But if she said that, she would surely earn his ridicule. The problem was that she didn’t know the value of gold.
‘I’m not sure how much gold I need.’
Despite being a disgraced princess, Latifa had never handled currency. She had never bought anything with her own hands, never studied economy, so the result was obvious.
Despite him not threatening her with a sword, she began to sweat. However, she couldn’t appear weak here.
“Enough gold… to settle in a third country after asylum.”
“That’s outrageously expensive.”
Hades chuckled, implying rejection.
‘He might be bluffing. Don’t get scared, Lati.’
Latifa quickly pointed to the piled up scrolls on the side.
“Don’t you have a lot of work? You want to finish quickly and return to your country, don’t you?”
“You’re not entirely foolish, it seems.”
“I’ll help you finish the work quickly. Because I have the ability to do so.”
Wait a minute. When in my life have I said such things?
Latifa was more surprised that she had said such a thing. Claiming herself capable.
Overwhelmed by sudden embarrassment, her heart was pounding, her face was getting hot.
She felt Hades watching her flushed face. She tried to ignore that feeling and swallowed.
Thump, thump. Her heart was beating even faster.
“Fine. 10 gold bars.”
“…….”
‘I don’t know if that’s a good price! If only Brenda were here.’
“13.”
“Uh…….”
“15. I can’t give any more.”
Hades crossed his arms firmly, and only then did Latifa finally nod her head.
“Ok, okay. 15!”
“Good. Let’s draft the contract.”
Hades pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill from his side and placed them on a flat box.
“Do we, do we need to write a contract?”
“A contract is sacred in the Grand Bazaar. Without a contract, no one can guarantee your rights.”
There was no doubt that the Grand Bazaar was a very strange place. It made them write contracts and transact even for trivial matters.
“Since you can’t write in the desert language, I will write it and show you the contents. Review the contents thoroughly. You really have to read it very carefully to prevent any objections later.”
He took up his quill and wrote down the contents of the contract in a graceful script. Then he paused, his hand halted, and looked at Latifa.
As his black eyes, which resembled black flames, focused solely on her, she felt a sudden heat wave rush through her body.
“I need to know your name lastly.”
“…Ah. Latifa.”
The fact that she had been living without even teaching her name until now suddenly came to mind. After all, there would have been no one who knew her name.
Even in the royal palace, there was no one who really knew my name, the 17th princess. Would the people know? And there was no way a desert man from a faraway land knew my name.
“What?”
“It’s Latifa. Latifa Glaesia.”
But she omitted the royal surname, Tania, at the end.
“What a strange name there is. The names of the imperials are too hard. Now, read the contents and sign.”
‘Your names are weirder.’ She almost blurted out carelessly.
Latifa picked up the contract and read the contents carefully. It was surprisingly a detailed contract. At the beginning, things like the date and purpose were written, and the contents and conclusion were systematically written.
[Dash] Hades Caleb agrees to pay 15 gold bars as a salary for Latifa Glaesia’s interpretation work until he leaves for the desert.‘Good. It seems there is no problem.’
Latifa, who read the contract written in desert language, accepted the quill and signed at the very bottom.
“Latifa.”
While signing, Hades murmured her name as if memorizing it. Being called by name from a man was a first, and somehow it felt embarrassing.
“Latifa. Latifa, Latifa?”
‘Why do you keep calling me, it’s embarrassing!’
Hades, who repeated her name several times, extended his hand with a low laugh.
“Latifa. I’m Hades Caleb Ignite. Honor the fact that you have contracted with me.”
Really strange name. Thinking so, Latifa shook his extended hand.
“You’re not trembling now.”
With his satisfied smile, it seemed like a deep jasmine scent was flowing from somewhere.
[Star icon][Star icon]“15 gold bars?! To you?!”
Brenda was so surprised at the amount Latifa mentioned that she almost fell forward.
“I asked him to give me gold that can grab the earth after exile.”
Latifa smiled a bit haughtily at the surprised look of Brenda. Looking at her being so surprised, it seemed to be a really large amount.
“With that gold… Oh my! You can live more luxuriously than before the war!”
Brenda’s face was filled with a beaming smile.
‘But, that’s my money…’
Surely she had no intentions of gulping it down alone, but Brenda had been dreaming of happiness from the start, even though she hadn’t mentioned sharing it yet.
‘Well. What would I know to do with the gold. Brenda might use it better.’
Thinking so, Latifa asked Brenda a little shyly.
“Um, Brenda. I’ve made such gold, so can I get back the jewelry box I gave you before?”
The jewelry box Latifa spoke of was the only loot she brought when she fled from the palace. Inside, the only item of importance was a decorative key made of gold, but the jewelry box itself was Latifa’s enormous treasure.
It was a keepsake from her mother. It was a jewelry box, made in the image of the blue shield that once symbolized the Glaesia family.
Blue jewels were embedded in the shape of a shield on the lid, and on one edge were tiny animal claw marks fashioned into fine silver work.
‘Mother always boasted it was the blue shield that defended the empire.’
A small smile hung at the corner of Latifa’s mouth as she recalled her happy childhood. She handed such a precious item to Brenda, asking her to accept it into the refugee group.
“Okay. But Lati.”
“Yes?”
“Isn’t that general, in a way, like a goose that lays golden eggs?”
“A goose that lays golden eggs?”
“Well, why not. If you cut open its stomach, it can’t lay golden eggs anymore.”
“……Are you short of gold bars?”
“No. Think about it. He gave this much gold to a girl like you, what could be the reason?”
“Th, this is what I received for my legitimate abilities. In return for my work.”
“You’d like to think so. But from what I see, you can get more than this, you know? Didn’t the general mention he wanted to take you with him?”
Somehow talking with Brenda had become tiresome, and Latifa quietly covered herself with a blanket and turned her back.
Why was it more exhausting to converse in the Empire’s language than the unfamiliar desert language?
‘Hades Caleb Ignite.’
Suddenly a foreign name came to mind. Repeating it to herself, Latifa closed her eyes in silence.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
