“The Goddess of Misfortune?!”

Latifa asked in surprise.

“Ignis loves Calende so much that he keeps chasing after her, leaving her little time to stay in the sky. Ignis holds her for a long time, only letting her go a little, just a little, when night falls. That’s why the nights are short in the Grand Bazaar.”

“After the most beautiful full moon passes, Ignis takes her back. That’s why we have the dark moon and crescent moon.”

“They also say that Ignis gets jealous if you worship Calende.”

Latifa smiled ambiguously as she listened to the sweet but somewhat brutal story.

‘Ignis does it because he loves Calende, but General Hades is keeping me around to use my abilities.’

While envying Calende, who was in a similar situation but better off, Yanan brought another pile of new clothes.

‘When am I supposed to try all of these on?!’

She could just pick the prettiest outfit and wear it, but they were excited about dressing up after a long time and eagerly tried various clothes and accessories on Latifa.

The desert people’s clothes were mostly revealing due to the hot weather, but they were very comfortable compared to the Empire’s dresses, without things like corsets or shapewear underneath.

‘Well. If showing skin is comfortable and pretty too, that’s even better.’

Bored while they were dressing her, Latifa casually asked,

“What kind of goddess is Calende? It’s interesting. Tell me more. You said to dress me like a goddess, so I need to know more about her, right?”

“Not much is known about Calende because Ignis keeps her hidden away. But for desert people, the moon itself has a dual nature.”

Yanan said as she looked over the white robe with beautiful black and gray leaf embroidery on Latifa, then took it off.

“When the moon is bright, it’s harder to see the surrounding stars, making it a bit difficult to find your way in the night desert. But when the moon is bright, you can read or continue business without lighting lamps. So it symbolizes both cruelty and mercy, young lady.”

‘A goddess of cruelty and mercy…’

She slowly pondered these two completely contradictory words.

Is it really okay for her to imitate such a great goddess? How does one imitate a goddess?

The questions kept coming one after another.

Moreover, General Hades had said he was going to use Latifa’s Frau appointment ceremony to install the prince he was backing as Sultan.

If so, what would happen to her after this appointment ceremony was over?

In a week, she couldn’t even tame one lion. Having seen such limitations, it was hard to believe he would expect anything more from her now.

‘If he thinks I’m no longer valuable, will he just send me back to the Empire?’

No matter how much she thought about it, she had no idea how her abilities could help in imitating a goddess.

“Calende guards the desert night with an ebony dagger. Oh my. Latifa, young lady! Are you listening to me?”

“Ah, yes! Yes… I’m sorry. I was just a little sleepy!”

Latifa startled back to reality at the sound of the maids chattering.

“It’s a headdress with peridot green gemstones, and it’s so beautiful. You know what? This alone could buy twenty horses right now!”

‘Even as an Imperial Princess, I never wore anything this extravagant…!’

Latifa smiled bitterly as she looked at the accessory where small pale green opals were densely woven to flow down softly from her head like the Milky Way.

“It’s really pretty.”

Outside the window of the warm hamam, the dawn was already breaking.

**

Though she had literally stayed up all night, Latifa didn’t feel sleepy at all as she walked along the arched corridor under the scorching sun of the Grand Bazaar.

‘The clothes and accessories are decided, and they said I just need to come out late in the afternoon, so I have some time.’

Caleb’s other servants all seemed busy running around preparing for the banquet.

While walking around and looking at Caleb’s private garden, courtyard, and various annexes, Latifa unconsciously headed towards where the lion’s cage was.

“Huh?”

But there was already another visitor there with the lion.

‘General Hades.’

When Latifa made her presence known, he turned around to check who it was, having been staring intently at the lion’s cage.

The hot morning sunlight reflected off his silver hair, making it dazzling, and he squinted his sharp and charming nose bridge, closing his eyes.

And when their black eyes met again, he just stared blankly at her for a moment without saying anything.

“General Hades…?”

Latifa tilted her head at his blank expression and slowly approached him.

At her call, he seemed to snap back to his senses, his black eyes sparkling with life again as he curled up the corners of his mouth.

He looked no different from usual.

“Caleb’s maids have worked hard. Though you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, at least you can make it a pretty sow’s ear.”

Hades approached Latifa and began twirling her long silver hair with his fingers.

“You’ve let your hair down today.”

The Grand Bazaar was hot, so she usually tied her hair up except when sleeping, but today the maids had stayed up all night applying all sorts of fragrant oils to her hair and brushing it whenever they had a chance, so it was flowing down more softly than ever.

His dark fingers combed through the soft silver hair, and it flowed down like a silver waterfall.

It was a really gentle touch compared to his hot, rough fingers.

[Humans court in quite strange ways.]

“Eek!”

Startled by the sudden voice of the lion, Latifa pushed him away.

“Are you finally afraid of men now? Usually you just stand there like an ignorant foal with your head still.”

‘What is this man saying now.’

Latifa replied to him with a blank expression.

“I was just surprised that the lion spoke to me.”

“Ah, that’s right. We’re not alone here.”

Suddenly pushed away, Hades’ hand that had been playing with her hair was now just gripping empty air, looking somewhat foolish.

Then the lion’s voice was heard again.

[Hehe, look at the pitiful sight of that rejected mate courting the female.]

While slightly glaring at the lion with the thought ‘This man is not a mate or anything like that’, Hades spoke to her.

“Now that I’ve seen the sow’s ear the maids have worked so hard to prettify, I don’t think we need to bring out the lion. This should be enough to save Caleb’s face.”

“You’re not sending out the lion at all? Didn’t you say you’d feed it well and chain it before bringing it out?”

“I’ve changed my mind.”

“Hmm…”

When Latifa made an unconvinced expression, Hades looked down at her with his arms crossed in an arrogant pose.

“I thought you’d be happy without the lion. You’ve been afraid of it all this time.”

“But didn’t you say you were going to use me to solidify the prince’s power? If I just appear out of nowhere without even a lion, people will think you’re just dressing up an Imperial prisoner as a Frau. They’ll just think it’s one of the crazy dog’s strange antics.”

Hades said nothing, as if struck by her logical words.

Latifa, being one of the many Imperial bloodlines, knew the insides of politics all too well, to the point of being sick of it.

She knew how much the princes and princesses had to struggle for that single Imperial throne.

Every day, competing with someone right next to you, checking whose reputation went up and whose went down, rolling your eyes to figure out who to ally with – that dizzying situation.

Especially if General Hades was not royalty but closer to a noble trying to gain connections, it must be an even more chilling situation.

If another prince became Sultan, there was a high chance they would cut off Hades without mercy, and in the worst case, even that 1st Prince might abandon General Hades.

The royals were people who would abandon someone without a second glance if they were not useful.

The royalty here probably wouldn’t be that different from the Imperial royals.

If another prince became Sultan, even a great house like Caleb would inevitably take a hit. For a noble to jump into the royal power struggle, they had to be prepared to take such great risks.

‘Well. Who would dare to treat this mad dog carelessly though.’

Suddenly, Hades’ arm touched Latifa’s cheek. He pinched her cheek lightly with his fingers and said,

“That’s not for you to worry about.”

Hades chuckled as he stretched out her cheek. He seemed to find Latifa’s strangely elongated appearance quite funny.

“I’m a cheerful person. So I don’t want to see anyone with such a gloomy face in front of me. Especially if you’re to be my happiness, my Frau.”

“…”

“Always smile like a helianthus (sunflower) that offers its passionate yellow petals while gazing at the blazing sun.”

Hades’ fingertips that had been pinching Latifa’s cheek subtly moved and slid to the corner of her mouth. Tapping the corner of her mouth lightly, Hades grinned confidently and said,

“Leave all the sadness and anger you feel to me, your master.”

At Hades’ words, she suddenly felt as if the intense sunlight was burning her face.

As she slightly twisted her head with her face feeling unnecessarily hot, a servant appeared and reported to him.

“Lord Hades. Prince Tarek and Lord Serja are on their way to Caleb’s private property.”

At those words, Hades arranged Latifa’s silver hair and tucked it behind her ear. Then he lightly pressed his lips to her exposed white ear and pulled away.

-Chu.

“My Frau. I wish you luck.”

“Uwah…! What are you doing?!”

For a moment, her earlobe felt like it was on fire.

Latifa expressed her displeasure while flustered, but he had already turned his back and was walking away.

“W-What just happened…!”

With not just her face but her ears turning bright red, Latifa could only blink her eyes while holding her earlobe where a slightly tingling sensation remained.

Then the lion who had been watching from behind spoke to her.

[Lowly human. I apologize for interrupting your time of ecstasy from your mate’s courtship, but as one who was once an emperor, I command you to speak with me for a moment.]

“That man is not my mate!”

Latifa couldn’t help but shout in irritation at the lion’s words. The lion growled, as if it didn’t matter either way.

[If you show me the respect due to an emperor, I will move as you wish.]

At his words, Latifa quickly assumed a serious posture and began to focus on the lion’s spirit.

**

Hades looked down at the outdoor stadium that had been created by completely clearing out the eastern garden.

High sand walls were built in a circle, and inside was a circular arena-like space with a large black marble altar placed in the center.

The VIP seats that could overlook the entire stadium were shaded by a large, colorful canopy that blocked out the Grand Bazaar’s scorching sun.

Under the canopy’s shade, long and plush golden sofas were placed to provide a spacious area where several people could leisurely recline and enjoy themselves.

Next to it, on large trays made of gold and bronze, various delicacies were laid out – tender lamb stew, rice dishes steamed with olives and herbs, pork preserved in acacia honey, ham, and more. Needless to say, golden goblets were filled to the brim with fruit wine from the royal family.

There were even plates of tropical fruits with crushed ice – a rare sight in the Grand Bazaar – with servants fanning them with large fans made from white peacock feathers, making the Grand Bazaar’s intense heat incomparable.

At this lavish banquet, the wealthy and nobles of the Grand Bazaar had gathered since midday to chat or smoke water pipes.

Prince Tarek, as one of them and the highest-ranking royal among the guests, was sitting next to Hades with a sullen expression, smoking a water pipe.

“Indeed. The banquet at Caleb’s private property, with the Grand Bazaar’s Ignite, is on a different level from other banquets. I have to admit that.”

“So Prince Tarek does have discerning eyes. Haha!”

Tarek seemed displeased by Hades’ constant gentle jabs at his pride.

With Hades’ words teetering on the edge of crossing the line, Tarek couldn’t bring himself to burst out in anger.

If he caused a scene at Hades’ banquet, which he had attended despite Iota’s objections, Iota would surely sneer, “Prince Tarek, what did I tell you?”

Tarek finally furrowed his brow and said to Hades,

“General Hades. Don’t you think this is enough for the banquet now? We all put aside our day’s work to come see your Frau, so I think it’s about time. The sky is already about to turn purple.”