Ten Years before the Main Story.
The night smelled of damp wood and rusting iron.
Inside an abandoned countryside estate, a small girl sat trembling on the cold floor.
Her tiny hands were bound with rough rope, her cheeks wet with tears that refused to stop.
She was only six years old, and her name was Seris Vale.
Across the room, her father knelt on the ground, surrounded by armed men.
They had come two days ago during a happy family vacation trip.
But they were kidnappers, leeches that preyed on the rich.
They had kidnapped her family. At first, they only demanded money.
But that was never enough to fill their greed.
They forced Seris's father to transfer everything he owned. Properties, companies, and even the land they possessed.
Piece by piece, the hard work of her father's life was stripped away.
After signing the final document, her father looked exhausted. Yet he still forced himself to speak.
"You promised."
"You said you would let my family go."
