Hades caressed Latifa’s cheek.

“You were gaining some weight, only to become gaunt again.”

“……The lion caused me much distress.”

His handsome face, illuminated by the flickering torchlight, would have been flawless were it not for the dried blood at the corner of his mouth.

“I had instructed Yanan to fatten you up like a piglet. Now Yanan alone will suffer the consequences.”

Although Hades’s voice was slightly hoarse from shouting during the earlier theatrics, it was still deeply alluring.

“So you’re going to punish her?”

“If the goddess wishes.”

Latifa’s worried query was met with a chuckling Hades. He forcefully wiped her mouth with his thumb.

Her expression twisted at his touch—a bit too possessive and intense for what should have been a gentle gesture.

“What is it?”

“The lion’s blood has dried on you, it’s hard to remove.”

“Cleaning won’t do much. The blood has already splattered everywhere. Caesar’s blood has… Ahh!”

Startled, Latifa shrieked when she felt something wet and warm near her mouth.

Hades had lightly licked the bloodstain on her face. He then pressed down on the same spot with his thumb.

He seemed to have thought that moistening it would make it easier to remove.

‘I could have just wiped it off myself!’

“I, I’ll clean it!”

Flustered, Latifa pulled her face away.

Hades Caleb, his actions were always beyond Latifa’s ability to predict.

And it was not solely because he was a desert dweller, unlike her who was an imperial.

It was just like that. As the sun is red and the moon is blue, the truth she’d realized was that Hades Caleb was simply ‘odd’.

“Caesar’s blood is neither sweet nor particularly special. It’s just ordinary blood. People are struggling so much to get this ordinary blood, it’s not even funny.”

As Hades briskly rubbed away the blood on her lip, his finger lingered on her small lips.

“Do you also desire Caesar’s blood?”

His voice, asking the question, seemed to be testing her, like dangling an appetizing bait at the end of a fishing line.

However, Latifa firmly shook her head.

“No.”

“Liar.”

The torch hanging on the wall blazed brightly, casting an intense, flickering shadow that was fully reflected in his eyes.

“Why do you think I’m lying?”

“You’ve tamed a lion behind my back and deviated from the plan I laid out. Why? Did you want to impress the sultan’s bloodline here instead of me?”

Stymied by his growling words tinged with a hint of urgency, Latifa found herself at a loss for words.

When had it ever been her task to impress the prince?

He’s now rebuking her for doing her job well?

Frustrated by Latifa’s lack of response, he bit his lip and kept his gaze fixed on her face, as if urging her to reply quickly.

“General Hades.”

Latifa wanted to argue that she was simply following his orders, but she took a deep breath and calmly spoke.

“I am now your Frau. Your happiness, that is. My job now is to make you happy to the best of my ability. I don’t care who the sultan’s bloodline is.”

‘And I have no use for the blood of the emperor. The honor of being a princess of the onceglorious Tania Empire is now less useful than a piece of rag.’
Latifa continued to speak.

“What you want is for the prince you’re pushing to become Sultan. And I’ve helped with that. All for you.”

“…….”

“To see you happy. Because… that’s our deal.”

Cautiously gauging his reaction, the sharp look in his eyes seemed to have softened a bit. Yet his expression still appeared uneasy and anxious.

Latifa carefully touched the dried blood on his lips.

“Do you find this blood tempting? Not at all. What I really want right now is a fresh, sweet pomelo.”

Hades intently stared at her as she caressed his face. Contrary to expectations, his skin felt incredibly smooth under her fingertips.

In between the silence of Hades and Latifa, the sound of drumbeats resonated from the stadium.

Thump. Thump. Boom, Boom.

Whether it was the beating of their hearts or the drumbeats echoing off the walls, it was impossible to tell. A palpable tension swirled between them.

Unfathomable black eyes sparkled solely at her.

Latifa found something unsettling within herself as she met his gaze. She felt he wanted something from her, but didn’t have the courage to fully confront it.

A strange premonition held her back, as if crossing that line would make it impossible to return.

To divert from the awkward atmosphere, Latifa hastily withdrew her hand from his lips.

“I should wipe off the blood.”

Then Hades’ hand urgently grabbed her wrist.

“Ah!”

“My goddess.”

Hades slowly bowed to Latifa. She attempted to back away but was halted by a wall behind her.

“If you would cleanse the filthy blood on me.”

“Huh….”

Her entire body tingled from the warmth of Hades’ breath descending upon her neck. Her heart pounded as if it would burst.

Incapable of uttering a word, let alone knowing what to say, Latifa was lost.

“It would be an honor beyond measure.”

“Ha, General Hades….”

“Shh. We’re just wiping off blood.”

As Latifa exhaled, his warm breath collided with her lips.