by the Military Police Brigade. The commander of the Military Police, Gloria Bernhart, steps forward, and introduces herself, before demanding that Carlo hand over Kuklo. Carlo asks Kuklo if he ever did anything that would result in him being watched before sneaking into the Survey Corps' expedition, and Kuklo desperately denies doing anything. Gloria informs Carlo that Kuklo was smuggled into Shiganshina a few days prior and was under suspicion of committing serious crimes, including murder, robbery, and kidnapping. She informs Carlo that his name Kuklo and, to Carlo's surprise, was formerly known as "The Titan's Child."

As Kuklo continues to deny Gloria's claims, Carlo remembers when he first found Kuklo, and realizes that he is the son of the deceased Heath Munsell. Gloria reminds Carlo that, if he is worried about the continued existence of the Survey Corps, he will do as asked and hand over Kuklo. To Kuklo, horror, the surrounding crowd hears Gloria's words, and begins talking about him, noting that Titans only bring about trouble. Kuklo becomes even more dejected when Carlo agrees to hand him over, but his attention is drawn to Sharle in the crowd. As Kuklo attempts to avoid her gaze, he gives her knife to Carlo for safe-keeping. Carlo accepts it, and as Kuklo leaves with the Military Police, Sharle tries to decide what to do. As she watches Carlo, she is surprised to see him watching her, and wonders if he saw her.

As night falls, Carlo reviews some paperwork, solemnly noting how many people want to leave the Survey Corps after seeing a Titan. Carlo asks the soldier accompanying him if anyone else has requested to transfer, and the soldier tearfully admits that he wants to transfer also. The soldier tries to explain himself, but Carlo stops him, explaining that he will honor all requests to transfer, before thanking the soldier for his service.

After the soldier departs, Carlo sorrowfully observes that the quality of the Survey Corps has deteriorated compared to his father's generation, and wonders if a fifteen-year gap between expeditions was too long. He then admits that he himself is not much of a fighter, and has no right to judge his comrades. He is then informed that he has a visitor in the form of Sharle. As they meet, Carlo informs Sharle that he has heard everything about her and Kuklo from the Military Police, including the fact that Kuklo is the Titan's Son. Sharle informs him that she has something she wants to talk to him about.

Carlo offers Sharle tea as they talk, and Sharle asks him what the Military Police are going to do to Kuklo. Carlo informs her that he is likely being taken to Wall Sheena, and as Sharle ponders this, Carlo reminds her of Kuklo's charges; killing Dario Inocencio, the Incocencio family's servants, and kidnapping Sharle herself. Carlo asks Sharle if Kuklo actually committed these crimes, which Sharle immediately denies. Carlo notes that her reaction is the same as Kuklo's, but informs her that Kuklo's crimes have a witness: Sharle's brother Xavi Inocencio, who testified against Kuklo. Carlo asks Sharle if Xavi is wrong, and she confirms that he is, and that the murders were committed by members of the Titan Cult. Carlo asks if Kuklo was the one who incited the cult members, but Sharle admits, ashamed, that her family kept Kuklo locked in their basement, so there was no way he could have contacted the Cult members. Carlo realizes that he might be partly to blame for Kuklo's cruel life. When he asks her if she is sure Kuklo could not have contacted them, Sharle sorrowfully admits that Kuklo had been chained up, and only recently learned to speak anyway. Hearing this, Carlo notes that Kuklo has not been living as a human, but rather as a Titan's child his entire life.

Elsewhere, Kuklo is savagely beaten by members of the Military Police.