It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 116

“Are you insane?! I’m still mentally unstable because of that curse he placed on me!”

Even as Philozena screamed like she was losing her mind, Giel didn’t flinch. She sat on the floor of the prison cell, bound in both magic-sealing cuffs and shackles.

“That curse only affects those with demonic energy. For humans, it’s just a tracking spell.”

Philozena exploded in frustration at his calm reply.

“I know that! Of course I know! But it still feels disgusting!”

Despite knowing it wouldn’t work, she tried putting on a softer tone and batted her eyes at Giel. He looked down at her through his glasses, cold and unimpressed.

“So, if you just unlock these for me, don’t you think I’d be much more helpful?”

“This is the second time. The Tower Master already gave you one chance. If I report that you were caught working with Valter Bianchi, you’ll be officially marked for pursuit by the Tower.”

“Hah, the Tower’s pursuit squad, big deal.”

“Since you were expelled, a lot of new people have joined the Tower. The Tower Master would likely assign a purge team made up entirely of people with no ties to you.”

“P–Purge team?”

Philozena flinched at that, but Giel calmly adjusted his glasses and went on.

“A unit specifically formed to eliminate those already judged and sentenced by the Tower’s tribunal. You know how the Tower Master is. He’s not the type to spare someone like you.”

“That’s… way too harsh! I didn’t know the Black Heart was that kind of organization!”

“You knew. You just didn’t care.”

His words hit home. Philozena flopped back onto the floor with a loud groan.

“I don’t care anymore! Go get Marcus or Eliza!”

“I could get Aisha.”

“……”

Aisha had wanted to kill Philozena ever since discovering she had slept with one of Aisha’s subordinates—while disguised as that subordinate. That didn’t end well.

“You’re really going to do this? You need my help!”

“I’m giving you a chance. If you help us with this plan and prove useful, the Tower Master might reconsider killing you. You know how terrifying his pursuit is.”

Of course she knew. She was alive now only because of some old allies she still had within the Tower.

But that was six years ago. She had no idea if those same people would still risk their positions for her now. Most wouldn’t.

Scowling, she ran a hand roughly through her hair.

“Still, using me as demon bait? If I die, I’m coming back to haunt you!”

“You’re good at running away. I’m sure you’ll manage.”

At Giel’s shameless reply, Philozena glared at him.

“Fine! I’ll do it! Just take off these ugly things!”

Charlize watched Philozena with a conflicted gaze. The woman walked in front of her, keeping a strict five-step distance—exactly as Giel had instructed—and circled the area with restless energy.

“Ohhh~ So he likes this type of girl, huh?”

‘He’? Is she talking about Achilles?

Charlize already knew the details—Giel had explained it. That Philozena had been expelled from the Tower. That she’d been involved in the organization founded by Valter Bianchi. That she was a criminal.

And that Giel intended to use her as bait to lure demons into a trap.

“Your Highness, did you know? The Tower Master is actually—”

“Philozena knows absolutely nothing about the Tower Master. She never became one of his disciples and held no real standing in the Tower. The only time she saw him was when she tried to cast an illusion spell on him—which failed.”

“Hey!”

Philozena snapped, her voice rising in frustration, but Giel remained completely unbothered.

“It’s true, isn’t it?”

What Giel left unsaid was that the spell backfired so badly that Philozena’s head nearly exploded on the spot. Most people would be too scared to go near the Tower Master again after that—but Philozena still wanted revenge.

“She’s not someone worthy of being near Your Highness. If she makes you uncomfortable, I’ll shut her up.”

“Has my magic seal been lifted?”

“Yes. You should’ve realized by now that illusion magic doesn’t work on me.”

Charlize stared intently at the mana rising like mist from Philozena’s body. She’d never experienced illusion magic before, and curiosity flickered in her eyes.

‘It’d be nice if I could learn that too.’

Philozena stepped back from Charlize with a sigh, as if the moment had lost its tension. In truth, she had already finished imprinting the princess’s image in her mind to use for her illusion magic.

Just then, a soldier burst into the room.

“Lady Giel! Preparations are complete! The demons are already near the palace gates!”

“Philozena, let’s move.”

“Ugh… I really don’t want to.”

As she left the room, Philozena cast a sharp glance at Charlize. Just because she was a princess, she got to stay hidden and protected. It was hard not to feel bitter.

‘It’d be so much easier if I just killed her and pretended to be the princess myself.’

But the main palace was protected by magic circles that interfered with spells, and there was no way the Tower Master wouldn’t detect her illusions. Philozena had already tried something similar with a noble house and ended up a wanted fugitive. She had given up the idea of taking the princess’s place.

‘Still, if there’s a way to survive all this and screw over the Tower Master while I’m at it…’

The real problem was Giel, who never stopped watching her. Even now, while she was being used as bait, he had attached a magical eye to her shoulder to keep an eye on her.

‘…I just need to find the right moment.’

Philozena glanced sideways at Giel, her mind racing with possibilities.

A knight thrust his mana-charged sword into a demon’s chest, then ripped it out with a force that nearly split the creature in half. His heart pounded with a mixture of fear and excitement.

It wasn’t his first time facing a demon, but all he’d fought before was a low-level one. He never expected to be the one taking down a mid-tier demon.

“That one has three hearts.”

Aisha used her magic to identify each demon’s weakness the moment they appeared. She said the spell didn’t always work, but so far, it had worked on all three they’d encountered.

Five other mages provided cover from the rooftops, and Aisha gave the knights power boosts from behind. It took less than five minutes to take down two mid-tier demons.

This was the second time demons had blocked their path to the Grand Temple. One of them even had a heart in its tail, which made it tricky to deal with.

Thud…

The last demon collapsed as its final heart was cut. The mages climbed down and quickly cast healing and recovery spells on the knights.

Meanwhile, Aisha used detection magic to check how far the other demons had spread. Seven had been heading toward the Grand Temple—now, only four remained.

“They’ve already reached the Grand Temple! Move!”

She was already sprinting. The knights had no choice but to run with everything they had to avoid falling behind.

They worried that they’d be too exhausted to help once they arrived—or worse, become a burden. But Aisha and her team showed no signs of fatigue.

‘We may not fully understand her, but she and her mages will definitely support the knights at the temple gates!’

‘At the very least, we need to make sure they get there safely!’

As the temple neared, Aisha and the mages slowed just enough to drink mana potions. The Grand Temple courtyard was already a battlefield. The Emperor’s knights and temple guards were clashing with the demons.

“Cover them! Spread out!”

At Aisha’s command, the mages sprang into action. Aisha clenched her jaw when she saw only two demons in the courtyard.

It looked like two had already made it inside.

Outside the underground chamber, priestesses and clerics were working together to suppress the “Fragment of the Demon King.” Priestess Estelle watched as bright white divine symbols began to form over the blackened bracelet. She gripped it tightly.

The holy relic hanging from her neck glowed white, and the sealing symbols drawn around her body began to flow through her, converging into the Fragment.

The overwhelming pressure and dark energy that had been crushing her vanished in an instant.

‘It worked.’

The bracelet, now completely drained of power, dropped softly into her hand. Its blackened surface returned to its original golden hue, as if the darkness had never been real. The ruby in the center still glowed with a dangerous red light, but the ominous aura had completely disappeared.

“Priestess!”

The other priestesses and clerics, who had helped maintain the seal, were all panting and exhausted. They desperately needed rest—but the holy knights were still fighting outside to protect them.

Estelle gripped the bracelet and hurried out of the chamber. A whip-like demon tendril lashed through the space where she had just been standing.

“Priestess Estelle! That artifact’s safety comes first! We must deliver it to His Holiness!”

At the High Priest’s shout, Estelle nodded and ran toward the far corner of the underground sanctuary. Few knew the truth, but a hidden passage was concealed in that corner.

Hans, who was also aware of the secret, received the High Priest’s signal and followed close behind her.

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