It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 101

“Your Highness, what kind of deer is that?”

The noblewomen and young ladies at the garden party gathered around Charlize, eyes sparkling with curiosity. She gave them a slightly awkward smile.

“It’s Achilles’s summoned creature. He tends to follow me around… I ended up bringing him along without thinking.”

It wasn’t a lie. The stag—Lulu—really did seem to prefer her over Achilles. Likely because of the Primordial Mana she carried, which drew the divine creature to her.

“This stag was given to Achilles as a reward when he handed over a Fragment of the Demon King to the Church.”

Lulu had once been a divine beast, created by a god. That god, however, had perished in a war between deities. Normally, divine beasts disappeared with their gods, but on rare occasions, one would survive—stripped of its sacred purpose, reduced to a summoned creature.

Lulu was one of those rare cases.

To prevent his fall into corruption, he had been sealed in the Realm of Beasts. The Goddess, moved by pity, allowed him to sleep peacefully instead of fading. Achilles had stumbled upon Lulu’s story during a ruin exploration and, recognizing his potential in the fight against demons, received him as a reward for destroying a demon fragment.

“Can we touch him?”

Charlize looked at Lulu, silently asking for his approval. He blinked slowly, almost like a nod.

As a former divine beast, Lulu understood human language.

“Is that okay?”

At her gentle question, Lulu lowered his head invitingly. With that, the noble ladies excitedly gathered closer, eager to pet him.

Thank goodness. They seem to like him.

Lulu’s fur was soft, free of any animal odor, and radiated a serene, calming presence. It was no wonder the young women were instantly charmed by him.

Charlize had worried they might reject him—after all, pets like dogs and cats were common, but Lulu was large. Too large, perhaps.

He’s not much smaller than a horse.

Recalling how horses chewed hay and relieved themselves freely, Charlize had braced for rejection. But the girls approached Lulu without hesitation, their eyes sparkling as if enchanted.

“…That’s the Tower Master’s familiar? Fascinating.”

The voice came from near the building, and the guests turned toward it.

It was Prince Ryuhan of Lushan, arriving with his attendants.

Since this tea gathering was being held in the Empress’s Garden, his sudden appearance surprised many.

With a graceful smile, Empress Roxana welcomed him and introduced him warmly.

“I’m sure you all remember him—Prince Ryuhan, fourth prince of Lushan. He expressed interest in today’s gathering, so I invited him.”

“I thought there might be other gentlemen here,” Ryuhan said, glancing around. “But it seems I’m the only one.”

“Is that a problem?” Roxana asked playfully, her smile mischievous.

“Of course not,” he replied, smiling politely. “I’m honored to have been invited. My thanks to Your Majesty.”

As he spoke, his gaze flicked toward Charlize.

As always, she appeared to him as a brilliant mass of light. Her figure shimmered with so much pure mana that he couldn’t make out her face.

Troublesome. I’m curious, but without seeing her face, I can’t read her expression or her mood.

Seating at the tea party was arranged according to status and family, so Ryuhan, as a royal guest, was placed at the table with Charlize and Duchess Gianni.

Charlize felt a prickle of annoyance.

He’s the one who picked a fight with Achilles… What is he doing here?

Despite his easygoing appearance, she couldn’t imagine him sincerely wanting to attend a peaceful garden gathering. Her eyes followed his as he glanced toward Lulu, standing quietly beside her.

“You keep quite the rare spirit beast,” Ryuhan remarked.

“Spirit beast?” one of the young ladies asked.

Ryuhan smiled slightly and explained, “A creature blessed with divine energy. I’ve never seen one with such clear, pure mana before.”

He wasn’t pretending. He meant it. The spiritual clarity that radiated from Lulu’s entire body made even Prince Ryuhan feel a hint of jealousy.

Not toward Lulu—but toward the person who had made a contract with him.

First the princess… now this divine beast. Why does that man have everything?

Ryuhan’s elegant smile didn’t falter, but inside, jealousy simmered. His envy of Achilles Illien was growing by the minute.

A maid set a teacup in front of him, and Charlize quietly took a bite of the cake on her plate, saying nothing.

“How did the Tower Master come to make a contract with such a creature?” Ryuhan asked.

Just as Charlize opened her mouth to answer, Lulu clicked his hooves softly and walked over to stand beside Ryuhan.

The sudden movement of such a sacred creature drew the eyes of everyone nearby. They watched in silence, wondering what would happen next.

Just one day left after today.

Valter Bianchi stared into the darkness of his cell, his heart cold and heavy. Whether Charlize had been prevented from coming or had chosen not to come no longer mattered.

What angered him more than anything was that she hadn’t come at all.

His body still bore the remnants of Achilles’s magic. Outwardly, he might have still looked injured, but internally, his body had already been healed. The only thing that remained was the restrictive spell Achilles had cast to suppress his mana.

Even that, he’d been told, could eventually be undone—if he had the help of a powerful enough mage within his own faction.

“It will take a while, though. That man’s spells are cursed, in more ways than one. You and I both will suffer for it, Master.”

Achilles…

Valter clenched his teeth, rage tightening every muscle in his jaw. That man had beaten him down—humiliated him—and now even his movements were sealed.

Through Philozena, who had been visiting the dungeon on occasion, he’d managed to obtain an S-class potion and restore his body physically. But no potion could restore his pride or soothe the sting of his defeat.

From the reports his spies had gathered, Valter had learned that Achilles was entering Charlize’s chambers every night. He had wanted to deny it. He had wanted to believe it was a misunderstanding.

But he wasn’t some fool blinded by love.

He knew the truth.

It must have started even before they left for the northern fortress. That would explain Charlize’s cold anger and how fiercely she had rejected him.

He must have forced her.

In Valter’s mind, that was the only explanation. With the Emperor pushing for their marriage, and Achilles protected on every front, what choice could Charlize possibly have had?

He remembered the night he tried to sneak into her room to speak with her—and found Achilles already there. That hadn’t been a coincidence.

He imagined Charlize that night—trapped, hurt, ashamed. And though a small part of him recognized she may have suffered, what he felt most wasn’t sympathy.

It was bitterness.

So that’s what I’m expected to accept—something used, stained. And all for the sake of the throne?

He had once convinced himself that if he stopped the wedding, he could claim her again. That if they were together after, things could return to how they were.

But now?

Now he couldn’t stop imagining just how many times she had already been touched by Achilles.

That thought alone tore at his pride and ignited a storm of fury in his chest.

I could’ve had her first.

If Charlize had known even half of what he was thinking, she would’ve spit in his face without hesitation.

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