That night, after completing the transfer of duties that would improve the future of everyone on the island, Gale returned to the royal residence.
For the next period of time, he would have no time to worry about anything unrelated to the nuclear project.
Mikasa, Eren, Dina, and Armin would return with him to the nuclear industrial zone to focus on nuclear production.
But not now. Gale had given them a few days off so they could enjoy their special days as a couple.
As for Gale, today was one of those rare days off; he had taken a break to have lunch and attend Mikasa and Eren's wedding ceremony, but he would leave again early the next morning on his private plane.
As the inheritor of the War Hammer Titan, every day he was absent, the production of nuclear centrifuges would come to a halt.
They had been working for months, and the supply chain for steel parts and the troubleshooting of the centrifuges had only just been completed.
So far, the production of nuclear centrifuges was only twenty units per day.
Although the speed could be increased, this would only be possible if he manufactured key components twenty-four hours a day.
For the freedom he longed for so deeply, time was essential. Although 2,000 centrifuges were already operating in the nuclear industrial zone, they were not enough.
It was important to understand that even 10,000 centrifuges operating for two years could only produce one nuclear bomb, and one nuclear bomb was far from enough.
He had no time to rest. This industry could be said to depend on the power of the War Hammer Titan to function, even in its rudimentary form.
There, he pushed himself to the limit every day. Aside from sleeping and eating, he spent 18 of the 24 hours in a day repeatedly manufacturing parts.
Thanks to this high-intensity work, his mastery of the Force had reached an expert level. He learned how to produce the greatest quantity and highest quality of parts with minimal physical and computational effort.
He felt that his production speed could continue to improve. Ideally, he should be able to assemble more than 100 nuclear centrifuges per day.
He needed to complete the production of at least 20,000 nuclear centrifuges by the end of this year.
Electricity was also a major issue. Once the nuclear centrifuges were operating, their power consumption was astonishing.
Construction of the colossal power plant needed to progress steadily, but even with the help of the giants, progress on this enormous project was still below 30% after five months.
Being able to build the first nuclear bomb within two years was actually a relatively ideal scenario.
Conservatively speaking, it would take him three years to definitively complete the production and test detonation of the first nuclear bomb.
As for how to delay matters until then, he was not worried. He chose to trust his companions, entrusting all related affairs to Hange, Erwin, and the others.
After the joyful ceremony, Gale dragged his tired body out of the car and entered the mansion.
Historia was waiting for him there. She wore a beautiful black dress and carried something in her hands.
The lights in the garden behind her were lit; the banquet had not yet ended.
Mikasa and Eren could only stay for a few more days. Eren, as the holder of the Founding Titan's power, was responsible for controlling the Colossal Titans at the power plant.
They would be leaving in a few days, so they could only celebrate and enjoy themselves while they still could.
"This is for you," Historia said softly, covering a bamboo basket with her coat so it would not get cold. "Let's eat first."
"Thank you," Gale said, reaching out to take the basket.
The weight in his hand was unexpectedly heavy. He could not help but wonder how long Historia had been waiting for him at the gate.
She did not need to wait like this; before leaving, Gale had not said a single word about returning for dinner that night.
She had simply stood there waiting, probably expecting nothing.
Gale opened his mouth, but in the end, he said nothing.
Historia did not complain; she simply led him to sit beneath the garden gazebo.
Gale lifted the coat covering the bamboo basket and took out the lunch boxes one by one.
He had not eaten dinner and was a little hungry.
He was probably exhausted every day, and his appetite had increased recently.
He ate dinner at the stone table beneath the pavilion.
It was a lavish meal. After all, it was a wedding banquet, with seafood, steak, soft croissants, and crispy cookies.
It was not cold; it was warm, like someone's body temperature.
At that moment, he did not care about etiquette. He put meat and shrimp into a piece of bread, spread it with a rich sauce, and ate it like a hamburger.
Historia brought him a cup of hot latte and quietly sat beside him.
Wisteria vines wrapped around the supporting pillars, their hanging tendrils lush and green, while the cool spring breeze tousled the girl's hair.
In the garden, the streetlights twinkled like stars, a band played music, and Eren and Mikasa, hand in hand, danced in a circle around the bonfire with more than a dozen other people.
Their faces were slightly flushed, suggesting they had drunk quite a bit, and they sang traditional Eldian folk songs at the top of their lungs while raising their bottles of liquor.
Historia's emerald-green eyes reflected the firelight as she suddenly leaned over, resting her head on Gale's shoulder.
"Mikasa and Eren told me you're leaving tomorrow. When will you come back?" Historia asked softly.
Gale hesitated before replying, "I don't know."
He truly did not know when he would return.
Too many things required his attention. From the moment he became the inheritor of the War Hammer Titan, he had carried the fate of many people upon his shoulders.
His life was not free.
A moment of silence settled over the place; neither of them spoke.
Gale could feel the warmth of the girl. To be honest, he himself could not understand his feelings toward Historia.
He felt that Historia was like a younger sister. He had taken care of her since she was little, watching her grow from a child into the renowned princess she was today.
His feelings toward her were more familial in nature, mixed with a great deal of guilt. He had supported her as a princess partly with the intention of using her.
Historia had simply been caught in the whirlpool of the past. Looking back, he realized that he had done nothing for her; on the contrary, she had generated immense value for the new government.
It was not an exaggeration; the status of "princess" directly impacted the capital's revenue.
Gale felt that he had bound Historia down, but he could not avoid it; at that crucial moment, neither of them could free themselves.
He hoped that Historia would maintain her status as "princess," at least until the nuclear bomb was developed.
The two remained silent for a while, then Historia pulled him from his seat and pushed him toward the bonfire to dance.
After the dancing, Historia grabbed a bottle and drank excessively, until she vomited.
When she woke up the next day, she barely remembered a warm embrace carrying her back to bed by force. She rushed out of the room, only to discover that everyone had already left.
Perhaps because she had drunk too much and passed out, the headache that had long been dormant returned.
With plans for the afternoon, she had no time to rest; she put on her magnificent princess attire and headed to the southern part of the city to promote the newly opened railway.