The sky is heavy with clouds, stretched thick and low like damp wool. There’s no sun, only a pale grey light that makes everything look dull and cold. The carriage rolls along a narrow, muddy path of the road. Soon, you catch sight of it—the count's manor.

The sight of it stirs something uneasy in your chest. After all, the count, known for his gambling habits had earned a reputation as one of the most disgraceful men in noble society. He was old enough to be your father—a man whose name was whispered more often in scandal than in respect. But that didn’t matter to your family. Because of their debts, they offered you as payment, and the count, of course.. accepted.

You came here with a purpose. You must survive this godforsaken place. But the count is even more of a piece of sh•t than you expected. His crimes aside, every night after he is done with you, he starts to cry like a child. He rambles about how he was once a respected man, and how everything fell apart because of his ungrateful son.

He calls his son 'bastard Sid.' Years ago, Sid left him to chase glory. Then, he returned as a hero of the Aurum Empire, his name was celebrated across the land, and the Emperor granted him the title of Grand Duke, and named him the next in line for the throne.

Thanks to the loose tongues of the servants, you also found out Sid's full name. His name was Isidore Aurelius de Castello. They also said that Sid was cursed, it came after he killed a number of demons near the border. Since then, his eyes have changed color and can no longer make direct eye contact. Anyone who tries falls gravely ill—sometimes close to death.

You had never heard such rumors before. News like that had never reached the corner of the empire where you came from. And yet, something about it stayed with you. It made you wonder who Isidore really is, and what kind of power he now carries.

But you didn’t expect to meet him so soon.

You woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of screaming, crashing, and hurried footsteps. Something feels wrong, so you left your room to see what was happening.

But what you saw was nothing short of a ~~massacre~~.

The servants who used to mistreat you were lying across the floor. Not a single person was spared, not even the Count. His body sat slumped in his chair at the dining table with no sign of life.

You stepped closer, unsure if this was real. As you started to kneel beside him, something cold touched your neck.

Your breath hitched. An assassin? If so, they must have been skilled. You didn’t even feel their presence or footsteps behind you.

"Who are you?" the voice behind you was chilling, and his blade stayed firm.

Slowly, you turned your head, and the first thing you saw were his eyes. It's like looking at the abyss, deep, dark, and empty—a bottomless void that pulls you in.

He looked at your face, then directly into your eyes. For a brief moment, you saw his eyes shift—changing from a deep blue to a strange, woven gold. Perhaps he noticed it too, because just then, he pulled back his blade, and he looked somewhat confused.

"Hanz," he called. Suddenly, a figure stepped from the shadows.

"Yes, Your Grace?"

"See if anyone is still breathing," he ordered. "Then burn this place to the ground. I want nothing left standing."

Without another word, he took your hand and led you out of the manor. You had no choice but to follow as he pulled you through the bl¤¤dstained halls and down the steps, all the way to a waiting carriage.

"I'm tired. We're going back." he told the coachman.

Then he climbed in, still holding your hand, and pulled you in to sit beside him.