“Hah…!”

It had been an extremely short dream.

Yet the phoenix’s searing heat and the scorching desert wind still lingered, vividly felt across her skin, the tip of her nose, every one of her senses.

‘The Desert of Passion.’

The King of Summer, master of all fire, was calling for her.

When she rose from her bed, the sun was setting. The desert sun appeared especially red, like a blazing orb descending toward the earth.

It was, in other words, magnificent.

Erka, noticing her mistress had awakened, approached. Then, catching sight of the cold sweat on Yerpi Deilang’s forehead, she gasped in alarm.

“Oh dear, look at this sweat. Are you all right?”

“Yes. I suppose I was just… suddenly tense from the change in environment.”

The dream had been far too intense to simply dismiss as a nightmare. Yerpi Deilang rephrased it as mere tension.

Erka quickly fetched a cool cloth and gently wiped her mistress’s forehead.

“By the way, you should probably get ready soon. Woody mentioned the welcoming party will start shortly.”

Now that she thought about it, they had said there would be a party tonight to welcome the honored guests.

“Oh, that’s right. His Lordship is still speaking with Lord Deborah. He’s already gone ahead after preparing, so only Your Grace needs to head out now. Come, let’s start with a bath!”

Pushed along by Erka, the lingering tension from the dream gradually faded away.

After bathing, she needed to choose her attire. But instead of the dresses she brought, Erka recommended traditional clothing from the Summer Territory.

“Since you’re visiting our domain, wouldn’t it be nice to try our local dress? It’s comfortable for movement and, above all, much cooler.”

“Really?”

Erka’s enthusiastic recommendation made it hard to refuse, but more than that, the promise of comfort was what appealed to her most.

Seeing Yerpi Deilang’s positive reaction, a delighted Erka brought out an array of clothes and accessories.

“Please pick whichever you like. I think this one and this one would suit you—what do you think?”

Given the emphasis on mobility, the lower garments were either long skirts or pants.

But these were far from plain—most were flowing fabrics in bold, primary colors, richly embroidered with elaborate patterns.

The real highlight, however, wasn’t the lower half, but the upper garment.

“Um, Erka… isn’t this a bit… revealing?”

She felt slightly embarrassed.

The top Erka recommended was called a ‘puta’—a traditional Summer Territory garment made by folding a long piece of cloth to cover the chest and tying it at the back.

She had vaguely imagined something like the long robes worn by the welcoming party earlier, so this came as quite a shock. When she voiced her concern, Erka clicked her tongue.

“Oh come now, who wears that kind of thing to a party? Robes are for shielding from the sun. Come on, trying on new clothes is an adventure! Just give it a try!”

“All right, all right. Calm down.”

Eventually giving in to Erka’s persistence, Yerpi Deilang changed into the outfit. The garment, made of cloth, wasn’t pre-shaped but required careful folding and adjustment to fit the wearer’s body.

Though tricky to put on alone, once properly arranged, it fit her perfectly. Most importantly, there was no constricting wire around the waist—far more comfortable.

After dressing, Erka adorned Yerpi Deilang with long golden cords and various accessories. Once she’d styled her hair, Erka clapped her hands in satisfaction.

“Wow, you look amazing!”

Excited, Erka brought over a full-length mirror and placed it in front of her. The bright red cloth had now become a long skirt.

The slit along the side reached just below mid-thigh, enhancing mobility, while the exposed top was a neatly folded cloth, secured with small jeweled pins.

‘Maybe it does suit me a little…’

Just changing her outfit had transformed her reflection into someone entirely different. It was dazzling and beautiful, yet unfamiliar and somewhat overwhelming.

“Hmm… still, isn’t it a bit much to go out like this?”

“Oh please, wearing anything over it would just ruin the look!”

The two were still bickering when it happened. The ice jar placed beside the sofa tilted sideways, touched the floor, and rolled with a clunk until it hit the wall. From it crawled Dante.

Dante stretched like a cat, yawning widely, then shook his head vigorously to shake off the drowsiness.

[Ah, I can breathe again.]

Freshly awakened after a deep nap inside the cool jar, Dante’s eyes sparkled brightly.

[Ah… I knew the Summer Territory was hot, but not this hot. Still, the manor seems cooler… Wow, Yerpi. You’re stunning!]

Dante exclaimed in admiration upon seeing her. Seeing the child’s wide, shining eyes made her suddenly self-conscious.

“Really? Isn’t it… strange?”

[Not at all?]

Dante tilted his head, genuinely puzzled. His confident reaction made her feel like the one being odd for feeling embarrassed.

[I didn’t catch everything earlier, but isn’t traditional attire in hot regions supposed to be like this? It suits your blonde hair perfectly. I didn’t realize red would look this good on you. You’re truly beautiful!]

“See! That’s exactly what I’ve been saying!”

Standing beside Dante, Erka gave a thumbs-up, silently praising, “Good job, young master.”

“You’re the guest of honor tonight. You’re the most beautiful person in the world—so have confidence!”

Encouraged by the two, Yerpi Deilang could only smile helplessly.

“All right.”

“Great! I’ll go get ready too!”

Erka quickly changed as well. A cheerful yellow suited the maid perfectly.

Her face was flushed with excitement—wearing her homeland’s traditional attire again after so long clearly thrilled her.

“Now, young master, it’s your turn!”

Erka held out a ribbon to tie around Dante’s neck. Naturally, Dante wasn’t thrilled about it.

“But it matches Your Grace’s outfit.”

[…Fine, I’ll do it.]

Skillfully appeasing Dante, Erka cheerfully tied a cute bow around his neck and then led the two toward the party.

There, lively string music and drumbeats filled the air—the full-scale party was in full swing.

‘Goodness.’

The summer celebration was wilder and hotter than she’d imagined—people splashing water, swimming freely, and enjoying drinks. Seeing the party’s atmosphere, Yerpi Deilang was stunned, and Erka giggled.

“People of the Summer Territory aren’t shy about showing themselves off. The greatest value is oneself, after all. To stand out, you must reveal yourself!”

Whether or not her words were true, the men who had discarded their tops revealed toned, smooth physiques. The women, too, showed off their tanned, flawless bodies with pride.

“Please, enjoy the hottest season’s most passionate celebration.”

Erka winked one eye. Dante, dazzled by the bright lights, rubbed his eyes with his front paws.

As if expecting this, Erka scooped Dante up.

“I’ve got something special prepared for you.”

[Huh? What… Ice!]

Erka had prepared a small bed made entirely of ice blocks. Though the manor was cool, it wasn’t as cold as Growen Castle.

[So good!]

Like a cat intoxicated by kiwi vines, Dante rubbed his cheeks and body against the ice, shivering and fluffing his wings. Watching him, Erka’s nose lifted proudly.

“Your Grace, did you see? I’ve finally earned young master Dante’s approval!”

“Yes. Indeed.”

The maid, long treated like an afterthought by Dante, shed tears of joy. Understanding her feelings perfectly, Yerpi Deilang gently patted Erka’s shoulder.

‘But… where is Raymond?’

Still speaking with Lord Deborah, perhaps?

As she scanned the crowded area, searching for him, she turned around—only for her forehead to collide with a firm pectoral muscle. She looked up, eyes widening.

“…Raymond?”

Raymond, now dressed in the region’s traditional attire, stood before her. His upper body was bare, with black cloth folded simply to form the lower garment—a plain yet striking outfit.

His well-defined abs were fully on display. Gold cords decorating the area above his pubic bone only emphasized the sharpness of his muscles.

Even among the many fit men here, none could compare to Raymond.

Perhaps she wasn’t the only one drawn to him.

“…Doesn’t it look a bit excessive?”

“No. It suits you perfectly.”

She must have been staring too openly, startled. Yerpi Deilang quickly shook her head.

If Raymond in Growen Castle had resembled a fantasy hero, here he looked like a king of the desert.

“You look beautiful too. The red really suits you.”

Raymond, whose presence was so overwhelming it was hard to know where to look, suddenly flushed. His cheeks turned red.

Just then, Deborah approached, chuckling warmly upon seeing the newlyweds.

“See? I told you Your Grace would appreciate this. And look—you’ve even dressed in the local attire. What a perfectly matched couple you make.”