Captured by the Desert Tyrant (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7
“Brenda!”
The woman with red hair and freckles was unmistakably Brenda. The moment she saw Latifa, she broke into a bright smile and rushed over in a single bound.
—Whoosh.
Brenda hugged Latifa tightly, her voice unusually gentle.
“Lati!”
“Brenda, is everyone safe? The desert people are sending us to a third country!”
“A third country. Right. That’s not bad either. Goodness, Lati—what is all this?”
Brenda gave only a cursory reply to Latifa’s question, her eyes gleaming as she fiddled with the fine robe draped over Latifa.
She was utterly captivated by the smooth, silken texture and the faintly shimmering silver thread pattern. Standing beside Brenda was Manut.
Manut reported to Hades.
“It seems she’s the woman you lived with like family.”
“Who? You?”
“Yes. When the interpreters mentioned there was an imperial woman with silver hair here, he was the first to raise his hand.”
Hades looked at Brenda, who was absentmindedly touching the expensive robe, and asked Latifa,
“Oh? Really? Is that so? Are you truly as close as family?”
“We were in the same group of refugees!”
Latifa replied happily, relieved to see Brenda unharmed. Brenda, in turn, spoke to her in an unexpectedly kind and gentle tone.
‘Now that we’re safe, has Brenda become much more generous?’
“It’s thanks to you, Lati. Even if I sounded a bit harsh, I really relied on you deep down. You were the one who helped me escape back then.”
Latifa smiled shyly at Brenda’s rare, caring gesture of stroking her back and saying she’d worked hard. She felt happy—this was the first time she’d truly been able to help someone.
“That man is the general leading the desert people here, right?”
“Yes, that seems to be the case.”
“Do you know why you’re the only one kept separately here?”
“I think it’s because I know the desert language. They said they needed an interpreter.”
“Oh, Lati! You’re so naive.”
Brenda grinned and gently stroked Latifa’s thin cheek. Touched by this affectionate gesture after so long, Latifa beamed and took Brenda’s hand in hers.
Watching the two of them, Hades spoke.
“I shall grant you both a horse. And I’ve ordered separate quarters prepared for you.”
“For us?”
“Yes. I can’t carry an injured person like you around forever, so I’m assigning someone to attend to you.”
Brenda, who didn’t understand the desert language, urged Latifa impatiently.
“What did he say?”
“He said we’ll get a horse and separate lodging. I guess he called you to take care of me because of my injury.”
“Of course! Ah, well then—that’s great! Since you injured your leg, he’s showing mercy.”
Brenda said this excitedly.
‘But giving us a whole horse seems excessive…’
Though she wasn’t certain, a horse was surely a valuable asset to soldiers. This treatment was far too generous for prisoners of a defeated nation.
In fact, even if she were considered a desert interpreter, this special favor felt excessive. Latifa eyed him suspiciously.
Hades gave a faint chuckle and said to her,
“Since you hesitate to raise your own worth, I must do it for you.”
His dark eyes flashed toward Latifa.
**
After leaving Hades’s tent and being led to a new temporary tent, Latifa finally let out a sigh of relief as if collapsing.
“Ahhh… I thought I was going to die.”
‘I was actually with that mad dog. I still can’t believe it.’
“Lati, you’ve really made it big!”
“Made it big?”
Brenda, who had been supporting Latifa as they walked, immediately dropped her onto a small cot and began pacing around the tent, inspecting everything.
In the center sat a small brazier, thick and soft blankets were prepared, and even a small incense burner filled with rosemary scent had been set out.
But upon seeing all this, Brenda narrowed her eyes again and grumbled.
“But it’s still a bit lacking.”
“What is?”
“I mean, isn’t he that general? Couldn’t he be a little more generous?”
Brenda sounded oddly dissatisfied. Though Latifa admired her bluntness, she also worried and tried to soothe her.
“Brenda, don’t expect anything from that man. He’s terrifying! You know how brutally he crushed our empire!”
“He’s the one in power now, Lati. The empire is gone!”
“That’s true, but…”
Faced once more with this bitter truth, Latifa was left speechless.
“Hold tight.”
“What? Hold what?”
Brenda opened the waterskin placed nearby in the tent, gulped down several swallows, and then spoke firmly.
“The general.”
“…N-no, that’s not it at all!”
‘What is she even saying!’
Latifa’s face flushed as she shouted at Brenda. Only now did she vaguely grasp what Brenda meant.
Brenda was telling her to charm the general.
“Brenda, I can’t do that.”
“No time for playing coy, Lati. Look—we already got a horse and more food than anyone else.”
Brenda yanked hard on Latifa’s collar, clearly unconcerned that Latifa was injured.
“Do everything the general wants.”
“Ah—it hurts!”
Brenda’s face, which had been smiling all along, suddenly turned harsh again. Latifa’s hands and feet grew cold, and cold sweat began to bead on her skin.
She feared that if she refused Brenda, she’d be abandoned again. She wanted to help her fellow imperial citizen.
‘But that wouldn’t be right.’
Hades’s words echoed once more in her ears.
—If you don’t raise your own worth, who will?
Hades had said one’s value is determined by oneself.
Failing to voice her opinion and timidly hesitating would only diminish her own worth.
‘Hades is right. How I act will determine how I’m treated.’
Remembering his resolute, strong voice, she naturally clenched her fists.
Latifa firmly grasped Brenda’s wrist—the one clutching her collar—and looked straight into her eyes without flinching, speaking softly but clearly.
“Brenda, I don’t want to. Just because our empire surrendered to the desert people doesn’t mean I have to surrender too.”
“…”
“Brenda, you’re a smart and brave woman. I believe we can get through this without groveling shamefully before them.”
Though quiet, Latifa’s voice carried quiet strength. Brenda looked flustered, her expression faltering. Somehow, her voice even carried a hint of grace and dignity.
Slowly, the force of Brenda’s rough grip on Latifa’s collar weakened.
“W-who said anything about surrendering? I just meant don’t provoke him! Fine, do as you please!”
‘I’m glad she seems to understand.’
For the first time, it felt like Brenda had actually listened to her. She’d always been too intimidated by Brenda to speak her mind—but today was different.
‘I should’ve spoken up like this sooner… Why was I so afraid?’
Feeling a faint sense of accomplishment, Latifa smiled gently and looked out of the tent. In the distance, the largest tent—Hades’s—still glowed brightly with light.
**
The next day, Latifa and Brenda rode a small brown horse, standing side by side with Manut’s mount as they followed the military column.
Since neither Latifa nor Brenda knew how to ride, the brown horse’s reins were tied long and connected to Manut’s reins.
During the long march, Brenda clung tightly to Latifa’s waist, dozing off against her back. After a long silence, Manut, apparently bored, struck up a conversation with Latifa.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“How did you learn the desert language? Were you really a smuggler?”
“Ah… I just sort of picked it up along the way.”
Manut sighed in frustration at Latifa’s vague answer.
“I’m asking about that ‘along the way’ part.”
Latifa paused to choose her words carefully. She couldn’t afford to accidentally reveal she’d been an imperial princess.
Both Hades and this man beside her seemed unusually perceptive.
And since Manut was close to Hades, any suspicious behavior from Latifa would surely reach the general’s ears immediately.
‘As long as I avoid mentioning anything about the royal family…’
“Do you happen to know a book called The Heroic Tales of Harcept?”
Manut’s eyes lit up in surprise and delight.
“Merciful Libris, guardian of books! That’s my favorite book!”
“Wow, you’ve read it?!”
“Have I read it?! Is there anyone in the Grand Bazaar who doesn’t know The Heroic Tales of Harcept?! It’s as common as a fireplace poker in every household!”
‘Ah, so it’s that famous—it must’ve made its way into the imperial palace library too!’
Since the imperial library was often accessible to nobles, daughters of dukes and counts sometimes came to borrow books.
The problem was that popular novels among women were quickly taken by other nobles and imperial princesses.
Feeling sorry for her, who always borrowed dull novels or botanical guides, the library’s administrative clerk had handed her The Heroic Tales of Harcept.
Just thinking about those beautifully illustrated pages, imbued with exotic fragrance, made her heart flutter. Of course, the story itself was thrilling and entertaining too.
“I managed to find a translation of the first volume, but couldn’t find translations for the rest, so I studied it myself.”
“It’s certainly worth it. I didn’t know it was even exported to the empire.”
“I truly cried while reading it.”
“The Heroic Tales of Harcept came out when I was a child… I miss it. The author passed away, so it only ever reached three volumes.”
Three volumes? That couldn’t be right.
Latifa tilted her head, puzzled by this odd statement.
“Huh? Only three volumes? But it goes up to five.”
“What? No, The Heroic Tales of Harcept ends at volume three.”
“No, it definitely went to five. I’ve read it several times myself.”
“What? I’ve read it dozens of times! The author was one of the sages serving in the Sultan’s palace—I even attended his funeral!”
‘That’s strange… I’m sure it went to five volumes.’
Volumes one through three had beautiful hardcovers, while volumes four and five had slightly shoddier bindings—but the author was clearly the same, and since it was in the imperial palace library, it couldn’t possibly have been an illegal counterfeit.
“Excuse me—volume three ends with Harcept’s lover, Suriya, being captured by the enemy, right?”
“Yes! It cut off right at that climax, leaving everyone depressed.”
“In volume four, Suriya dies and Harcept takes revenge. And in volume five…”
“Don’t talk nonsense. It must be a fake book!”
“But it was in the library! It had official state approval—how could a fake get in? Volume four was the best one.”
Of course, it wasn’t a regular library—it was the imperial palace library.
“No way. It’s definitely fake. There’s no way you imperial folk saw content we never did.”
‘Maybe… I suppose the desert people would know better.’
Learning that the book she’d enjoyed so much might have been written by a fake author left her a little down.
‘Ah well—even if it’s fake, I still enjoyed it. What does it matter who the real author is?’
As she tried to soothe her slightly troubled heart, a black horse’s head slid smoothly into view ahead.
“Ah—General Hades!”
“Oh, General, you’ve come.”
Latifa stiffened instantly at Hades’s sudden appearance. His expression was rigid, as if carved from stone.
“Manut, what is your duty?”
“Huh? Ah! To manage and command the middle section of the column.”
“Nowhere in that duty does it say you may idle away your time chatting, correct?”
“I—I’m sorry, General!”
Manut bowed his head, utterly flustered. Feeling Hades’s gaze flick toward her, Latifa quickly lowered her eyes.
‘They called him a mad dog—and he really is unpredictable.’
Yet his charisma as a soldier was flawless. With a man like this, it was no wonder they’d won the war so easily.
She let out a small sigh and cautiously lifted her head. Hades was still staring at her, his expression clearly displeased.
“I assigned someone to care for you, yet you look awfully comfortable.”
He was obviously referring to Brenda, who was dozing behind her. Latifa quickly offered a small excuse on her behalf.
“She must be tired from nursing me all night.”
“…She stretches her legs the moment she sees a place to lie down.”
Hades, uttering another odd remark, pulled a small lacquered box from his robes and tossed it to her. The strong herbal scent suggested it was medicine.
“Apply it to your wound.”
“Oh, thank—Oops, he’s gone.”
He’d tossed off a single indifferent line, not even waiting to hear her thanks, and immediately turned his horse away.
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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