Latifa muttered and buried her face quietly in a wooden pillow.

Books and language alone couldn’t teach her everything about them.

‘I was a frog in a well.’

Her prejudices about the Grand Bazaar – filled with dangerous sandstorms, strange food, and ferocious thieves – all crumbled at once.

Thanks to this sauna, she was beginning to like the Grand Bazaar, if just a little bit.

Inside the dark bedroom of Caleb’s property.

A small glass lamp lit in the center of the room was very small but a beautiful and valuable piece, showing the essence of stained glass art.

After visiting the royal palace, Hades Caleb Ignite sat beside the sleeping Latifa’s head on a large cushion, twirling her hair in and out of habit while reading a book.

A small, white desert fox’s snout popped out beside him, interfering as if to say, don’t touch.

“It’s not this woman who saved the thief that was mistaken for a water thief and almost killed; it’s me. Didn’t she even tell you that?”

Hades grumbled, taking out a few small dates from his pocket to give to the desert fox, but unlike the first time, it didn’t take them, turning its head and refusing to eat.

The desert fox curled its ears and tail, settling on Latifa’s hip, glaring at him. Unhappy that the person who saved its life was being so ungrateful, Hades closed his book irritably.

“Are you starting to resemble this woman too? Both of you were saved because of me, but you both act so uppity.”
Hades reached out his finger and tapped the desert fox’s head repeatedly. The fox opened its mouth and shook its head from side to side, trying to bite his finger.

Finding it amusing, Hades chuckled and shook his finger even more vigorously.

“You were spared to find those who tore the water bag, and you dare to defy me, a creature that cannot speak a word? Huh?”

King, king. The desert fox vigorously shook its head, trying to bite his finger, and Hades teasingly shook his finger just out of reach.

“Bite it. Bite it!”

“…….”

Hades laughed gleefully, teasing the fox without noticing that the awakened Latifa Glaesia was watching him.

“General Hades……?”

“……! Ahem!”

Suddenly startled by the voice, Hades hid his hand behind his back and coughed loudly.

“Are you tormenting it?”

As Latifa Glaesia carefully asked, the desert fox complained as if grumbling.

“It was crying so much, so I just watched.”

‘It seems like you were tormenting it, not watching.’

“It hasn’t fully recovered yet, so you shouldn’t play with it so roughly.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Hades replied coldly as if nothing had happened and turned his head. He picked up his book again and opened it.

‘Just say you were playing, are you ashamed to say that?’

Latifa Glaesia, now awake, began to gaze at him from the side. He glanced at her and, upon making eye contact, turned his back entirely to read his book.

“If the fire is too bright, put it out.”

“It would be nice if you gave me another room.”

“……I need to keep an eye on you for a while to make sure you don’t faint again.”

His voice, which had been excited while playing with the desert fox earlier, now became cold in an instant.

‘He doesn’t want to talk to me.’

At his cold response, Latifa Glaesia just lay there silently, looking at his broad back.

A warm breeze blew through the desert dweller’s bedroom, filled with large windows, passing Latifa Glaesia and heading towards Hades.

Sniffing the fragrance carried by the wind, Hades uttered a word.

“The fragrance is good today.”

“Ah, I went to the hammam today. I guess it’s because I took a bath after a long time.”

Remembering how much trouble she had caused by resisting going to the hammam, Latifa Glaesia blushed and laughed.

“You can’t even imagine the fuss.”

Hades answered nothing, gestured into the void, and murmured quietly.

“A peony that does not reveal its core with layers of petals.”

“……?”

“With the rich sweetness of lychee, added the mystery of green sage leaves.”

Hades sniffed again, and the sound reached beyond his back.

His actions were much like a large black wild dog.

“And jasmine……. Is that right? Considering my taste? Doing cute things.”

His voice, satisfied and slightly laughing, was heard.

“Cedarwood to cleanly finish the rich fragrance. Yes, just this much is appropriate. Sweet fragrance is vulgar, and cool fragrance is bland. The perfumers have put quite an effort.”

“You can know that just by smelling?”

“I must smell a fragrance to know. Do I have to look with my eyes?”

‘Hmm, that’s true……?’

Realizing the obvious, her words were stopped. Without anything to say, Latifa Glaesia quietly brought her wrist to her nose and sniffed.
“It does have a pleasant scent, but I can’t tell what anything is.”

“Just following won’t get you anywhere.”

At the snide voice coming from over her shoulder, Latifa pursed her lips, inwardly seething.

‘Yes, you’re so great.’

As she was about to pet the desert fox and fall asleep again, Hades’ voice was heard once again.

“Do you know about the golden princess?”

‘Aris!’

As her halfsister’s name was brought up, Latifa’s heart began to pound. She took a deep breath and answered as nonchalantly as possible.

“The empire’s princess?”

“Yes.”

“What happened to her?”

“She crossed the desert like you and is here now. I’ve offered her to the royal palace. But her cheeks are fair and plump, and her hair flows with a golden luster.”

“To the royal palace…….”

The mere mention of offering her to the royal palace resonated in her ears, and she didn’t hear the rest.

“You have to look better than her. Eat a lot, sleep a lot, and [dash].”

“What happens to a princess who goes to the royal palace?”

Finally, Latifa cut off his words and asked.

Was he upset that his words were cut off? Hades replied a bit brusquely.

“She’s one of those who watched the country fall while indulging in luxury and hedonism, not caring for my people. A harsh life awaits her as a fallen maid.”

“But the fall of the empire is the emperor’s fault, so she couldn’t have helped it…….”

“Being of the incompetent royal bloodline is reason enough.”