“Sultan, General Hades has returned to Caleb’s territory first……. Ah, yes. He must be treating his injuries.”

Manut, who cleverly omitted who was injured, gave a flexible answer.

Hades hadn’t specifically ordered to keep the matter about Latifa a secret from the Sultan, but Manut’s intuition from having served Hades so far was telling him to do so.

“Oh, dear. Is the injury so serious that he can’t even participate in the parade?”

As the Sultan spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear, a young man with brown hair who was chatting nearby interjected in the conversation.

“Father. Hades is such a peculiar fellow. He must have insisted on not appearing if he is not in perfect condition.”

That young man was the Sultan’s first prince, Luhan Basil.

As the handsome Luhan appeared, the eyes of the young women gathered in the banquet hall all turned towards him.

“I see Prince Luhan.”

“Congratulations on the victory in the war, General Manut. You all make me proud.”

He sat down on a large, soft cushion beside Manut and patted his shoulder.

“Hades sent me a message. The injury is not so deep, but he says he is not in the mood to participate in the parade, so he has returned to his territory first.”

Luhan casually left out the part about Hades requesting a physician skilled in herbal medicine, and lied smoothly.

“Who can stop that mad dog Hades?”

Iota, who was next to the Sultan, spoke in an arrogant voice, as if annoyed. The Sultan, too, stroked his black beard, as if he understood.

“A man who has even received the title of Ignite……. Tsk tsk. If he were born somewhere other than Caleb, he would have already been killed by someone.”

People were murmuring in disapproval of mad dog Hades, but the Sultan defended him with a benevolent expression.

“It’s important to straighten the discipline of the army with strong charisma. Hades is naturally fierce, so don’t blame him with unnecessary gossip. He’s like this because of his youthful vigor, he will become more gentle with age.”

“Ah, Sultan. I still get chills all over when I think of the day he sent a box full of snakes to the harem.”

Iota said, with a graceful voice and beautiful smile. Despite having given birth to two children and getting older, she was still the most beautiful woman and the de facto mistress of the harem.

“Hades still behaves childishly even after going on an imperial expedition. But that’s his charm.”

At Luhan’s words, the Sultan looked at him with a slightly strange expression.

But he quickly erased that look and raised a golden goblet filled with fruit wine.

“He may not be here, but let’s celebrate him for leading the march as Ignite. And let’s also pray for his madness to lessen.”

At the Sultan’s joke, everyone laughed and enjoyed the banquet.

“The Sultan has sent a message that you must attend the final banquet tomorrow.”

It was very late, but the sun was still bright in the long Grand Bazaar.

Hades was sitting on the railing of an arched corridor, sighing as he looked at the sunset, tinted with pink and purple.

“Whether or not I go to the banquet is not up to me. The Sultan, who is wiser than anyone, is doing something pointless.”

“The Sultan said so, but Prince Luhan also said so.”

“Hmm…….”
The black pupils of Hades, which had narrowed vertically at the mention of the name Luhan, slowly relaxed.

“Prince Luhan commanded me to deliver this message exactly: ‘If you want to wash away the infamy of the mad dog of the Grand Bazaar, come to the banquet promptly and receive the royal family’s victory celebration.'”

“How truly bothersome they are!”

Hades angrily waved his hand as if shooing a fly, driving away the servant boy who had come from the palace.

He who had been gazing at the sunset jumped up with a broken mood.

His firm coppery chest muscles were plainly visible due to a loosened black silk waistband, but he seemed to have no intention of hiding it.

He walked along the arched corridor in an ambiguous attire, one sleeve of his long, crimson robe neither properly worn nor completely off.

As the sun set, lengthening the black shadows, they disappeared completely into his dark bedroom.

In that dark bedroom, he checked Latifa’s condition, who was lying quietly without even turning on the light.

It had been two days since she received Omar’s prescription, but there was still no sign of movement.

“Should I reduce that green servant too?”

Hades, with a slightly impatient touch, lit the incense burner sitting by the large window in the bedroom.

Soon the room began to fill with fragrant smoke mixed with jasmine and bluish fragrance.

“… Wash away the infamy of a mad dog?”

Hades chuckled mockingly, fiddling with the gold bracelet on his arm.

“Now, even if I’m not a mad dog, who would believe me?”

Then it happened.

“I can… talk to animals.”

Latifa’s small voice flowed out.

“Hmm?!”

Hades hurriedly rose from the window frame and turned to her, at the small desert language that could not possibly be heard.

“… Really, do you believe…?”