Seeing Hades’ confident expression, Iota secretly asked him what he wanted.

“Come to think of it, Grand General Hades, you seem to be in an especially good mood today. Was there a reason you couldn’t attend the banquet before?”

“There was a minor issue, but it was resolved very well thanks to the palace doctor who came. ‘Omar Shahal’ is quite a capable man. He’s particularly skilled in gynecology and wants to continue his research, but he’s having a bit of trouble without solid patronage to guide him. I heard he often went to the separate palace in front of the harem. Have you heard his name?”

Iota seemed to think for a moment, then smiled and replied to Hades.

“Someone skilled in gynecology, you say. I’ve been having swollen legs lately, so I might call for him. So Grand General Hades, please don’t worry about him.”

“Yes, Iota. I too pray to the desert guardian spirits that your wishes come true.”

Iota smiled brightly and gently shook her knee. This caused the Sultan, who had been sleeping with his head on her lap, to slowly wake up.

“Though late, I pay my respects to the Sultan.”

Hades knelt and paid his respects to the Sultan who had just woken up. Then he crawled on his knees to sit beside him.

“Oh, yes. Hades. I’m finally seeing your face. I heard you were injured, are you alright?”

The Sultan, delighted to see a face he hadn’t seen in a long time, handed Hades a golden goblet and poured him fruit wine.

“Yes. It’s thanks to your concern and care, Sultan. I, Hades Caleb, am deeply grateful for the Sultan’s grace in helping to conquer the empire.”

“It is I who should thank you. I heard you led the Grand Bazaar army admirably. And brought back many rare and wondrous spoils!”

“I only did what needed to be done.”

“Hades Caleb Ignite. I will grant you fifteen carts of gold bullion, along with three barrels of fruit wine bearing the seal of the Basili Dynasty and twenty pigs separately. Do not regret missing the palace banquet, but hold a new banquet at Caleb’s private estate.”

As the Sultan clapped his hands and bestowed a great reward, Hades knelt respectfully again to convey his gratitude.

And he laid the groundwork to fulfill Iota’s request.

“Infinite glory to the Sultan. May the blessing of the desert guardian spirits be upon you. Did you like the spoils? I took special care with the golden princess of the fallen kingdom, dedicated to the Basili Dynasty.”

“Yes. She was truly beautiful! White skin with hair like golden waves. I was just thinking of putting her in the harem-.”

Iota slightly furrowed her brow at the Sultan’s words, and Hades quickly interjected.

“I took special care with that captive princess for Prince Ruhan.”

Ruhan, who was nearby, looked at Hades in surprise. But Hades continued casually.

“I thought she might be a good match for Prince Ruhan since they’re about the same age… Oh! Were you thinking of putting her in the harem, Sultan?! Hahaha! That can’t be! She’s about Prince Ruhan’s age after all.”

Realizing that Hades meant ‘How old are you to want to do that with a child?’, the Sultan cleared his throat awkwardly and mumbled.

“Well… I… I thought so too, but since she was royalty, it didn’t seem appropriate to make her a rough-working maid… And she wouldn’t understand the language.”

At those words, Hades’ dark eyes lit up as he came up with an idea.

“Then how about making her a maid for Iota here? It would be much easier work than serving Prince Ruhan, and it would be good for raising the status of the Grand Bazaar. It looks much more proper than having a young concubine.”

“That’s a good idea! I wouldn’t be bored if I had a foreign maid.”

Iota quickly supported his words from the side.

“I see. Yes… That’s right… Um… But… Should we… do that…?”

The Sultan couldn’t let go of his lingering desire and sought help from those around him, but it was in vain.

No matter how wise the Sultan was with the cunning of a hundred-year-old snake, he couldn’t overcome the joint attack prepared in advance by the mad dog of the Grand Bazaar and the mistress of the harem.

**

“Ahhhh…”

Latifa’s contented sigh flowed languidly in the hammam, filled with white steam and fragrant herb scents wafting about.

“Whew…”

She took a sip of sweet and cool tea while lying face down on the marble altar, letting out another languid sigh.

It was really amazing and strange how just basking in the steam flowing from the side made her whole body relax and feel drowsy.

The marble was still hot, but her body had already perfectly adapted to it.

“This sauna thing… It’s really nice…”

Yanan and the other maids also climbed onto the hot marble altar and sprawled out in comfortable positions next to Latifa, drinking tea or chatting.

“Isn’t it? It’s nice to be able to use this place again. There hasn’t been a mistress at Caleb’s private estate for a long time, so we only reopened this hammam today. We’re benefiting thanks to you coming, young lady.”

Yanan explained as she wiped off her sweat with a towel soaked in scented oil.

“Our way of bathing is to wipe off the steam-induced sweat with flowing water and then get a massage. You learned the desert language, how could you not know about hammams?”

“It wasn’t in the books… Ugh… My body is melting.”

Latifa mumbled quietly as she buried her face in the wooden pillow.

She couldn’t learn everything about them just from books and language.

‘I was a frog in a well.’

It was a day when Latifa’s prejudices that the Grand Bazaar would be full of dangerous sandstorms, strange food, and fierce bandits all collapsed at once.

Thanks to this sauna, she was starting to like the Grand Bazaar a little bit. Just a tiny bit.

**

Inside the dark bedroom of Caleb’s private estate.

The small glass lamp lit in the center of the room was very small, but it was an expensive masterpiece showcasing the finest stained glass art.

Hades, who had returned from the palace, was sitting at the head of Latifa, who was lying face down on a large cushion, habitually braiding and unbraiding her hair while reading a book.

-Squeak. Squeak!

Next to him, a small white desert fox poked out its snout, interfering with his hand as if to say don’t touch.

“It was I who saved you when you were almost killed after being mistaken for a thief who stole water, not this woman. Didn’t she tell you?”

Hades grumbled as he took out a couple of small dates from his chest and offered them to the desert fox, but unlike before, it shook its head and refused to eat them.

-Squeak.

The desert fox curled its ears and tail into a round shape and settled near Latifa’s waist, glaring at him. Displeased that it was only sharp towards him despite having saved its life, Hades closed his book curtly.

“Are you starting to resemble this woman too? You both act so impertinent even though I saved your lives.”

Hades extended his finger and tapped the fox’s head. The fox shook its head back and forth, trying to bite his finger.

Finding it funny, Hades burst into giggles and shook his finger more vigorously.

“I saved you to find the real culprits who tore the water skins, and you dare to act up against me? Huh?”

Squeak, squeak. The desert fox struggled hard, bobbing its head up and down trying to bite his finger. Hades teasingly wiggled his finger just out of reach.

“Try to bite it. Come on, bite it!”

“…”

Hades was so busy giggling and teasing the fox that he didn’t seem to notice Latifa had woken up and was watching him.

“Grand General Hades…?”

“…! Ahem!”

Startled by the sudden voice, Hades hid his hand behind his back and let out a big fake cough.

“Are you bullying it?”

-Grrrr!

As Latifa got up and asked carefully, the desert fox whined complainingly as if tattling.

“It kept whining so I just looked at it.”

‘It didn’t look like just looking, more like bullying.’

“Its leg hasn’t fully healed yet, so you shouldn’t play with it so roughly.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Hades answered coldly, cutting her off, and turned his head away. He picked up his book again and opened it.

‘He could just say he was playing with it, is he embarrassed to say that?’

Awake now, Latifa started staring blankly at him from the side. He glanced at her, but when their eyes met, he turned his back completely to read the book.

“If the light is too bright, I’ll turn it off for you.”

“It would be nice if you gave me a different room then.”

“…I need to keep watching you for a while in case you collapse again.”

His voice just now when playing with the desert fox was the most excited of anyone, but now it had instantly become cold and sunken.

‘He must not want to talk to me.’

Faced with his chilly response, Latifa just lay there silently, looking at his large back.

A warm breeze was blowing through the desert dweller’s bedroom, which had large bay windows on all sides. The wind passed by Latifa and headed towards Hades.

Hades sniffed at the faint scent wafting on the breeze and blurted out a comment.

“Your scent is nice today.”

“Ah, I went to the hammam today. Maybe that’s why, since I bathed after a long time.”

Remembering how she had resisted going to the hammam, Latifa blushed and burst out laughing.

“You can’t imagine how much of a fuss I made.”

Without answering, Hades waved his hand in the empty air and muttered quietly.

“A peony that doesn’t reveal its interior, wrapped in layers of petals.”

“…?”

“The elegant sweetness of lychee, with green sage leaves added to enhance the mystique of verdure.”

The sound of Hades sniffing again was heard from behind his back.

His behavior was just like that of a large black wild dog.

“And jasmine… That’s right. Did you consider my taste? What a cute thing to do.”

His voice sounded satisfied as he chuckled.

“Cedarwood, cleanly finishing the rich fragrance. Yes, this is just right. A scent that’s only sweet is vulgar, and one that’s only cool is old-fashioned. The perfumers must have worked hard.”

“You can tell just by smelling?”

“It’s a scent, so of course I have to smell it to know. Should I look at it with my eyes instead?”

‘Hmm, that’s true…’

Thinking about it, she was at a loss for words at the obvious statement. Left with nothing to say, Latifa quietly sniffed her own wrist.

‘It does smell nice, but I can’t tell what’s what at all.’

“It doesn’t work just by imitating.”

Hearing the mocking voice from behind his back, Latifa pouted and grumbled inwardly.

‘Fine. You’re so great.’

As she was about to try to sleep again while petting the desert fox, Hades’ voice was heard once more.

“Do you know about the golden princess?”

‘Aris!’

As her half-sister came up in the conversation, Latifa’s heart started pounding heavily. She took a deep breath and answered as nonchalantly as possible.

“The empire’s princess?”

“Yes.”

“What happened to her?”

“She crossed the desert like you and is here now. I offered her to the palace. But her cheeks were white and plump, and her hair flowed with a golden sheen.”

“To the palace…”

Only the part about offering her to the palace stuck in her ear, and she couldn’t hear the rest clearly.

“You should look better than her. Eat a lot, sleep a lot, and-”

“What happens to the princess who went to the palace?”

Latifa ended up cutting off his words and asking.

Perhaps annoyed that his words were cut off, Hades answered somewhat curtly.

“She is one of those who indulged in luxury and pleasure without caring for her people, watching as the country fell to ruin. A somewhat harsh life awaits her, having fallen to the status of a maid.”

“But since the empire’s fall was the emperor’s fault, she couldn’t have done anything about it…”

“Being of the bloodline of the incompetent royal family is reason enough.”