It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 29

It was a plausible thought but also a reckless one.

If Oscar had died, it was possible someone would have tried to secure a political alliance between Charlize and the Duke’s family, to give her enough power to inherit his support base.

After all, it wouldn’t have been easy for Charlize to absorb Oscar’s entire faction on her own. But that plan would only make sense if the Tower Master didn’t exist.

No… Father and I are the only ones who truly understand how dangerous the Tower Master is.

Some high-ranking nobles might have sensed it but they hadn’t felt it in their bones. Even the Empress still seemed to think the Tower Master was someone the Empire could eliminate if needed.

But it’s far too reckless a plan.

If exposed, it would be seen as treason. And if they failed, they’d lose everything—and die branded as traitors, hated by the entire Empire.

The current nobility has grown too comfortable in peace. They wouldn’t risk something as dangerous as rebellion just to gain more.

What Oscar needed to uncover were the ones who wanted to destroy the current order. People dissatisfied with the system. People not trying to change the Empire through its laws—but looking for shortcuts, seeking quick revolutions through backdoors and shadows.

“…That knight’s secret was deeply personal. Intimate.”

“Do you suspect Countess Lisette and the Count himself?” Isaac asked, sharp as ever.

Oscar gave a faint smile. He’d said only one sentence, but Isaac had already understood ten.

“Yes. But we’ll also need to investigate his friends, the people he spent time with, the servants in their household, and anyone who worked in the places they met.”

No secret in the world stays buried forever. That was why Oscar always tried to avoid doing anything he couldn’t be proud of.

Because no matter how carefully hidden… the truth always surfaced. Just like the knight’s secret had.

“I’ll carry out your orders,” Isaac said firmly.

Oscar nodded. From inside the room, the sounds of torture still echoed.

Why didn’t Achilles tell Father that I have Primordial Mana?

He must have known long ago—when she was still a child. He’d met her back then, healed her. There was no way he hadn’t recognized it.

Charlize thought back to the first time she met Achilles.

He doesn’t seem like the type who could fake falling in love… but still…

Had there been affection in his eyes back then? She tried to remember, but the details escaped her. Most of what she remembered of him was recent.

He definitely cares about me now.

That much was clear. But if he had any other intention behind their engagement—if he was after something else—then this marriage could be dangerous.

Because sometimes, purpose is stronger than love.

Some people would sacrifice even the one they love to achieve their goals. And sadly, Achilles seemed like someone who would prioritize reason over emotion.

Ah… so this is how it is.

Charlize felt her strength fade. Valter had never truly loved her. If he seemed like he cared now, it was only because he couldn’t have her. A desire born of absence.

I really thought I’d finally found someone who loved me.

But he had approached her with a purpose. And being the Tower Master… his goal could be anything.

What if he’s using me… like some kind of offering?

Even if that were true, what could she do? The Emperor, driven by the desire to tie Achilles to the Empire, hadn’t even asked for her opinion before arranging the marriage.

The Empress cared deeply for her, but Charlize knew she didn’t hold as much weight as Oscar. Not in the eyes of their parents. It wasn’t about worth—just about how they were positioned within the Imperial family.

Today, the Tower Master had saved Oscar. Even the Empress, who had once disliked him, now looked at Achilles differently.

Why did he go that far?

Why had he put in all that effort to win her trust? If she was just “useful,” he wouldn’t have needed to get close. No kisses. No warmth. No marriage…

I don’t understand.

Charlize paced her room in a daze. A large part of her wanted to confront him, to demand to know why he wanted to marry her.

But what if, when cornered, he showed her a cold face? She was afraid of that. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d been let down—but the sweetness she’d received from Achilles made it harder to bear.

“Princess… why are you crying?”

Achilles stepped in through the open balcony window.

Ever since he told her about the Primordial Mana, something about Charlize’s behavior had shifted. She was earnest, steadfast—but not foolish. And that’s what made Achilles uneasy.

It felt like she had figured out why he asked the Emperor for her hand in the first place. And even though he’d told himself he’d accept it if she grew cold toward him…

The truth is, I’m not okay with that.

He was afraid she would never look at him the same way again. That she would meet his gaze with cold eyes—and then turn her back on him.

Driven by anxiety, Achilles crossed a line he hadn’t meant to. He’d cloaked himself in magic and appeared uninvited on her balcony.

Even that, he knew, was unforgivable. So, he didn’t enter the room. He simply stood there at the open window… watching her from the shadows.

And then she began to cry.

Achilles couldn’t bear it anymore. He stepped inside.

It’s because of me.

She had been holding it together—nervous, yes, but not like this. Oscar had survived. Nothing else had happened. There was only one reason she would break down in tears now: because of what he’d told her. About her power.

“Why… are you here? How did you get in?”

Charlize hadn’t even realized she was crying until she heard his voice.

She wiped her tears and looked at him. She should’ve kept her distance—resented him, distrusted him. That would’ve been safer. But… she couldn’t hate him.

I’ve spent more than ten years pining after someone who never looked back at me. And now…

Even knowing the truth, could she so easily give up this feeling? He was the first person she had ever truly fallen for—face to face, heart to heart.

“Why are you crying?” he asked gently. “When you cry… I can’t do anything.”

“My tears don’t matter. They won’t change anything. No matter how much I cry, nothing ever goes the way I want.”

The Empress dismissed her as naïve. The Emperor clicked his tongue and made decisions as he pleased. Oscar had comforted her—but that was all he could do.

Nothing had gone the way she wanted. At most, she’d escaped the fate of being branded a villain. Once, that would’ve been enough to make her happy.

Maybe I’m just meant to be unhappy. I finally gave up on Valter, and now…

Can I give you up, too? Can I stop loving you? Can I go through with this marriage—when I don’t even know what you truly feel?

This wasn’t a time to be grateful that she’d avoided marrying some old foreign noble.

“Why…?”

Charlize flinched when Achilles suddenly knelt before her. She stepped back, startled.

He didn’t follow. He simply looked up at her, steady and still.

“I was wrong,” he said quietly.

“What are you even apologizing for?”

“Whatever it is… if it made you cry, then it’s my fault. Even if I don’t know the reason yet—that’s still on me.”

He gazed up at her with an open expression.

“Please don’t cry, Your Highness.”

“Don’t say things like that! Why are you always…?”

So kind to me?
That’s not who you are.
You’re cold. You barely answer people when they talk to you.

“…You’re making me misunderstand you.”

“It’s not a misunderstanding, Princess. I like you.”

At his words, fresh tears welled up in her eyes. She bit her lip, trying to stop the sobs, but they broke through anyway.

“Then why? There was a reason—you had a reason! Why did you ask to marry me?”

Charlize looked him straight in the eye, voice rising. She wanted to catch a flicker of guilt or cruelty—something to break the illusion. She’d rather see the truth now than trust him only to be betrayed later.

“At first,” Achilles said slowly, “I wanted to marry you because of the Primordial Mana. I wanted to study it. But… as I got closer to you, that stopped mattering.”

Charlize’s head spun. Part of her wanted to believe him—but fear kept pushing to the front.

“How am I supposed to trust that? Once I’m in the Tower, I’ll be completely alone.”

“I’m the Tower Master. That means I’m on your side.”

He said it earnestly. But she wasn’t sure she could believe him. Doubt would follow her everywhere, every moment. It would wear her down. So instead…

“Please… cancel the engagement. I can’t become your wife with these doubts in my heart.”

For the first time, a desperate expression cracked through Achilles’s usually unreadable face.

“I can’t do that. Princess… I like you.”

Charlize shook her head.

“If you do… then let me go.”

“Please, Your Highness… that, I cannot do. I’ll bring you this continent. The whole world, if that’s what it takes.”

But she only turned away, lips tightly sealed. She didn’t need the world. All she wanted was a place to rest her heart—a safe, warm life with someone she could trust.

“If it’s because of my power… then test me. Take it. Right now. Take all of it.”

Achilles froze, staring at her as if he couldn’t quite understand what she’d just said.

She didn’t even realize what that offer truly meant.

Support