It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 43

The northern castle was perched halfway up the mountain, but the village lay at its base. From a survival standpoint, it was the obvious choice.

The village had been formed long ago by herbalists drawn to the rare herbs of Ailbevern and hunters who came to slay magical beasts.

Because it had been around for quite some time, it now had permanent residents—innkeepers and food vendors who made their living off the herbalists and hunters.

“Ailbevern’s winters are long. Even though it’s mid-spring now, winter still clings to this region. Herb gatherers won’t head up the mountain until summer, and beast hunters face similar limitations…”

In other words, entering the village now would draw attention—and attention was the last thing they needed, given what they were about to do.

Once the emperor discovered that the princess had vanished, he would surely dispatch a search party.

Ideally, they would silence every witness in the village and erase all traces. But the Master of the Magic Tower was likely to interfere.

Ruwein stroked his chin in thought before coming to a decision.

“You and I will go. The rest of you begin as planned. It’d be troublesome if the villagers remember your faces…”

The others nodded at his instructions, then quickly split up and began moving according to the plan.

Ah, it’s happening again…

Wrapped in Achilles’s arms, Charlize watched as he cast magic using her mana—and felt his emotions flowing into her.

It was like being enveloped in a soft, warm wool blanket.

It feels so good… so incredibly good.

Moments like this—when you could so clearly and undeniably feel that you were loved—were rare.

For Charlize, who had spent so long nursing one-sided affections and suffering heartbreak, this was pure happiness.

She even felt foolish for having once doubted his feelings, for having been so anxious.

I should tell him… how I can feel parts of his emotions and thoughts.

It seemed Achilles could only sense fragments of her feelings, but she could read much more of his.

Likely, it was due to the innate difference in the power they each held.

“Lize? Are you listening?”

Her dreamy gaze met his as he gently kissed her flushed cheek. Her blue eyes sparkled as she answered.

“I’m listening. You mean like this, right?”

Achilles’s hand slipped away from her wrist, and magic began to gather at her fingertips.

He silently observed as her power took form.

The raw mana of the beginning—primordial mana—was easy to summon but hard to control.

She hadn’t shaped it with focused willpower, but rather, through the intense emotions she had felt. That made control difficult.

Still, creating a path is the most important first step.

In the training room, the magic circle safely drew all effects to one place—but outside, uncontrolled magic could be dangerous.

“You’re still having trouble with control, so you shouldn’t use magic outside the practice room—especially not attack spells.”

“Huh? Really? It feels like I’m doing okay…”

She couldn’t expand the range at will yet, but it looked like she was getting close.

Even so, Achilles remained firm.

“It only feels that way because of the training circle beneath us. Outside, a mistake could get you hurt. Do you understand?”

As he stared into her eyes and repeated the warning, Charlize slowly nodded. But her vague expression made him think he should stick close to her at all times.

With how strong her mana was—especially being primordial—it was impossible to measure. If she lost control, the consequences could be devastating.

The faint wrinkle forming between her brows as she focused was so cute that Achilles couldn’t resist lifting her chin.

“Mmm…”

Their lips met, and her cheeks flushed a soft, peachy pink. Unsatisfied, he kissed her deeper.

She really must like me too…

She had told him before that she liked him, but he’d dismissed it, thinking she meant it platonically.

But over the past few days, she had clearly shown how she felt.

“Master of the Tower.”

The two of them flinched slightly, unsure whether to stop at a kiss or move further.

Charlize jumped in surprise, while Achilles calmly stroked her shoulder as if to soothe her.

It was the voice of one of the automaton servants.

Ugh, I really don’t like those things.

Even though they were enchanted to mimic human appearance and movement, something about them always felt unnatural. Their expressionless faces gave her chills.

“What is it?” Achilles asked.

When Achilles spoke toward the door, a voice answered from beyond.

“A magician named Eliza has requested an audience with you, Tower Master.”

Eliza? Who is that?

Charlize turned to Achilles with a puzzled look, but he simply met her gaze. Thinking he might be hesitating because of her, she gently nudged his arm.

“I’ll stay here and keep practicing. Go ahead.”

“No. I think it would be better if you came with me.”

“Huh? With you?”

From Achilles’s perspective, the idea of Charlize practicing alone made him uneasy. Though he had tailored the training room to suit her, helping her study had made him realize that might not be enough.

“You can’t use magic without me around. It could be dangerous.”

Is he being serious?

With his usual unreadable expression, it was hard to tell. He could say the most outrageous things in that calm tone of his, so it was difficult to know when he was joking.

“…Okay.”

Charlize nodded, a bit disappointed. She had just started finding joy in magic, but if he said it was dangerous, then she couldn’t ignore that.

Maybe it would’ve been fine as long as she avoided offensive spells—but who could be sure?

With Achilles’s help, Charlize began getting dressed. When she had first arrived at the castle, she’d only had the one gown she was wearing. But somehow, Achilles now had an entire wardrobe ready for her.

Indoor robes, outdoor wear—even undergarments.

Though he had already seen more than enough of her body, she still felt embarrassed from time to time. Achilles had even crafted a magical mirror from droplets and light so she could see herself clearly.

Charlize looked at her lightly made-up reflection and let out a small sigh of relief. Achilles was far more attentive than she’d expected.

“Your Highness, you are once again the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“Th-thank you…”

Her cheeks flushed red, and he leaned in to kiss her deeply. Eliza was likely still waiting downstairs, but Achilles showed no sign of urgency.

If it had truly been urgent, a magically summoned messenger bird—crafted by his own spell—would’ve come flying to him directly.

Mmm, this tea is amazing.

Eliza was already on his fifth cup, snacking contentedly on cookies and cake. He hadn’t expected much from the food at a secluded mountain estate, but apparently, the supplies coming into the princess’s villa were of a different standard.

The truth was, most high-level magicians were foodies to some extent. Thanks to long-distance and teleportation spells, traveling from city to city was easy—meaning they could chase down fine dining when they had the time.

But of course, time wasn’t always a luxury. During busy periods, even dried jerky and cold water were accepted as a necessary evil.

This… this is the taste of freedom. The taste of rest. Your Highness, the Magic Tower doesn’t just welcome you—it loves you.

Though if he’d dared say love, Achilles might’ve killed him on the spot. The jealousy of a man in love was no joke—and Eliza was certain the Tower Master would be the most dangerous kind of beast if provoked.

The servants in the estate threw curious glances at the visiting mage, intrigued by his sudden appearance. Eliza was relieved he hadn’t brought any subordinates.

Most of them were too afraid of the Tower Master to come along anyway, but even if they had, he doubted he could’ve enjoyed tea time like this.

“Would you like more cake?”

“If you’re offering, I won’t say no.”

As he pushed his empty plate forward, the maid quickly scurried off to the kitchen. The three-tiered tray he’d started with was already spotless. His appetite, apparently, knew no bounds.

Sweet things are the best!

The sugar had brightened his tightly wound brain. If Marcus had heard him, he would’ve rolled his eyes and called him ridiculous—but Eliza was genuinely happy.

“The Tower Master is on his way.”

Hearing this, Eliza set down his nearly empty cup and stood up in a hurry. Achilles entered the room with his usual cool expression—and behind him…

…Huh?

A stunning beauty walked in beside him, with flowing reddish-pink hair and deep blue eyes like the ocean.

The moment he saw those curious, shimmering eyes, he nearly fell in love— and then remembered he’d die if he did!

His wandering mind snapped back to reality the instant he met Achilles’s murderous glare.

Eliza knew what mattered most: his life. Not love.

He couldn’t help but wonder—was it his heart that had rolled away in fear just now… or his eyes?

He wasn’t afraid of lions. But right now, it felt like he had locked eyes with a lion ready to pounce.

“What is it?” Achilles asked flatly.

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