Hades spoke casually, as if saying he wouldn’t eat dinner tonight.

“You won’t join the victory parade?”

Manut asked Hades again to confirm what he had heard.

Hades simply nodded and indifferently grabbed the camel’s reins to head back to the front of the procession.

“But General Hades achieved the greatest merit in this war! If such a general doesn’t join the parade, it will lower the morale of the Grand Bazaar army!”

“Hmph. Since when was Grand Bazaar such a great country?”

Hades scoffed.

“It’s just that the empire that lost to soldiers trained to stop petty thieves and robbers and hastily recruited rookies from all over the desert was pathetic, not that we’re such an amazing country.”

“The desert bloodlines are strong. We who worship the sun and flames are instinctively drawn to strength.”

“Who said anything?”

Hades waved his hand dismissively.

“Doesn’t the mighty General Hades serve as the flame that binds us together? O Ignite, flame of flames, please reconsider and lead the victory parade. It will also improve the general’s reputation a bit.”

“Tch! How bothersome!”

As Manut kept urging him, Hades scolded him like chiding a child. At that sound, even Manut shrank back and couldn’t say anything more.

“I’ll give you the glory of victory. Manut, you’ve also made considerable contributions in assisting me, so I should repay you. You lead the parade from the front and enter the palace directly.”

“How could I accept such an honor…!”

Manut trailed off, but he couldn’t hide his joy at the sudden opportunity for great honor, his face brightening.

“I find such honors annoying even if offered hundreds of times. What about the messenger? Did you contact the royal palace doctor of Grand Bazaar to come directly to the Caleb estate?”

“I sent a messenger, so surely a skilled doctor will be ready to serve the general’s orders at any time.”

“That royal doctor should be a bit more skilled.”

Hades said quietly, gazing at the huge desert metropolis visible in the distance.

**

“The valiant heroes of Grand Bazaar have arrived!”

The military band playing large horns and drums, and the generals riding camels and horses, entered the historic trading nation of Grand Bazaar with proud appearances.

As the generals with well-forged scimitars elegantly hanging at their waists waved proudly from atop their camels, the men praised them and the women welcomed them joyfully, waving veils sprinkled with fragrances.

The soldiers marching in formation while majestically holding polearms in one hand boasted perfect discipline without a flaw.

Though it was daytime, soldiers carrying large torches added to the desert heat, and the soldiers behind them provided a splendid sight with large peacock feathers stuck in their hats.

The carts interspersed between carried many treasures loaded in chests, some so full that the treasures spilled out unable to be contained.

Amidst the flower petals and colorful paper scraps being scattered everywhere, the empire’s splendid spoils of war continued to pass by, drawing exclamations of admiration from the people of Grand Bazaar.

Among them, the one who drew the most cheers from the people was undoubtedly the Golden Princess, Aris.

Aris sat demurely on a cart, wearing a golden dress with voluminous hem and sleeves, studded with small beautiful jewels, unlike anything the desert people had seen before.

“Oh my! Look at that woman! She’s like a golden wave! So beautiful!”

“They say she’s the empire’s princess! Our desert people have subjugated them and brought her back!”

Under the shade of a fan made of flamingo wing feathers, Aris blushed with shame at the people cheering for her.

“The mad dog of Grand Bazaar has bitten properly.”

“But where is that mad dog? I mean General Hades!”

The very person who had safely led the march from the empire to Grand Bazaar and brought victory along with many spoils of war was nowhere to be seen.

Some people questioned Hades’ absence, but they soon lost themselves in joy as the dance of the welcoming dancers began.

**

In the center of Grand Bazaar where the parade was in full swing, in the busiest part of downtown, there was a huge and majestic sand wall enclosing a wide area like a fence, within which stood the Caleb estate with its high ceilings and multiple domed roofs.

Along the seemingly endless white arched column colonnade, the corridor was elegantly paved with smooth marble.

Dozens of people were running barefoot on that white marble, all servants working at the Caleb estate.

“Lord Hades ordered the western annex to be completely emptied. Why did he come back to the mansion instead of going straight to the palace?”

“They say he brought a woman!”

“There’s no time to talk about that now! You know Hades’ personality! We must prepare everything perfectly right away!”

“Don’t forget the tapestries, carpets, cushions, silk curtains, oil lamps, copper kettles, and fill the hookah too. Remember, if we don’t prepare everything perfectly, we’ll be in big trouble!”

The servants, who had expected Hades to rest for a few days enjoying banquets at the palace after meeting the sultan, were shocked to see Hades arrive early in the morning at the mansion door, riding just one camel and carrying an imperial woman.

“The master of the house has arrived, yet you just stare blankly. Do I need to kick your behinds for you to recognize and serve me as Hades?”

“Lord Hades!”

Perhaps secretly glad to have safely returned home after a long war, Hades entered the main gate with a playful shout.

Overwhelmed by Hades’ unique intense charisma even in that playfulness, the Caleb servants ran out barefoot and bowed respectfully to their master who had returned safely.

– Thud.

Hades unceremoniously handed Latifa, who was slumped limply over his shoulder, to the maids and ordered them:

“Prepare everything perfectly, befitting my frau.”

Despite the vague order to ‘do it well on your own’, the Caleb servants bowed their heads without a word and moved in perfect unison.

Otherwise, who knew when Hades might go on a rampage like a mad dog again.

**

“How is she?”

Hades asked the royal doctor who had come to the Caleb estate to examine Latifa.

“May I speak frankly to the great Ignite?”

The first message Hades’ messenger sent to the palace for Ruhan was to ‘send a royal doctor skilled in gynecology’.

Omar, the gynecologist who rushed to the Caleb estate upon receiving the prince’s order, was faced with Latifa, who had white skin and silver hair.

Seeing the frail woman who had not opened her eyes for days, breathing roughly and sweating cold, her life hanging by a thread, Omar could understand why Hades had summoned him.

“Frankness is the highest virtue, is it not? I permit it.”

As Hades gestured his permission, Omar spoke gravely:

“To be honest, her condition is not good. Due to prolonged loss of consciousness, she hasn’t received proper nutrition, and because of the strong antidote, her body temperature keeps falling.”

“Those stupid physicians said she would wake up if this medicine was spilled.”

Hades handed Omar a small vial, and after tasting a drop, he explained to Hades.

“Military doctors are rough fellows who only treat patients with strong physiques, so they don’t know moderation when compounding medicines.”

“Omar.”

“Yes, Ignite.”

“What is it that you desire and wish to achieve most?”

Hades smiled sweetly, raising the corners of his mouth. Suggesting he would grant anything if Latifa was cured, Omar quietly whispered:

“…To become the personal physician of Iota, the First Consort of the harem.”

‘Of all people, Iota… The most unsightly woman.’

Hades’ brow furrowed slightly.

Iota, the sultan’s First Consort, was a consort with beautiful long jet-black hair and the de facto ruler of the harem.

The problem was that Hades, who extremely disliked consorts, had done many nasty things to the consorts, so he was not on good terms with her.

It was clear as day that to push Omar in as her personal physician, he would have to swallow his pride before her.

But what could he do?

If she would open her eyes.

“I will make that happen.”

Hades said, fiddling with Latifa’s silver hair lying before him.

“If this woman regains consciousness, that is.”

“I will do my utmost, O Ignite!”

Omar bowed to him.

Though the thought of Iota’s smiling face made Hades nauseous, he forced a smile at Omar while biting the inside of his cheek.

And perhaps planting his own man with Iota might prove useful for something later.

**

The desert people’s bedding was quite different from the imperial beds.

Their bedding consisted of layering multiple silk blankets and veils on a wide, soft carpet, or propping up large and small cushions to recline on.

Sitting and lying on carpets was their cultural lifestyle.

Therefore, their weaving techniques for carpets and tapestries and embroidery skills were at their peak, and they were also famous for their soft, fluttering silk.

In such a strange and antique room where the distinction between bed and bedroom was not clear, Latifa lay as if dead.

Hades spent the idle night lying prone at Latifa’s bedside, resting his chin on his hand and continuously braiding her hair.

He lifted his fingers that had braided the silver hair and slowly tapped her white forehead.

Thanks to the maids’ care, her skin had returned to that of a softer woman, but there was no sign of being able to see her blue eyes.

“How can you have such white skin?”

He muttered to himself, poking her silver eyelashes and gently stroking her small white nose bridge.

It was pure curiosity rather than an lingering touch.

Tap, tap.

Unlike Hades’ indifferent voice, his fingers, both tickling and boldly poking, clearly showed his interest and curiosity in it.

“…Her body temperature is falling.”

Recalling the royal doctor’s words, Hades sighed deeply and mumbled.

“This is Grand Bazaar, hot all year round, yet even the heat here is not enough for you?”

He carefully lay down beside Latifa and pulled her waist, completely enclosing her in his hot embrace.

“Sigh. You are the only woman who truly uses me as a flame, me who received the title of flame among flames.”

Thus, Hades shared his hot body temperature, embracing her cold body and warming her throughout the night.

**

“Glory to the Sultan!”

The men’s resounding shouts filled the palace banquet hall, and many servants were bringing in delicious food and fruits on large silver platters in a line.

And at the center of the banquet hall, in the highest seat, a dark-skinned middle-aged man wearing a large, majestic turban reclined on a large cushion with a solemn expression, accepting the glorious greetings.

“May the blessing of the Desert Guardian God be upon you who have shown our people’s spirit without reservation to those who dared to covet the desert. Infinite glory be to you.”

Sultan Basil, reclining with a satisfied smile, had a large emerald green ear cuff shaped like a leaf pierced in his left ear.

The generals knelt to show respect and then raised their golden goblets to the air.

The sweet fruit wine bestowed by the Sultan filled each cup, and the Sultan’s dancers serving it were beautiful beyond measure.

Next to the Sultan, the consort Iota, with her black hair beautifully tied up in a single knot, leaned her head on the Sultan’s shoulder, wearing a veil covering her lower face.

“Now, General Manut, who successfully led the parade and raised the prestige of the Grand Bazaar army, come closer.”

Manut crawled on his knees to the front of the Sultan and offered him the golden goblet.

Only then did the Sultan languidly rise from his seat and personally pour fruit wine for him, bestowing it upon him.

“Infinite glory to the Sultan. May the blessing of the Desert Guardian God be upon you.”

At those words, the Sultan laughed heartily and ordered the dancers and musicians to dance and play, announcing the beginning of the three-day long feast.

“The palace maids have been ceaselessly chattering about the handsome and young generals who have shown their valor. You unmarried ones should know you’re blessed.”

The Sultan joked and laughed with the high-ranking generals, including Manut.

“Yes, but where is the very person who brought all this glory? I mean Hades Caleb. I’m worried since he wasn’t seen in the parade either.”