It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 77

Achilles frowned the moment Charlize mentioned Ryuhan’s name, just hearing it from her lips was unpleasant to him. Charlize, on the other hand, seemed utterly indifferent to the man.

He may try to get closer to you or worse, attempt a kidnapping.

A kidnapping? But he’s from another country. Would he really go that far?

It’s possible. Your magical energy is that rare and powerful. It would be best to stay cautious until their delegation leaves.

Charlize slowly nodded at his warning.

In the distance, Ryuhan appeared, stepping into the garden. Oscar’s attention had clearly shifted to another group of envoys. The prince’s eyes darted around, obviously searching for someone.

“Ugh, I can’t stand him.”

Achilles narrowed his gaze and draped an arm around Charlize’s shoulders, watching Ryuhan closely.

Ryuhan hadn’t immediately detected the magical barrier Achilles had cast. It wasn’t until he unknowingly wandered closer that he sensed something—and his smug expression said everything.

Seeing Ryuhan’s face light up with confidence made Achilles’s brow twitch. Charlize followed his line of sight.

— Is he… looking for us?

— Most likely. But even if he’s realized where we are, there’s nothing he can do.

Nothing he can do? Charlize looked at him with concern.

Achilles gently lifted her chin and tilted her face toward him. His lips brushed against hers, warm and soft. Her cheeks flushed with color.

Part of her worried that the magic barrier might break—that someone outside could see them like this. But she didn’t want to seem like she was doubting his magic.

“Achilles said it’s fine.”

“…Your Highness, what are you doing? You can’t use spellcraft in another nation’s palace!”

Someone had followed Ryuhan into the garden and was now whispering frantically to him. It seemed the prince had shaken off his attendants to sneak away.

Ryuhan looked irritated by the interruption.

“…I can feel the Tower Lord’s magic. He’s hiding in the garden with the princess. I have to find them.”

“…If the Tower Lord has stepped away with his fiancée, then all the more reason not to interrupt! What if it’s a… private moment?!”

“…She’s too good for him. They’re getting married anyway—what’s the harm if I show up?”

“…That’s exactly the problem, Your Highness!”

Clearly unaware that their entire conversation was audible within the barrier, Ryuhan kept talking loudly and freely. His arrogance made it difficult for Charlize to stay focused. Sensing her distraction, Achilles grew irritated.

He could’ve easily blocked out their voices with a spell. But doing so would feel like conceding defeat—and Achilles had no intention of giving Ryuhan that satisfaction.

No, I won’t back down.

Charlize wasn’t even glancing toward the noise. Her eyes were closed, and she was clearly trying hard to ignore it.

Achilles wished she didn’t have to try at all.

— Ah…

His hand, which had been resting on her shoulder, slid down her spine and pulled her closer by the waist. Their bodies pressed tightly together. Charlize peeked through her lashes, startled by the intimacy.

Outside the barrier, Ryuhan was gathering energy, attempting to crack the magical field. It wasn’t mana, exactly—but a different power used in the Eastern continent. A similar yet distinct force.

“…Why—why isn’t this working?!”

“…Please, Your Highness, stop this!”

Ryuhan’s aide was clearly panicking. But Ryuhan, now driven by both pride and desire, refused to let it go. Inside the barrier, Achilles leaned down once more, pressing his lips against Charlize’s, deeper this time.

His tongue slipped past her lips with a slick sound, tasting her warmth, coiling with hers, drawing a soft gasp from her throat. Her face burned crimson.

What if they can hear us out there…?

But no one had said anything strange about the noises outside—surely they couldn’t hear. Still, the heated, wet sounds between them made her entire body flush.

— …Are you excited, Princess?

His low whisper sent a shiver down her spine. She was already burning red, her embarrassment rising like a tide.

— N-no, I’m not!

— Then why are you so surprised?

Only a few magical lanterns lit the garden, yet Achilles’s golden eyes glowed as if lit from within, focused solely on her.

He stared at her glistening lips—wet from his kiss—and trailed his eyes across her blushing face.

— That’s the reddest I’ve ever seen your face.

— It’s not!

— It is.

— Hic!

All he did was brush her cheek with his thumb, and she jumped like she’d been shocked.

He continued to gaze at her, calm and unbothered.

— You’re radiating heat.

— T-that’s not…

She should’ve denied it, but she was too flustered to speak clearly. Worse yet, Achilles was watching her from so close, his gaze piercing and unfiltered.

— You’re as red as a rose petal… Absolutely adorable, Princess.

The whisper in her ear sent a surge of heat flooding through her body. Flustered, Charlize smacked Achilles’s chest and tried to squirm away—but he only pulled her in tighter.

— Let go! Let go of me!

— Are you sure you want that? I’d much rather keep admiring your lovely face.

— You keep teasing me and… ngh!

When her eyes welled with frustrated tears and she glared up at him, Achilles leaned in and stole another kiss, holding her close and dipping her slightly so she couldn’t push him away. Caught off balance, Charlize could only submit to the kiss—and responded by pinching his forearm hard.

But Achilles didn’t flinch. His tongue eagerly explored her mouth, deep and heated, while just beyond the magical barrier, Ryuhan had begun casting attack spells. Scarlet light flashed across the garden—but neither Charlize nor Achilles spared it a glance.

“Prince of Lushan. What exactly do you think you’re doing here?”

Ryuhan’s noisy outburst had, of course, reached the ears of Crown Prince Oscar. A nobleman in charge of overseeing the banquet had rushed to the scene with attendants and guards in tow, but it was nearly impossible to restrain Ryuhan by the time they arrived.

Ryuhan was glaring at the invisible barrier, clearly frustrated, and when Oscar appeared, he turned, startled.

“There’s a suspicious magical barrier here in the garden. It seemed urgent to investigate—there shouldn’t be something like this so close to the banquet hall. Just look!”

He raised his hand and sent a crackle of spell-light hurtling forward. When it hit a spot in the air, blue flames flickered and shimmered across a large arc—revealing the presence of the barrier to everyone.

“Prince of Lushan! What an outrageous display! Even as a foreign royal, you should know better than to use spellcraft in the presence of the Crown Prince without permission!”

A marquis beside Oscar barked, furious.

Ryuhan’s flustered attendant quickly stepped forward to defend him, switching tones instantly.

“Our prince is still unfamiliar with the laws of your Empire. He was merely concerned for His Highness’s safety upon discovering a suspicious phenomenon so close to the celebration. His actions were born of concern, not hostility. We hope this misunderstanding can be overlooked.”

The excuse was flimsy, and Oscar could see right through it—but he didn’t want to escalate the matter further. Lushan was an important trading partner. With an ocean between them, military tension was unlikely, so there was no need to turn this into a political incident.

“I appreciate your concern,” Oscar said calmly, “but I have a fair idea of whose magic this is. Let it be, and return to the banquet. There are guests eager to speak with you about your homeland.”

“But… I’m close to breaking through. Just a little more—”

“Your Highness.”

Ryuhan’s attendant gave him a pleading look, desperate to avoid disaster. The Crown Prince was offering a diplomatic exit, and Ryuhan was about to blow it with his stubborn pride. Thankfully, Oscar didn’t appear offended—yet.

“No, really, I can almost do it!”

…He really is far down the line for the Lushan throne, Oscar thought, hiding a smirk. No sense of diplomacy at all.

There were no other Lushan envoys in sight, probably because they were still panicking over Ryuhan’s disappearance from the banquet. Oscar narrowed his eyes slightly.

With so many foreign envoys here, I can’t let this spiral any further…

“I’ve heard you’re quite a skilled spellcaster, Your Highness,” Oscar said with a cool smile. “But I have my suspicions about whose barrier this is, and I’d rather not disturb them. I’ll grant you three chances to break it.”

Ryuhan’s eyes lit up with competitive fire, but his attendants looked horrified.

No!

If he fails, it’ll be Lushan’s embarrassment!

While it wouldn’t be a formal disgrace, it would definitely dent Ryuhan’s pride—and reputation. But Oscar had spoken, and Ryuhan had no choice now.

“Then I’ll break it within three attempts!”

As he declared it confidently, the crowd began to murmur. Word of what was happening spread quickly, and people from inside the banquet began pouring into the garden.

“A duel of magic and spellcraft?”

“But why is there a magical barrier in the Imperial Garden? Is it for His Highness’s protection?”

“It must be the Tower Lord’s. Didn’t he leave earlier with the Princess?”

Inside the barrier, Charlize was letting out a silent scream, still wrapped in Achilles’s arms after their very enthusiastic kiss.

“Oscar, you idiot! Why would you escalate this?!”

— There’s no need to worry, Princess. With that prince’s level of skill, he won’t even manage to reveal the full shape of my barrier.

— That’s not the point!

Even if the barrier held, they’d eventually have to return to the garden—and everyone would know they’d been hiding away together.

“We just kissed, but people will assume we did… much more!”

This was a society were finding couples in secluded corners of gardens was nothing unusual. But this? The Tower Lord had openly cast a barrier and vanished inside with the Princess. Who would believe they’d only shared a kiss?

Outside, Ryuhan made his first attempt. Flames of orange light struck the edge of the barrier and split into six streams racing outward. But they fizzled out without even scratching the surface.

“Tch.”

Ryuhan clicked his tongue in frustration. Inside the barrier, Charlize looked up at Achilles with rising panic.

— If we show ourselves now, everyone will think we… we slept together!

— Would that be a problem?

Achilles’s calm tone sent her mind reeling. She froze—and then blushed furiously.

— O-of course it would! Absolutely not!

— …I see.

Achilles had already been planning a romantic night with her back at his home in the Tower’s private gardens. But now, he seemed to ponder things more seriously.

Charlize repeated herself, desperate.

— We can’t return to the garden like this! Please tell me you have a less humiliating solution!

— That’s not difficult.

He wrapped his arms around her again, gently patting her back.

You won’t be embarrassed, Princess. I promise.

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