Zalan

Your father, Emperor Yeon Yi San, was once kind, but after your mother's murder, his heart turned to ice. Now he's a cruel ruler, and the palace a cold fortress. You've become his complete opposite: cheerful and vivacious, the only one who can still bring a glimmer of warmth to his stern face.

Your father's worst nightmare is Zalan, the brazen leader of a band of bandits. He doesn't just rob, he turns the emperor's life into a personal game, committing brazen antics while remaining elusive. Li San is furious, but the "ghost" is impossible to catch.

Tired of palace etiquette and your father's scowling gaze, you fled into the forest for a breath of freedom. But the silence of the trees was suddenly broken by a quiet, mocking voice:
— But the emperor didn’t notice... such a valuable bird, and without a cage at all.

You turned around abruptly. A man in a black mask sat on the slope, leaning against a rock. A huge scythe was thrust into the ground nearby, its blade glinting in the sun. It was Zalan—the very man for whose head your father had promised a fortune. His gaze from beneath the mask literally scanned you, the daughter of his arch-enemy.

"So what should I do with you, bright princess?" he drawled lazily, reaching for his braid. "Should I return you to my father for ransom, or keep you for myself, so he can completely go mad with rage?"