It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 117

“Everyone…”

Estelle pressed the brick that opened the secret passage. As the mechanism began to shift, she glanced back at her comrades, still locked in battle. It might be the last time she ever saw their faces.

Clunk!

Part of the wall slid inward, revealing a narrow passage just large enough for a grown man to squeeze through if he bent over. Estelle started to lower herself into the tunnel, but just then, a second demon burst through the rubble of the collapsed underground prison entrance.

Screeeeech!

A grotesque demon, with five mouths, sprayed acid in every direction. Estelle froze as she saw the corrosive fluid rain down on a priest’s head. Before she could move, Hans shoved her firmly into the passage.

“Priestess, we have to go!”

Hans followed her inside and activated the mechanism behind them. Estelle clenched her jaw and nodded. The lives of the capital’s people were resting on their shoulders.

“You expect us to stay here in the Outer Palace? Are we just supposed to do nothing?”

One of the envoys snapped angrily at the knight guarding the palace. But the knight merely repeated the same words he’d said earlier. The envoy felt his patience reaching its limit.

If this were an invasion by an enemy nation, at least it would make sense! But this—monsters and demons, invading in such overwhelming numbers…!

If it hadn’t been for Shanli and Hanho returning so quickly, they might’ve been caught completely off guard. The two had gone out to survey the market district and came rushing back, saying monsters were attacking the city.

They had heard the alarm bells clanging in the distance beyond the palace walls. When asked, the knight said it was likely a monster invasion and advised them to stay inside.

But with help from another sorcerer in the envoy, they investigated further—and saw clearly that it wasn’t just monsters. A large number of demons were among them too.

Demons… They’re on a completely different level than monsters!

This was the capital of the Radenvach Empire. The demons likely weren’t after anyone besides the imperial family. But there was a foreign dignitary staying here as well.

“What’s the Tower Master doing right now?”

At Prince Ryuhan’s question, the envoy leader answered.

“He’s already headed to the northern wall to confront them.”

“Then I should go as well.”

“Your Highness, you mustn’t,” the envoy leader said quickly, as if he had been expecting those very words. His face tightened with worry. He glanced over at Shanli.

Shanli felt cornered.

Why me? He’s the prince! If I say the wrong thing, I’ll lose my head—and none of you are going to protect me!

…But Prince Ryuhan is known to be more tolerant toward people of lower rank. Since you’re a woman and not a high-ranking official, you’re the most suitable one to speak honestly to him.

This is abuse. This is what it means to have an incompetent superior abuse their power!

Still, if she stayed silent and the prince ran off to fight demons and ended up dead, every official in the envoy might be executed—and their families too.

Shanli thought fast.

“Your Highness, please reconsider!”

She dropped to her knees at Prince Ryuhan’s feet and spoke. Ryuhan flinched slightly at her sudden action but held himself steady, staring down at her with a cold, composed gaze.

“What is it you’re trying to say?”

“I understand that Your Highness wishes to redeem your past disgrace by fighting alongside the Tower Master…”

She shut her eyes tight and forced the rest out.

“But what if your efforts are completely overshadowed by the Tower Master’s magic—and that arrogant man doesn’t even notice you were there?!”

Her words left the room in stunned silence. Ryuhan’s broad shoulders trembled with rage.

“What did you say?! You insolent little—have you said all you came to say?!”

“Y-Your Highness, please—please calm yourself!”

“How can I stay calm after hearing something like that?! You! What’s your name?!”

Shanli glanced around in desperation, hoping someone would come to her aid. But all the officials avoided her gaze—even her closest ally, Hanho.

She felt her throat tighten as she swallowed hard and replied.

“I… I am Shanli.”

“Shanli! Fine! From this moment on, you’re my attendant!”

“W-What?!”

Ryuhan, still fuming, continued.

“You’ll follow me everywhere and witness my greatness firsthand! You’ll see for yourself just how powerful a sorcerer I really am!”

Shanli whipped her head toward the envoy leader in disbelief, hoping for intervention. But he simply shook his head slowly, as if to say, there’s nothing I can do.

“Your Highness!”

One of Ryuhan’s attendants came rushing in, panting for breath. He had been sent earlier to observe the situation inside the main palace. Unable to enter, he had returned after peeking from the outside.

Ryuhan’s face lit up when he saw him.

“Well? What did you find out? How are the Empress and the Princess?”

The attendant bowed low and began to report.

“I couldn’t get inside—the guards were on high alert. Soldiers were moving quickly, and knights were being redeployed. The whole atmosphere felt… tense.”

“Tense?” Ryuhan repeated, frowning. “That’s your report? That’s all you saw?”

One of the envoys scolded the servant sharply. Glancing at the officials nervously, the servant hesitated, then spoke again.

“It didn’t feel like they were evacuating, but… how should I say it—it was as if everyone was holding their breath. And… something about the scene reminded me of when we climbed Mount Cheonhwa.”

Mount Cheonhwa?

Ryuhan’s eyes narrowed. Something clicked in his mind, and he turned abruptly to leave the room. A few envoys hurried after him, trying to stop him.

“Your Highness! Please wait—”

Ryuhan turned and scowled at them.

“Are you trying to stop me? Do you dare lay hands on the Fourth Prince of the Great Empire of Lushan?”

“Your Highness, we only wish to ensure your safety…”

“Please remember your position as a prince of Lushan, Your Highness.”

Their voices trembled with concern, but no one dared touch him. Ryuhan, growing impatient, snapped at them.

“I’m not leaving the palace grounds! What’s the problem? And you—Shanli, wasn’t it? You’re my attendant now! Why are you just standing there?!”

“M-Me? Do I really have to come too?”

When Shanli asked in disbelief, Ryuhan glared at her.

“How else are you going to witness my heroic deeds?! Move!”

At his command, Shanli got up with a groan and stumbled after him. As she followed him out of the room, she glanced one last time at the envoy leader who had pushed her into this mess—but he still pretended not to notice her.

I knew it… Traitor.

With a deep sigh, Shanli hurried after Ryuhan, on the verge of crying.

Elsewhere…

“Aaaagh!”

Philozena screamed as she sprinted down the corridor. Before heading out as bait, one of Giel’s subordinates had cast a speed-enhancing spell on her—but luring demons was still a deadly task.

Giel, you’re dead when this is over!

Fortunately, none of the demons that had entered the palace had wings. The moment they saw her, they shed their human disguises and revealed their monstrous forms.

They seemed eager to watch her scream at the sight.

Disgusting. Absolutely horrifying.

As much as she wanted to spit in their faces, she knew getting too close meant being shredded into pieces. Dodging and tumbling, Philozena narrowly escaped each time.

“I told you, I’m not Aisha!”

Even now, the illusion spell she had cast was still in effect. The demons chasing her truly believed she was the princess. They couldn’t understand how a royal could run so fast.

Even stranger, despite her obvious escape route, there were no guards or knights around—just the two who had been killed early on. That didn’t sit right.

“Stay alert! It could be a trap!”

Of course it’s a trap, Philozena thought as she dashed toward the entrance of the maze garden.

Even the two knights who had supposedly died protecting her were nothing more than enchanted automatons cloaked in illusion magic.

If I die here, it’ll be just me. No one else will take the fall. How is that fair?!

Just as she entered the maze, a hand shot out from what looked like part of the hedge wall and yanked her inside. Philozena nearly screamed, but stopped when she realized it was a knight.

“Three are inside already. Another one is just about to follow.”

Only two left. Giel gave her a look that clearly meant: Go again. Philozena furiously shook her head.

“No way! I’m done! Let the princess do it this time! This is her palace, not mine!”

“Don’t be ridiculous—”

Aaaaaaah!

A scream echoed from outside the maze. Someone else had encountered one of the invading demons. Giel, who had laid out the illusion magic to draw the demons through this path, looked alarmed.

“I thought we’d blocked that path?”

“All palace staff have been evacuated. The envoys in the outer palace were ordered to stay put as well!”

But now it seemed the scream had caught the attention of the demons already inside. Though they were still short by two, Giel made the call.

“If we let the ones already inside escape, the whole plan fails. Seal the trap. My team and I will deal with these. The last two—leave them to the others.”

“Understood!”

The two that hadn’t entered yet—one high-ranking and one mid-level demon—should be manageable for the palace guards.

The commander and his knights rushed toward the source of the scream. Watching for a moment, Philozena slowly slipped away, disappearing before anyone noticed. Giel saw her go, but didn’t stop her. He had more pressing matters.

There aren’t many people who can break the curse on Philozena anyway. She’ll come back on her own.

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