The Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 417: [ Volume 1] Chaper 416- Code name.

Both her parents nodded in unison, a quiet affirmation that felt heavier than any spoken truth. Her father exhaled, shoulders tensing slightly before he leaned forward.

"You see," he began, voice low and calm, "the Divine Beasts were once protectors. Symbols of balance. But the organization... they were created to control them."

He pulled a folded, yellowed paper from the inside of his coat and slid it across the table toward Esme. The parchment was old, the ink faded but legible. As she unfolded it, her father continued.

"This... this was written over a hundred years ago. Back then, the organization wasn’t what it is now. Its original purpose was to regulate the Divine Beasts’ energy—too much of it could overwhelm the bearer, or even kill them. The organization was formed to protect both the beast and its owner."

Esme’s fingers tightened on the edge of the paper, her mother’s voice picking up the thread.

"But over time, they realized something. Managing energy... wasn’t the same as managing will."

Her father nodded grimly. "Exactly. Divine Beasts started to grow in consciousness. They weren’t just weapons or guardians—they became aware. Some began overtaking their human hosts. Others... were manipulated or neglected by the owners themselves. And that became dangerous."

"They lost control," her mother added quietly. "So the organization shifted. From guardianship... to regulation. Then to punishment. Eventually—annihilation." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Her father’s voice turned cold, clipped.

"They began assigning numbers. Lifespans, really. Usage limits. If a beast was summoned fifty times, that was once the limit. Then it dropped to thirty. Now—fifteen."

"Fifteen?" Esme echoed, barely a whisper.

"Yes," her father said. "Use your beast more than fifteen times... and they come for you. Whether you’re corrupted or not. Whether the beast is out of control or not. They don’t care."

He tapped the paper again. "This is the policy sheet they’ve used for generations. Masked behind strategy, behind prevention. But in truth—it’s all about fear. Control. They thought reducing the beast’s emergence would stop them from waking fully."

Her mother looked away, jaw clenched. "They’re not just killing beasts. They’re killing the bond. The trust. They’re killing people who still don’t even know why they’re being hunted."

A heavy silence fell again, only broken by the soft sound of paper rustling beneath Esme’s fingertips.

Then, all of a sudden, Esme’s eyes narrowed—her gaze fixed not on her father’s face, but on his lips. Something in the way he formed his words, the way his jaw tensed—it struck her with a chilling clarity.

She didn’t mean for the question to slip out so suddenly, so quietly, but it did.

"...What are you?"

The room fell still. Her father froze.

He had expected this question for years. It was inevitable. But to hear it from Esme’s mouth—from his daughter’s mouth—it landed differently. Like a soft knife twisting just beneath the ribs.

He closed his eyes, willing his breath to steady. There was a tightness in his throat that wouldn’t quite go away.

When he opened them again, he didn’t look at Esme. He turned to Ray.

Because he knew—Esme had some idea. But the others... the children... they had the right to know the truth too.

Clenching his fists, he began. His voice was rough—laced with the kind of pain that only builds when the past is buried for too long.

"We were orphans... Or at least, that’s what they called us," he said. "But maybe it’s more accurate to say... we were sold."

He didn’t pause.

"Our biological parents—if you can even call them that—sold us to the organization. We were infants. Nothing but flesh with potential. They took us in, not out of kindness... but to train us. Mold us."

His voice cracked as he bit down on his lower lip, hard enough that Esme could see the tremble in his jaw.

"We were taught to be useful. To be skilled. And then... to kill."

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, humorless.

"We were snakes. No—worse. We were trained to be seductive like foxes... and venomous like serpents. We learned how to smile sweetly and slide knives between ribs without blinking."

He looked up then, eyes haunted.

"Our mission was simple. Owners—those with divine beasts—especially the ones with potential to rebel, to grow powerful enough to be a threat... they were our targets."

Esme’s breath caught.

"They raised us to be traps," he said. "Living, breathing traps. We were sent to befriend them, charm them... love them. Become irreplaceable in their lives."

His fists trembled now.

"And if... if we saw even a glimpse of danger—if they questioned the system, if they loved their beasts too much, if they hesitated to follow orders..."

He bit his lip again, until the metallic taste of regret filled his mouth.

"...We killed them."

Ray and the others sat frozen.

They had heard bits and pieces from Esme before—rumors, half-spoken truths whispered in the dark—but hearing it now, directly from her father’s lips, with that raw gravity in his voice... it was different. He wasn’t just a former agent anymore. He was their history, their father’s comrade. And suddenly, everything felt much more fragile.

Esme’s father glanced at each of them—Ray, his brother, even the quiet ones whose wide eyes hadn’t blinked since he started speaking. The silence in the room was thick, expectant.

"I..." he began, voice hoarse. "I and..."

He hesitated, then took a long breath, letting it settle before continuing, "Robin."

The name fell like a stone in water—causing silent ripples in the room.

Ray stiffened. His eyes widened as he exchanged a look with his brother. Confusion flickered in their expressions.

"Robin?" Ray echoed softly.

The man gave a slow, tired nod. "That’s your father’s real name. Or rather... his code name."

A weight settled on Ray’s chest as the man continued, voice quieter now, almost haunted.

"Robin and I were chosen. Handpicked. Groomed. We were the top of our class—the best in infiltration, in seduction, in control. So when the organization noticed Gina and your mother..."