For several days in a row, the mainland remained unnervingly calm. No more Titan incidents erupted within the interior, and Lock's unit had fully taken over the defense of the districts housing the nobility, high-ranking officials, and the wealthiest families.
The difference was immediately obvious.
Where the Military Police and the Garrison had been lax, scattered, or terrified, Lock's soldiers stood like iron statues—disciplined, sharp-eyed, and radiating a killing intent that made even veteran officers straighten unconsciously.
To the elites, these soldiers were a blessing they didn't deserve.
To the civilians, Lock himself had become something beyond a commander. He had become a symbol—someone whose mere presence caused Titans to vanish, someone who could bring peace simply by standing in the same district.
Of course, that reputation didn't appear overnight.
Lock's long track record of slaying Titans, the victories he'd led, and his steady, calculated influence among the public had created that image. His subordinates quietly amplified it through the flow of information and public sentiment.
The surface looked peaceful.
Underneath, turbulence simmered.
Deep within the Reiss family's hidden cavern—
Rod Reiss lounged on his high seat, his gaze flicking between Lock and the restrained form of Dina Fritz's mindless Titan lying nearby. He looked both fascinated and unsettled. Although he had ruled behind the scenes for years and knew the secrets of Titan power, he had rarely seen a Titan so close.
"You performed admirably," Rod said with satisfaction.
Lock bowed his head modestly. "Just my duty."
"Don't be modest," Rod chuckled. "You truly are exceptional."
Then his expression sharpened.
"Have you discovered who was behind the Titan attacks in the interior?"
"We have clues."
Lock smiled lightly. "But I'm curious—how do you intend to handle those intruders from beyond the Walls?"
Rod's eyebrows rose. "As expected of you—you understand quickly. Of course, we'll kill them all. Outsiders are not welcome here."
Lock's expression didn't change. "And after that?"
Rod blinked. "After…? Everything continues as it has. I remain behind the curtain. You wield authority on the surface. I won't interfere with you—as long as you don't violate my beliefs."
He paused, then added with a cold edge:
"And if you insist on opposing me… remember, all your power was granted by me. I can take it back whenever I wish."
Murderous intent thickened the air.
Rod's meaning could not have been clearer.
Lock nodded placidly. "Understood."
Rod relaxed.
"Good. Then—come meet my family."
He called out loudly.
Figures emerged from the stone formations behind the cavern, moving in a slow, ritualistic line. At their front walked a young woman with long dark hair and distant eyes.
"These are my children," Rod said warmly.
But the woman at the front wasn't looking at Rod. Her gaze was fixed entirely on Lock.
"You're very ambitious," she murmured.
Lock's brow lifted.
"Thank you for the compliment."
"Frieda, enough nonsense," Rod snapped.
"Yes, Father."
Frieda's voice was gentle but hollow, her expression dazed—as if she were half lost in her own mind.
Lock understood immediately.
So this is the Founding Titan's current host.
"I thought I would need to hunt for her," Lock thought, "but it seems fate is saving me the trouble."
Frieda continued to stare, unreadable.
Rod sighed. "Forgive her. She's always been like this."
"It's probably a side effect of inheriting the Founding Titan," Lock said quietly. "She hasn't fully succumbed to the vow of non-war."
Rod's eyes widened. He shot to his feet.
"You—how dare you speak of that?!"
Lock's voice became ice.
"I know exactly what I'm saying. And I've given you every chance. But you're still clinging to your old delusions. I can't allow someone like you to continue ruling Paradis."
Rod trembled with fury.
"You insolent brat… you're courting death!"
He turned sharply toward Kenny Ackerman.
"Kenny! Kill him!"
But Kenny didn't move.
He just smiled—not kindly, but with mocking amusement.
Rod froze.
Then realization struck him like lightning.
"You… traitors!"
He whirled.
"Frieda!"
"Yes, Father," Frieda answered in a soft trance. She drew a small blade, lifting it toward her forearm.
But a hand seized her wrist—
Two crisp cracks echoed—
Kenny had dislocated her arm with clinical precision before she could cut herself.
Frieda didn't scream. She didn't wince. She merely stared blankly, as though pain were a concept far away from her.
"Sorry," Kenny said lightly. "Can't let you shift right now."
Behind them, the rest of the Reiss children panicked and rushed toward their sister.
Rod didn't hesitate.
The moment he saw he couldn't transform Frieda in time, he bolted for one of the escape passages.
"When I get out of here," he shouted over his shoulder, "I'll show you what happens to traitors!"
As the supposed supreme ruler, Rod still had forces he believed he could rely on.
Lock watched him flee with a faint sneer.
"So this is the man ruling Paradis. Pathetic. He abandoned his family without a second thought."
Kenny approached Lock with Frieda held safely by the shoulder.
"What about them?" Kenny jerked his head toward the panicked Reiss children. "Want me to clean them up?"
Frieda suddenly looked more present—her fogged eyes clearing just enough to show fear.
"Please… let them go. They're innocent."
Lock studied her for a moment.
She was lucid now—barely, but enough to speak with intention.
He shook his head slowly.
"I'm sorry. I can't afford to leave hidden threats behind."
Frieda's face fell—but Lock continued:
"But don't worry. I've left your family a spark."
Frieda froze.
Her lips trembled slightly.
"A… spark?"
Her expression wavered between confusion and understanding, then settled into something complicated… almost grateful.
"…Thank you," she whispered.
The cavern echoed with the sound of collapsing loyalties, shifting power, and the quiet beginning of a new era.
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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