“Brenda!”

The red-haired, freckled woman was undoubtedly Brenda. As soon as she saw Latifa, she broke into a bright smile and rushed over.

– Whoosh.

Brenda embraced Latifa tightly with an uncharacteristically gentle voice.

“Lati!”

“Brenda, is everyone safe? The desert people say they’ll send us to a third country!”

“Third country. Yes. That’s good too. Oh my, Lati. What’s all this?”

Brenda answered Latifa’s question half-heartedly while her eyes sparkled as she touched the luxurious robe Latifa was wearing.

Brenda was captivated by the smooth, silky texture and the faintly shimmering silver patterns. Manut stood beside her.

Manut reported to Hades.

“I heard she was like family to her.”

“Who? Herself?”

“Yes. When the interpreters mentioned there was a silver-haired imperial woman here, she was the first to raise her hand.”

Hades looked at Brenda, who was mindlessly touching the expensive robe, and asked Latifa.

“Oh. Is that so? Are you really like family?”

“We were in the same refugee group!”

Latifa answered joyfully, seeing that Brenda was unharmed and safe. Brenda spoke to Latifa in an uncharacteristically kind and gentle manner.

‘Maybe she’s become more generous now that we’re safe. Brenda has softened a lot!’

“It’s thanks to you, Lati. Even though I was a bit harsh with my words, I really relied on you a lot inside. You helped me escape back then too.”

Latifa shyly smiled as Brenda, who had always been fiercely intimidating, stroked her back saying she had been through a lot. She was happy to have finally been of help to her.

“Is that man the commander leading the desert people here?”

“Yes, it seems so.”

“Do you know why he’s keeping only you here separately?”

“I think they brought me because I know the desert language. They said they needed an interpreter.”

“Oh, Lati! You’re so naive.”

Brenda gently caressed Latifa’s thin cheek with a grin. Latifa also smiled brightly and held her hand, touched by the affectionate gesture after so long.

Hades, who had been watching the two, spoke.

“I’ll give you two a horse. And tell them to prepare separate lodgings for you to stay.”

“For us?”

“Yes. I can’t keep carrying you around with your injury forever, so I’m assigning someone to you.”

Brenda, who couldn’t understand the desert language, urged Latifa and asked what he meant.

“What did he say?”

“He says he’s giving us a horse and preparing separate lodgings for us to stay. I think he called for Brenda to take care of me because of my injury.”

“I knew it! Ah, ahem. I mean, that’s great! It seems he’s showing mercy because you hurt your leg.”

Brenda said excitedly.

‘But isn’t a horse too much?’

As far as she knew, a horse was quite a valuable asset for soldiers. This was too generous treatment for a prisoner of a defeated country.

No, even if she were a desert interpreter, it felt like overly special treatment, and Latifa looked at him uncertainly.

Hades chuckled and said to her:

“Since you hesitate to raise your own value, this one has no choice but to raise it for you.”

His black eyes were glinting as they gazed at Latifa.

**

Leaving Hades’ tent and being guided to a new temporary tent, Latifa finally let out a sigh of relief as if collapsing.

“Haa. I thought I was going to die.”

‘To think I was with a madman. I still can’t believe it.’

“Lati, you’ve moved up in the world!”

“Moved up?”

Brenda, who had been supporting Latifa as they walked, immediately tossed her onto a small bed and looked around the temporary tent.

There was a small brazier in the center, thick and soft blankets were prepared, and even a small incense burner emitting a faint scent of rosemary was set up.

But Brenda looked at those things and grumbled with a squint.

“But it’s a bit lacking.”

“What is?”

“I mean, that man’s the commander! Couldn’t he be a little more generous?”

Brenda’s tone was somehow displeased. Latifa, both envious of and worried about her bluntness, tried to soothe her.

“Brenda, don’t expect anything from that man. He’s an incredibly scary guy! You know how he trampled our empire!”

“He’s the real power now, Lati. The empire is gone!”

“That may be true, but…”

Latifa was at a loss for words, once again confronted with the bitter truth.

“Hold on tight.”

“What, what?”

Brenda took a long drink from the water pouch provided in the tent, then spoke firmly to her.

“The commander.”

“Th-that’s not it!”

‘What are you saying!’

Latifa shouted at Brenda, her face reddening. She had just vaguely realized what Brenda meant.

In other words, Brenda was telling her to seduce the commander.

“Brenda. I can’t do something like that.”

“No time for false modesty, Lati. Look at this. We’ve already got a horse and more food than others.”

Brenda roughly pulled at Latifa’s collar. She didn’t seem to care at all that Latifa was a patient.

“Do whatever the commander wants.”

“Ah, it hurts.”

Brenda’s face, which had been smiling all along, suddenly turned fierce again. Once more, Latifa’s hands and feet grew cold as cold sweat began to form.

She felt like if she refused Brenda’s words, she would be abandoned by her again. She wanted to be of help to her fellow imperial.

‘But that’s not right.’

Once again, Hades’ words echoed in her ears.

– If you don’t raise your own value, who will?

Hades had said that one’s value is determined by oneself.

Not expressing her own opinion and timidly hesitating was no different from diminishing her own value.

‘Hades is right. The treatment I receive will change depending on how I act.’

Recalling his firm and strong voice naturally made her clench her fist as well.

Latifa grasped Brenda’s wrist, which was holding her collar, a bit more firmly. And looking straight into her eyes without avoiding them, she spoke softly.

“Brenda. I don’t want to. Just because our empire surrendered to the desert people doesn’t mean I want to surrender too.”

“…”

“Brenda, you’re a smart and brave woman. We can get through this well without groveling to the desert people.”

At Latifa’s small but resolute voice, Brenda frowned as if flustered. Somehow, it was a voice imbued with dignity and elegance.

Swish. The strength in the rough hand gripping Latifa’s collar was weakening.

“Wh-who said to surrender. I’m just saying not to offend him! Fine, do as you like!”

‘I’m glad she seems to understand.’

For the first time, it felt like Brenda had listened to her words. She had always been too intimidated by Brenda to voice any opinions, but today was a bit different.

‘I should have spoken up like this earlier… Why was I so afraid?’

With the faint sense of accomplishment, Latifa smiled comfortably as she looked outside the tent. The largest tent, presumably Hades’, was still brightly lit.

**

The next day, Latifa and Brenda were riding a small brown horse alongside Manut’s horse, following the military procession.

Since neither Latifa nor Brenda knew how to ride, the reins of the brown horse were loosely tied to the reins of Manut’s horse.

During the long march, Brenda dozed off leaning against Latifa’s back, her arms tightly wrapped around her waist. Then Manut, who had been quiet for a while, seemingly bored, spoke to Latifa.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“How did you learn the desert language? Were you really a smuggler?”

“Ah… I just somehow ended up learning it.”

At Latifa’s vague answer, Manut said impatiently:

“That’s what I’m asking about – how you ‘somehow’ learned it.”

At those words, Latifa carefully chose her words. She had to be extremely cautious not to let slip that she was the princess.

Not only Hades, but this man beside her seemed quite perceptive as well.

And being close to Hades, if Latifa showed any suspicious behavior, it would surely reach the commander’s ears.

‘As long as I don’t mention anything about the royal family, it should be fine.’

“Do you know a book called ‘The Heroic Tales of Harsept’?”

Manut’s face lit up in surprise.

“Good heavens! By Liber, the guardian of books! That’s my favorite book!”

“Wow, you’ve read it?!”

“Read it?! Is there anyone in the Grand Bazaar who doesn’t know ‘The Heroic Tales of Harsept’?! It’s like a fire poker in every household!”

‘Ah, so that’s why such a famous book was in the palace library!’

The palace library was frequently used by nobles, so occasionally daughters of dukes and counts would come to borrow books.

The problem was that popular novels among women were quickly borrowed by other nobles and princesses.

Feeling sorry for her always borrowing boring novels or plant encyclopedias, the library’s administrative clerk had offered her ‘The Heroic Tales of Harsept’.

Just thinking about those books with beautiful illustrations and exotic scents made her heart flutter. Of course, the content was interesting and fun too.

“I managed to get a translated version of the first volume, but I couldn’t find translations for the rest, so I studied to read them.”

“It’s worth the effort. I didn’t know it was exported all the way to the empire.”

“I really cried while reading it.”

“‘The Heroic Tales of Harsept’ came out when I was young… I miss it. Though only 3 volumes were released because the author died.”

3 volumes? That couldn’t be right.

Latifa tilted her head at the strange statement and said:

“Hm? 3 volumes? There are 5 volumes.”

“What? No. ‘The Heroic Tales of Harsept’ ends with 3 volumes.”

“No, there were 5 volumes to the end. I read them all several times.”

“Huh? I’ve read it dozens of times! The author of ‘The Heroic Tales of Harsept’ was one of the wise men working in the Sultan’s palace, and I even attended his funeral!”

‘That’s strange? There were definitely 5 volumes.’

Of course, the first 3 volumes were beautiful hardcovers, and the remaining volumes 4 and 5 were in a somewhat less elaborate binding, but the author was definitely the same, and there was no way illegal copies would have entered the palace library.

“Excuse me. Didn’t volume 3 end with Harsept’s lover Suriya being captured by the enemy?”

“Yes! Everyone was depressed because it ended on that cliffhanger.”

“In volume 4, Suriya dies and Harsept takes revenge. And in volume 5…”

“Don’t talk nonsense. It must be a fake book!”

“I don’t think so. It was a book in the library. There’s no way a fake book would be in a state-approved library, right?”

Of course, that wasn’t just any library, but the palace library.

“That’s impossible. It must be fake. There’s no way you imperials saw content we didn’t.”

‘I see… Well, the desert people would know better.’

Realizing that the book she had enjoyed so much was written by a fake author made her a bit depressed.

‘Oh well. I enjoyed it anyway, so what does it matter if it’s a fake author or real author.’

As she was consoling herself with that thought, a black horse’s head suddenly appeared beside them.

“H-Hades Commander.”

“Ah, Commander, you’re here.”

Latifa’s body stiffened again at Hades’ sudden appearance. His expression was somewhat hardened.

“Manut, what is your duty?”

“Huh? Ah! To manage and command the middle section of the procession, sir!”

“Nowhere in that duty does it say to engage in idle chatter, does it?”

“I-I’m sorry, Commander!”

Manut bowed his head, clearly at a loss. Feeling Hades’ gaze shift briefly towards her, Latifa quickly lowered her eyes.

‘They said he was a madman. He really is an unpredictable man.’

But his charisma as a soldier was perfect. No wonder they won the war easily with a man like this.

She let out a small sigh and slightly raised her head. Hades was still looking at her. With an expression that seemed somewhat displeased.

“I assigned someone to take care of you, but it seems they’re having quite an easy time.”

He was undoubtedly referring to Brenda, who was dozing off behind her. Latifa quickly offered a small excuse for her.

“She must be tired from nursing me all night.”

“…One should stretch their legs according to their bedding.”

Hades, uttering another strange phrase, took out something like a small case from his chest and tossed it to her. Judging by the strong scent of herbs wafting from it, it seemed to be medicine.

“Apply it to your wound.”

“Ah, thank y-. Oh, he’s gone.”

He casually threw out one sentence and left immediately on his horse without even waiting to hear her thanks.