His breath, resembling the desert’s sandstorm, tickled her ear as it passed.

The whisper seemed like a demand from Latifa.

Sniffing around like a wild dog, his breath, like a desert fox, approached Latifa’s ear and neck. Quickly, she pushed his head away from her.

“Enough…”

If she didn’t push him away, it felt like his hot breath, burning like fire, would reach deeper places.

Not just on the silky flesh but inside as well.

“Dare.”

Having been rejected by Latifa, Hades, growling like a wild dog, grabbed her shoulders. His black hair continued to dig into her neck.

“What more do you want from me?”

When Latifa finally asked him, he remained silent for a long time.

Perhaps her question was provocative.

It was a question that handed everything over to him.

“…?”

As time passed, and the lengthening shadows covered everything, Latifa lightly touched his black hair tickling her neck.

Contrary to the seemingly rough exterior, his black hair was surprisingly soft.

It felt like petting a black-furred beast, but it was distinctly different from Caesar or desert fox.

Suddenly, the silver twilight mixed with golden hues began to sway behind his shoulders.

‘Another spirit…’

Hades’ silvery spirit conveyed a strange resonance to Latifa.

“…!”

Despite the possessive tone in the spirit’s crazed voice, Hades, having lifted his head, spoke to her with a somewhat cold tone.

“Nothing. I don’t need anything. I’m not a man so insignificant as to demand something from you, the lady of the doomed nation.”

Although his words and the spirit’s voice oscillated between extremes, it was uncertain which one to believe. Just because he thought about something in his heart didn’t necessarily mean it was sincere.

“…I see.”

Ultimately, trying to erase Hades’ spirit, Latifa ambiguously replied.

‘Nothing.’

As Latifa, somehow, it felt more reassuring to believe in this. In the end, she once again showed a bright expression and spoke in a cheerful voice.

“Hades. The lady of the doomed nation is hungry now.”

As the topic shifted, his eyes, which had been staring at her as if devouring her, seemed to lose some of their intensity.
The intention to end the conversation that was no longer meaningful was clearly understood by Hades, who responded promptly with a nonchalant remark.

“Well, well. You’re quite persistent. No wonder I never bothered raising animals myself.”

Hades lifted Latifa, who was in his arms, straight onto his shoulders like a burden.

“Oops!”

Suddenly feeling like her feet were off the ground, Latifa had no choice but to struggle and wobble.

‘What’s happening all of a sudden!’

He was truly an unpredictable man.

“Put me down!”

“Your steps are too slow; they’re utterly useless.”

Despite Latifa’s plea, Hades chuckled and started walking briskly with large strides.

Latifa tapped on his shoulders and chest, but he paid no attention and continued walking.

As Hades passed by the servants in the hallway, they kneeled and bowed their heads. Somehow, they couldn’t contain their laughter, and it seemed like they were bursting out with stifled chuckles.

Perhaps feeling relieved that there were no consequences for Amira’s actions, the atmosphere lightened.

“Everyone, don’t laugh! Ah, I’m going to fall! Hades, hold me properly!”

Struggling to hold onto him as if she would be dropped at any moment, Latifa had to cling tightly to his robe.

“You guys, don’t laugh at my frau.”

In a rather stern tone, Hades chided Caleb’s servants.

However, even in his stern voice, there was a mischievous gleam.

“Yes, we will receive her with the utmost respect.”

The servants collectively replied, seemingly determined to tease Latifa.

After arriving at the dining room where food was prepared, Hades finally let Latifa down unceremoniously and went inside first.

“Ugh! Why are there men who act so recklessly like that…!”

Thanks to him, Latifa’s hair was a mess, and her clothes were all wrinkled. Just as Amira, who came out of the kitchen belatedly, saw her, she widened her eyes.

“Latifa. Because of you, I moved a bit and now my body feels stiff.”

“You moved recklessly!”

Hades, already pouring lamb stew into a bowl made of silver, spoke playfully, and Yannan, who had just come out of the kitchen, somehow blushed and gave Hades a small reprimand.

“Wait a moment! Isn’t the young lady not yet an adult?!”

“What does that have to do with anything? If I want to, I’ll do it.”

Hades playfully poked Yannan with a meaningful expression, and Latifa just stared at him in confusion.

Holding the complaint letter sent by Shady’s disciples, Tarek wandered around the balcony of the prince’s palace.

“I’ve never seen such a ridiculous complaint in my life.”

It was an absurd complaint, asking the detestable Hades’s frau to be punished.

Tarek, holding the complaint in one hand and sipping fruit wine from a golden goblet with the other, pondered the day of the trial with the frau and Hades.

The white-skinned, silver-haired woman who sat quietly next to the detestable Hades.

Normally, people would be pressed by the presence of my mother Iota, unable to do anything, yet she, with her small mouth, stood against that strong pressure and confronted her with words.

“A swindler pretending to be the moon goddess…”

Thinking about the day still irritated Tarek. But when he thought about the moment when Latifa threw herself to protect Polam instead of Iota, he couldn’t openly curse anymore.

Iota was furious, claiming that Latifa had orchestrated the whole thing with Hades, but Tarek didn’t think so.

Considering Hades’s shocked expression, it was the first time he had seen such a look on his face.
Hades always had an unfortunate and leisurely expression, not the type of person Tarek knew to make such a helpless expression that it would induce nausea. So, Tarek could instantly recognize that Latifa threw herself to protect Iota.

“Good grief.”

Tarek, standing on the balcony, quickly threw the whole goblet of wine outside as Iota and her maids rushed below. He adjusted his appearance in a hurry.

Soon, the maids from the prince’s palace knocked on the door, notifying Iota’s visit. Tarek instructed them to let her in.

“Prince, how are you feeling!”

“Mother, please consider the eyes around us!”

As soon as she entered, Iota examined Tarek’s shoulders. He quickly stopped her and shooed away the maids, who seemed eager to see.

“Oh my… It smells like alcohol.”

Iota detected the scent of fruit wine emanating from Tarek’s body. She slightly narrowed her beautiful eyes and spoke to him.

“I had just one glass due to a bit of stuffiness.”

“I’ve always told you to preserve your health with wholesome food. Mother is always worried since the prince lacks self-control. If he were to let loose, what kind of state would he end up in? I’m always concerned.”

“Sigh. How about your health, mother?”

Tarek sighed in response to Iota’s words. While Iota glanced around the room with sharp eyes, Tarek casually hid his expression, discreetly sliding the complaint letter from Shady about Hades’ frau under the black leather sofa.

Not wanting to provoke her pride by bringing up the fact that she got involved with Hades’ frau for no reason, he subtly inserted the paper into the crevice.

With little change in her demeanor, Iota sat down, handing Tarek a torn piece of paper that seemed like a scroll.

“Prince Tarek, with this, you can easily get rid of not only Prince Lohan but also Hades at once.”