‘He is a person in a position who can discard me at any time, like the emperor who abandoned his mother. Despite making me a goddess, he treated me not as a woman but as property and even imposed a hefty property tax.’

Latifa’s mother devoted her body and soul to the emperor, eventually making her rely entirely on him.

Although she knew that she wasn’t the emperor’s only woman and that he considered her the biggest mistake of his life.

‘Mom wanted me to live happily. Like an ordinary person.’

But Hades was someone far from ordinary. So Latifa couldn’t afford to give him everything.

For a moment, as Latifa thought of her mother, Hades, who had somehow approached, asked her.

“What, then, are you drawn to?”

Hades, looking up at her with passionate eyes, asked.

As he asked, Hades extended one arm and playfully toyed with the opal ring on Latifa’s finger.

“A tomb piled with gold and jewels, as wealthy as to make one?”

With no response from Latifa, he slid his hand again, tickling her with the back of his white hand.

“Or sublime awe for a moon goddess with fair skin and silver hair?”

Now his hand gradually slipped and touched Latifa’s waist.

“Or the strength of a man who will protect you…”

Latifa couldn’t provide any answer to his words.

She, too, didn’t exactly know what she wanted.

“Ah. In the end, you’re testing my patience. Say something. It’s getting boring.”

With Latifa’s silent response, Hades, lying down again, closed his eyes and grumbled.

“Well, just. I’m content with someone who loves me.”

“In that wretched country, was there a man who loved you?”

“Me?”

Latifa raised her head slightly and stared into the distance. Trying to recall, memories of the empire seemed oddly vague.
Perhaps the memories here were too vivid. It hadn’t been that long since arriving in the desert, yet everything felt blurry.

“Yes. You.”

Hades quickly responded, almost urging, and let out a short laugh.

To his question, Latifa replied with a wry smile.

“That’s truly a foolish question. There weren’t many who knew me.”

“…”

“Hades, even now, I might not be much, but back in the Empire, I was even more unremarkable than I am now.”

“…Not much? You are not unremarkable. You are now my goddess.”

Hades, closing his eyes, curved his eyes and mouth into a gentle smile. The beauty of that curve hidden among sharpness was undoubtedly like a gift from the gods.

“I turned you from a fugitive of a wretched kingdom into a goddess. And I am the man who now owns that goddess.”

“…”

“Now, do you know what you should answer?”

After a moment of silence, Hades’ sparkling eyes flashed black again, and he playfully asked Latifa.

Latifa nodded her head and quietly replied, “What I am drawn to right now is Hades Caleb Ignite; since you are my owner, I can only be drawn to you.”

Satisfied with Latifa’s answer, he laughed triumphantly, then teasingly said, “Feel free to be drawn for a ‘lifetime.'”

Even though the words ‘for a lifetime’ rose to her throat, Latifa swallowed them.

The day was unbearably hot.

The water in the golden basin remained calm without a single ripple, and amid the fragrant jasmine flowers floating on the water, the longest day of the Grand Bazaar was approaching.

“It seems Hades’ Frau is also proving useful to the prince.”

Irrigos looked beyond the papers that Lohan held and spoke.

Lohan, busy with preparations for the upcoming Merkatus, occasionally gazed at the blooming white peonies on the desk with a gentle smile.

The peonies maintained their moist and soft leaves even in the scorching sun and dry climate, and every hour, maidens poured water over them, letting droplets fall slowly from their palms.

“A voluntary payment of 2,500 gold coins in taxes. There’s no better way to launder funds than this. Thanks to General Hades, this year’s Merkatus will be a bit more splendid.”

“Even if you say splendid, the numbers aren’t that impressive. At most, it’s just gathering more elephants and monkeys.”

As a merchant festival where traders from all corners of the desert gathered to do business, Merkatus was important not only for people eating and drinking but also for how much the royal family generously gave.

The free honey cakes stamped with the prince’s seal and name were especially popular, and under the flags bearing their names, rare animals and peculiar magicians appeared, putting on free performances.

With ample funds, you could offer better things to the people of the Grand Bazaar. Hades had paid a considerable amount, ostensibly as property tax for Frau, to ensure that Lohan could spend money freely.

Even if you were a prince, you couldn’t spend the budget predetermined for the royal palace as you wished for a year.

“Still, 2,500 gold coins is a lot of money. It’s enough to do something to gather public opinion. General Hades must either have a big heart or really like Prince Lohan.”

“…He might be warning that he’s paying attention to Latifa.”

Lohan muttered quietly, making sure Irrigos couldn’t hear.

Hades’ face, which showed a tax receipt with the royal seal, his name, and Latifa’s name precisely stamped on it, flashed in Lohan’s mind, and a part of his heart churned.
I couldn’t be certain whether Hades noticed my affection for Latifa. However, blocking all males approaching his companion female was originally the nature of males.

“Well, Prince! How about some news of your engagement around this time?”