Within Wall Rose, in a secluded basement, the dim light of a fireplace illuminated the narrow space.
Rod Reiss looked gaunt. The once burly Lord Reiss had lost dozens of kilos during his year of seclusion.
The old government had been overthrown, the nobles had died at the hands of the Female Titan, and new weapons against the Titans had been introduced…
Each new piece of news put him on edge, preventing him from sleeping well at night.
He was afraid of being found, afraid of being arrested by the new government, afraid of never seeing the light of day again, afraid of death…
The only possibility of turning things around was to reclaim the power of the Founding Titan.
However… there was only one person left who could inherit the Founder's legacy, and that was Rod Reiss himself.
He had foreseen this situation, which is why he spared the life of his youngest daughter, Historia, so that she could inherit the Founder in the future.
But unexpectedly, the new government took Historia away.
The capital had fallen under the control of the new government, and Historia was under strict protection in every aspect of her daily life. Armed soldiers surrounded her 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and even Kenny Ackerman admitted to feeling oppressed.
In other words, only Rod Reiss remained capable of assuming this responsibility.
But… Rod knew very well what it meant to inherit from the Founder.
His younger brother, Uri, who was even younger than him, had died many years ago.
Once you inherit that power, you can only live for thirteen more years. Not only that, but your spirit will be devoured by that entity, and you will never again have anything that could be called "yourself."
That was no different from being dead.
His father ended up like that, his brother Uri was like that, and his daughter Frieda was also like that.
He had seen everything; he had no intention of inheriting his ancestor's legacy. After the government released the information, he immediately backed down.
There was even a sense of relief; the government had taken the Founder's power, and they had no chance of turning the situation around. They had lost.
Rod acknowledged defeat. He did not beg to preserve his status or his property. The rights of the Reiss faction did not matter much to him. He simply wanted to survive and live a little longer, so he wrote to the government.
Knock, knock, knock…
Someone knocked on the door.
"It's me, Kenny."
Rod's heart pounded. He placed a hand on his chest and opened the basement door.
The moment the door opened, Rod was startled. Kenny was not alone; several soldiers followed behind him.
They were soldiers of the new government. Kenny had defected, and they were there to arrest him!
"Look how scared you are, Lord Rod." Kenny laughed and patted Rod on the shoulder. "Don't be afraid. I've already spoken with them. As long as you behave, nothing will happen."
Before Rod collapsed to the ground, someone caught him.
…
That same afternoon, Lord Reiss was taken to the residence of a local noble.
The meal was neither simple nor luxurious—just a piece of toast, a plate of grilled lamb ribs, and a glass of wine—but for Rod, it was a delicious meal he had not tasted in a long time.
Rod took a seat and clinked glasses with the young man sitting across from him, while armed soldiers surrounded them.
"Mr. Reiss, Mr. Kenny must have explained our conditions to you before you came, correct? Shall I repeat them?"
"That won't be necessary, Congressman Gale," Rod said, lowering his guard. "I am willing to accept your conditions. The Reiss family has four forms of Titan serum, and I will hand them over. I will tell you the truth about the method and tools used to produce the liquid, and I will never see Historia again."
"I'm glad you're a reasonable person. So, Lord Reiss, starting tomorrow, head to the Special District of Karanes. My people will provide you with a new identity."
Gale raised his hand, and someone took out a document prepared in advance and handed it to Rod.
This was his household registration information and the detailed restrictions. He was forced to change his name and would have to live under the surveillance of the Survey Corps for the rest of his life.
Although his life became restricted and he could no longer enjoy his former wealth and luxuries, it was still better than losing his life.
After the meal, Rod wrote down the formula for the Titan serum on a piece of paper.
However, the most crucial aspect of producing that potion was not the formula, but the method of preparation.
Since its main component is the cerebrospinal fluid of Titans, it must be kept in a vacuum environment. Otherwise, upon contact with air, its components will evaporate and it will quickly lose its effectiveness.
The Reiss family had always used ancestral tools to extract Titan fluid from the Founding Titan and manufacture the serum.
"That tool is in the basement of the church in Reiss territory. This is the key to the basement." Rod took a carved key from his pocket.
"What kind of tool is it, Mr. Reiss? Could you give me a brief description?" Gale took the key.
"It's an iron box containing a sophisticated instrument. To prevent damage, the Reiss family has never opened it."
"How is it used?"
"Normally, before the Titan's body completely evaporates, a section of the spine is extracted."
"The instrument has a structure similar to a drill. The drill is used to bore into the spine, and then other materials are inserted into the instrument. The crank is turned, and the medicinal mixture is injected into the container. Including the time it takes to drill into the spine, it takes about an hour to produce one."
"I see… In other words, there are still some problems in achieving mass production…" Gale stroked his chin.
Rod paused for a moment and then asked hesitantly, "Mass production? Are you planning to mass-produce Titan serum?"
"Of course, we'll turn it into a weapon," Gale said with a cold smile.
"W-What?" Rod trembled in horror.
"Titans are thousands of times stronger than humans, so I'd love to make a bit of use of that power. Once I bring the Island's technology beyond that of the world, I'll stop using it."
Of course, chemical weapons would be effective in war if Marley chose to start one.
Before technology advanced any further, this was their best chance to stand on equal footing with their enemies.