Luhan hurried to the bed prepared within the royal palace’s medical chamber.

“How is her condition?”

“The arrow was cleanly removed without affecting other muscles. There are no large, torn wounds, and the subsequent treatment has been perfect. However, the shoulder’s penetration wound is critical, so she won’t be able to use her left arm for some time.”

“Good. Treat her with all due diligence without looking down upon her for being from the Empire. Her wellbeing matters to a friend of mine.”

“We are well aware that General Hades is formidable. Do not worry. We will do our best. Has the general not come?”

“He probably has no face to show after causing her harm. He’s a man who dies of pride. He would even compete and lose against a child.”

“Haha. Is that so?”

Luhan approached the bed to comfort the stiff atmosphere in the chamber with his sarcastic remarks.

“…Uh.”

As Hades had anticipated, Latifa lay unconscious with her eyes tightly closed, letting out a small groan.

“She’s currently unconscious due to the medication.”

Luhan spoke to the physician standing by.

“Go and tell someone outside the chamber to summon Eirgos from the royal palace.”

“Ah, then I’ll call another physician.”

At those words, Luhan waved his hand.

“No need. I’ll be here, guarding her. You go and quickly pass on the message. If anything happens, I’ll call another physician.”

Of course, there was no real need for ‘quickly.’

As the physician’s footsteps grew distant, Luhan went up to her side and firmly held her small, pale hand.

“Ah, Latifa. If only I had taken you straight to the royal palace, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. Why are your hands so cold?”

Luhan pulled her small hand gently to his cheek.

As her soft back of the hand brushed against his cheek, his confused thoughts felt as if they were clearing up miraculously.

“I hope you won’t hate me for being selfish, relieved that Hades isn’t here.”

Luhan sighed a small sigh, gazing at her lying form.

Her silver eyelids were pitifully twitching, but below that, the tall, white bridge of her nose and her soft skin made his heart stagger.

Despite that, his brown pupils looked as if they were about to shed tears at any moment, but how could he lose his dignity by crying in front of the woman he adores?

“Latifa, today is the third time I’ve seen you. Maybe you’re becoming more beautiful every day. When I met you in reality today, I thought I was going blind. Even the precious pearls of the sea are nothing in front of your beauty.”

Luhan moved his fingers gently over her soft hand.

“Latifa, you’ll never know what’s inside me. And you should never…”

When his dark finger moved past the bandage around her wrist and reached her slender forearm, he abruptly stopped.

“Ah, the physicians tore the sleeve while treating the shoulder…!”

As he got a glimpse of what was under the torn sleeve, he quickly turned his head away.

“Eh!”

Luhan hurriedly pulled up the silk quilt to her neck.

Feeling his face turning red, he fanned himself quickly to cool down.

“Maybe it would’ve been better to go to the restricted area after all.”

Luhan gently pressed his heated cheek, then rummaged through his pocket as if he remembered something.

“I wanted to give it to you in person, but I don’t have the authority like Hades. Fanning a fire would only lead to getting burned. So, like this… just looking at your face is enough for me.”
He slowly rose and approached the pallet where Latifa lay.

Her small, pale feet, just like her hands, were halfshod in leather shoes, revealing how urgent the situation had been.

Luhuan bent his torso in a reverent manner, as if facing a goddess, and carefully touched the bare ankle of her small foot.

With a metallic chime, her foot was soon filled with something white and sparkling.

“Latifa needs to eat more; you’re too skinny.”

Caressing the peony motif hanging from the bracelet that had now become an anklet, Luhuan softly smiled.

Getting up, he continued to hold her motionless hand.

“Is the prince inside?”

Just then, he heard Irgos entering and quickly pressed his lips lightly against her white hand.

“We will meet again someday.”

With a soft chime and gentle touch, everything vanished the moment the door opened.

“Prince Luhuan!”

Upon hearing Irgos call him, Luhuan composed his expression and turned back with gravity.

“Are you done here? General Hades left without even escorting you back to the palace?”

“That’s not what you really want to say. I thought you’d first ask, ‘When will you let me off work?'”

Luhuan chuckled as if nothing had happened, teasing Irgos.

“Ah, I, Irgos, never wanted to leave work early. Serving you is my honor.”

Soon, a couple of attendants walked in with medicine and ointment. Luhuan took out Hades’s gold bracelet from his pocket and handed it to them.

“This belongs to Hades. Fit it on his Frau’s wrist. If anyone dares to covet what belongs to my loyal and closest friend Hades, they won’t be forgiven by my hands.”

“Yes, Prince.”

The attendants politely received the bracelet and bowed their heads.