These tasks, not limited to administration, military, or judiciary, had great influence on who would be the future Sultan.

Luhan approached the cherry wood table, worried that he had messed up somehow. There he found the usual legal book.

“A legal book? I have plenty here. Is he telling me to study more on judicature?”

The book was neither goldembossed nor special in any particular way.

What was peculiar was that it was opened, with a yellow daffodil laid on it.

“A clue on the opened page? And a daffodil?”

Luhan examined the opened page. It contained general text about ‘theft laws,’ statutes, and clauses.

But he knew his father, the Sultan, wouldn’t send this without reason. He began to read the page carefully.

“Theft in the Grand Bazaar is a serious crime. That’s because all goods, lands, and services flowing into the Grand Bazaar initially belong absolutely to the Sultan. Therefore, theft is ultimately the act of stealing from the Sultan. The reason for granting the Sultan such rights is to efficiently resolve merchants’ disputes and conflicts, and for that duty to [dash]”

Reading the opening text about theft, Luhan’s voice gradually trailed off.

“……the primary ownership belongs absolutely to the Sultan, absolutely.”

He silently recited the sentence and stared blankly into space.

“……Private property.”

Latifa was not human in the Grand Bazaar. No, she was a living human, but not someone within the realm of humanity.

Luhan could fully understand why his father had left such a will.

Wise Rashid had not only handed over the scriptures and the flower but also gave a reason to become a sultan.

“It’s absurd. How dare I covet what’s his? He is my closest friend.”

Luhan muttered while fiercely pounding the table.

“But….”

Although Hades had verbally expressed no romantic interest in her, Luhan knew that the way Hades looked at her was different.

Always calm or perhaps filled with madness, his black pupils shifted to a harsh desert each time they fell upon Latifa.

A desert ever parched, even when quenched by water, and where sand heated under the scorching sun emitted an intense aroma.

Hades looked at her with eyes that held such an impassioned desert.

“…Despite being dubbed the ‘Flame among Flames,’ to deny the world’s most intense flame is foolish, old friend.”

Luhan picked up a single daffodil as he muttered to himself.

“Or perhaps, it’s wisdom. Realizing that would only bring a man’s heart pain.”

One of the meanings of a daffodil is pride. To the Sultan’s question about whether he held romantic feelings for Latifa, Hades had vehemently denied.

“Would it have been easier to give up if you had admitted to my father that you loved her?”

Luhan placed the daffodil between the pages of the scripture his father had left. What did it matter if the petals crumpled and the juice spread, adhering to the paper?

“Pointless pride will get you nowhere.”

That night, the hooting of owls resounded in the dark Grand Bazaar, and Luhan couldn’t sleep, fumbling with the emerald ear cuff hanging from his ear for a long time.

The following morning, thanks to Hades, the scenery of the Caleb estate was somewhat more lively than usual.

Bright morning sunlight was dazzlingly reflected on the floor of the Turkiazcrafted arch corridor leading to the Caleb estate’s main gate. Above, darkskinned servants hustled back and forth.

“Did you include fried peanuts? You must hurry; hazelnut syrup is also needed.”

“It hasn’t arrived from the kitchen yet! They were still wrapping steamed rice in banana leaves. It’s going to take a while!”

“Unacceptable! Too slow! Both of you, rush to the kitchen and help out. We’ll handle the cleaning here.”

“Isn’t this outfit too flashy? Hagunu doesn’t like these colors!”

“The steward said to include everything. Just add it all. If even one thing is missing, we’re in big trouble.”

Rows of big and small boxes were stacked up in the corridor, and Lukhwan, who was preparing a wagon in front of the gate, was astounded by the mountain of goods in front of him.

“Guys, are we moving or what?”

Hades was nowhere in sight, but Yanan was directing everything and slapped Lukhwan’s shoulder.

“Lukhwan, bring out two more wagons. We need at least five.”

“Ah! Sister, it hurts! Why bring out several twowheeled wagons when we could just use one fourwheeler? What’s all this fuss about?”

Lukhwan grumbled but suddenly realized something and spoke to Yanan in a surprised voice.

“Wait, are these gifts for Hagunu? From Caleb?!”
The door leading to the harem was increasingly small, so the rule was that gifts entering the concubines could only come in a twowheeled cart.

Yanan carefully wrapped each box in a deep teal silk fabric without saying a word.

She meticulously wrapped each square box in silk fabric and then tied pretty triple knots, even attaching a small jewelstudded hairpin to securely fasten the lid.

Not stopping there, Yanan neatly arranged fresh flowers and blue leaves at the end of the lid.

“Yanan sister, you’ve always really liked Hagunim. But are these gifts approved by Hades? If Hades finds out, I don’t know what might happen…”

“I have seventy lives; no need to worry.”

Yanan said so and laughed, tossing aside a large box she had just finished wrapping.

Then, from a distance, a camel began to rush toward the main gate of Khaled’s territory at a fast pace. Mounted on it was Manut, who was fully armed.