"Nia, take our son to practice swordmanship! And while you're at it, make me a cup of black tea!"

"Alright, you go rest for now! The housekeeper will call you for dinner later!" Mother smiled and took my hand, leading me away from the garden.

Meanwhile, Father called for the housekeeper and instructed him to bring two officers.

"When will the Diplomatic Ministers from The Divine Realm arrive?"

"Your Grace, latest by tomorrow evening!"

"I command you to ensure their safety. This diplomatic meeting is of utmost importance. If we have any losses on our land before they return, you will be held accountable for the people's suffering!" Father has always been someone who cares deeply for the people. Every policy he proposes and every action he takes is done with the people's well-being in mind.

That's why I admire and, at the same time, fear my father when he's angry.

"We understand, Your Grace. You can trust us."

"Very well. Any progress on the recent string of kidnappings?"

"Not yet, Your Grace."

"Resolve it as soon as possible. This matter has caused some turmoil in society already. If it escalates further, it will be hard to contain!"

"We will spare no effort to apprehend the criminals, Your Grace!"

"Good. You may leave if there are no other matters."

"Yes!" The two officers left immediately, fearing that the Duke would blame them for any incompetence.

2

The next morning, the Diplomatic Ministers from The Divine Realm safely arrived at the Empire's capital.

The representative sent by The Divine Realm this time was the brother of the head of the prestigious Brandt family, Haisa Brandt.

Haisa and my father have been old friends for a long time, so shortly after he arrived in the capital, he came to our house to catch up. Accompanying him was his seven-year-old niece, Elena, at the time.

"Lena!" At that time, I had already made acquaintance with the young girl who would later become the president. We were childhood playmates, childhood sweethearts.

"I've told you countless times, it's Elena. You always like to call me by different names!" Lena used her delicate finger to tap my forehead as she pretended to be angry.

"Well, calling you that is more natural. Besides, you don't mind, do you, Sister?"

"Why did Haisa have the spare time to bring his little niece this time? It's been two years, and she's become so pretty!" Father curiously asked Haisa.

"It's nothing. I've always liked Elena. I didn't want to see her stuck in the mansion every day, so I brought her to The Human Realm to experience it for herself. Even though she's a girl, she also has the right to appreciate the outside world's sky! Don't you agree, Feng?"

"Indeed, Elena is such a smart child, and she's also very talented in magic. She'll surely become a great magician in the future. I don't understand how conservative your brother is. He still clings to outdated etiquette."

"My brother...he's not unaware. He's just stubborn. I went through a lot of effort to bring Elena out this time!"

"How about leaving your niece in our house? During this time, I'll have Nia take her out to explore."

"Hehe, I originally came here today for this very purpose. Since you mentioned it, I don't have to say much more. Besides, I'm also too busy after coming here. I'll entrust her to you, Madam!"

"Great! Now I can play with Sister! Sister, I'll show you my little white dog. It's so cute!" After saying that, I pulled her out with me.

In the afternoon, Mother took me and Lena out to play. Many things along the way seemed so novel to Lena, and she wanted to take a close look at everything, afraid that she wouldn't have the chance to see them again.

In the busiest commercial street in the capital, we rested in a fast food restaurant. Many nobles didn't like coming to fast food restaurants, but our family didn't care about such things.

Elena held a hamburger in her hand and played with it carefully. She curiously asked, "How do I eat this thing?"

"It's simple. Just hold it tight and take a bite." Mother watched Lena's adorable expression and said.

Lena took a small bite and happily exclaimed, "It's delicious!"

At that time, Lena's smile was already beautiful and charming. It would make people involuntarily stare at her. Her gestures were elegant, and she was the center of attention. Even Mother's charm couldn't completely overshadow her radiance.But I never expected that after seeing Elena's beautiful smile, something unimaginable would happen. Even ten years later, I sometimes wondered what I would be like now if it weren't for what happened next, or if I wouldn't be seen as a scapegoat!

"Mother, I want Elena to be my bride in the future, okay?"

"Okay!" Lena didn't quite understand what this meant, but based on a child's intuition, it didn't seem like a bad thing.

"Hehe, who taught you to say that, it's rude to just make any girl your bride!" Mother couldn't help but laugh when she heard this.

"Father! He said that a true man is someone who makes the girl he likes his bride!"

"Your father is not serious, and besides, you have had a betrothal with the royal family since you were born. Technically, Elena cannot be your bride!"

"Betrothal? What's that, can you eat it? Is it delicious?"

"You're still young, you'll understand when you grow up that betrothal is a sacred contract." Mother stroked the back of my head and said, and she smiled sweetly. It wasn't until today, ten years later, that I began to vaguely understand that a betrothal gives a young girl a wish.

Originally, we were supposed to go to the most famous museum in the empire next, but for some reason, after finishing our hamburgers, both Lena and I felt sleepy. For children, this often happens when they play vigorously during an outing. The first half is filled with excitement, but in the second half, fatigue sets in. Adults generally think this way, until...

Until the door and windows of the fast food restaurant suddenly exploded. Mother finally realized that she had been too careless, too engrossed in playing with us, and completely unprepared for an attack.

But Mother remained calm, because she knew she was always protected. Sure enough, as the door broke open, two men in suits and sunglasses had already blocked Mother's path.

"Lady, quickly take the young master and Miss away, we'll cover the rear!"

"Then I'll leave it to you!" Mother was about to pick us up when a red-haired man approached her from behind.

The guards immediately reacted, unleashing a combination of fist and various magical effects, aiming at the man.

The man casually blocked the fist with a gentle palm, leaving the guards dumbfounded. There was a hint of fear in their eyes, but the strength of a soldier didn't let them lose their fighting spirit.

"Are you a Fallen Angel?" The guard couldn't help but ask when he saw the three pairs of pitch-black wings behind the man.

"Damn it, as a noble demon, I'm compared to those filthy angels? How dare you! Speak your last words!" The red-haired man seemed very displeased with the guard's speculation, and with a single kick, he sent the guard flying into a corner, where he promptly spat blood and died. The other guard, looking at his companion's corpse, didn't dare to act rashly. He didn't want to die, and he had to protect the three people behind him. It was his wish and duty.

"Madam Qin, there's no need to be afraid. We just kindly ask you to come with us. As long as we receive the money, we guarantee your safety!"

"You noble demon, becoming a kidnapper. Your demonic race has truly fallen!" Mother retorted.

"Hehe, kidnapping is a strategy to disrupt the order of the Human Realm, and it can also make a lot of money. Why not do it? Besides, our family has always been engaged in this profession from the beginning. It's not a big deal!" The red-haired man chuckled.

"Shameless!"

"Whether shameless or despicable, we seek wealth and not life. Madam, please cooperate. Aren't the two children tired?"

Mother looked around at the group of demonic bio-mechanical creatures surrounding her. She only had one guard with her, and she had to take care of two children. In this situation, there wasn't much she could do.

"In this situation, I don't really have the right to say 'no'." Mother sighed.

"Thank you for your cooperation! Just to let you know, we are very professional. Don't even think about escaping!" The red-haired man proudly boasted about his profession, seemingly without a trace of shame.

Even Mother could understand that she had encountered the kidnappers that had been rumored in society before. Despite the guard's repeated dissuasion, Mother decided to take us with them and instructed the guard to go back and report the incident.