Captured by the Desert Tyrant (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 16

How many days had passed since she gave up on everything and began crossing the desert with Hades?

Today again, Latifa rode on the same camel as Hades, gazing at the same endless sea of sand for days on end.

The desert heat pressed down suffocatingly, and feeling increasingly dizzy, she loosened the scarf around her neck.

‘My waking hours are getting shorter and shorter…’

Even during her days as an imperial princess, Latifa had never been particularly robust, and now her body was growing steadily weaker due to the medicine Brenda had taken.

On top of that, the barren desert environment made things even harder for her.

Her lips were always chapped from the dry wind, and sand kept getting into her eyes and mouth, causing constant discomfort. Days were unbearably hot, and nights were so cold it was nearly impossible to adjust.

‘But the hardest part of all…’

She lowered her silver-tipped lashes. What she saw below was Hades’s dark hand firmly wrapped around her waist.

‘Ugh. Hades Caleb. Being stuck so close to this man is the worst.’

Unable to move freely, Latifa crossed the desert by day sharing a camel with Hades, and at night slept in the same tent as him.

But that didn’t mean they’d grown any closer.

Latifa spent most of her days unconscious, and even when awake, rarely exchanged idle chatter with him.

Most of what Hades said to her consisted of simple commands like “Drink water,” “Take your medicine,” “Get down,” or “Get on.”

Or, as now, he’d speak only when something about her displeased him.

“If you don’t wear your scarf properly, your mouth will dry out.”

Somehow noticing the ash-gray scarf she’d loosened slightly because it felt stifling, Hades’s large hand gently adjusted it around her neck.

“I just loosened it for a moment because it was too hot.”

“Here, even a moment’s carelessness can bring death.”

With that, Hades pulled the waterskin tied to the camel’s flank and handed it to her.

‘Ah, cool.’

The surface of the leather waterskin was slightly cool—not cold, but enough to offer brief relief from the oppressive heat.

“Just holding onto this should help.”

“Thank you.”

She said the words, but there was still something slightly vexing about him that kept her from feeling truly grateful.

‘If he knew this trick, why didn’t he tell me sooner? Do you know how unbearably hot it’s been these past few days!’

“It would’ve been better if you’d told me earlier.”

Latifa muttered, her voice barely audible.

Hades chuckled softly and replied,

“In the desert, water is life. So by giving it to you, I’ve entrusted you with my life. Guard it well.”

“Oh wow, I’m so honored you’d entrust me with something so important.”

Latifa answered in a tone so obviously insincere anyone could tell. Yet Hades didn’t seem to mind—he just snickered and replied,

“I appreciate your understanding.”

“…”

His shameless, underhanded remark left her speechless, so she simply stayed quiet.

‘He really does whatever he pleases.’

With the conversation severed once more, Latifa simply let her body sway with the camel’s steady gait. He didn’t utter another word until sunset.

**

By nightfall, the desert warriors—who had marched all day—were now bustling about, lighting campfires and receiving their evening rations.

At that moment, two desert soldiers crept quietly through the shadows, their robes pulled low over their faces, careful not to draw anyone’s attention.

“Hey. Are you sure this is okay?”

“It’s already decided. No one will find out.”

“When we reach Grand Bazaar, Lady Iota will give us a generous cut, right?”

“Yes, you fool. How many times do I have to say it? We’re getting ten cartloads of gold. That’s enough to live off for the rest of our lives!”

“…Still, isn’t this too risky? Our comrades might all die.”

When one man hesitated, the other grabbed him by the collar and growled,

“Are you in or out? As long as we know about this plan, we’ve already betrayed the general. Might as well grab as much money as we can.”

“…Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Then hold onto this and follow me.”

The warning man handed a large leather pouch to his nervous companion. Something alive seemed to squirm restlessly inside the heavy bag.

Holding their breath, the two sneaked into the area where the supply carts were stationed. Carefully evading the guards watching over the carts, they stopped before the large leather waterskins.

“I’m really doing it now—hand me the knife.”

“Yeah.”

One man produced a sharp dagger. The other took it and began slicing forcefully at the bottoms of the waterskins.

-Hssssss.

Water quietly poured from the punctured bags into the sandy ground below.

“There’s no turning back now.”

One of the men reached into the pouch one last time and pulled out the wriggling creature inside—it was a Desert Fox, commonly seen around the desert.

“Keng!”

They tossed the struggling Desert Fox into the cart and quickly fled.

**

Night fell, and Latifa finally caught her breath inside Hades’s temporary tent. Hades had long since disappeared, leaving only a brief instruction for her to rest before heading out—likely to check on the soldiers.

Just then, Manut entered the tent, carrying medicine prepared by the army physician.

“Latifa. I brought your medicine.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Though known as Hades’s closest aide—and admittedly a bit gruff and unfriendly toward Latifa—he seemed far more human than Hades, making conversation with him easier.

“Still no improvement?”

“It’s hard—I keep vomiting every time I try to swallow the medicine.”

“Tch. Nothing to be done. The physicians said they’ve already used up all the herbs that help the medicine go down smoothly. Just try to swallow it somehow.”

“…I guess I have to. Is Brenda doing alright?”

Latifa asked with a weak smile.

Manut pulled out some flatbread, fruit jam, and dried meat along with the medicine and handed them to her as he answered,

“That woman who was with you? She’s been assigned to attend the captive princess now.”

“The captive princess?”

“Yes. Since you’re from the Empire, you might know her. There’s a princess with strangely golden hair—apparently of imperial blood.”

“Aris?”

“Hmm, that sounds about right.”

At least if Brenda was serving Princess Aris, she wouldn’t be starving or freezing.

Slightly reassured about Brenda, Latifa now asked about the princess.

“What will happen to her?”

“She’ll be presented to the Sultan. She’ll probably become a palace maid.”

“Are there any other members of the imperial family among the captives?”

“Hmm… No. Honestly, it’s a bit unsettling to keep enemy blood alive. She should’ve been killed—but she survived because of her golden hair.”

At Manut’s words, Latifa stopped tearing at her bread.

‘She survived just because her hair was golden? Does that mean she would’ve been killed otherwise?’

In that moment, curiosity mingled with renewed resolve—she must never let anyone discover her own imperial lineage.

“The general found her hiding in the palace cellar. She was dressed so lavishly from head to toe, she looked like some goddess. That’s why the general decided to spare her and present the ‘Golden Princess’ to the Sultan.”

“The Golden Princess…”

Latifa shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if Hades had found her in the palace instead.

Her hair wasn’t a beautiful golden color, and she had neither elegant gowns nor jewels to wear—she likely would’ve been killed by soldiers long before Hades ever saw her.

“Is there anything you’re missing? If you need more, just say so. We’ll get in trouble if anything happens to you.”

“Oh, thank you. This is more than enough.”

“Take good care of yourself.”

“Yes. You look unwell too, Manut—please get some proper rest.”

“The general doesn’t even worry about me, so that’s quite comforting.”

Manut gave a small chuckle and left the tent.

“You look fierce, but you’re not such a bad person, are you?”

Alone again in the silent tent, Latifa murmured softly, tearing off small pieces of bread and scattering them on the floor.

The sandy ground trembled slightly, and three tiny field mice popped out, squeaking happily—they’d been darting around ever since Manut brought out the food.

“The mice in the Empire looked scary, but you’re cute.”

Above the head of one mouse happily munching on the bread crumb Latifa had scattered, a tiny silver spirit appeared.

Focusing on it, a sweet voice echoed in her mind.

[Your family really is huge. Are you moving too?]

“I don’t know.”

[You’re going without even knowing where?]

“Yeah. That’s how it turned out. Where are you going?”

[We’re going somewhere high up.]

“High up?”

[Yeah. We have to go high up.]

“Why?”

[Because…]

As the mice munched on their crumbs, they began telling Latifa stories of the desert. While listening and nibbling on bread, she soon succumbed to the strong effects of the medicine and fell asleep.

Another day passed in the desert.

**

Latifa woke at dawn the next day—disturbed by strange noises from outside.

Outside the tent, many soldiers were chattering loudly, creating quite a commotion.

“Huh… What’s going on…?”

Latifa sat up, smoothing her tousled hair. A thick leather blanket—she couldn’t recall when she’d pulled it over herself—was draped over her.

Still dizzy from the medicine, she clutched her head and looked around. The room, bathed in the violet light of early dawn, was empty.

Hades’s bed across from hers was unoccupied, and strangely, his usually neat space looked hastily disturbed.

“What’s this?”

An uneasy feeling, unlike anything she’d felt before, began creeping over her.

Latifa quickly reached for the tent flap to look outside—but the guard stationed at the entrance blocked her.

“Please go back inside. The general strictly ordered you not to come out.”

“What happened? It’s so noisy out there!”

“A serious incident has occurred.”

“A serious incident?”

“More than half the water is gone—vanished overnight.”

“What? The water?!”

Gone?

Water was the most crucial resource for crossing the desert—even during resupply at the borderlands, security around it was always the top priority.

Having worked as a translator, Latifa had seen firsthand how meticulously Hades managed their water—so she was utterly shocked.

“Why—why did it disappear?!”

“I don’t know the exact cause yet.”

They still had over a month’s journey ahead before reaching Grand Bazaar.

With more than half their water gone, this large group was now effectively stranded in the middle of the desert.

“What will happen now?! Water is the most important thing!”

“I don’t know. Everything depends on the general.”

“Everything depends on him…?!”

The soldier hardened his expression and spoke grimly,

“We either cut our numbers in half… or tighten our belts and slowly die of thirst. One or the other.”

‘Cutting our numbers in half definitely doesn’t mean sending people back to the Empire!’

Latifa had to bite her lower lip to keep from crying out at the horrifying news.

“In any case, the soldiers are all worked up now—something dangerous might happen. So please, absolutely do not come out.”

With that, the soldier closed the flap again. Latifa stared worriedly at Hades’s empty bed.

“There must be a good solution—one where everyone survives…! There has to be…”

‘Hades may be arrogant and unlucky, but he’s capable enough to topple an empire in one stroke. He’ll surely find a good solution somehow.’

But if he really did decide to cut their numbers in half…

‘I’ll definitely be included.’

As the threat to her life returned yet again, Latifa’s hands and feet grew cold once more.

Outside, people continued shouting and panicking.

Anxiously pacing near the tent in the tense atmosphere, Latifa spotted the bread crumbs the mice had left behind the previous night and stood lost in thought.

‘Now that I think about it… what the mice said yesterday…’

Worried by what she’d heard, Latifa quickly began gathering her remaining rations.

“I need to confirm this elsewhere too.”

Muttering to herself, she pulled a black robe low over her face and prepared to slip out secretly.