[Her smile turns apologetic at his startlement, and she gives his hand a friendly squeeze - he shouldn't feel like he ought to treat her any differently than he has thus far.]

...

It was. I was unable to speak of it to anyone, not even my own family. Can you believe that I volunteered for it - to be the one to inherit the lost history of the world, and the power to control the titans? I was an ignorant little girl to think that I could succeed where my uncle had failed, but... I wanted to free our people so badly. It was only after the succession ceremony that I understood why we have to live behind our Walls, that it's the only way to protect the outside world from our monstrousness and cruelty.