“……Is it enough just because of being of royal blood?”

Latifa’s hand, which was stroking the fennec fox, stopped.

“All those of royal blood must be made to pay the price. The responsibility for failing to care for the country is great.”

At the words that all must be made to pay the price, Latifa closed her mouth.

“Are you worried about the fallen princess? But you and she are now people of different worlds. There’s no need to be concerned.”

“……I see.”

Is it really alright not to be concerned?

What if, by some chance, her true identity were to be discovered?

‘Even Aris probably doesn’t know that I was the princess. It’s fine. No one knows.’

Though she tried to reassure herself inwardly, her startled heart was not easily calmed. Another night was falling at the Grand Bazaar today as well.

**

It was early morning, just as dawn was breaking, when the yellow sand walls of the Grand Bazaar palace were still tinged with purple.

“Elder brother Ruhan.”

Ruhan turned around at the voice calling him.

“Tarek.”

Tarek, the son of Iota, that is, Ruhan’s half-brother, was leaning against the wall and calling out to him.

“It’s rare to see you this early in the morning. I thought you were known for sleeping in.”

When Ruhan responded somewhat coldly, Tarek retorted glibly.

“It’s a hardship for me too, but what can I do? I’ve recently started learning how to read accounting ledgers. Since I can’t move while reading books every evening, I don’t have enough time for sword practice, so I’m getting up this early.”

The fact that Tarek was studying economics deeply, namely how to read accounting ledgers, was not particularly welcome news to Ruhan.

Given that the Grand Bazaar’s original form was that of a great market, managing commerce undoubtedly occupied the largest portion of what the Sultan had to do.

The Sultan of the Grand Bazaar’s main duties were to stabilize exports, imports, and currency flows, and to resolve conflicts and complaints among merchants.

Openly studying that was tantamount to directly revealing one’s ambition for the position of Sultan.

“Ah. Brother Tarek need not exert himself on such things. I’ve heard well of your martial arts skills. They say you’re very skilled with the sword, taking after your mother?”

To Ruhan, who spoke with a smile while elegantly conveying the message, ‘Isn’t your mother just a concubine who dances with swords?’, Tarek briefly furrowed his brow.

“The sword my mother uses and the one I use are completely different swords. I’m not keen on it either, but you never know, do you? I might be more suited to be the next Sultan than you, elder brother Ruhan.”

Ruhan approached Tarek carefully with a faint smile. Then he immediately pushed Tarek against the wall and warned him in a low voice.

“You dare utter such disrespectful words while the current Sultan is alive and well with his eyes wide open.”

Despite Ruhan’s sudden change in attitude, Tarek wasn’t flustered and quietly whistled.

“That image suits you much better than your pretentious act, elder brother. I didn’t say anything particularly disrespectful to the Sultan. I’m just… preparing well, that’s all.”

Tarek grinned and pushed Ruhan’s shoulder away.

“You may be clever, elder brother, but hasn’t the era changed a bit too much for one to become Sultan based on ability alone?”

“Aren’t you embarrassed to say such things when the only impressive thing about you is your measly swordsmanship?”

Ruhan’s eyes flashed sharply, but Tarek didn’t seem intimidated at all. It was clearly an attempt to provoke Ruhan, but he couldn’t touch a hair on Tarek’s head.

The position of First Prince sometimes shackled Ruhan’s actions like that.

“……”

“Without the mad dog of the Grand Bazaar, elder brother, you’re just about that level.”

“Tarek. Poor fellow. Did your mother tell you to say such things to me? At least I have the Grand Bazaar’s mad dog by my side, but you’re in a position where you have to do only what she tells you, wrapped in your mother’s skirts. I can’t help but pity you.”

At Ruhan’s words insulting Iota, Tarek’s face finally began to harden. Ruhan turned his back, driving in the final wedge.

“The longer I talk with you, the more my level drops, so I can’t stay. I’d rather enjoy a conversation with your mother.”

Ruhan immediately turned the corner of the wall. And behind him, the sound of metal rang out as if Tarek was throwing his scimitar on the ground in irritation.

**

From early morning, the livestock market of the Grand Bazaar was bustling with many people coming and going. But somehow, their expressions seemed even busier and more tense than usual.

This was because the market administrator and merchants were extremely nervous at the news that none other than General Hades himself was coming, wondering if they had offended him somehow.

“We greet General Hades.”

“My, my. Only the administrator needed to come out, why did all of you come?”

Hades asked nonchalantly, even though he knew the merchants were trembling.

“How could we just lie around when we heard the General was coming?”

“Indeed. It’s as noisy and lively here as ever. Nothing happened while I was gone, I trust?”

Hades uttered these utterly ordinary words while suddenly drawing out the scimitar at his waist and beginning to check if the blade was well-honed.

At Hades’ threatening behavior, the administrator bowed his head and reported that nothing had happened in the meantime.

Hades smiled quite naturally and said,

“Why are you all so stiff? Be at ease, be at ease. Ah, about my sword? I was just checking because it seemed to have gotten a scratch, so don’t worry. If you haven’t done anything wrong, there’s nothing to be concerned about.”

Understanding at once the warning that ‘if you’ve done something wrong, who knows what might happen’, the merchants quietly bowed their heads before him.

The Sultan of the Grand Bazaar would often divide up sections of the market and grant shares to those who had rendered great service. It was meant for them to make a living by receiving transaction fees and rent instead of salaries.

In particular, the shares of the spice and livestock markets, the largest markets in the Grand Bazaar, all belonged to the Caleb family. So when there was no war, Hades would occasionally come out to the market to manage and supervise people.

“Now that the General has brought the blessing of the desert guardian deity, our market will surely flourish even more.”

Hades finally sheathed his sword at the people’s polite attitude. Then, stroking the head of a single-humped camel peeking out its head from the nearby stable, he asked,

“Has business been going well lately?”

“Since you’ve returned victorious, General, there’s been unprecedented prosperity with noble people holding feasts all over the Grand Bazaar.”

At those words, Hades slightly furrowed his brow.

“I perform the tricks in the war, and they take all the credit! Isn’t this unfair? I’m not pleased.”

At those words, the administrator hurriedly bowed and asked Hades,

“What can we do to improve the General’s mood?”

“Add a special tax of one-tenth (10%) on livestock supplied for feasts.”

Hearing this, the administrator was startled and questioned,

“Pardon? If you add such a tax now, won’t there be a public outcry……”

At this question, Hades’ left eyebrow twitched, showing his displeasure.

“Then make it one and a half tenths (15%).”

“……”

At the shocking number, the administrator hesitated without answering. Hades spoke again decisively.

“Two-tenths (20%).”

“Ah, understood. We will do so!”

At the increasingly growing number, the administrator could no longer raise any objections and agreed.

“If they wanted to taste delicious meat dishes at victory feasts, they should have gone out to war and fought with swords like me. What have they done to just sit there, snap their fingers, and fill their bellies?”

“Your words are most just.”

Despite the extreme exaggeration, people nodded and bowed their heads at Hades’ words. There was no need for logic in what the mad dog said in the first place.

“Now then. Are there any troublesome livestock lately? Any animal will do.”

At the sudden, out-of-nowhere question, the administrators and merchants tilted their heads.

“In such a large market, aren’t there difficult animals to handle, or ones that have fallen ill for no reason? I’m not going to kill them, so don’t worry and tell me. They’re my property too, if I kill them all, what am I supposed to live on?”

It was unclear whether it was a joke or sincere. Amidst the silence, one merchant hesitantly reported to him.

“In our stable, there’s an Appaloosa stallion that came in a few days ago. It’s behaving violently for no reason and not eating, but……”

“Bring it. Anything. Bring all the strange ones, whatever animal, to the Caleb private property.”

Hades strode along the main road of the livestock market, his dark red robes fluttering, and the merchants began to follow silently behind him.

**

“I can’t eat anymore.”

Latifa said with a pitiful expression to Yanan, who kept placing trays of food in front of her.

“You must eat more.”

“Can’t I eat more fruit instead?”

Latifa pointed to the empty fruit peels, putting on the most pitiful expression she could muster.

No matter how delicious the desert fruits were, their food filled with spices was still too much for her.

Although she was now somewhat accustomed to the spices and no longer vomited, she couldn’t help the smell that her body rejected.

“The General ordered us to fatten you up.”

Yanan pushed forward a silver plate filled with lamb stew with a sympathetic expression.

“My body is pretty much fine now, so I don’t need to eat this much anymore.”

At that, Yanan reached out and lightly pinched Latifa’s cheek.

Her finger, which went in deep with a squish, pulled Latifa’s cheek until her mouth puckered.

“Why are you doing thish?”

Latifa asked, unable to close her mouth, making a silly sound.

Since it wasn’t a painful pinch like Brenda used to do often before, but a soft touch, Latifa didn’t particularly avoid her finger.

“When General Hades pinched your cheek, he said to make it feel like pinching the belly of a chubby piglet.”

“What? A piglet?!”

To make a person like a pig?

From an ordinary person’s perspective, it was impossible to follow General Hades’ thought process itself.

“So you need to eat well, young lady. If you don’t like the lamb stew, try eating this sliced smoked ham with bread.”

“It’s not about the taste of the food……”

As Latifa returned to her pitiful expression, Yanan removed her hand from her cheek and said firmly.

“If you don’t become chubby like a piglet’s belly, we’ll be scolded by General Hades. We always want to do our best to prevent the General’s madness from flaring up. If his madness flares up, we can’t guarantee our lives either. You’re in a different position from us.”

Of course, if they didn’t carry out General Hades’ orders, they could lose their heads. However, it seemed that Latifa wasn’t in a particularly different position either.

“I’m in the same position too. If I make a mistake, I might lose my head.”

Latifa said self-deprecatingly as she picked up a flat bread from the tray.

At that, Yanan shook her head slowly.

“No. You’re different somehow, young lady. The Caleb estate has been without a mistress for a long time. But the General brought you, didn’t he?”

“That’s because I made a promise with him……”

“Young lady. I’ve worked at the Caleb estate for a long time, so I know. You’re different somehow. Just like her… She was also weak-bodied like you……”

Yanan trailed off.

Her?

“Who do you mean by ‘her’?”