A village near Barcelona, the capital of Spain's Catalonia region, lies nestled among a handful of gentle hills, alive and bustling beneath the warmth of the morning sun.
Though the surrounding mountains are not tall, they stand as natural guardians—sheltering the village from harsh winds and heavy rain. Even during the most severe monsoon seasons, the village suffers little to no damage. It is protected so well that destruction is almost unheard of.
Routes carved through the mountain passes connect the village to major cities—an impressive feat for a place once considered remote. Along these roads, goods moved freely, and with them came information, knowledge, and technology.
Thanks to these newly built roads, the young people who grew up in the village began to flourish. They excelled in their careers, their crafts, and their education, rising to prominence in their respective fields. Witnessing this, the elders often said with pride,
"The young people of this village are the very hope of its development…"
Those words are heard frequently throughout the village.
The houses stand close together, and each morning the village awakens to a chorus of life—the voices of people, the barking of dogs, the bleating of livestock, and the lively sounds of trade. The entire village stirs with vibrant energy. The land is lush and green; the livestock are strong and healthy. The soil is rich and fertile, allowing crops to thrive, while trees and flowers bloom in abundance.
Because of this, the village was no longer merely a village. Its economic and social life gradually developed, and without anyone truly noticing when, it quietly became something closer to a small town.
That little village is called Speranza (Hope).
In a prominent district of Barcelona, beneath a flag bearing an emblem of a world cradled in a hand and pierced by a crown-topped sword, stands a vast and imposing corporation.
Above its grand entrance gleams the name:
Crownspire Consortium Corporation.
The corporation has branches across the globe. Its reputation is widely known, its achievements frequently featured in the media, and among the public it is regarded as a company of spotless prestige.
Crownspire's core operations involve pharmaceutical research, clinical trials, and the manufacture and distribution of medicine. Alongside this, it also manages technology ventures, produces health and beauty products, and oversees logistics and communications enterprises.
For a corporation of such power, it is hardly surprising that its main retail division is based in Barcelona. This choice is accepted as entirely natural.
Yet today, something feels different.
Inside the building, employees move with restless urgency. Around the premises, security personnel remain on high alert. Surveillance drones hover across the sky, gliding back and forth as they monitor every corner of the surrounding area.
Their presence is unmistakable—
as though they are waiting for someone important.
7:43 p.m.
A car moves slowly down the road, its headlights cutting through the darkness.
Strangely, everything on that road seems to instinctively move aside before it.
The upper body of the vehicle is finished in Stealth Black, deep and endless like the night itself. Below, brushed silver-gray trim divides the body with smooth precision, shimmering faintly beneath the city lights.
It is a Maybach-VR 10, gliding forward with quiet authority.
A small flag bearing the emblem of Crownspire Consortium Corporation flutters beside the wing mirror. Around it, security vehicles maintain a flawless formation—front, rear, and both sides—escorting the car with unwavering discipline.
The moment the convoy comes into view…
Security personnel snap into position. Employees line the corridors, standing rigidly in place.
The noise within the building vanishes as if extinguished by water. Silence descends.
Within that silence, unease begins to spread. Pressure weighs heavily on every mind. The atmosphere grows thick, suffocating, tense.
Only one question lingers unspoken in everyone's thoughts:
Who is the VIP being awaited?