It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 58

Throughout the castle, traces of unfamiliar energy and the Tower Master’s magical presence lingered in the air. Giel walked through the gates with tense eyes hidden behind his glasses. Beside him, Aisha, another of the Tower Master’s disciples, walked silently, her face cold and unreadable.

Behind them followed the mages of the Mage Tower. Called directly by the Tower Master himself, they were clearly on edge.

“Welcome. I am Reuben, the steward of this castle,” came a polite greeting.

Standing at the entrance of the main estate, Reuben had neatly arranged himself and the staff to receive the visitors. Ever since Achilles restored the castle, the household had been busy preparing for their arrival.

The structure of the castle had been repaired, but not the items inside. Everything had to be inspected to check for damages. Only after that could the staff begin a full round of cleaning and organization.

Fortunately, the storage rooms had remained intact, and there was little damage to any furniture or belongings, so the preparations went quickly. Reuben had finished his inspection inside and out and prepared rooms for around twenty guests.

Since the Tower Master had informed them that mages were arriving, Reuben had a clear idea of the standard of hospitality required. Mages were typically treated like lower-ranking nobles or knights, so accommodations and meals were arranged accordingly.

He ordered the servants to escort Aisha and Giel’s attendants to their guest quarters, while Aisha and Giel themselves were led to the drawing room. As they arrived, Reuben also sent a servant to notify the Tower Master. Achilles would be down shortly.

Finally, those ghastly stone statues can be removed, the steward thought to himself with a forced smile, thinking of the knights frozen in the front courtyard.

Lying on the bed in Achilles’ arms, Charlize felt like everything that had happened just a few hours ago was part of a dream. The bed sheets, which she was sure had been burned, were perfectly clean. The curtains, the tea table—nothing seemed out of place.

Knock, knock…

“Tower Master, the mages from the Tower have arrived.”

It wasn’t Achilles who responded to the quiet voice outside—it was Charlize. She shifted a little and gently tapped on the arm still wrapped around her.

“Achilles, the mages are here.”

“They really have no sense of timing.”

You’re the one who summoned them, she thought, giving him a look of disbelief. But Achilles appeared genuinely annoyed.

“How are you feeling?”

“A little tired, but otherwise I’m okay.”

Charlize’s fatigue didn’t come from magic depletion. She had simply run herself ragged, physically and emotionally, while avoiding the intruders. Achilles knew this, but he still kept a close eye on her condition, just in case.

“It’ll take some time to deal with the troublemakers. You might be feeling unwell later, so I think it’s best you stay here and rest.”

Charlize slowly nodded. Truthfully, she was already so relaxed that she was drifting off in his arms.

Achilles looked as though he wanted to say something more, but instead he leaned down, kissed her on the cheek, and rose from the bed. He gave the automatons a firm order not to leave Charlize’s side under any circumstances, then left the room.

The servant was still waiting in the hallway. Seeing that Charlize hadn’t come with him, the servant tensed slightly at Achilles’ cold expression.

“Lead the way.”

“Y-Yes, sir! Right this way!”

Nervously glancing back, the servant quickly guided him forward.

The man believed that the best way to stay alive was to read the situation quickly. He had seen the Tower Master return to the castle and immediately urged his companion to bring the girl down from the mountain.

He didn’t care what happened to Lewein, and his subordinates back at the northern castle. That wasn’t his concern.

He was good at setting up scenes—not fighting in them.

“We’re just running away? It’s Sir Lewein, we’re talking about! What if he actually beat the Tower Master?!”

At his companion’s outburst, the man clicked his tongue.

“If he were someone who could win in a direct fight, that person would’ve just ordered an assassination. Do you really think they’d go through the trouble of setting up such an elaborate trap if they could win outright?”

Deep within the thick forest at the base of the mountain, a shabby-looking carriage was waiting. On the outside, it looked worn and cheap, but the inside was near-luxurious. A strange contrast—this was the carriage meant to carry the kidnapped princess.

But in truth, it wasn’t the real one inside. It was a decoy.

“What’s going on? Are we really leaving just like this?”

The red-haired woman, Akin, asked with an expression full of doubt.

Akin had been one of Valter Bianchi’s pawns—someone he’d found on the streets four years ago, a woman who bore a strong resemblance to the princess. He lured her in with money, had her undergo magical facial reconstruction, and trained her to mimic the princess’s speech and mannerisms.

If this was all she’d be used for, training her was a waste, the man thought, glancing at Akin’s clearly irritated face.

The truth was, Akin had been scheduled to die today—killed at the northern castle to make it look like the princess had perished.

They had intended to fool the Tower Master into believing she was dead, hoping he would then go on a revenge-fueled hunt for her killers. They had even prepared a scapegoat.

The demons.

The longstanding grudge between the demon race and the Mage Tower, especially toward the Tower Master, was well known. A nest of demons had been discovered in a nearby city, and they were the perfect candidates to pin the blame on.

And yet… strangely enough…

The man was starting to think things had actually worked out for the better. If the Tower Master had really believed the princess was dead, he might never have stopped hunting.

Akin looked very much like Princess Charlize thanks to the magical alteration, but something about this plan felt cursed. Maybe it was because their enemy was Achilles. Even if the magic had been performed four years ago, lingering traces might remain.

“I was really confident, you know… I figured it’d be easier pretending to be the Tower Master’s wife than dealing with all those noblewomen in the palace.”

Akin rambled on, even asking if Achilles was as handsome as the rumors said. The man ignored her chatter and instructed the driver to get the carriage moving.

“Quiet down! I have to report this to him!”

Startled by his outburst, Akin pouted but held her tongue. The man thought about what failure would mean for their organization.

This wasn’t just any failure—it was a failed princess abduction. Lewein, and the knights had been assigned to them by that person, and likely didn’t know much about the broader organization… but even so, it left him uneasy.

While he sat in heavy silence, the carriage rolled deeper into the darkness.

“Tower Master.”

As Achilles entered the drawing room, Aisha and Giel immediately rose to greet him. He waved them toward the hallway with little patience for pleasantries.

“We’ll talk on the way.”

He had summoned them for two reasons. First, to protect Charlize while he stepped away. Second, to interrogate the intruders and trace the mastermind behind the attack on the northern castle.

Achilles could interrogate if needed—but probing someone’s mind with magic wasn’t his specialty. It didn’t interest him enough to master it. His strengths lay in defense.

But Giel? He was the perfect person for this task. Achilles planned to leave the interrogation to him—they needed results before the night was over.

As for Charlize’s protection, he would entrust Aisha. She was skilled in defense, offense, and tracking spells. No matter who had started this, if a single clue was found, she could find them in an instant.

As Achilles explained, the two mages’ eyes lit up. Being given a direct mission from the Tower Master—widely regarded as the most powerful mage on the continent—was an incredible honor for any mage from the Tower.

“Please leave it to me, Tower Master,” Giel said with confidence.

“When should I begin protecting Her Highness?” Aisha asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Aisha, who adored beauty and elegance, had long wanted to meet the princess. Ever since she’d heard the rumor that Achilles had begged the emperor for Charlize’s hand after falling for her at first sight, Aisha had been endlessly curious.

“Tonight. After she falls asleep, I’ll begin the pursuit. That’s when you’ll stay by her side. Giel, you…”

“I’ll make sure you get the results exactly when you want them, Tower Master.”

Giel spoke with carefully restrained excitement.

His “interrogation” wasn’t really interrogation at all—it was magical intrusion, tearing through the target’s mind and extracting memories by force. No matter how strong their mental defenses were, it wouldn’t matter.

“I’ll be counting on you.”

That was all Achilles needed to say.

Beaming, Giel bowed deeply before heading off to begin the interrogations with his subordinates.

Left behind without an immediate task, Aisha looked disappointed. She knew Achilles wouldn’t let her near the princess just yet. He was far too protective.

He wasn’t about to let anyone even Aisha, get close to Charlize without his say.

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