Even within the magnificent palace boasted by the Basili Dynasty, Ruhan’s prince chamber was located in the central area. Compared to Tarek’s prince chamber, which was a bit secluded and far away, it was larger and more convenient for conducting various tasks.

Ruhan spoke with displeasure while drinking tea on the terrace attached to his office.

“A trial for Hades’ Frau? Is that even reasonable? That was because Tarek was careless and got injured.”

Ruhan continued to empty his mint tea as if his head was quite painful.

“In any case, we can’t charge the Ignite, the great general Hades, with attempted regicide of a royal. Iota has found a good excuse. She reported to the Sultan that because everyone was distracted by that woman, the treatment for Prince Tarek’s injury was delayed.”

Irgos spoke sternly while standing next to Ruhan with his hands behind his back.

“Ha. Then should I dare to sue Iota’s sword dance for confusing the Sultan’s eyes?”

Ruhan leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

“Your Highness. That’s still a matter for General Hades to handle, not something for Prince Ruhan to worry about. Please don’t get angry over trivial matters. I’m concerned it might harm your health.”

“I don’t like an innocent person being troubled because of my honor.”

Ruhan made up a rough excuse so that Irgos wouldn’t notice.

“By the way, what have you been fiddling with in your hand all this time?”

When Irgos asked, Ruhan startled and quickly hid it inside his clothes.

“No, no! Prince Ruhan!”

Irgos’s eyes lit up like a child who had discovered something interesting.

Clearly, what Ruhan had been holding was a small, shiny accessory, and judging by its length and thickness of the chain, it was definitely a woman’s accessory, not a man’s.

“Ahem, it’s nothing.”

“Your Highness! As the captain of your personal guard, it’s my duty to check any suspicious or new items that come to you.”

Irgos approached Ruhan closely with a grin, looking uncomfortably at his hand.

“I-Irgos!”

As Ruhan backed away in embarrassment, Irgos spoke in a deliberately stern tone.

“I smell a woman’s scent from somewhere around here. To think Prince Ruhan has already reached that age, I, this body, couldn’t be happier. However, am I not Your Highness’s faithful servant?”

“Be, be quiet.”

Ruhan averted his eyes, trying to avoid Irgos’s gaze.

“You’re not denying it’s a woman. How manly, shall I say?”

When Irgos chuckled, Ruhan bit his lower lip hard and looked at him resentfully, muttering.

“This is just… something I keep to myself. Don’t go telling anyone about it.”

“Oh Amor, guardian of love! How tragic that the great one who will soon rule this Grand Bazaar is in unrequited love!”

Irgos exclaimed with exaggerated enthusiasm.

No matter their relationship as lord and servant, love stories were always welcome to young men in their prime.

Ruhan just slightly blushed and awkwardly scratched his cheek.

“Who is the woman who has stolen Your Highness’s heart? Do you perhaps know? I could be the messenger to connect Your Highness’s love.”

“A messenger cannot add his own words. How could someone as boisterous as you…! Just don’t go blabbering about this anywhere.”

Ruhan waved his hand with a grin.

Seeing that expression, Irgos was truly surprised, his eyes widening.

Although he had served Prince Ruhan devotedly for a long time, it was the first time he had seen such a dumbfounded expression on Ruhan’s face.

Of course, it wasn’t dumbfounded in a bad sense, but in a good sense.

Irgos spoke again in a slightly calmer voice.

“Until just now, I was joking a bit, but now I’m seriously curious about who this woman is.”

“What?”

“This expression of yours, I’ve never seen it in my life. Just who is this woman? Is it someone I know?”

“Hmm… Yes. Irgos, she’s a woman you know too.”

Ruhan chuckled and took another sip of mint tea.

The headache that had been bothering Ruhan earlier was gone, and only sweet thoughts filled his head.

“…The moment I saw her, everything stopped. Literally everything stopped, and I couldn’t see anything except her, couldn’t hear anything but her voice.”

Ruhan recalled his first meeting with Latifa, creating a happy smile on his lips.

He didn’t even notice Irgos gaping at him.

“Those clear eyes were unfathomably deep, and those rosy cheeks, well… even a perfectly ripe peach couldn’t have such an adorable glow. I guarantee it. And that hair, no silk in the Grand Bazaar could compare to it.”

“Good heavens… It’s Amor. Amor!”

“That’s not all. Her voice was so beautiful, I felt I could listen to it for hundreds of years without tiring…”

Ruhan trailed off in a dreamy voice.

It was because the image of Latifa he met in the Grand Bazaar slowly overlapped with the image of Latifa he saw at Hades’ banquet.

What captivated Ruhan’s soul more than the clothes and jewels embroidered with sky blue was the intensity of her unique aura.

Others might have seen the appearance of a moon goddess, but to Ruhan, she was just the guardian of love, Amor.

“She was a delicate woman, but by no means a weak person. She’s very strong.”

“That sounds quite like you, Prince Ruhan.”

When Irgos said this, Ruhan rubbed his reddened cheeks with the back of his hand to cool them down.

“Like me?”

“Prince Ruhan also looks weak, but is actually very strong. They say love usually happens between similar people. That woman will surely be attracted to you too. Besides, Your Highness is of royal blood, you could have any woman.”

“…”

Ruhan, who had been listening to Irgos’s words with pleasure, became gloomy again upon hearing his last words.

He could have any woman, but if there was just one he couldn’t have, it would be his close friend’s happiness.

“By the way, are you planning to go see that Frau’s trial? General Hades will surely visit the palace too. Didn’t you keep trying to visit his house?”

Ruhan hesitated a bit before asking Irgos.

“More importantly, where is Tarek now?”

Even if Ruhan went to see Latifa’s trial, he couldn’t offer her any help.

So he had to try something else he could do for her.

Even if it meant swallowing his pride.

**

At the mention of a trial, Latifa left the study, fidgeting nervously and rolling her eyes.

“They say it’s a trial. What should I do?”

“Don’t be afraid. They’re just trying to scare you.”

“How can you be so calm? Attempted regicide was a serious crime even in the Empire.”

Latifa’s face had already turned pale with fear.

Hades then embraced Latifa’s shoulders, bending slightly to whisper in her ear.

“This is why I made you my Frau.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re now Kaleb’s property. If anyone tries to touch you, I can throw away all decorum and have a legitimate reason to protect you.”

“But, but even for you, hurting a royal is…”

“It doesn’t matter if they’re royal. A precious existence worth risking one’s life to protect. That’s what a Frau is.”

“Uh.”

Hades whispered so close that his lips slightly brushed Latifa’s earlobe, causing her to blush without being able to say anything.

“With this body standing firm behind you, what worries could my goddess have?”

“…”

“A trial like this, I’ll end it quickly. Don’t worry, Latifa.”

With a confident touch, Hades patted Latifa’s head. Reassured by that bold and strong voice and touch, Latifa relaxed a bit and took a deep breath.

“Alright. I’ll trust only you.”

‘That’s right. General Hades is different from others. I can trust him.’

“And one more thing to add.”

Hades continued as they walked along the corridor.

“It’s not just me. If you’re in danger, all of Kaleb will rise up. Remember that.”

“All of Kaleb?”

“You’ll see.”

‘Does he mean General Hades’ family?’

While Latifa was tilting her head in confusion, suddenly Kaleb’s maids gathered like a swarm of bees and approached her.

They bowed their heads and pleaded with General Hades.

“Lord Hades, please let us prepare the Frau.”

“What difference does it make to add more lines to a pumpkin? We’re not going there to be a spectacle, so that’s enough.”

Hades waved his hand dismissively with a dry tone.

‘Even when he says just one word, he has to say it so unpleasantly.’

While Latifa was clicking her tongue, Yanan approached and bowed her head.

“The Frau of Lord Hades is both the Moon Goddess and Kaleb’s private property. As the head maid of Kaleb, it’s utterly distressing that she’s to be tried on charges of attempted regicide, as if it’s tarnishing Kaleb’s honor.”

“Oh?”

Hades stroked his chin, listening to Yanan with interest.

“Even if our hunting dogs were to be bitten by another house’s hunting dogs, we’d feel bad. But a trial for Lord Hades’ Frau? This is clearly disrespecting us.”

‘But is it something for Yanan to get so worked up about?’

It seemed a bit excessive, but Yanan’s face was truly the angriest Latifa had ever seen.

“Please entrust the Frau’s preparation to us so that we can show everyone that she is the Moon Goddess, and that Kaleb is not to be trifled with, to wash away this disgrace.”

Hearing those words, Hades pulled Latifa’s shoulder closer. He poked her cheek lightly and whispered softly.

“Didn’t I tell you? That all of Kaleb would rise up. Even the notoriously haughty maids of Kaleb are particularly fond of you.”

Before Latifa could say, ‘They don’t like me, they just like that I put up with your personality,’ she was pushed forward.

“Very well. For Kaleb’s sake, adorn her as you see fit.”

With Hades’ permission, the faces of the maids behind Yanan brightened visibly, their excitement palpable even from here.

As she had felt during the previous appointment ceremony, they were extremely serious about preparing Latifa.

**

“What’s the use of all this?”

Latifa said weakly to the maids.

Like on the day of the appointment ceremony preparation, they applied fragrances to Latifa’s face and massaged it, while using ivory combs and hot iron rods on her hair.

“We saw it that day too. It was Prince Tarek’s fault for recklessly swinging his sword at the lion.”

“Miss did nothing wrong!”

“And we’re just doing our job. For Kaleb’s honor.”

The girls chattered.

“You’re afraid that if something goes wrong for me at the trial, General Hades will go berserk again, right?”

At Latifa’s words, the girls giggled and nodded.

Yanan brought out a small, antique box from the side and said,

“The children are excited to see hundreds of gorgeous dresses and accessories after so long, and they’re dying to adorn you. But this is also for Kaleb’s noble honor. This is clearly Iota unable to directly hold Lord Hades responsible, so she’s latching onto you instead.”

“Who’s Iota?”

“The most beautiful woman in the palace. You’ll know as soon as you enter the palace. She’s also the mother of the injured Prince Tarek. We can’t lose to that woman. For ‘his’ sake too.”

‘His? Does she mean General Hades?’

Latifa quietly closed her mouth.

Although it was true that Caesar had injured Prince Tarek, as the maids said, it was Tarek’s fault, not Caesar’s at all.

But originally, General Hades had no intention of sending Caesar out, so Latifa was half responsible for the prince’s injury as she had secretly let Caesar loose.

‘Then the charge of attempted regicide is correct…’

“Will a judge preside over the trial?”

“Most major trials in the Grand Bazaar are presided over by the Sultan. Smaller trials are handled by the princes or other administrators. If the Sultan receives an appeal, he summons them to hear the situation and delivers a wise verdict. Maintaining order in the Grand Bazaar, that’s the duty of the royal family.”

It was a significantly different trial method from the Empire, which had various judges, jurors, and lawyers.

‘Of course, those judges and lawyers were all corrupted by money and not much use anyway.’

Latifa smiled self-deprecatingly and asked,

“Then who will defend me?”

“You will, miss.”

Yanan answered as if it was obvious.

“There’s no defense lawyer?!”

“If there were defense lawyers, the gap between the poor and the rich would widen too much.”

‘That’s true, but… how am I supposed to navigate the trial alone without a lawyer?’

Yanan opened the box she had brought and showed it to Latifa.

“Here, earrings made from the pearls given by Prince Ruhan. They’re as beautiful as if they’ve captured the light of the full moon. As for the dress… the child we sent for reconnaissance should be back soon.”

Yanan looked towards the arched doorway, anxiously tapping her foot.