Latifa couldn’t say anything in response to the words as powerful as a thunderbolt.

“Got it. I’ll put some paval into Hades.”

The Sultan responded without any hesitation to her words.

“No, you can’t!”

Latifa quickly rushed out and knelt in front of the two shadows.

“I am the Frau of Hades General.”

“So what?”

Karina’s cold words were heard.

Faced with the firm words devoid of any mercy, Latifa, who had rushed out without thinking, stumbled, and her words were stuck.

“I… I…”

Even though her lips trembled sweetly, Latifa slowly spoke, clenching the fist on the ground.

“I, as Princess Asti’s maid, diligently performed the given tasks and took care of her without any shortcomings.”

“Yeah, I acknowledge your efforts. You won’t receive a separate reward for that.”

Karina replied again, exhaling smoke from the water pipe.

“But initially, Jim’s condition was not whether you worked hard. It was about how much effort Hades put in to move me.”

“…!”

“If Hades wanted to be in my favor, he should not have hurt my son at all.”

At Karina’s logically sound words, Latifa’s chest sank, and she closed her eyes.

The nobles and concubines in the empire, who only spewed illogical arguments and empty rhetoric, were on a different level.

Petty arguments were ineffective.

Nevertheless, Latifa couldn’t easily step back.

‘Hades General!’

She tightly closed her eyes, and through the darkened vision, Hades’ face emerged.

A man who picked her up from the ruins of the empire, recognized her true abilities. A man who, because of a lion, told her not to die. A man who made her a goddess.

Thanks to Hades Calleb, Latifa could take a step on the unfamiliar land of another country.

Hades, at the risk of his life, came to the Harem Palace and said that he needed her.

If not for him… no, if Latifa wasn’t there for him.

Feeling her eyelids becoming warm, Latifa bit her lips and muttered.

“I have to go back. To Caleb’s territory. If I don’t go back… Hades General’s happiness…”

Latifa couldn’t continue her next words, overwhelmed by the surging emotions.

“Sorry, lady of the fallen country. But looking at Caleb’s face, I will treat you without any deficiency.”

Karina’s slightly sympathetic voice reached Latifa, who sighed softly. However, she didn’t change her decision.

Kneeling hopelessly on the balcony railing, Latifa absentmindedly gazed at the night sky.

Leaving Karina’s palace, filled with a stuffy scent, and feeling the cool night air on her heated cheeks, Latifa gradually felt the reality of her situation.

‘I have to live here for the rest of my life.’

Not to mention returning to the empire, she couldn’t even go to Caleb’s territory. She became a prisoner in the Grand Bazaar’s royal palace.

Unable to voice further complaints to Karina in the palace, Latifa, who was led out by Karina’s maids, could only leave that place with difficulty.

“Impossible.”

Sitting on the empty balcony, Latifa stared blankly at the night sky.

As the stuffy scent of Karina’s palace was replaced by the refreshing night air, the reality of her situation became more vivid.

‘I have to go back to Caleb! Why couldn’t I say anything earlier? Am I stupid?’

Suddenly unable to contain the suppressed frustration, she fiercely struck the balcony railing with her clenched fist dozens of times.

Even though her flesh was scratched, and blood oozed out onto the marble railing, she couldn’t stop the anger.

She couldn’t help but resent the Sultan, who entrusted everything to Karina, spoke of her sons’ growth like someone else’s affair, and despised Hades’ seemingly meaningless efforts.

‘If you were going to support Prince Tarek, why did you make Hades General make such meaningless efforts! How much… How much did he try!’
Tears welled up in her eyes due to the overwhelming sense of injustice.

Of course, Latifa couldn’t know in detail what Hades had worked so hard for outside. However, considering Hades’ personality, it seemed unlikely that he would be careless about everything.

Moreover, wasn’t he the one who came to the harem secretly to reassure her and handed over the jewelry box?

“Yeah, the problem is with this jewelry box!”

Hades Calleb, known as the crazy dog ​​of the Grand Bazaar, even that couldn’t break an ominous sign.

Thinking of the jewelry box he had brought, Latifa got up and rushed to her quarters. Then, she raised her precious jewelry box, which she had carefully placed at the head of her bed.

The aquamarine-embellished blue shield on the lid sparkled beautifully even in this situation, receiving moonlight.

“Because of this…!”

Latifa tried to slam it forcefully on the floor, but her hand couldn’t move from above.

“Neither my mother nor the empire. What use is a shield that can’t protect anything precious to me!”

Latifa screamed in frustration. But she couldn’t bring herself to slam it on the floor.

She couldn’t figure out exactly what made her so angry.

Was it Karina, who passed judgment on her to stay in the royal palace without ever showing her face?