Captured by the Desert Tyrant (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 15

“It will take time to reach our palace. Please escape quickly!”

Louisa, the maid who had alone attended the 17th princess, gathered clothes and jewelry and handed them to Latifa.

“Louisa! What about you?!”

Latifa quickly tucked into her bosom a small jewelry box adorned with the most beautiful blue gem among the ornaments.

It was a keepsake left to her by Latifa’s Mother.

“My duty is to serve Princess Latifa. Flee to the border, take a ship, and escape far, far away! If the desert savages catch you, they might flay you alive!”

“Ah…! Louisa!”

Pushed abruptly by Louisa, Latifa tightly shut her eyes as she felt herself plummeting downward.

The place she landed was pitch black—she could see nothing.

[I can’t just throw away the fortune that rolled in because of some clueless girl.]

“Brenda?”

A hot desert wind, carrying the faint scent of sand, poured over her face.

[Come with me into the desert.]

The man’s voice from the darkness sounded very familiar, as if she’d heard it many times before.

Latifa struggled desperately, thrashing about to escape the darkness.

[I promise you the finest treatment. After all, I’m a man capable of such things.]

“That voice… Who was it?”

-Jingle.

Two golden bracelets on her flailing hands clinked together.

“Yes. These are General Hades’s bracelets…”

As the scent of sand grew stronger in the darkness and the ground suddenly gave way beneath her, Latifa’s eyes snapped open.

“…A dream!”

She blinked several times at the unbelievable sight right before her.

What lay before her eyes was a vast desert.

‘Ah… Am I still dreaming…?’

Under the blazing sun, all she could see endlessly ahead was the broad back of a large camel and dunes of sand.

The slow, gentle rocking motion and the warm body heat pressed against her back were sensations she’d experienced before.

-Purr-rumble.

“…”

Too terrified to dare look behind her, she only lowered her blue eyes to examine the hand gripping the camel’s reins.

That hand appeared twice as large as her own pale one, its skin a deep shade like milk chocolate. And on its wrist were golden bracelets identical to hers.

‘Hades Caleb Ignite.’

It had to be him.

Good heavens.

Where am I?

“Uh…”

She tried to speak, but her throat wouldn’t cooperate. Not just her throat—her arms, legs, and entire body refused to obey.

‘I can’t move…’

Her whole body felt as soft and wobbly as jelly, her head heavy. Combined with the unreal landscape before her, she couldn’t possibly gather her wits.

“Shh.”

Hades’s hot breath brushed against her from behind, making the nape of her neck flush and burn.

“Ugh…”

“You’ll find it hard to move right now. They used a rather strange drug on you.”

‘Drug?’

“I’ve said it at least three times: never bring in the wrong underlings.”

“Ughh…”

She desperately wanted to ask what he meant.

“Your maid drugged you, put you to sleep, then secretly boarded our caravan. We didn’t discover her until a week after departure.”

“…?!”

Brenda? She drugged me?

“She claimed you wished to become my woman.”

“Ughhh…”

No! That’s not true! I never did!

She wriggled her unresponsive body as much as she could to signal her denial. In response, his firm jaw settled gently between her shoulders, as if to calm her.

“I know it wasn’t your will. So please, stop struggling.”

“Ugh…”

“We’re currently heading toward the Grand Bazaar. The procession has already departed to return you alone to the Empire—it can’t be turned back now.”

At Hades’s words, Latifa gazed again at the desolate sea of sand stretching before her.

‘We’re going to the Grand Bazaar?! Is that even possible?!’

Latifa’s blue pupils dilated to their limit, and her mouth fell agape.

“Don’t worry—I’ll deal with that cunning wench who fed you poison separately.”

‘That’s not the issue right now!’

She thrashed weakly, pouring all her will into expressing her desire to return, but his arm pulled her back more firmly.

“Shh. Normally, stowaways are executed regardless of reason—but I spared her under the pretense that she’s my woman. If you resist like this, the soldiers will grow suspicious.”

Good heavens. She had to pretend to be Hades’s woman just to survive. As the situation grew increasingly dire, Latifa slowly relaxed her body.

“No matter how much you loathe it, there’s no choice. Come with me.”

“Ugh…”

At the sudden wave of nausea, a pained groan escaped her. He softened his voice further and whispered gently into her ear.

“Your health isn’t good right now. Just let go of everything for the moment.”

“…”

“The Empire, the war, even that scheming maid—let go of everything burdening you now. The Flame of Flames will protect you.”

Hearing his reassuring whisper and the promise of protection, Latifa unconsciously let out a small, warm sigh and leaned her head against his chest.

“You can worry about headaches later. For now, just bury everything in the sands of this desert.”

Yes. If the mad dog of the Grand Bazaar is protecting her, then perhaps—just perhaps—she could afford a little peace of mind.

“No matter how great your worries, none are greater than this desert. Bury them all without fear.”

Leaning against him, the tension in her body gradually eased. Following his words, Latifa simply stared blankly at the surreal desert unfolding before her.

The desert truly stretched endlessly beyond the horizon—so vast it could swallow all her fears, leaving her with a strangely light, carefree feeling, as if she’d truly let go of everything.

Surprised by her own unusual calmness, she slowly breathed in. A warm desert wind, carrying the scent of sand and jasmine, gently caressed her silver hair, welcoming her into the desert.

**

Over the desert land cloaked in darkness, a white dust storm rose.

‘Cold…’

During the day, she’d sweat just standing still, choking on the heat—but at night, it turned inexplicably chilly.

Hades wordlessly draped a leather blanket over her trembling back. Yet Latifa’s shivering wasn’t just from the cold.

The true culprit was none other than Hades Caleb, calmly reading a scroll over there.

‘This is all General Hades’s fault!’

If only he’d left her with the refugee group from the start, Brenda wouldn’t have gone so far as to do this to her.

His strangely persistent attention had ultimately caused this disaster.

Hades had said that a woman named Brenda told the soldiers Latifa was his woman and even showed them his bracelet as proof.

Hades’s chilling remark—that without that bracelet, she might have been killed instantly as a stowaway—had sent shivers down her spine.

“What about Brenda?”

“Well, she’s fine.”

Hearing Hades’s vague reply, dizziness returned, and she leaned her head against the leather wall of the tent and closed her eyes.

‘What kind of drug did Brenda give me? My head feels like it’s splitting…’

Latifa pulled the blanket tighter as she thought about the Grand Bazaar—but it all felt so vague.

Due to the great distance, vastly different climate, and especially the cultural gap, the Grand Bazaar was nearly a world of mystery to the Empire.

‘As far as I know, it’s definitely called the Grand Market.’

Unlike the Tania Empire, which ruled its entire territory under strong imperial authority, the Grand Bazaar was different.

Literally meaning “Great Market,” the Grand Bazaar was akin to an artificial nation built upon desert tribes.

Nomads and settlers from various regions carved out trade routes through the desert’s heart, and over time, the central hub of commerce grew into a large, bustling metropolis.

‘They have a leader called a Sultan, not an Emperor. Hades has mentioned the Sultan occasionally too.’

She’d studied their culture somewhat through books while learning the desert tongue, but knowledge from books and reality were never the same.

‘How will I survive there…?’

Just as she sank into despair over her pitch-black, uncertain future, Hades lifted her, startling her eyes wide open.

Their gazes met instantly—his dark eyes locking with hers—and both froze for a moment.

“I thought you were asleep and was going to move you.”

“…”

“A sandstorm is getting worse—I was considering closing the flap. But if you wish, I’ll leave it open.”

She weakly shook her head to signal she didn’t need it. He lowered the leather flap with one hand, and the small lamp inside the tent flickered in the wind.

His strong, burly arms lifted her effortlessly and set her down onto a pile of silk blankets prepared on the opposite side of his sleeping mat.

Before, she would have jumped in alarm and tensed at his slightest touch—but now, after so many shocks, being held by him barely fazed her anymore.

‘They say humans are creatures of adaptation…’

As she watched Hades set her down, he asked,

“Are you afraid?”

“…”

“The Grand Bazaar isn’t as frightening as you think.”

It might not be—for you.

She turned her head with a skeptical expression and buried her face in the blanket. But Hades didn’t return to his place; instead, he sat down beside her.

“It’s not as desolate as the middle of the desert.”

“…”

“It’s hot, yes—but intensely vibrant. Rare treasures you’ve never seen or heard of fill every street. I guarantee new merchants will come daily to captivate all five of your senses.”

Reflexively, images of a grand market filled her previously blank mind. Would there really be fire-spitting performers and dancers tossing knives like in the books? Would there be crocodiles? Elephants?

“In the mornings, the air is rich with acacia honey; by evening, the scent of cumin stew fills the streets. Men compete in strength before women who scatter flowers, and children line up for shadow puppet shows.”

Colorful scenes began replacing the dull, sand-filled emptiness in her mind.

“It’s a land of opportunity—where yesterday’s beggar can become today’s magnate. That is the Grand Bazaar.”

“…”

“There’s something I’d like you to do there.”

“What? What do you want me to do?”

No matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t imagine what she could possibly do. Nor did she understand why he insisted so persistently on her, of all people.

“Because I know your secret.”

“…?”

“So, Latifa—become my Frau and come with me to the Grand Bazaar.”

Frau? What’s that?

A soft blanket settled over her lying form—silk so luxuriously smooth it put imperial bedding to shame.

“I shall grant you the highest honor and wealth.”

“Hmm.”

Sinking into the blanket’s softness, Hades’s voice began to sound distant. At the edge of her hazy consciousness, she felt him gently stroking the ends of her hair—but she was too drowsy to push him away.

“Let’s enchant all of the Grand Bazaar under this moonlight.”

“…Mm.”

“We’ll make Luhan the next Sultan.”

Hades kept murmuring, but Latifa had already drifted into sleep and heard nothing more.

**

At the rear opposite end of the caravan, Brenda, bound tightly in ropes, wailed and writhed.

“What do you intend to do with this woman?”

A soldier asked Hades, who stood expressionless.

“Her crime is grave. She deserved death, but I spared her out of consideration for her status…”

“Shall I deal with her?”

As the soldier reached for his sword, Brenda writhed even more violently.

“Not yet.”

“If not yet, then when?”

“Her condition is worse than expected. Kill her only if she can’t endure it.”

“Understood.”

Despite Hades’s ruthless reply, the soldier bowed respectfully.

“Until then, she ought to learn how to properly serve her betters. There’s a position perfectly suited for that greedy woman.”

Hades skimmed through a scroll and pointed to one entry—the Empire’s list of tribute gifts for the Sultan.

-Third Imperial Princess, Aris Delbrun Tania.

“This princess is said to be extravagant and greedy, correct? Where is she now?”

“She’s under special custody in the Tenth Army. As a prisoner destined for the Sultan, she’s under strict supervision.”

“Put this woman in there with her. Seeing a fallen princess should teach her how blessed she was to enjoy such luxuries until now.”

“Yes, General!”

After finishing his orders, Hades turned to leave the tent but paused briefly and looked back.

“Is there anything else you command?”

“Before sending her to the captive princess, pull that woman’s hair—five times, no, about ten times.”

“Sir?”

Hades sharply raised his eyes and said,

“I dislike repeating myself.”

“A-ah, yes! I’ll pull her hair ten times!”

“Then carry on. May the guardian gods bless you.”

“And may the guardian gods bless you, General.”

As Hades walked away calmly, loud squealing—like that of a pig being slaughtered—began echoing from behind.