Latifa, who had been continuously vomiting, had her waking hours gradually shorten until she had been unconscious for several days.

Hades dripped several drops of brown liquid from a small glass vial into the mouth of Latifa, who was lying motionless.

Then, as if struck by some sudden impulse, he set down the vial irritably and said to the military doctors standing before him:

“Explain why she’s not waking up even though we’re giving her medicine.”

A nervous-looking military doctor bowed his head and stammered:

“It’s unclear what poison was used, making it difficult to treat, and her constitution is very different from desert people.”

Hades whipped his head around and glared at the doctor, saying:

“Would you say the same if the Sultan had been poisoned by an unknown toxin?”

“I apologize!”

“I prided myself on bringing only the finest physicians to my army, yet here you are, floundering over such a crude poison. How am I supposed to take this?”

Hades’ expression hardened as he moved his hand to the sword at his waist. Seeing this, all the military doctors trembled and fell to their knees.

“G-Great General!”

Hades paused his hand and spoke to them coldly again:

“Didn’t you say that if we dripped this medicine, the poison would soon be neutralized? I’m telling you to take responsibility for those words.”

“If we continue administering the medicine and wait, she’ll wake up soon. She hasn’t stopped breathing yet, has she?”

The military doctor bowed his head deeply to Hades, begging desperately.

“She hasn’t stopped breathing, you say?”

Hades’ eyebrow twitched at the doctor’s words. He slowly paced in front of the doctors, muttering:

“I had planned to display that woman in the victory parade by now, awake and healthy, to proclaim to all the people that she is my Frau. I can’t appoint the Frau of one bearing the title of Ignite in such a petty manner, can I?”

“Frau…!”

At Hades’ words that he would make Latifa his Frau, the already pale faces of the doctors turned ashen.

Rumors had been gradually circulating in the camp that she brought good fortune, but in reality, Latifa’s status was nothing more than an imperial prisoner.

Moreover, given that Hades had previously ignored women as if they were roadside pebbles, it was hard to say that the senior military doctors, who had only treated high-ranking officials, had truly given their best effort for her.

Upon hearing that Latifa would become Hades’ Frau, they inwardly exclaimed “Oh no!” and despaired.

“Imagine this. From the threshold of the grand triumphal arch in the Grand Bazaar, white and red flower petals and colorful paper confetti showered endlessly. Rare spoils of war brought from the empire. When the brave desert soldiers roar triumphantly, the military band with horns and drums will play majestic and exciting music.”

Hades’ eyes were fixed directly on the doctor. Those eyes were like those of a small, black desert wolf.

Eyes that gleamed in search of prey while also seeking to punish those who would harm his mate.

Displaying intense possessiveness and emitting an overwhelming pressure that none dared to challenge, Hades’ subordinates trembled and could not utter a word.

“I-Ignite, sir…!”

“There, I will proclaim thus: ‘I have punished the empire that dared to touch us and brought back the Moon Goddess from the empire!’ I’ll say this while showing that silver-haired woman! My Frau, who should have woken up long ago after taking the medicine you gave!”

“Eek!”

As Hades shouted, the doctor let out a shrill scream, foamed at the mouth, and fainted.

Though Hades had only raised his voice without doing anything particular, the doctor had wet himself and was lying on the floor with soaked pants.

Hades let out a small sigh and looked at the remaining doctors, saying:

“I know your efforts have been tremendous throughout the war. I thought your treatment was special accordingly, but it seems I was lacking.”

When Hades addressed another doctor, he immediately shook his head and answered loudly:

“It’s not the Great General’s fault! It’s all due to our foolishness!”

“What I want to hear is not how foolish you are.”

The other doctor who had answered loudly closed his mouth and couldn’t say anything more.

Hades still had his sword at his waist, and no one knew when the notorious mad dog would brandish it and go on a rampage again.

One of the more perceptive doctors among them prostrated himself before Hades and spoke respectfully:

“Great General, I humbly offer a word! The medicine we compound is made for us, so it might have been poison to the weak imperial. Because the patient’s body is extremely damaged, she may not be opening her eyes. Please give us more time and allow us the opportunity to prolong this humble life, O Ignite.”

At his words, Hades raised an eyebrow and nodded.

“Good. You understand well among these. Appreciating your sense of responsibility and honest tongue, I’ll let this matter pass quietly, just deducting your salaries.”

At Hades’ merciful decision, the doctors sighed in relief, clutching their startled chests.

“May the blessing of the Desert Guardian be upon the wise Great General Hades.”

“Do not neglect her treatment just because she is different from us.”

“We swear by the goddess Medicina to do our utmost for the Great General’s Frau.”

The doctors who paid their respects quickly left the tent, taking their collapsed colleague with them.

**

After passing through dozens of large and small desert settlements, Hades’ long march was now less than two days away from reaching the Grand Bazaar.

The doctors said that while most of the poison had been neutralized, Latifa was in an extremely weakened state, so she wouldn’t be able to open her eyes until her body fully recovered.

“It was going to be the most splendid Frau appointment ceremony in the world, but those foolish doctors ruined it.”

“……”

In the dark tent where only a small torch made of lamb’s oil was lit, Hades spoke to Latifa, who lay motionless on the bed as if dead.

“I promised to give you only the best, but nothing is going right from the start.”

But there was no way she could answer, lying unconscious.

“I deducted my loyal subordinates’ salaries, aren’t you sorry?”

Hades rubbed her white, pale cheek with the back of his hand.

It was naturally softer than a man’s cheek, but it felt more like cold leather than human skin, so Hades quickly withdrew his hand.

“It’s enough that I commit sins, so wake up soon. Shouldn’t you make me happy as the master’s happiness, as my Frau?”

Hades sighed heavily as he ran his hand through his bangs.

Just then, a small desert fox poked its head out next to her. The fox, unable to run away due to an injured leg, trembled at the sight of Hades but wouldn’t leave Latifa’s side.

“Damn it! If it’s no use when I call, you try calling her.”

Hades turned his head, venting his frustration on the fox. The fox made a “kyaeng” sound and immediately burrowed into Latifa’s side, disappearing from view.

Whether it was frustration that things didn’t go according to his plan, or irritation that Latifa wouldn’t open her eyes, Hades was in a very anxious state.

“Damn. This is all because of that cursed dream.”

Remembering the dream from a few days ago where Ruhan had taken away the blue jewel, Hades frowned as much as he could, his mood worsening.

−It’s mine now.

Ruhan, quickly snatching away that sparkling aquamarine, claiming it as his own.

Ruhan Basili.

“No. Kind Ruhan wouldn’t covet this. He wouldn’t take what’s mine either.”

Ruhan was originally gentle and not very greedy, never having coveted anything of Hades’.

“You must let Ruhan and everyone in the Grand Bazaar know that you are the Frau of Hades Caleb, belonging to no one else.”

Hades muttered, looking again at Latifa lying with a pale expression.

“Because you won’t open your eyes, all plans have been ruined.”

Just as Hades was about to rise from his seat, frustrated by the situation where he could neither do this nor that:

“…Uh.”

“…!”

Startled by the faint sound of breathing, he turned his head towards her, the source of the sound.

Latifa was still lying motionless, but clearly, faint signs of life were coming from her.

Hades quickly grabbed the white cotton cloth placed beside him.

Then, moistening it with fragrant water brewed from jasmine, he wiped her forehead where cold sweat was streaming down.

He continued to wipe not only her forehead but also her face, lips, and around her hands and feet with the jasmine-scented water.

As a result, his black hair was disheveled and wet with sweat, but he didn’t seem to care at all.

It was something he had done every night to prevent her entire body from drying out like a corpse in the dry desert climate.

And finally, he carefully dripped a few drops of new medicine from a small bottle onto her lips.

−Drip.

But the drops of medicine flowed right out between Latifa’s parted lips. Then Hades, making all sorts of expressions, bent his waist without hesitation.

“Truly a high-maintenance Frau.”

So that the medicine would not flow out and slowly pool inside her mouth, he sealed her lips with his own for a long time before rising, seemingly satisfied.

−Whoosh.

As the small torch lighting the tent went out, another night in the desert was passing.

**

On the day just before entering the Grand Bazaar, Hades busily rode his camel from the front to the rear of the procession, reorganizing everything.

He aligned the rows and columns to march in formation and had broken and worn weapons put away out of sight.

He also had the hooves of horses and camels cleaned thoroughly and placed spoils of war that would excite the people of the Grand Bazaar in intervals throughout the procession.

For instance, a golden statue from the imperial palace of the Tania Empire, a jewel-encrusted carriage, and the much-anticipated golden princess.

Hades approached a fair-skinned woman with beautiful blonde hair flowing down. Next to her was Brenda, who had once been by Latifa’s side, now clinging to her in great fear.

“Is everything prepared?”

Manut nodded at Hades’ question.

“Yes.”

“Dress her in the most splendid clothes from among the imperial spoils and prepare her.”

The blonde Third Imperial Princess Aris stared blankly at Hades as he approached her.

With her mouth slightly open, it seemed she might be admiring Hades’ handsome appearance.

Unlike other prisoners, she was wearing a dress of quite good quality, and her skin was still fair, indicating that she had received excellent treatment during the desert crossing.

It was thanks to the soldiers’ careful attention in bringing her, as she was a prisoner to be presented to the royal palace.

“Your cheeks are white and plump, showing no signs of hardship at all.”

“I hear the soldiers took special care of her. After all, she needs to look presentable to offer to the Sultan.”

Hades stared rudely at Aris through the iron bars.

Startled by his brazen behavior, Aris blushed slightly, looking every bit like a woman before a man.

“Right. This appearance will do. How arrogant and corrupt must one’s mind be to be able to eat, sleep, and rest comfortably as a princess while her country is ruined and her people flee like cattle?”

Despite Hades’ scathing criticism to her face, Aris, not knowing the desert language, only stared at him with wide eyes.

After confirming Aris’ condition, Hades turned his back without lingering.

“This should satisfy the Basili dynasty. They won’t even think of touching what’s mine.”

Better than bronze is silver, and better than silver is gold.

So Hades thought that if he first presented a beautiful woman with golden hair, and moreover of imperial royal blood, to the royal palace, the Basili dynasty would not be interested in Latifa.

Since Latifa was still unconscious and unable to participate in the procession, Hades decided it would be better to quietly bring her to the Caleb private estate and make her his Frau.

“Manut. You lead the front of tomorrow’s victory procession into the Grand Bazaar.”

Hades climbed onto his camel with a thud, seemingly satisfied with the general arrangements.

“What?! M-Me?! Shouldn’t you lead the procession, Great General?!”

“I’m not going.”