Hades exaggeratedly took her hand to his lips, kissing it, then naturally slipped his hand around her waist, pulling her close.

Though many eyes watched what could be seen as an embarrassingly romantic scene, by now Latifa’s body was used to contact with him after facing numerous trials.

‘I’ve really become bold.’

She remembered the past when she would tremble just making eye contact with Hades.

Did she know then?

That she would be here, in the Grand Bazaar, meeting their king in such an amiable manner with Hades?

As Latifa pondered this while sticking closely to Hades, he took out a handful of gold coins and handed them to a man who looked like the chief among the gatekeepers.

“Take good care of this desert dog who has brought a goddess. Who knows? Her gracious mercy might transfer to you.”

Upon hearing this, the gatekeepers clamored to be the one to look after the camel that Latifa and Hades had ridden, causing a small fuss.

Watching this, Hades chuckled as he waited for the grand palace doors to open.

‘He has a rather… peculiar personality.’

That was the only way to describe Hades.

Soon after, the slowly opening doors revealed the inner courtyard, or the Riyad.

The white pillars in the corridor stood at perfectly even intervals, and the opulent hallway was adorned with tiles of elegant and soft colors.

The geometric gold inlay engraved on every white wall caught the beginning rays of the setting sun, dazzlingly reflecting the light.

Alongside the ostentation was a restrained beauty in white, as well as a symmetry. Next to the corridor were small bushes and tropical flowers, combining to include the beauty of nature as well.
“Wow…”

Latifa Glaesia stepped into the palace, momentarily forgetting her previous goddesslike elegance as she looked around in awe.

The desert fox that had been hopping along also paused, intrigued by the new scenery, its tail swishing slightly.

‘Come on, little fox, keep up.’

Encouraged by the fox’s excited voice, Latifa turned to Hades Caleb Ignite with a smile.

“This general’s mansion was impressive, but the palace is truly on another level!”

“Would you like to live here?”

The hint of sarcasm in Hades’s voice was not lost on Latifa, who quickly corrected her response.

“No, no! I prefer the general’s house.”

“Why?”

Why he needed a reason was beyond her. The man was insufferable at times.

Stumbling over her words, Latifa offered a feeble explanation.

“Uh, it has a garden, and people are nice there… uh, and the fruits are tasty…”

Even to her, the reasons sounded ridiculous, and her voice trailed off.

“And?”

Hades pressed on as if he had caught the perfect opportunity to tease her.

“Caesar’s there… and also, the location is good.”

“Your reasons are pathetic.”

‘I should be the one saying that.’

Frustrated, Latifa ultimately let her words flow without too much thought.

“Um… yeah! You, General Hades, are also there.”

“Good! Prepare to bow!”

Finally, Hades broke into a smile and continued walking into the deeper parts of the palace.

Although many doors blocked their way to the main palace, the guards recognized Hades immediately and stepped aside, making the path smooth.

“People seem to fear you.”

“They should steer clear of a mad dog.”

As he spoke, he suddenly barked at a guard who was standing respectfully to the side.

“Woof!”

“Ah! I apologize, General Hades!”

“I was just joking. Isn’t it fun?”

The frightened guard immediately prostrated himself, and Hades walked by, laughing.

‘There’s seriously something wrong with his character… He must have had some issues growing up, like abusive parents or something.’

This thought triggered curiosity about Hades’s parents.

He seemed too young to have lost his parents.

‘What sort of upbringing did he have?’

As Latifa looked at him with a puzzled expression, he gave her a look, as if urging her to play along.

“……It’s amusing. Wow, so amusing.”

Seemingly satisfied with her halfhearted tone, Hades grasped her hand tightly and led her on.

“Now, we will enter the main palace where the Sultan resides. The one in the centermost throne is the Sultan, and the woman who looks down on you disdainfully is Iota. Pay your respects to the Sultan and do not reply to Iota.”

Suddenly serious, Latifa nodded and started climbing the grand staircase leading to the main palace.

The desert fox playfully scampered up the stairs behind them.

The experience of slowly ascending the palace stairs in a foreign land, in high heels and a luxurious dress she would never have been able to climb in back in the empire, felt strange.

It was thrilling yet also nervewracking.

“Do you feel afraid?”

As if reading her thoughts, Hades quietly asked.

Afraid?

Of course.

From the moment she opened her eyes in the Grand Bazaar, not a day had gone by that wasn’t tinged with fear.

The unknown world she had only read about was overwhelming in its scope.

Food, clothing, language, every desert person she met, and even the exotic animals she encountered for the first time.

It all scared her.
Latifa Glaesia looked at the deep crimson sunset through the palm trees planted halfway up the stairs and answered candidly.

“Scared? I haven’t had a single day without fear since I came here.”

“…That’s truly regrettable.”

“But, General Hades, what’s strange is this.”

Latifa turned her head to face his visage directly.

Because Hades was standing with the sun behind him, his face was covered in dark shadows, making it difficult to discern his expression.

“Since the day I came here, although I can’t quite put it into words, it feels like ‘I,’ as an entity, am filled with more diverse colors by this intense desert kingdom. The ‘me’ before… was empty.”

In her time living as a princess in Tania, she had hidden her abilities and lived aimlessly.

She was cautious not to get involved in the royal succession struggles and thought her future would involve marrying into another kingdom or noble family eventually.

“I never even thought I could do something for myself, let alone for someone else.”

Latifa Glaesia—a woman so obscure that one might not even know she existed—had firmly believed that she would fade away, until she met Hades.

But everything changed after she met Hades and came to the desert.

Hades had also brought her here to use her abilities, but Latifa felt that her once feeble existence was gradually growing stronger.

“Even though the method was a bit harsh.”

The scorching sun that had been intense during the day was now setting gradually, and it was time for darkness to arrive.

“Everything changed after I met you. Everything here is frightening, but, General Hades, I—”

“Lord Hades!”

Before Latifa could finish speaking, another woman’s voice urgently called out his name from behind.

“Lord Hades, it’s me! Amira!”

As Latifa turned her head, she saw a beautifully dressed woman joyously bounding up the stairs.