It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 63

The trap was complete.

A powerful barrier had been cast around the field, sealing off every possible escape route. And from within that barrier, someone stepped forward—calm, unhurried, as if nothing in the world could touch him.

The Tower Master.

A silver-haired man, graceful and devastatingly handsome, walked toward him with cold, unreadable eyes. Valter, still crouched on the ground, sprang to his feet with fury in his gaze.

“Hah! What is this madness, Tower Master? Have you finally lost your mind while I wasn’t looking?”

Even Valter’s venomous tone couldn’t provoke a single twitch of Achilles’ brow. He simply released the mana he’d been holding within him—and the air grew heavy, suffocating, thick with unimaginable power.

Valter clenched his teeth as sweat dripped down his forehead. He had already been sweating from fear, but now the dampness soaked him.

That much of a difference in strength…?

But he was a Sword master—and Achilles was just a mage. Arrogant as he was, the man had appeared before him without a single guard. That alone meant there was still an opening. Still a chance.

There had always been a wall between knights and mages—a wall neither could easily cross. Even if Achilles had shattered it and become something overwhelming, Valter had too.

After all, he had become a Sword master before his twentieth birthday. He’d always been stronger than those around him. His first teacher had only been stronger than him for fifteen days—by the sixteenth, Valter had surpassed him.

And yet, he had never thought of himself as special. The remarkable things were simply always around him—like breathing, like sunlight pouring naturally onto his path.

His whole life had been a golden road.

That is, until a few weeks ago—when the Emperor declared he would marry Charlize to the Tower Master.

“You’re the one who’s mad, Bianchi. Lusting after someone far beyond your reach. Look at you now. Crawling on the ground like a rat for daring to grasp above your station.”

Achilles’ face barely shifted, but the mockery in his voice was unmistakable. Valter’s expression twisted with rage and humiliation. He was royal by blood—a distant cousin of the imperial family. He’d always been treated with respect. Even Oscar, who loathed him, never went this far.

“Have you lost your mind since getting engaged to the princess? So, what if the Emperor gave you a title? You’re just a marquess! And I’m the heir to a duke! How dare you—ARGH!”

The ground beneath Valter’s feet turned molten and pulled him downward like a sinkhole. Flames roared up around him, and he screamed—only to clench his jaw in shame.

Still, he launched himself forward, kicking off the magma-heated ground at lightning speed. His movement blurred—too fast to follow. But Achilles didn’t flinch.

Valter’s blade slashed again and again, but none of his attacks could break through the Tower Master’s shimmering shield. The light from the barrier deflected his strikes and sliced back at him in return.

He realized, with horror, that Achilles’ defenses had grown even stronger than before.

He’s gotten stronger… in just a matter of days.

While Valter had slithered through the shadows, trying to snatch Charlize like a coward, Achilles had stood tall—and become even more powerful.

The thought made Valter choke with rage. He wanted to kill him. He wanted to burn that smug, condescending face until the man screamed beneath his feet.

But the one burning in hellfire now… was Valter.

He used his mana to protect his body, but the searing heat of the enchanted magma was still overwhelming. As if that wasn’t enough, tendrils of molten fire shot up, trying to grab hold of him. He couldn’t stop moving, couldn’t even breathe properly.

“Why are you doing this to me?!”

He couldn’t admit his crimes. Not here. Not now. Even if, in the deepest part of his mind, he had already accepted the truth. Even if his whole plan had centered around taking Charlize—he couldn’t confess it to Achilles.

“Ignorance won’t save you. You can die in denial.”

Achilles didn’t need proof. He didn’t care if Valter confessed. Just knowing that Charlize had once felt something for Valter was enough.

He had lacked a proper excuse to kill him before. He’d even considered creating one. But Valter had come to him willingly—he had made it easy. He might as well have asked to die.

Valter attacked again, dodging and weaving. His footwork was flawless, each movement calculated and sharp. But then—drops of water began to fall on him.

He faltered.

Outside the barrier, the Tower’s mages maintained a complex formation, unshaken. A massive dome surrounded them, and now water began flooding in—rapidly.

Within moments, water had risen to shoulder height—filling every part of the battlefield except the space where Achilles stood.

“What the hell—?! ARGGHHH!!”

Just as Valter desperately searched for a way out of the rising flood, a massive surge of energy struck the water’s surface like a meteor.

There was nowhere to run.

He gritted his teeth and tried to circulate mana through his body to avoid being electrocuted, but it was too late. His skin sizzled, blackened and burned, nerves screaming as excruciating pain tore through him. A raw scream ripped from his throat.

Watching his once-handsome face contort in agony was oddly satisfying.

That was the face he’d used to seduce Charlize—and toss her aside.

He hadn’t seduced her? Then why had he approached her again even after she had made it clear she was done? She had spoken her truth. She had a man she would marry. She had cut ties with Valter completely.

But Valter Bianchi had only ever acted out of selfish desire and vanity. He had approached Charlize not out of love, but for his own convenience. And now, here he was—throwing a tantrum, demanding she return to him.

In Achilles’ eyes, that alone was reason enough to die.

How much he loathed Valter, how much he wanted to tear him apart—Charlize would never truly know. Because around her, Achilles had learned not to let his thoughts reveal themselves.

He had hidden every trace of this hatred, knowing she could read his heart when she looked too closely.

Charlize belongs to me!

The lava beneath the water seethed, releasing enormous clouds of steam. Valter, now boiling and electrocuted, howled in pain. Lava-tentacles burst from the ground and impaled him through his limbs—and then the water suddenly vanished, sucked down into the earth like it had never been.

“Kh-ack…!”

The tentacles had pierced his limbs, but not his core. He hadn’t died—yet. Coughing blood, Valter glared at Achilles, his eyes burning with hatred through the pain.

The fact that he could still look like that—still cling to his fury—was almost admirable. Most men, with wounds like his, would be consumed by fear.

“Is this… because of Charlize…? Guh… AAAARGH!”

“I warned you, didn’t I? I said I’d tear out that tongue. You’re not just arrogant—you’re stupid.”

As the tentacles slithered up his body toward his face, for the first time, fear showed on Valter’s face.

“Wait! Stop! If Charlize—if Her Highness finds out—ARGHH!!”

“She already knows I came after you. And she gave me permission to kill you. The thing you’re most afraid of? It’s already happened.”

The look of absolute shock in Valter’s eyes sparked the first moment of satisfaction in Achilles’ expression.

So, he’d really believed Charlize wouldn’t let this happen. That she would defend him.

“Lies… You’re lying. Charlize—she—she would never…!”

“You rejected her how many times? Why should she keep forgiving you? Why should she still care?”

When they were younger, Achilles had begun taking an interest in Charlize—studying her relationships, wary of any connections that might get in the way of his goals. If she married someone else, bringing her into the Tower would become impossible.

Back then, seeing her fixated on Valter had almost seemed like a blessing. It was obvious Valter didn’t truly care for her—only toyed with her. As long as that dynamic continued, Achilles figured, his job would be easier.

It wasn’t until he realized he loved her that he understood just how cruel that thought had been.

Ever since acknowledging his feelings, he had wanted to destroy Valter—but held back. He was afraid that Charlize wouldn’t look at him the same way if he hurt someone she once loved.

Afraid she might hate him.

But you. You dare… YOU DARE—!!!

“Kh—GAHH—AAAHHH!”

The tentacles crawled across Valter’s face, searing his flesh, then slipped past his lips.

His jaw was forced open—joints cracking, skin burning. The molten limb pushed into his mouth, and the scent of burning tongue filled the air as he screamed, body writhing in agony.

The Tower mages watched in silence, maintaining the magic circle with trembling focus. None of them dared interfere.

“He shouldn’t have harmed the princess…”

“Should we stop this…?”

“You do it, then! I’m not going near him!”

Finally, when Valter’s eyes rolled back and he passed out, Achilles released the spell. There was no point in continuing if he wasn’t conscious enough to feel it.

Valter’s broken, bloodied body collapsed onto the solidified lava.

Achilles looked down at him, expressionless.

Killing him now would be easy. Achilles wanted to. He was filled with lethal intent, and his hatred ran deep.

But he knew, he could not kill Valter.

Not yet.

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