It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 55

“This too must be one of the Tower Master’s traps! He probably lent the Princess a magic artifact.”

Just like the mechanical dolls that suddenly appeared and took the lives of several of his knights, Achilles must have given Charlize a magical tool to launch that attack.

Even as Lewein blamed Achilles for everything, he couldn’t suppress the growing resentment he felt toward the Princess. After all, his knights were still writhing in pain on the ground right in front of him.

Even if their outer bodies looked fine thanks to protective mana, the ones who had inhaled the flames had damaged their throats and lungs, rendering them unable to move.

“Urgh… ghkk…”

Lewein cast a cold gaze at a knight lying near him before turning away. After capturing the Princess, he’d check who among his men could still stand. Anyone who couldn’t… would need to be dealt with.

“I can’t kill the Princess… but—”

The servants she had nobly tried to save by helping them escape through the castle—he had no intention of giving them a quick or painless death. They were going to die anyway, but now he wanted them to die horribly, right before the Princess’s eyes.

Breaking her spirit would only serve his master’s interests.

He had already lost too many knights. He knew he wouldn’t escape punishment unless he succeeded in capturing Charlize. That was the only way to preserve his life.

“You wretched girl… I’ll make sure you never forget what happened today!”

“Ahhh!”

“S-someone help!”

People screamed and dropped to the floor. A second explosion rocked the entire training room—no, more likely, the entire mansion. There was no other explanation for that level of force.

Charlize, who had cast the magic herself, clutched her chest as her heart pounded uncontrollably. She swallowed hard.

“What was that? Why—why, why, why did it explode like that? What happened?!”

Achilles had often told her her mana was special, that she had talent. But Charlize never took his words seriously.

She’d been taught not to listen too closely to praise. Sweet words could make people arrogant—fools blinded by their own pride.

“I just thought he was saying that because he liked me…”

But perhaps there was something unique about the mana she carried. Either that, or she really did have an unusually large amount of magical power. She hadn’t even realized how much mana she had used—but judging by the sheer scale of the fire, it must have been a lot.

“Thank goodness we closed the door in time. If I’d gotten caught in that fire…”

Shivers ran down her arms, and she rubbed them instinctively. The white stag beside her nuzzled her arm gently, offering quiet comfort with its soft, furry coat. Charlize wrapped her arms around the stag’s neck.

“This isn’t the time to relax.”

It would’ve been nice if the fire had taken out all the enemies, but she doubted it. A Sword Master could surround themselves with mana to protect and strengthen their body.

Charlize turned to one of the mechanical dolls beside her. Back in her room, they had answered her questions clearly—how many Sword Masters there were, and who among the knights had awakened mana.

“How many are still alive?”

“Thirty-four remain alive.”

Only two down?!

A wave of unease spread through the people huddled nearby. If only two enemies had fallen despite that massive explosion, what hope did they have?

Charlize quickly realized her question had been the wrong one. She rephrased.

“How many of them can still fight? Where are they?”

“Thirteen remain combat-capable. Ten are at the end of the corridor. Three are stationed at the castle gate.”

Thirteen…

People, who had been listening anxiously, seemed encouraged by the number. But the steward, an older man with battlefield experience, still watched the Princess with concern.

He knew better than anyone that even one trained knight was more than this group of unarmed civilians could handle—let alone thirteen.

Charlize knew it too.

“What about the Sword Master?”

“He is unharmed.”

At that answer, the room fell silent again. Someone whispered, “Sword Master? Wait… there’s a Sword Master among them?”

“If he makes a move, we’re all dead, aren’t we?”

Charlize was thinking the same thing. One of the servants suddenly stood up and shouted at her, his face filled with desperation, as if he’d decided to speak for everyone.

“Your Highness! Do something! Isn’t this all your fault?!”

“You idiot! Don’t you see Her Highness is trying to save us?!”

“All that’s happened is our home has been destroyed! The enemy isn’t even gone! Sure, the Princess will make it out of here—but the rest of us won’t! I’m not dying here like this!”

As the servant ranted, the steward stumbled to his feet and limped forward, making his way toward the man. The servant flinched, clearly startled by the stern look on the steward’s face—but forced himself to act defiant.

He seemed to think, what can an old man with a wooden leg possibly do to me?

SMACK!

The steward didn’t slap the servant—he punched him.

The servant froze in shock at the unexpected force of the blow, but his anger flared and he moved to retaliate. The steward was faster.

With quick, firm strikes, he pummeled the servant again and again. The servant had no time to react—he was completely overpowered.

“If you’re scared, then shut your mouth, you coward. People who do nothing but complain are useless. Do you understand me?”

“Y-yes… yes, sir…”

Blood dripped from the servant’s mouth as he stammered out a reply. Only then did the steward release his collar. He turned to Charlize and bowed deeply.

“My deepest apologies, Your Highness. It was my failure to keep the servants in line. That coward was simply whining out of fear. Please, I beg of you—spare his life.”

…She hadn’t planned on killing him. Though she had been planning to dismiss him once this was over.

The castle was full of memories with Achilles. She loved watching the snowfall from her bedroom window, and she had every intention of restoring the estate and rebuilding her staff afterward.

But Charlize wasn’t foolish enough to keep someone like that in her employ. She wouldn’t execute him, but punishment was certainly in order.

Not death—but a prison cell seemed appropriate.

When the word “life” came up, the arrogant servant’s eyes trembled with panic. He must’ve truly believed he was going to die.

He likely thought Charlize would be taken, and that he would be executed. Any sympathy she might’ve had for him disappeared completely.

“Loudmouths like that? Might as well use them as cannon fodder.”

“Your Highness.”

The mechanical dolls standing silently beside her suddenly raised their weapons. All of them were staring at the single door—the only exit to the training room.

“The Sword Master is approaching.”

“Lulu!”

Charlize placed one hand on the white stag’s back and pointed with the other toward a wall across the room. She could only pray the explosion hadn’t caused the floor beneath them to collapse.

“Break through that wall!”

Lewein had expected the door to give way with a single strike—but it didn’t.

There was no sound or sign of movement inside. No trace of Charlize or the others. That silence made him increasingly uneasy.

“What if the Princess used that explosion to escape? What if there’s a secret passage behind that door? That would be a problem.”

He had memorized every corner of the castle from the layout he’d received from Valter. As far as he knew, there was no second exit from the magic training room. But now, even that seemed uncertain.

The Tower Master had caught him off guard more than once already.

From the mechanical dolls to that massive spell—the moment he considered the possibility that Achilles had provided Charlize with enchanted items, he knew he couldn’t trust what he thought he knew.

So the moment that thought hit him, Lewein raised his sword and tried to slice through the door and enter.

But it didn’t break easily.

Weaker than the front gate, yes—but it was still reinforced with magic.

“How dare you…”

Angered and humiliated, Lewein gathered more strength and slashed again. This time, the door split down the middle, though the hinges kept it from falling completely. Through the gap, he saw into the dim room.

And there—on one side of the wide, hall-like room—was a large opening in the wall, with light pouring through it.

It looked like someone had smashed their way through. Most likely Charlize, using a magical device.

“Damn it…!”

Lewein quickly extended his senses—and caught the presence of Charlize and the others, already moving far below. There must’ve been a staircase behind that broken wall.

Before she had used magic, his knights had the mansion surrounded. But now? Most of them were incapacitated.

“She went down! After her! She’s headed to the east tower!”

Noy ran with the others, panic rising in his chest.

He had known that Knight Dave was working behind the scenes to secretly open the gate. That was part of the plan. That much he had been prepared for.

But killing Dave?

“…Am I next?”

Everyone inside the castle was supposed to die. The goal was to eliminate all witnesses—just in case.

“No. Calm down. I won’t be killed. They don’t have a reason to kill me… right? I even drenched myself in blood so no one would recognize me…”

Besides, he had been useful. Again and again, he had played key roles in missions. His acting had fooled entire merchant guilds and noblemen—dozens of them.

And all of them were stripped of what they had and then killed. Whether it was goods, money, or information—it didn’t matter. Countless people had died because of his deception and tricks, but Noy didn’t feel guilty.

The world was to blame.

He had survived by proving his worth after being captured by a bandit group. It was the only reason he was still alive. Since then, he might’ve had a chance to escape now and then but…

“Now’s not the time to reflect. I have to survive. No matter what.”

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