“O guardians of the desert. How can you say that this body is not magnificent when you see it? Even to a woman who doesn’t know proper desert language, I made her understand with three words.”

“If it’s not in standard language, I don’t understand.”

“Look at this. Does that mean I’m wrong as the owner?”

When Hades raised one end of his thick eyebrows and asked, Latifa confidently replied with a calm expression.

“Isn’t the ignorance of the subordinate the responsibility of the owner? Ahaha!”

With charismatic aura and voice, Hades, who spouted childish words suitable for children, kept coming to Latifa’s mind, and she continued to giggle.

“Hmph. There’s too much I need to teach you. It’s like a blank sheet of paper with nothing written on it. I don’t know what, where to start teaching you.”

Hades let out a long, deep sigh as if he were a little tired.

Smiling with a bright smile at Hades’s sudden burst of laughter, Latifa continued to chuckle.

“Everything. I want to know everything.”

“Everything?”

“The world I knew was too small. So, tell me everything about your world. Hades, teach me everything.”

“Even if you can’t eat the food here properly, you’re good at speaking. Advertise that you hate the food in the desert altogether.”

When Latifa laughed it off at his words, Hades, unable to comprehend, also burst into laughter.

Standing in front of the large reception room door with two sharp bronze leopard head decorations staring at her, Latifa took a deep breath for a moment.

Inside this door, Amira and her two brothers were waiting.

“Wait.”

Hades grabbed Latifa’s shoulder for a moment, then used his finger to draw a straight line across his mouth, crossing both sides of his mouth.

‘Is it a sign not to speak?’

Latifa pointed to her mouth, nodding without saying anything, and Hades laughed brightly, nodding his head vigorously.

Watching Hades’ black hair sway as he nodded, Latifa had a momentary thought.
‘At times like this, he seems more like a boy going through puberty than a crazy dog, doesn’t he?’

As if prepared, Hades pushed open the heavy door with one hand and entered. Inside, Amira and three men were sitting on a narrow sofa, covered with a cream-colored macramé blanket, displaying an impressive jacquard pattern in deep turquoise.

They were all elegantly dressed, and their attitudes reflected the refinement expected of individuals from a distinguished household. As Latifa, with neatly combed reddish-brown hair similar to Amira’s, entered, the men accompanying Amira stared at her with the same sharp eyes.

“Hades-nim! May the protection of the guardian deity be with the general!”

Amira’s face brightened instantly upon seeing Hades.

She quickly stood up and, with graceful manners, paid her respects to Hades. The other three men also demonstrated impeccable etiquette towards Hades.

Of course, Latifa remained neatly ignored, keeping silent in response to Hades’ instruction not to speak.

“Greet them. It’s been a while since we’ve seen the faces of Confucians. It seems Shadi Daein is paying a lot of attention to his sons, and they are growing more impressive as the days go by.”

Hades took a haughty posture, leaning back on the opposite side, and Latifa briefly glanced at him before sitting next to him.

Then, Hades looked at Latifa and somewhat rudely pointed them out one by one.

“Latifa, take a good look. Shadi’s 1, 2, 3, and 4.”

Speaking numbers while directly pointing at people by name.

The end of his arrogant attitude was indiscernible.

‘Of course, they are commoners, and Hades is a position close to the royal family, being a general.’

“Forgive the audacity, General. We are about to discuss something important, so would it be suitable to have the Fraulein stay outside for a moment?”

However, Hades’ rude attitude, already familiar to them, prompted Shadi 3 to speak politely to Hades.

Latifa felt Amira’s sharp gaze and deliberately focused on the table in the middle. If not, it felt like her face would be pierced.

Hades, without relaxing his arrogant posture, looked down at them and said, “Do you have the confidence that you won’t say a word about my Fraulein after I send her out? Anyway, you came here not to talk about her. In that case, having the person herself here might be better.”

“Doesn’t she have shame and decency?”

Amira retorted, glaring at Latifa.

“I thought you had shame and decency. I wonder why you took your steps all the way to Caleb’s territory.”

When Hades chuckled, Amira quickly poked Shadi 1’s side, sitting next to her.

In response, Shadi 1 spoke up, seemingly representing her.

“General Hades. No matter how cute the raised hunting dog and parrot are, they are just pets, even if they eat together at the dining table and sleep together at the bedside.”

‘Treating me like a pet.’

Latifa had to be careful not to let her fa
“Indeed, you didn’t know! Hades-nim did nothing wrong! That day is the day of my coming-of-age ceremony. Hades-nim has many things to attend to, so he might forget about such things.”

Amira spoke joyfully, and Shadi 3 added to the conversation.

“It seems you didn’t know, and we have been impolite. Since we brought the invitation to the banquet again, please check the date”

“Must I be the one to go?”

When Shadi 3 extended a fancy invitation with gold patterns, Hades immediately cut off his words.

Then, Shadi 1, 2, and 3 all stepped forward and began speaking firmly.

“General Hades. Isn’t the spice market the hometown of Caleb’s heart?”

“Along with the grace bestowed by Caleb, Shadi has tirelessly worked for a long time for the glory of Caleb.”

“What we ask of the general is not something grand or extravagant. It’s natural for desert people to abhor my family.”

They seemed like knights who had anticipated Hades’ attitude and prepared thoroughly.

Latifa looked at them, recalling the chess games often played in the Empire.

The white rook, bishop, and knight seemed to be protecting the queen, Amira, while the black king and queen, Latifa and Hades, were being surrounded.

“Oh dear. Have Shadi’s Confucians come to devour me?”