Grisha shut the door behind them, his breath unsteady. The moment the latch clicked, he stepped forward, unable to contain himself.
"How is it?!"
Lock didn't need to guess what he meant. He nodded calmly, his tone steady but carrying the weight of a breakthrough long in the making.
"Fortunately… It's done. I managed to bring her back. Now all we need is the right opportunity for her to devour the Founding Titan's holder."
Grisha's shoulders trembled. Tears filled his eyes almost instantly.
"That's… that's wonderful. Truly wonderful…"
For him, Dina Fritz was more than a wife. She was the partner who walked beside him during the darkest years, the one who shared his beliefs, his losses, his hopes. To have even a sliver of a chance at restoring her humanity—Grisha could hardly stand beneath the emotion of it.
He wiped his eyes quickly, then continued in a hushed, urgent tone:
"I've been preparing during this chaos. I managed to secure enough serum. The constant Titan incidents inside the Walls left several officials injured or frantic, and it allowed me to get close. At any point, I can transform them into pure Titans."
"As reliable as ever."
Lock's expression sharpened with purpose. "Once we secure the Founding Titan for Aunt Dina, we'll have the strength we need to overturn the power structure inside the Walls. No more stagnation. No more isolation. And no more sacrificing Eldians for the benefit of a broken monarchy."
Everything was moving exactly as Lock had envisioned.
The Survey Corps was already leaning toward him. His strength and reputation alone were a tide. He held three Titan powers. If they obtained the Founding Titan on top of that, no faction could stand against them.
And as for those who refused to surrender…
Let them become pure Titans, laboring endlessly for the island's future.
A slight grin crossed Lock's face as the thought surfaced. Pure Titans didn't age. They didn't tire. They didn't demand supplies or pay. An untapped workforce—if controlled properly.
But of course, that depended on Dina being able to wield the Founding Titan perfectly.
Grisha nodded firmly. He had no hesitation, no doubts.
The two spoke for a few more minutes, sorting out details and timing, tightening loose ends. Then they stepped outside together.
Immediately, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin—who had clearly been lingering by the hall—rushed forward.
"Brother Lock!"
"Brother Lock, you're done talking now, right?"
"Is everything okay?"
Lock couldn't help the small sigh that escaped him. Their dependence on him was growing… perhaps too much. He didn't know yet whether that was a good thing or a liability, but that was a problem for another day.
He reached out and tapped Eren lightly on the head.
"I'm not running away, you know."
The three children grinned.
Later that night, Lock lay on his back, hands folded behind his head, the room dim except for the silver wash of moonlight. Through the slightly open window, the cool air drifted in.
He didn't bother to look toward the corner of the room.
"You've been there long enough. Isn't it time you showed yourself?"
A moment of silence—
Then a low chuckle.
"You caught me. Looks like I'll have to reevaluate how dangerous you are."
Kenny Ackerman stepped out from the shadows and casually climbed in through the open window as if entering his own home.
Lock smirked. "What's wrong? Getting impatient?"
Kenny closed the window behind him and strolled to the bedside, speaking in a soft but cutting voice.
"You're the one behind the Titans appearing inside the Walls recently, aren't you?"
"Yes," Lock said without hesitation.
Kenny's eyes narrowed in satisfaction.
"Knew it. You really can turn humans into Titans. So… when are you planning to hold up your end of the bargain?"
His voice trembled—not with fear, but with desire. Since the day he tasted defeat against Uri Reiss, the craving for Titan power had sunk deep into his bones. He had never once admitted it aloud, not even to himself. But now that Lock had revealed the truth, the hunger surged violently.
Lock crossed his arms behind his head again.
"You'll get what you were promised. But cooperation comes first."
Kenny tilted his head. "And you're not lying to me?"
Lock gave him a slow, amused look.
"What do you think?"
Kenny's smirk thinned.
"The price for deceiving me is high."
"I'll take that into consideration," Lock replied dryly. "Now answer me. Where is Rod Reiss?"
"That idiot?" Kenny scoffed. "Still hiding underground with his family. Hasn't stepped outside once."
Lock's gaze sharpened.
"So he hasn't moved at all."
Kenny suddenly paused, eyes widening slightly.
"You're planning to act soon, aren't you?"
"Very soon," Lock admitted. "I just need you to keep the Military Police and the Garrison from interfering. The last thing I need is pointless complications."
Kenny let out a bark of laughter.
"You think those pampered idiots can cause trouble? You're being too cautious."
Of course, he was impatient—he wanted the Titan serum. He wanted the power that had escaped him for his entire life.
Whether Lock truly intended to give it to him…
That was a question for later.
Lock saw the calculation behind his eyes and sighed.
"This isn't a small matter. Caution is necessary."
"Maybe so," Kenny said. "But let's be honest. With the power you and I hold now—and with so many high-ranking officials dead or crippled—we basically own the Walls already."
He wasn't wrong.
Most major leaders had fallen. The survivors were divided—some leaning toward Lock, others toward the Survey Corps, and the rest too frightened to pick a side. The balance of power had already tipped.
Lock exhaled slowly.
"In that case… we move soon. Very soon. Marley won't wait forever, and neither can we."
Kenny grinned.
"That's more like it."
The room fell silent.
Outside, a cold wind swept through the district, carrying with it the scent of imminent change.
Lock stared at the ceiling, mind sharpening into a blade.
The time for hesitation was over.
The time for action had begun.
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