It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 32

Charlize had been silently listening but once she truly processed what he had just said, her face flushed red.

He’s lying… right?

She turned around abruptly, completely flustered, while Achilles lowered his head. He had revealed a part of himself he had never meant to say out loud.

He was not someone easily embarrassed. But now? He was afraid. Afraid that Charlize would find him disgusting.

“Do you… hate me like this?”

She didn’t know how to respond. She wanted to stay cold and rational, but when he spoke like that—so vulnerably—it made her heart soften again.

“I don’t… hate you.”

Should she just push ahead with her original plan? If she did nothing, she’d never convince Achilles that marriage wasn’t worth it. And surely, he understood how complicated and burdensome marriage could be.

Just go for it. If we’re going to get married anyway… this isn’t something I couldn’t do even if he were just my lover…

And honestly… she was curious. About what he wanted. What exactly he was thinking. Not that she’d admit it.

“Still, it’s… fine. I don’t hate you, after all.”

“Princess, you’re not the kind of person who can do such indecent things with someone you don’t even like.”

She hadn’t even heard him say what he wanted to do yet—but hearing him refer to it so bluntly as indecent made her blush even more.

“T-that… that’s true, but… I did like you, before I knew everything, so…”

“I still like you now.”

“Ugh—whatever! Just do it already! I’m the one saying let’s do it, aren’t I?!”

Flustered and defensive, Charlize raised her voice. Achilles didn’t hesitate to press on.

“What I want might be far more indecent than anything shared between spouses or lovers. I might prioritize my own desires over any sort of ‘research’ and… do lewd things to you, just to satisfy myself. You’re saying you’ll accept that?”

He took a step forward. His shadow fell over her, and she instinctively looked up.

His eyes… looked like he might kiss her at any moment.

“I-I’ll… accept it.”

“I’m not joking or trying to scare you. I’m asking if you’re truly prepared—for me to enter you. To release inside you.”

Is all that really necessary?! Her mind went blank for a moment. But to say she’d never once imagined it… would be a lie. Ever since they kissed, she’d found herself picturing what it might be like to share a life—a bed—with him.

“That sort of thing… is going to happen anyway, if we’re married…”

The moment she mumbled those words, eyes darting away, Achilles visibly froze. When she looked back in surprise, his lips were already pressing against hers.

His tongue pushed in, rough and desperate, tangling with hers. Charlize found herself gasping for breath as his strong arms trapped her tightly against him.

“Princess… Lize…”

“Mmm… ah…”

His kiss was far more sinful, more hungry than before—like he was savoring her. The heat of his lips made her feel faint.

She pushed him away, overwhelmed, and he pulled back, breathing heavily.

“Hah… Lize… My rose… You don’t know how much I want you.”

What even is this… This is what I agreed to, right?

His eyes—dark with lust, yet somehow sweet—held both desire and affection, layered into one expression. She was startled by how such contrasting emotions could exist in a single gaze.

He looked down at her lips again, eyes smoldering, then leaned in once more. Charlize flushed and tried to push him away, but he caught her wrist.

“This is necessary. For the research.”

Where exactly?!

That was clearly a lie. He had literally just confessed how full of selfish desires he was. And yet… she had given her consent.

“Ah…”

His lips brushed hers again—gently this time. One strong arm circled her waist, pulling her close. His mouth, now more composed, met hers sweetly.

Not hurried. Not desperate. Just… warm.

No. Something… something’s definitely not right.

Had she misstepped from the very beginning? Or was this just the wrong path altogether?

Charlize, dazed and breathless, found herself kissed breathless again and again by Achilles. And she was beginning to realize something very clearly: the Tower Master was not a gentleman.

“When will the investigation begin?” she asked afterward.

The man who had kissed her lips swollen, holding her so tightly she couldn’t even think of running away, asked it with a straight face. Kindly—he even healed her bruised lips with magic.

But there was nothing kind about him. Because the moment he was done, he kissed her again.

Achilles was like a runaway carriage with the brakes torn out.

Now he was saying he wanted to sneak into her chambers. Not during the day—it would attract too much attention. He meant tonight, under the cover of darkness.

It wasn’t an outrageous request. They were engaged. They liked each other. One could argue they were already lovers.

If only it weren’t her idea in the first place.

Does he even care about the research anymore? He said it was about studying Primordial Mana…

But to be fair, he had warned her that his motives were selfish.

Still, even as she remembered the feverish, almost possessive way he’d kissed her, Charlize had accepted his proposal.

Because she had to convince him. Maybe, she thought, if he touched her and sensed the mana for himself, his attention would naturally drift that way.

I didn’t pull the brakes out myself… right?

She wasn’t so sure anymore. But at this point, she had nothing to lose. If she did nothing, she’d end up being dragged to the wedding altar anyway.

And if she had to endure it—better to do it on her own terms, in a place she felt safe.

Charlize buried her face in a pillow, thinking of Achilles’s kiss.

Despite the situation, it had felt… good. It was her first kiss in either of her lives—and it had been so intense that it made her forget what her objective even was.

Did Achilles enjoy it too?

Surely. The way he kept stealing glances at her lips made his desire painfully obvious. And the shameless way he’d asked to visit her room tonight?

“You skipped breakfast, so you should eat something heartier tonight.”

Back at the guest palace, her maid said this as she rolled in a full table of food. Charlize had chosen to eat dinner in her bedroom rather than join the formal dining room.

“I did eat lunch.”

But Achilles, having heard she’d missed breakfast, had worried himself sick. He’d ordered food and made sure everything she liked was brought in by the servants.

Not that Charlize wanted to eat that much.

Especially not with what was supposed to happen tonight. She wanted to limit her intake for… very specific reasons.

“Your Highness, you don’t have a large appetite, so you must eat well at every meal.”

“I’m about to get married. Shouldn’t I be watching my figure?”

“Exactly! Which is why you should take extra care of your health.”

The table wasn’t overflowing, but it did have slightly more food than she usually ate.

Still, Charlize knew she didn’t need to impress Achilles. This wasn’t about looking pretty for a man. This was about survival. So she ate—every bite, even dessert.

Afterward, she took a walk for about an hour to settle her stomach, then called for her maids. She bathed, received a full-body massage, and prepped for the evening.

My stomach’s flat…

She didn’t have visible abs, but she wasn’t out of shape either. Like many villainess characters in novels, Charlize was a striking beauty. She’d inherited her looks from Roxana and shared her mother’s delicate build. No matter how much she ate, she never seemed to gain weight.

Thanks, but it’s not like anyone’s falling for me because of this.

Other noble sons hadn’t dared approach her—and while that was largely because of Valter, Charlize didn’t know all the behind-the-scenes reasons.

Finished with her massage, she dismissed her maids, telling them she would turn in early. It was just about nightfall.

What do I even wear? What about underclothes?

There was the matter of what Achilles would see—but also what the maids would see the next morning. She was tempted to leave it to magic—he was a mage, after all—but who knew how much he’d actually think to handle?

Ugh. This is my first time, you know…

The moment her maids left, she dashed into the dressing room. After much debate, she chose between two options and settled on something simple and elegant.

She couldn’t let it seem like she was waiting for him.

So she chose a more innocent look.

She wore soft, lacey undergarments and a flowing negligee—light and airy.

She checked herself in the mirror several times before stepping out of the dressing room and quietly closing the door behind her.

She sat down on the middle of her bed and stared at the door.

Ready for battle. Now show up. If you make me wait—I’m going to be mad!

Knock, knock.

“Eek!”

Right as she was biting her lip in anticipation, the sound startled her. It wasn’t the door to her bedroom.

It was the balcony.

This is the third floor… and he always climbs up so easily.

She hopped off the bed and pulled a robe over her shoulders, tying it tightly in front.

Her heart thudded as she approached the curtained window.

She cautiously pulled the curtain aside—and there he was.

Achilles, draped in a long cloak, stood just outside.

“Princess.”

He wore his hood up, but the warm glow from the room revealed his face. His golden eyes shimmered like firelight was dancing in them.

Still no expression.

Yet… there was the barest trace of a smile at the corner of his lips.

Charlize quickly unlatched the window and let him in hoping no one had seen.

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