Mikasa was just as shocked.
Today, she had seen the terrifying power of the Titans with her own eyes. Their towering forms and overwhelming brute strength were simply not something an ordinary human could hope to fight against.
Even with the use of the Stationary Guard's 3D maneuver gear and specially crafted blades—already considered humanity's most advanced weapons—killing a Titan was nearly impossible for a regular soldier.
What kind of weapon could possibly kill a Titan with ease?
It was hard to imagine...
Carla didn't understand much about these things. But she had a strong sense of trust in their mysterious savior's words.
"It's true" Byakuya confirmed with a calm nod.
"It really is" Eto added with a smile. "When the time comes, I can even give you guys a little demonstration."
After all, her quinque — crafted from kagune — wasn't all that different from her natural weapon. Even if she didn't borrow one from Byakuya, her own kagune was more than enough to show what real power looked like.
"That's awesome! Thank you, Brother Byakuya! And you too, Sister Eto!" Eren exclaimed, eyes sparkling with excitement.
His desire for strength had always stemmed from one core goal: to drive the Titans out for good.
A weapon that could easily slay Titans? That was exactly what he dreamed of.
But his excitement didn't last long. There was still one worry tugging at his heart.
"Mom... is Dad okay?"
Eren's voice shifted, filled with unease, as he turned to Carla.
"He should be" Carla reassured him softly. "He said he was going inland to treat patients. By now, he's probably already past Wall Rose."
And she wasn't just trying to make him feel better—that really was the truth.
Grisha had left much earlier. Logically, he should be deep inside Wall Rose by now.
"That's good to hear" Eren breathed a little easier.
"Dad also promised me that once he got back, he'd take me to see the basement" he muttered, a hint of sadness in his tone. "But now that Shiganshina has fallen... we won't be going back home any time soon."
"Forget the basement" Carla said gently. "What matters most is that you and Mikasa stay alive and safe."
She didn't care if Eren couldn't grow up to be great or become stronger than others—she just wanted him to live a peaceful, happy life.
Byakuya sat silently beside them, saying nothing, just quietly watching the conversation unfold.
Eto gave him a sidelong glance, her expression subtly amused.
"This is what you really wanted to see, isn't it?" she whispered.
She knew Byakuya well enough by now. Stopping Eren from inheriting the Founding and Attack Titans was probably just a bonus. This—this quiet moment between mother and son—was the real scene he wanted to witness.
Byakuya gave a small smile and a nod.
...
Soon, the refugee ship passed through the gates into Wall Rose.
Byakuya and the others were among the first wave of evacuees from Wall Maria. The rest—countless more—would follow in the coming days.
As early arrivals, their treatment was slightly better.
They were given a place to stay, albeit cramped and shared with many others. Still, it was better than sleeping on the streets.
They were settled in Trost District—a forward-facing city on the southern edge of Wall Rose, much like Shiganshina had been for Wall Maria. These "front cities" were essentially human bait: population centers used to draw Titans in, so that the garrison could better allocate their limited forces.
The Garrison Regiment primarily defended these four cities—east, west, south, and north—and maintained the walls.
Citizens of these forward districts were given a kind of honorary status due to the dangers they faced... though that title didn't mean much in practice.
Trost was a little more developed than Shiganshina, but still nowhere near modern by our standards. The world of the Titans was roughly on par with early 20th-century wartime tech.
And Paradis Island? Completely cut off from the outside world. Even their World War I-level technology hadn't reached it.
Still, for the Jaeger family, life was finally stabilizing—at least a little.
Because of Dr. Jaeger's profession and reputation, Eren's family received slightly better treatment than the average refugee, and the other evacuees also seemed to hold a degree of respect toward them.
As for Byakuya and Eto—they weren't concerned with shelter or food.
They had more pressing matters to attend to.
With so many refugees coming and going, the disappearance of two people wouldn't raise suspicion.
And so, Byakuya and Eto began a series of space-shifting leaps, moving rapidly through the countryside.
Soon, they arrived at the land between Wall Rose and Wall Sheena—deep in the rural outskirts, where no one could see them.
This particular location wasn't chosen at random.
It was the hidden domain of the true royal family: the Fritz bloodline.
They'd changed their name to Reiss and now lived in hiding, masquerading as a noble house that supposedly avoided political affairs.
But in truth, the Reiss family held a secret stranglehold on the government and economy within the walls.
It was here, in this secluded region, that Grisha Jaeger—current inheritor of the Attack Titan—would soon confront Frieda Reiss, the present holder of the Founding Titan.
"Grisha's probably not moving too fast. Let's locate the place first and wait for him," Byakuya said quietly.
"Right. We need to find the underground chapel that the Reiss family uses," Eto replied.
Not far ahead lay the Reiss estate.
From a distance, it looked like any ordinary noble household—sprawling farmland and livestock pastures.
But the real secrets were buried underground.
Byakuya and Eto weren't wasting time. They had the means to bypass everything.
Using his kamui ability, Byakuya could sink into the earth and visually scan everything below.
It didn't take long before he found it—the underground chapel.
Inside, several Reiss family members were gathered in prayer, wearing ceremonial white robes.
Among them was a middle-aged man—Rod Reiss, the highest-ranking authority within the walls.
The others were all Reiss kin. Five of them were Rod's children.
One in particular stood out—an 18-year-old girl with striking black hair cascading down her back.
She was tall, elegant, and had the distinct calm presence of royalty.
This was Frieda Reiss, the crown princess of the Reiss family.
And the current inheritor of the Founding Titan.
She bore a strong resemblance to Historia.
Frieda and Historia...