Standing in front of Asti was Hades.

Although Hades didn’t say anything, Asti was frozen and whimpering due to the sharp killing intent emanating from him.

“Asti.”

“El-elder brother Ruhan.”

When Ruhan followed from behind and called Asti, she finally sniffled and ran to him, clinging tightly to his trouser leg and hiding behind him.

Ruhan gently patted Asti’s head, comforting her.

“Asti. You shouldn’t run around like that in the palace. You bumped into him first, so apologize to Hades like a proper superior.”

Asti turned her head slightly towards Hades.

“……”

“Huiing. Elder brother Ruhan!”

But frightened again by Hades’ sharp gaze, she burrowed into Ruhan’s arms.

“Oh dear, Asti….. I’m sorry, Hades. I’ll apologize on Asti’s behalf.”

Ruhan apologized to Hades with a slight smile. But Hades silently looked at Asti, then bent his knees as if trying to meet the gaze of the small girl.

“Heek!”

Asti, scared by Hades’ action, tightly gripped Ruhan’s waistband with her small hand.

But Hades, in a very polite manner, even placed one hand on his chest as he bowed to her.

“……I am honored to meet you, Princess Asti.”

“Ah, A-Asti, pig princess, no?!”

Asti stammered in surprise, even more shocked that Hades, who called her pig princess every day, was now politely greeting her by name.

Ruhan, watching from the side, seemed surprised too, his eyes widening as he looked at Hades.

Wasn’t this the same Hades who would tease Asti every day, calling her pig princess and laughing merrily?

“Mad dog!”

Just then, Takkan, who had flown in from somewhere, perched on Asti’s shoulder and shouted loudly.

Hades, having finished his greeting, smirked at Takkan who called him a mad dog. His appearance somehow seemed gaunt, and even his eyes were bloodshot red, looking unwell.

“This bird is still ill-mannered.”

“…D-don’t lay a hand on Takkan.”

Asti, though terrified, cradled Takkan in her hands and stood up to him.

“Oh, come to think of it, this bird was the princess’s Frau? I heard that my Frau is also with the princess.”

“……”

“As an owner of a Frau, you must know how much we cherish them, princess.”

Hades, kneeling, took out a small crystal box from his bosom and held it out to Asti. The transparent crystal was filled with beautifully colored sugar candies.

“That’s candy from the Tepe Trading Company!”

Seeing the sugar candies from the newly established candy company, Asti forgot her fear and her eyes sparkled as she started licking her lips.

In the palace, only the highest quality goods were brought in, even from companies approved by the Sultan, and candy was no exception.

However, candy was originally more delicious when made with lots of unhealthy ingredients besides sugar, coconut butter, and cocoa powder.

And such things were difficult to eat in the palace.

Hades lightly tapped Asti’s head with it, then held it out to her and said gently.

“Frau is this body’s happiness. So I hope the princess will take the best care of Caleb’s goddess. This is a bribe.”

Asti glanced at Ruhan and Hades, then quickly snatched the candy box from his hand and stuck close behind Ruhan again.

Hades stood up and patted Ruhan’s shoulder.

“Ruhan, I won’t be able to come to the palace for a while.”

“I see….. Hades, it’s all unfortunate for you.”

“It’s a path I brought upon myself. It’s also the path I must take.”

“……”

“When you become Sultan, everything will be resolved.”

For a moment, Ruhan’s facial expression changed subtly, but Hades didn’t seem to notice as he was looking towards Asti, who was preoccupied with the candy box.

“When you become Sultan, Latifa can return with just a gesture from you, so I’ll leave it to you until then.”

Hades earnestly entreated Ruhan before moving his feet.

“She’s born with a strong rebellious nature, so she’ll say she’s fine every day, but her body is very weak and she can’t eat properly if the food has a strong smell. But she eats fruit well, so make sure she’s well-fed and always maintain Caleb’s dignity by not neglecting her grooming anywhere, anytime.”

Rubbing his forehead and staring into space, Hades’ eyes changed to a dreamy black color, as if longing for someone.

“And…… if possible, I’d like to receive a bit of her hair.”

“Hair? Would you rather I arrange for you to meet Lati directly?”

“What face do I have to show as an incompetent owner who couldn’t even protect his Frau? Just a little bit of hair is enough. The lion roaming around the private property seems to be worried about her.”

“Is there anything else you want me to convey?”

Hades stood silently for a long time, then spoke in a heavily sinking voice.

“No.”

And he turned his back without lingering, brushing his palm against the thicket growing densely between the railings as he walked out.

Ruhan, who had been quiet, asked Asti.

“By the way, Asti. What brings you here?”

“Ah…!”

Asti, hugging the candy box Hades had given her, blushed and mumbled that it was nothing before quickly running away.

**

Returning from the prince’s palace, Asti opened the door to Latifa’s bedroom and peeked her head out to survey the surroundings.

“Latifa. Are you sick?”

Takkan, perched on Asti’s shoulder, also poked his head out to look inside.

Latifa, holding a small desert fox in her arms, was absentmindedly staring out the window, not noticing Asti’s arrival.

Her beautiful and clear blue eyes were so full of sadness and emptiness that she seemed otherworldly, giving off an air of not belonging to this world, so Asti couldn’t dare to speak to her again.

Having no choice, Asti slipped out and put Takkan down in a quiet corner of the riad.

“Latifa’s eyes are terribly swollen.”

“Her hands are injured too.”

“The maids said she hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday.”

“I heard that too. They say she doesn’t say anything except crying.”

Asti and Takkan whispered to each other in front of the corridor.

“This is all because of that mad dog Hades.”

Asti leaned against the massive pillar of the corridor and crouched down. She looked at the crystal candy box Hades had given her with an expression that seemed about to cry.

“Latifa wants to see Hades. Latifa is Hades’ Frau after all.”

“Ugh, Hades.”

Takkan flapped his wings, adding his commentary.

“Hades is really…! I don’t like him from start to finish! What kind of owner can’t even keep his own Frau!”

Asti, who had been angry like that, shook her head again, whimpering.

“But Latifa is my doll now. I can’t give her back…… Hiing.”

“Asti, don’t cry! Don’t cry!”

“Latifa is pretty and kind. And because of Latifa, I made friends at the madrasa, and I was praised by father!”

“Asti……”

“I like Latifa. Sob. I don’t want to give her back to Hades.”

Finally, Asti rubbed her face with her chubby hands, dropping tears drop by drop.

Even young Asti knew. She had figured out from Hades’ expression when he handed over the candy earlier how much Latifa liked Hades, and how much Hades cherished Latifa.

They should be together. Hades and Latifa, separated, would be sad every day. But she didn’t want to lose Latifa.

Asti’s tender conscience couldn’t bear her own greed and burst into tears at the candy box Hades had given her, asking to take good care of Latifa.

It felt like she had become the bad child who had torn the two apart.

“Uhuuk. I don’t want to…”

Takkan, who had been comforting Asti with his wings as she lay face down on the tile floor crying loudly, finally spoke honestly.

“Let’s help Latifa, Asti. Latifa helped me make you happy, didn’t she?”

At Takkan’s words, Asti began to cry even louder, as if more distressed.

“I don’t want to…!”

“Takkan doesn’t like Latifa crying. And I hate Asti crying even more.”

Takkan said primly, but he gently rubbed his beak against Asti’s wet cheek. Comforted by Takkan, Asti slightly raised her head and said, whimpering.

“Without Latifa…… I’ll be sad too.”

“You have me, what are you worried about! I’m Asti’s happiness, not Latifa!”

Takkan cawed, rubbing his head.

But Asti kept sniffling, not relaxing her expression as if something was bothering her.

“But I can’t do it…… The maids told me that elder brother Shirak asked mother. To never send Latifa back to Hades….. Sob. How can I beat elder brother Shirak…!”

“No, you can do it!”

Takkan rubbed his beak against Asti’s wet cheek as if to encourage her.

Encouraged by Takkan, Asti recalled the image of Shirak who was always busy teasing her whenever he saw her. Asti sniffled and tightly clenched her small, chubby fist.

“Isn’t there a good way……”

“It’s a struggle with Shirak! Let’s fight!”

Takkan shouted loudly, flying around in the air.

“Struggle…? That’s it!”

As if a good idea had struck her at the word ‘struggle’, Asti suddenly stood up and made a resolution while looking at the flying Takkan.

“It’s a hunger strike!”

“It’s a hunger strike!”

“From now on, I will go on a hunger strike! Until Latifa is sent back, I won’t eat muscatel grapes, sugar-coated peanuts, honey bread, or meat stew!”

“Won’t eat them!”

When Asti held out her finger, Takkan extended his small leg to bump against it.

And that evening, rumors spread beyond the harem palace to the ears of the Sultan in the main palace that Asti had skipped two meals, including snacks.

“Our sugar candy skipped two meals?! Why?!”

“Well…… She says she won’t eat until Hades’ Frau is sent back to the Caleb estate.”

The Sultan’s aide knelt with a troubled expression. Hearing this, Rashid’s expression was as if the sky was falling, but he immediately cleared his throat and composed his face.

“Ahem! Hades’ matter can’t be helped! Have someone console our sugar candy well and make her eat.”

But when he heard that Asti hadn’t eaten anything and only drank water until the next evening, the Sultan finally went to her palace with Karina, looking restless.

“Our sugar candy! What’s going on?! Darling, get up and try eating this!”

Rashid and Karina personally brought sweet honey bread and cheese that Asti liked, rubbing her cheeks or holding her hand as she lay weakly on the bed.

Even Takkan, who was usually talkative, was sitting round at her bedside, drooping weakly.

Rashid shouted at the servants beside him in an angry voice.

“Her pretty face has become half its size! Oh Felicitas (goddess of abundance)! What on earth is going on here. Oh, what have you all been doing while your mistress has become like this?!”

Usually gentle and wise beyond measure, he would lose his reason and rush in when it came to matters concerning Asti, his late-born youngest daughter.

Only he knew how anxious Rashid was to see his precious Asti lying down on a hunger strike.

“Father……”

Asti raised her small, chubby hand to the Sultan who was scolding the servants.