"The 145th King of Eldia, King Fritz, fled the war and withdrew to Paradis Island. Using the power of the Founding Titan, he led his people and many Titans to construct three enormous walls. They hid behind those walls and warned Marley not to invade.
"Afterward, he used the Founding Titan's power to erase the memories of the people within the walls.
"The Ackerman family was persecuted by the royal family because they were immune to this memory manipulation. In the end, their clan was nearly wiped out.
"This is the truth of the world."
Grisha spoke slowly.
I listened quietly from the side, my thoughts in turmoil.
I believed about seventy to eighty percent of what he said. The story sounded logical, but I still needed proof and more detailed information before I could fully accept it.
"It sounds plausible," I said, folding my arms. "But how do you prove it? And what exactly do you want from me?"
Grisha smiled faintly.
"I am the current holder of the Attack Titan."
"In two days, I will leave under the pretense of a medical visit. When that time comes, you will accompany me. I will show you proof."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"And I need your help."
"Help?" I asked, confused. "What can I possibly do for you?"
Grisha's expression grew serious.
"Every inheritor of a Titan power only lives for thirteen years after receiving it. My time is almost over. I only have a few years left."
"When that moment arrives, I will pass the power of the Titans to the next successor, Eren."
His gaze settled firmly on me.
"You must help him grow. Protect him. Protect Eldia."
He placed his hands on the table and continued.
"Let me tell you everything from the beginning, Jax."
At this point, I already knew about ninety percent of what he said.
And besides a lie can be made internally consistent, but it cannot remain consistent with other people's stories forever. If Grisha were lying, the details would eventually collapse.
For now, the best choice was to keep listening.
"Please, go on," I said, nodding.
Grisha took a deep breath.
"I was born outside the walls, in the Marley Nation on the continent."
"When King Fritz retreated to Paradis Island, many Eldians were left behind on the mainland."
"In Marley, those Eldians are treated as descendants of devils. They are forced to live in internment zones surrounded by walls. Whenever they leave, they must wear armbands that mark their identity. They are forbidden from entering or leaving freely."
"I am one of those Eldians."
His voice became heavier as he continued.
"As I grew older, I joined a group called the Eldian Restorationists. Eventually, I became one of its leaders."
"Later, our contact within the Marley government, a man known as the Owl, sent us someone very important."
"A descendant of the royal family, Dina Fritz."
Grisha paused briefly before continuing.
"Dina revealed the true objective of the Restorationists. We planned to infiltrate the walls on Paradis Island, seize the Founding Titan, and use its power to control the Titans. With that power, Eldia could be restored."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"I fell in love with Dina. We married, and we had a son."
"His name was Zeke."
"Huh?"
I stared at him in disbelief.
"Then what about Carla?"
"I will explain that later," Grisha said quietly.
He sat down in a chair and lowered his head into his hands. The pain on his face was impossible to hide.
"The Marley government faced a growing shortage of resources due to rapid military expansion. Because of that, they turned their attention toward Paradis Island, which is rich in fossil resources."
"To seize those resources, they began selecting Eldian children who were suitable to inherit the power of the Titans."
"These children would become what Marley calls Warriors."
"If they succeeded, Eldia would be finished."
"For the sake of the Restoration plan, Dina and I made a terrible decision."
He clenched his fists slightly.
"We allowed our seven year old son, Zeke, to become a candidate for the Warrior program. Our plan was for him to gain the power of a Titan and wait for an opportunity to seize the Founding Titan."
Grisha's voice dropped to a near whisper.
"But Zeke betrayed us."
"Every member of the Restorationists was captured, except for the Owl."
"They were taken to the place Marley calls Paradise, this very island, Paradis."
His expression became hollow as he continued.
"They were injected with Titan spinal fluid and turned into Pure Titans."
"They were left to wander this land forever."
"An endless nightmare."
Grisha slowly lifted his head.
"I was the only one who survived."
"The Owl saved me at the last moment."
---