As Latifa slowly walked to the center of the large stadium, all eyes in the stands turned towards her.

“Look over there! Who is that!”

Her fingertips trembled slightly, having never received so many gazes even when she was in the Empire. Despite the suffocating heat of the desert, her hands and feet turned cold, and dizziness overwhelmed her from the countless stares. She felt as if she would collapse at the slightest touch.

But she couldn’t let them see that she was scared. The only image she needed to show them was one of dignity and strength.

‘It’s okay, I can do this.’

Latifa endlessly encouraged herself as she took one step after another.

-Grrrr!

Right in front of her, a large golden lion that had escaped from its cage was roaring, unchained.

“Hey, run away! You’ll be eaten!”

People began to shout in shock at her actions, which seemed to invite death.

But she moved forward calmly, as if she couldn’t hear the people’s cries. With each step she took, the lion growled more menacingly, its yellow eyes flashing, and scratched the ground with its sharp claws dripping with red droplets of blood.

What she feared most was not the lion. She was more afraid of the desert people watching her.

The thing she feared most was that the worried gazes upon her would instantly change to looks of contempt and disdain for an Imperial prisoner.

‘If that happens, Hades’ plan will come to nothing because of me…’

What if the plan fails? Will he cast me out for being useless? Maybe I’ll be beaten to death by angry desert people for being disrespectful. Then my life would end here.

Her resolute determination wavered momentarily as small thoughts flashed through her mind, threatening to drag her into an abyss of despair.

“Latifa!”

Just then, the loudest voice of all echoed through the stadium. Latifa turned her blue eyes towards the familiar voice ringing in her ears.

At the end of her gaze was Hades, rushing to save her.

“…Hades.”

It was strange. She had only softly called his name, but oddly enough, something was burning up inside her chest as if a small fire had been lit.

She always felt strange whenever she called his name. From the moment she met him, every time she uttered “Hades,” she was reminded of the deep scent of sand enveloping her body along with a blazing flame.

Not just any flame, but a black flame that consumed everything as it burned intensely.

She bit her lower lip firmly and encouraged herself once more.

Yes. Hades, he is called Ignite, the flame of flames. The Grand Vizier’s top general and the mad dog that all desert people fear.

What was there to fear when such a man was standing behind her?

As long as he was protecting her, no one in the Grand Bazaar could harm her.

Nothing could.

With all hesitation and fear cast aside because of him, Latifa stretched out her white hand towards the approaching Hades.

Understanding the gesture that clearly meant not to come closer now, he stopped in his tracks as he was rushing over.

“My lady, what are you…!”

Instead of answering, Latifa raised the corners of her mouth and smiled at him. This should be enough for him to understand her intention. The days they spent together might not have been long, but they were certainly not in vain.

“…!”

The black pupils of the man who noticed her smile shook for a moment. His thick eyebrows curved pleasantly, and a playful smile appeared on his manly lips.

His eyes now spoke to her without a hint of wavering:

‘Alright. Let’s see you do it.’

Reassured by his bold gaze visible even from afar, she let out a hot sigh between her teeth. The jumbled hesitations crumbling in her heart had disappeared, and only his face remained in her mind.

‘Even if Hades can make me look like a goddess on the outside. Only I can prove this.’

The success or failure of his carefully woven plan depended entirely on her.

As the white skin of Latifa’s outstretched hand became visible, the people in the stands grew even more excited and rushed towards the front of the stadium.

“White skin! That standing there is an Imperial!”

“Is this the prisoner Hades the general brought from the Empire?!”

Having now ascended the altar in the center of the stadium, she faced the highly agitated lion without a trace of wavering and shouted:

“O King of Beasts who has entered this strange desert!”

-Grrrr!

The lion, its yellow eyes flashing and its tawny mane greatly puffed up, was approaching her with its claws raised, exuding a murderous aura.

It was growling with its body lowered as if about to pounce ferociously, but she paid no heed and pointed the small dagger in her hand at the lion while shouting:

“As the noble guardian of the desert night, I command you to pay homage to me.”

-Roaaar!

The lion opened its huge mouth wide towards Latifa and roared loudly before raising its heavy upper body high.

“Kyaaah!”

The people in the stands screamed and closed their eyes.

But when people opened their eyes again, there was no trace of the horrific scene they had expected.

“Grrrr. Purr.”

What they saw when everyone opened their eyes again was the notoriously fierce golden lion docilely purring like a tame house cat, reverently bowing its head under the hand extended by the woman.

Soon after, as the lion’s golden mane shimmered softly in the sunset light of the Grand Bazaar, the hood covering her face fell away.

The last rays of the sun, separating darkness and light, sparkled on her beautiful silver hair, and the people who saw it erupted in thunderous cheers.

“The Moon Goddess, Kalendeda! She has tamed the golden lion!”

“To think that the golden lion, which no one could tame, would kneel before a mere woman! This is a miracle!”

“How amazing of General Hades to bring such a woman…! Look at that moonlight-like skin and hair!”

‘I did it…!’

Now, no one was looking at her as an Imperial prisoner or war trophy.

“The guardian of the desert night and the king of beasts have personally come down to the desert people’s kingdom, the Grand Bazaar, to greet you! Who among you is the rightful bloodline of the Sultan, the king to receive their greeting?!”

Latifa boldly signaled to the black-haired handsome man staring at her intently from the stands.

‘It’s your turn now, Hades. Finish this play well for your lord.’

He and she were now perfect accomplices in deceiving the entire Grand Bazaar.

“My Frau. My goddess is calling us.”

Hades burst into a jovial laugh at the sight of her, who had been nothing more than a dirty and insignificant refugee from a fallen country, transformed into a real goddess, and pulled the shoulder of the Sultan’s first prince, Ruhan, who was beside him.

“She’s all mine. From that silver hair to her white toes, all of it.”

But his gaze alone was fixed solely on her, filled with the same burning heat as when he first met her.

**

The spacious salon, which must have once been a grand social venue for Imperial ladies, had now turned into a ruined shelter where Imperial refugees gathered.

“Shh.”

Latifa pressed herself tightly against a corner of one of the salon’s walls.

“Ugh.”

A groan threatened to escape between her teeth at the immense pain that overwhelmed her with even the slightest movement of her ankle, but she quickly covered her mouth to prevent any sound from coming out.

It was an injury she had sustained recently while going out to find food. Stumbling due to lack of proper nutrition, she had tripped and fallen, getting stabbed by something, and since then her ankle had been swelling up more and more.

“Mommy…”

At that moment, the young girl standing next to Latifa began to whimper in fear. Worried that the child might burst into loud tears, she gently covered the girl’s mouth with her other hand.

The child stopped sniffling and stood quietly next to her, as if understanding Latifa’s gentle touch that seemed to say, ‘It’s okay. It’ll be alright.’

It was the desert people with dark skin and dark hair who had destroyed the Tania Empire.

“A useless country. After paying so much in taxes…”

People nodded in agreement at one woman’s curse.

Yes, strictly speaking, it wasn’t the desert people who had taken everything from the once-glorious empire. The direct cause was the extravagance and hedonism of the Tania Empire’s emperor and nobles, as well as frequent civil wars.

They say it’s easier to unite when there’s a common enemy, don’t they? To prevent civil wars, the Tania Emperor embarked on a reckless desert conquest, claiming the empire’s enemy was outside, and the result was a predictable disaster. The rotten empire collapsed in an instant due to the counterattack of the angered desert people who had invaded their territory.

“There’s another group here! Round them up!”

“Try not to kill them and herd them into one place! You know if we lose even one, it’s worth one less slave!”

-Woof woof!

Along with the barking of frightening hunting dogs, people outside were running around in confusion, raising dust. Beside them, bandits were herding groups of imperial refugees like cattle, surrounding them.

‘The horses’ cries sound very tired. They’ll withdraw soon…!’

Now that the empire had fallen, all they could do was quietly hide from the outlaws.

“Mommy!”

Just then, a small cry burst out. Latifa hugged Erin, the little girl she had met in the group, and soothed her.

“Shh. It’s okay. They won’t have time to search this far thoroughly. Judging by the sounds, the horses and camels seem quite tired. The looting will end soon.”

“Lati unnie, how do you know that… *sniff*”

“Because unnie is an adult, so I know everything.”

Latifa smiled faintly and gently pinched the girl’s cheek.

But her own hand was trembling slightly too. She was just as scared as the child, but fearing the child would become more frightened, she could do nothing but caress the thin cheeks.

-Woof woof! Bark!

Suddenly, through a hole in the broken wall, a hunting dog with a long nose and muzzle and little fur stuck its head out.

“Ah…! Lati unnie! We’re done for now!”

As Erin tightly gripped the hem of her skirt and squeezed her eyes shut, Latifa’s heart sank.

The hunting dog, having discovered several people hiding in the ruins, immediately turned its head to signal its master.

‘What should I do…!’

“Unnie!”

Latifa turned her head quickly, breathing heavily.

‘Yes! If we’re lucky, somehow…!’

-Whistle!

Having come up with a plan, she quickly whistled to divert the dog’s attention and pushed Erin behind her.

“Are you crazy?!”

The one who snapped at Latifa in a low voice was Brenda, a middle-aged woman who had been acting as the leader of the group. She tended to be particularly harsh towards people who were physically weak and couldn’t do much to help the group.

Latifa was exactly such a person. So Brenda often scolded Latifa for not being able to gather food or wood well, and even halved Latifa’s meals, saying she wasn’t doing her fair share of work.

Even if it was unfair, there was nothing Latifa could do. She should be grateful just for being accepted into the refugee group, bowing her head in thanks.

“Brenda, let me try to quietly send it away…”

There was no guarantee that her plan would succeed, but whether they were caught this way or that way, if they were going to be caught anyway, she had to try something.

Cold sweat trickled down Latifa’s forehead as she tensed up, and her vision blurred, but she hurriedly fumbled in her front pocket and took out a withered half piece of bread, whispering to the dog.

“Good boy. We’re not bad people. We won’t harm you at all… Will you quietly pass us by?”

“She’s lost it! Gone mad! Do you think that dog will listen to you?”

Brenda sobbed, saying that this young girl was doing this because she had nothing in her head. Ignoring Brenda, who was whining that they were all dead now, Latifa faced the hunting dog and concentrated.

‘God, please let the spirit appear…’

She prayed desperately to the Empire’s only god, whose existence she now doubted, while watching the dog’s reaction.

Had it been seconds that passed as she stared at the hunting dog, barely holding onto her blurring vision?

“…Please.”

As if an eternity was passing, beyond the distant feeling that seemed to stretch on forever, a faint silver smoke-like substance rose from the hunting dog.