“Dirty personality, bad language, and bad behavior. If you went on stage as Kahorc in the Mercatus play, it wouldn’t be lacking at all!”

“…Is that so.”

“Uwaaa!”

Suddenly, as Hades was about to answer in a calm tone, Asti screamed, startling Hades, who quickly turned around. The sound was so loud that even Takan, who was dozing off beside them, woke up startled.

“Princess?!”

“Uwaaak, Asti?!”

Asti was wide-eyed, her palms against Hades’ plump cheeks. However, her eyes shone as brightly as ever, and a big smile adorned her face.

“Crazy dog! Takan! I’ve got a fantastic idea! It’s a way to beat Shilak Ollabuni!”

Asti, hanging onto Hades’ arm with a joyful expression, shouted.

“It’s a play, you crazy dog! You’ll go on stage as Kahorc!”

“…!”

At Asti’s words, Hades stared at her face as if he had been hit on the head. However, he quickly opened his eyes as if he had heard the world’s stupidest remark, and burst into fake laughter.

“Even if the princess doesn’t know, this humble Ignite, the general, doesn’t have the luxury to play around in a traveling troupe for seven days.”

Despite his sarcasm, Asti’s face, down to the last feature, changed to disappointment. Undeterred, she started poking Hades’ back playfully.

“Who said every day? On the day of the grand procession, when Uncle Tarek and the Golden Princess come out, just make a surprise appearance for a day!”

“…Ha. Regardless of being a crazy dog, it’s against the principles of the honorable Ignite to bloom in such a wandering theater. I can’t do something like charging a penny for admission.”

Hades still wore an uncertain expression. Looking at him like that, Asti tried desperately to convince him.

“You used to disguise yourself as a beggar and roam around anyway, right? What’s the difference between that and this? Moreover, this is a play under the name of the Basilii Dynasty! All the profits will go back to Prince Luhann!”

“Hmm…”
“Moreover, you can charge admission fees just for your performances! Even if you sell tickets at five times, no, fifteen times the price, people will flock like clouds, right? Then, Shilak Ollabuni, who loves attention, will be extremely popular, won’t he? Hehe!”

Certainly, Asti’s words made sense.

Even if I say so myself, Hades, with his handsome appearance, was already popular. If he were to perform in a play, popularity was guaranteed. Compared to the farces he had done acting as a crazy dog until now, performing in a theater was like a feast.

If a special play was conducted in conjunction with the grand procession time when Tarek and the Golden Princess were scheduled to appear, it could attract some of the distinguished guests, and with the inflated admission fees, substantial profits could be made.

Scratching his chin and contemplating, Hades was suddenly interrupted by Asti, who thrust her face forward.

“Do you not want to?”

“It’s not a bad idea, but there’s just one thing. It bothers me that it’s an idea that originated in the princess’s mind. Ahaha!”

“Yaaak!”

Reacting to Hades’ usual joking tone, Asti jumped up and randomly thumped Hades’ back.

Hades, in response, ruffled her hair playfully and chuckled.

“Indeed, the bloodline of the worthy Macalli is hard to conceal.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“First, we should finish talking with Luhann.”

“Hehe, then when you come out, let’s call Latifa for the role of Surya!”

“Latifa?”

Suddenly, at the mention of Latifa’s name, Hades, who was bewildered, had Takan flying over his shoulder, saying:

“Don’t you know the contents of Volume 4? Kahorc gets a beating from Surya.”

“Good heavens, gods!”

To the laughter of Takan and Asti, Hades, massaging his temples, seemed to have a headache. However, neither Takan nor Asti noticed that, despite his complaining, Hades’ lips were subtly curling upwards.

Returning to the twilight hours, Latifa stared blankly at the sky.

Hades, mentioning he had urgent matters to attend to and was heading home first, was genuinely considering taking her to her residence. The view of the orange sun between the high spires, steep stairs, and the rounded roof of the well-maintained palace was always a heartwarming sight.

While enjoying the scenery, next to Latifa, Luhann, draped in a robe, approached her with the reins of a horse in his hand.

“The nighttime view is beautiful too. If you look up, there are so many stars that it feels like they’re pouring down.”

“The nights here are too short, so it’s regrettable.”

“As short as they are, we do our best to send away the darkness. Now, give me your hand.”

Smiling playfully, Luhann extended his hand towards Latifa.

Since Luhann’s confession, physical contact with him, which she had ignored before, was a bit troubling. Nevertheless, Latifa put on the most unaffected smile she could muster and took his hand.

“Is giving him a chance the right thing to do?”

She wondered if it wouldn’t have been better not to give him a chance at all, but refusing his feelings outright seemed too desperate on Luhann’s part.

“It’s a lonely position. It must have been so lonely…”

Latifa knew better than anyone how solitary and burdensome the position of royal blood was.

“Even Luhann lost his queen mother when he was young. Besides Hagnu, there must not have been a place he could rely on in this palace, with more than one harem.”

Luhann, helping Latifa sit comfortably on the horse, leaned over to look at her.

With affectionate eye corners, soft lips, and fairly masculine, distinct features, it made one’s heart flutter just by looking at him. He was undoubtedly a handsome man, comparable to Hades.

“Why?”

“Looking down like this… they said I might fall over.”

At Luhann’s cute remark, Latifa couldn’t help but burst into a joyous laughter.

“Hahaha! Who said that?”
“There’s someone going around claiming to be Amor’s apprentice.”

Having said that, Luhann also mounted his horse.

Unlike Hades, Luhann sat in front of Latifa and took the reins. Seizing the opportunity with the slightly relaxed atmosphere, Latifa teased him.

“Well, I have to… hold onto your waist. But this wasn’t mentioned by any chance by Amor’s apprentice, was it?”

“N-no, I didn’t intend that.”

Blushing slightly, Luhann, with brown hair that swayed in the night breeze, laughed.

When Latifa gently placed her hand on Luhann’s waist, a tense tremor was conveyed.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about people noticing. We’ll disguise ourselves as court jesters and leave. Ah, um, wrap your robe tightly, and if you feel dizzy, let me know immediately. Do you really have to say it? The wind might pick up, so if anything feels uncomfortable, be sure to tell me.”

“Luhann, don’t be nervous. Relax.”

“Oh well. Hades is more manly than me, who is being this fussy.”

With a soft murmur and seemingly lifeless, Luhann began his speech.

Watching Luhann struggling like that, Latifa found him cute and pitiful, so she gently comforted him.

“Luhann is already a good person, you don’t have to try so hard to show me only the good side.”

“…….”

As the words began to flow, Latifa pulled Luhann’s waist a little tighter and spoke to him in a soft, gentle manner.

“In the empire, the word ‘gentle’ was the highest compliment for a man. It’s a term used for men who are gentle and courteous, like Luhann. A gentle man is my ideal type.”

“Really? If you’re just saying this to comfort me…”

“Oh dear. Are you really saying that? In the empire, being a gentle bureaucrat or aristocrat was more popular than being a general.”

Taking advantage of the darkness of the desert, Caleb’s estate was in sight. Throughout the journey, Luhann and Latifa joyfully exchanged conversations.

Although the emotions were not completely settled, Latifa felt a bit relieved that things didn’t turn out as bad as they could have.

“Now you will have a separate bedroom from me.”

That was what Hades said until he pushed Latifa out of the bedroom.