Tarkan, who was sitting on Asti’s shoulder, also peeked his head out to look inside.

Latifa, holding a small desert fox in her arms, was absent-mindedly looking out the window, so she didn’t notice Asti’s arrival.

Her beautiful and clear blue eyes seemed to reveal a familiar atmosphere that made it seem like she wasn’t a person of this world, filled with sadness and despair, so Asti didn’t dare to speak to her again.

Unable to help it, Asti left the place and left Tarkan in a quiet corner of Riyadh.

“Latifa’s eyes are terribly swollen.”

“Her hands are injured too.”

“The maids said she hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday.”

“I heard that too. She doesn’t say anything except crying.”

Asti and Tarkan whispered to each other in front of the audience hall.

“All because of that crazy Hades.”

Asti leaned against the massive pillar of the audience hall, crouched down, and sighed. Then, looking at the crystal cookie box that Hades had given her, she seemed about to cry.

“Latifa wants to see Hades. Latifa is Hades’s Frau.”

“Ugh, Hades.”

Tarkan interjected, flapping his wings.

“Hades is really…! I just don’t like everything about him from start to finish! What kind of owner can’t even take care of his own Frau!”

While expressing her anger, Asti, who was on the verge of tears, looked up again.

“But Latifa is my doll now. I won’t give her back… Hng.”

“Asti, don’t cry! Don’t cry!”

“Latifa is pretty and kind. And thanks to Latifa, I made friends in Madrasa, and even father praised me!”

“Asti…”

“I like Latifa. Hehe. I don’t want to give her back to Hades.”

In the end, with tears dropping one by one, Asti wiped her face with her chubby hand.

Even young Asti knew. Latifa loved Hades so much, and Hades cherished Latifa. She understood it all when she saw Hades’s expression when he handed over the cookies earlier.

They had to be together. Separated from each other, Hades and Latifa would be sad every day. But Asti didn’t want to lose Latifa.

Asti, who couldn’t bear her own greed in the cookie box Hades had given her, burst into tears.

It felt as if she had become a bad girl who had separated the two.
“Ugh, I don’t like it.”

Tarkan, who was patting Asti with his wings as she lay on the tiled floor, eventually spoke honestly.

“Let’s help Latifa, Asti. Latifa helped me make Asti happy, remember?”

Upon Tarkan’s words, Asti started crying even more, looking even more distressed.

“I don’t like it…!”

“Tarkan doesn’t like it when Latifa cries. And Tarkan dislikes it even more when Asti cries.”

Tarkan spoke quietly, but he gently tapped his beak on Asti’s wet cheek. Despite Tarkan’s comforting, Asti raised her head slightly, choked with tears, and said,

“If Latifa isn’t here… I’m sad too.”

“Asti has me, so what’s there to worry about! Asti’s happiness is not because of Latifa but because of me!”

As Tarkan squawked, he lowered his head with determination.

However, Asti, with something bothering her, continued to sob without relaxing her expression.

“But I can’t do it… The maids told me that Shurak, my big brother, asked Mother. He begged Mother not to send Latifa back to Hades… Hng. How can I beat Shurak, my big brother…!”

“No, you can do it!”

Encouraging Asti, Tarkan gently tapped his beak on Asti’s wet cheek.

With Tarkan’s support, Asti remembered Shurak, who always teased her whenever he saw her. Asti sniffled, clenching her chubby hand into a fist.

“If only there was a good way…”

“Fight with Shurak! Let’s fight!”

Tarkan shouted loudly, flying around in the air.

“A fight…? Okay!”

As if she had a good idea at the mention of a fight, Asti suddenly stood up, looking at Tarkan flying around, she made up her mind.

“A hunger strike!”

“A hunger strike!”

“From now on, I will go on a hunger strike until Latifa is not sent back to Hades. I won’t eat muscat grapes, peanut butter with sugar, honey bread, or meat stew until then!”

“I won’t eat!”

When Asti extended her finger, Tarkan stretched out his small leg, and they bumped into each other.

And that evening, the rumor spread across the harem that Asti had not eaten anything, including snacks, for two meals until she was not sending Latifa back.

“Our little Star Candy went on a hunger strike?! Why?!”

“Well… When she doesn’t send Latifa back to Hades’ estate.”

The Sultan’s aide knelt with a troubled expression. Hearing that, Rashid, who had just made a face as if the sky were falling, immediately coughed and covered his face.

“Khm! Hades’ matters are inevitable! Whoever it is, make our Star Candy eat well and calm down.”

But when they heard the news that Asti had not eaten anything, only drank water until the next evening, Sultan, in an anxious manner, went to her palace with Karina.

“Our Star Candy! What’s going on?! Darling, get up and try eating this!”

Rashid and Karina brought sweet honey bread and cheese that Asti liked and gently touched Asti’s cheeks or held her hands as she lay weakly on the bed.

Tarkan, who was usually talkative, also sat on her head, drooping and helpless.

With an angry tone, Rashid shouted to the servants nearby.

“Her pretty face is now half gone! Goddess Felicitas! What on earth is going on? Oh, what have you all done until your mistress became like this?!”

Although he was usually kind and wise, when it came to his youngest daughter Asti, he lost his reason and rushed forward. Only he knew how distressed Rashid was, seeing Asti, who was on a hunger strike, lying down.

“Father…”

Asti raised her small and plump hand towards the Sultan, who was scolding the servants.