Morning.
Everything had finally come to an end.
The citizens stepped out into the streets, still shaken, discussing the gunfire that had echoed through the night before.
"I heard over a hundred people died…"
"Yeah. Go look at the entrance of the Military Police headquarters—the blood on the ground still hasn't been cleaned up."
"I wouldn't dare. That area's under martial law right now."
"No idea what actually happened."
The civilians didn't know who had been fighting whom, nor why. And honestly, they weren't that worried. As long as it wasn't Titans, their lives weren't really in danger.
What they didn't know was that they had once been very close to catastrophe. If Marlo had lost control and transformed inside the city, a sixty-meter Colossal Titan would have been able to wipe out entire residential districts with minimal effort, causing countless casualties.
But they didn't dwell on it for long.
Soon, the newsboys arrived, handing out newspapers. The front-page headline covered last night's gunfight. The official story claimed that bandits had colluded with certain Garrison soldiers to attack the Military Police headquarters in an attempt to rescue an important prisoner, and that the headquarters troops had bravely resisted and eliminated the enemy.
Naturally, the public accepted this explanation.
Of course, a few sharper minds still had doubts—where did the bandits get the nerve? Where did all those guns come from? Why would Garrison soldiers help them?
But such people were a minority. And within the Walls, ordinary citizens had no platform to make their voices heard. There was no "social network" capable of spreading a single person's doubts across the nation. As a result, those suspicions never caused any real waves.
The truth was that over four hundred soldiers had been killed or wounded—nearly half of the entire force involved. Commander Pixis and more than thirty senior officers were all dead. The Military Police commander, Nile, was gravely injured.
When he was rushed into emergency treatment, still conscious, his final words were:
"Tell Lillian… I resign as commander of the Military Police."
When the message reached Lillian, he understood immediately—this was submission.
There was no need to pursue the matter further. Nile was a deeply family-oriented man. After this incident, even for the sake of his loved ones, he wouldn't dare provoke Lillian again.
As for the other high-ranking officials—the commanders of other regions, the ministers, and even President Zachary—after learning of the outcome, all of them chose, tacitly, to remain silent.
No one said a word.
No one demanded Lillian be held accountable.
No one mourned the attacking force.
All fallen soldiers were buried quietly, as if the incident had never occurred at all.
Lillian knew what this meant.
The military had bowed its head.
He had already demonstrated his power—proving that even without using a Titan, he alone was capable of destroying an entire military force.
Under such circumstances, submission was the only option. No one wanted to die meaninglessly. As a result, all the previous complaints and criticisms directed at Lillian vanished overnight.
Military officers lived in fear, warning their subordinates not to provoke him. Some even went so far as to say: Don't even go near the Stohess District. If you're leaving the city, detour north or west instead.
And just like that, Stohess District finally became peaceful again.
Lillian thought that even if he disappeared for a while now, the military wouldn't dare make any reckless moves.
"You're still a bit too impatient," Carly said softly.
"…"
Lillian was sitting across from Carly inside the prison. Having finished dealing with everything the night before, he came here early in the morning.
After listening to what had happened the previous night, Carly let out a soft sigh.
"With the foundation and resources you've accumulated, there was really no need to rush like this. If you'd just waited two or three years, you would have replaced them naturally. Acting the way you did may bring strong results in the short term, but it also plants quite a few seeds of hatred."
I know, Lillian thought. But I don't have that kind of time.
Out loud, he said, "I came today to take you out."
"Oh?"
"There are some matters that require your help. I believe your abilities can make a significant contribution to life inside the Walls."
"Is that so?" Carly sounded a little confused. She sensed that Lillian wasn't just talking about having her do chemical research.
And she was right.
In Lillian's eyes, Carly was the same type of talent as Hange—gifted in science and technology, but also possessing a solid grasp of political strategy and the broader picture. That was precisely why, in the original timeline, she succeeded Erwin as commander of the Survey Corps after his death.
Of course, neither of them could compare to someone at Erwin's level, but they were far superior to most others. Over the past few days, whenever he had time, Lillian would come talk with Carly. He had more or less figured out her personality and way of thinking, which was why he decided now to bring her into his inner circle.
After all, once he left, someone with a strong sense of the bigger picture would be needed to continue leading his team forward.
Ymir and Annie were both very smart as well, but they had obvious shortcomings—neither was good at social interaction. Ymir focused almost entirely on Historia and showed little interest in anyone else. Annie, on the other hand, was cold year-round; forget socializing—she barely even talked to people she wasn't familiar with.
As for Marlo, he had loyalty in abundance, but his abilities were lacking. Perhaps after several years of experience he could stand on his own, but for now, he simply wasn't ready.
That left Carly.
This twenty-five-year-old woman had a mature mindset, a flexible brain, and a reliable grasp of the bigger picture. With her cooperation, Lillian's faction would remain stable for the foreseeable future.
"Yes. You'll be returning to headquarters with me directly," Lillian said. "I'd like to hire you as my strategist."
Carly looked at him in surprise.
"You're serious?"
"Yes. Your intelligence and your sense of the overall situation are exactly what we—what the Stohess District—need right now."
"I'm a criminal, you know."
"Then consider this a chance at redemption," Lillian said. "Use your mind and authority to do some good—to make up for the harm your drugs caused the people."
"...So that's it." Carly sighed. "No wonder you kept coming to discuss political topics with me whenever you were bored. Seems like you planned this all along."
"Yes."
"Well, then it looks like I don't really have much of a choice."
"…Let's go."
Lillian released her and took her straight to headquarters. By coincidence, they ran into Ymir, who seemed to be looking for him. When she saw him, she immediately said, "I need to talk to you."
After settling Carly temporarily, Lillian followed Ymir to the small garden behind headquarters.
"What is it?"
"How do you feel about Historia?"
"…"
Lillian frowned, confused by the suddenness—and strangeness—of the question.
"She's… very cute. Kind. Thoughtful," Lillian replied, then asked, "Why are you asking this?"
Ymir's expression was serious now, without her usual flippancy, and her tone carried no hint of teasing.
"I'm not asking you to praise her. I'm asking whether you like her."
"…"
Lillian looked at her and didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Why ask me that? Haven't you always liked Historia? Didn't you even want to marry her?"
"That's right." Ymir nodded, a trace of sorrow flashing through her eyes. "But you know, don't you?"
"Know what?"
"The lifespan problem of Titan shifters."
"…"
Lillian knew. It had been on his mind for a long time.
Ymir continued, "Of course I want to be with her. Someone as wonderful as Historia—how could she end up with men like you?" She let out a self-mocking laugh. "But I can't lie to myself. My time is probably running out. Reiner, Annie, people like them—likely even sooner. You understand, right?"
"So before it ends, I need to find someone who can protect her."
"…"
The night before, Ymir had witnessed Lillian's battle from start to finish. From that moment on, she was certain—within the Walls, perhaps even in the entire world, there was no monster like him. And that power was more than enough to protect Historia.
To be honest, she had truly felt fear then. If Lillian hadn't arrived in time, they might really have been helpless. The Survey Corps had been present too, and even Titans wouldn't have been enough to change the outcome. That realization had made her anxious.
Lillian, however… could be trusted.
And Historia cared deeply about him.
So—
"I'm sorry, Ymir."
Words she hadn't expected entered her ears.
She stared at Lillian blankly. The joke she had prepared—If you don't take care of her, I'll crawl out of the grave to find you—suddenly felt useless.
"…What did you say?"
"I… I may be leaving soon," Lillian said with difficulty. "For now, you're the only one who knows."
Ymir's gaze changed instantly. A spark of fury brewed within her eyes, and her voice turned icy.
"Where are you going?"
"To a very distant place… I don't want to go, but I have no choice."
Ymir stared at him, at the helpless look on his face. Her anger flared violently. She stepped forward, grabbed his arm with one hand, and demanded furiously:
"Why are you wearing that expression?! With your power, who could possibly force you to do something you don't want to do?! Answer me, Lillian! Are you abandoning her?!"
"I'm not invincible, Ymir," Lillian said. "But I can tell you this—I won't abandon anyone. I will come back… no matter what method it takes."
He gently removed her hand from his arm and met her gaze, his eyes sharp as a blade.
"And I'll also find a way to lift the curse on you and Annie. Something like that—don't even think about taking away the people I care about."
"You… what are you even saying?"
Ymir's expression shifted several times. She shook Lillian's hand off and took a few steps back. Her body stiffened slightly as she turned away. After walking a few steps, she stopped again.
"I won't tell Historia about you leaving. You can tell her yourself…" She paused, then added fiercely, "I'm warning you, shorty! You'd better explain it properly. If you make her cry, I won't let you get away with it!"