It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 78

Why isn’t this working?!

After a second failed attempt, Ryuhan was starting to panic. The garden was now filled with spectators—diplomats from various nations, nobles from the Empire, all watching him.

His attendant stood nearby, eyes sharp and calculating.

If he succeeds, he barely saves face. But if he fails…

While it might only be a personal embarrassment for the Fourth Prince, there was no guarantee the stain wouldn’t affect Lushan’s reputation as well especially if Ryuhan’s name was dragged through the mud.

I can’t fail here!

“Hrrggh!”

With a forceful breath, Ryuhan summoned every ounce of his power. A blazing white lion took shape beside him and charged toward the barrier. The impact was so strong that Oscar’s court magicians instinctively stepped in front of the Crown Prince, raising protective wards.

“Whoa!”

A violent gust tore through the garden, making several slim-framed nobles stagger, but none fell.

Oscar sighed inwardly. He had already given Ryuhan his three chances. That had been the final one.

“Prince Ryuhan, I believe that’s enough.”

“Wait, just a moment…! The creature I summoned hasn’t dissipated yet—this isn’t over!”

“Your Highness, please,” his attendant hissed, leaning close to Ryuhan, desperate for him to stop. But Ryuhan shoved him aside with an annoyed grunt.

“Don’t get in my way!”

“What’s going on here?”

No one had seen him approach—suddenly, Achilles was standing beside Oscar.

“Tower Lord. Weren’t you inside the barrier?”

“That barrier is mine, yes. But I left it to fade on its own. I needed to speak with one of my subordinates.”

Subordinate? Oscar blinked, then glanced beside Achilles.

“Where’s Charlize?”

“She wasn’t feeling well, so I sent her back to her chambers.”

Oscar’s surprise quickly softened into a knowing smile. Meanwhile, Ryuhan—having overheard—went bright red.

He… he wasn’t even inside the barrier? I’ve been attacking an empty shell this whole time?

Mortified, Ryuhan seethed with frustration. He’d made a fool of himself for nothing. Worse still, now that people realized Charlize hadn’t been inside the barrier with Achilles, they were clearly losing interest.

“So that’s all it was, huh?”

“Guess magic really is stronger than spellcraft.”

Nobles whispered as they passed, too low for Ryuhan to catch a face—but their words stung. He spun around in fury, but the crowd had already started drifting back to the banquet.

Oscar frowned. Things were spiraling. He’d only wanted to deflate Ryuhan’s ego, but this had escalated far more than he anticipated.

“Will you be staying for the rest of the banquet?”

“I was actually planning to check on Her Highness in her chambers.”

“Good idea.”

Oscar approved—mostly because he was worried Ryuhan might actually issue a challenge. Sending Achilles away now was probably safest.

But just as Achilles turned toward the banquet entrance, Ryuhan stepped forward with fire in his eyes.

“Wait.”

“Your Highness!” his attendant practically gasped, panicked.

Achilles paused and turned back, expression calm.

“Yes?”

“You caused all this, and now you’re just going to walk away? That barrier you left behind—it’s the reason I even tried in the first place!”

“Prince Ryuhan, the Tower Lord left that barrier unintentionally.”

Oscar stepped between them, trying to defuse the tension. Achilles, after all, was days away from marrying the Princess. Any diplomatic misstep now could be costly.

“Intentional or not, I still want to test myself against him. Surely the great Tower Lord wouldn’t back down from a challenge?”

“Are you the official representative of Eastern spellcasters now?”

Achilles’s tone shifted—no longer polite, but sharp, cutting. Ryuhan bristled.

Even Oscar was surprised by the sudden drop in formality.

“Of course I am!”

“Funny. I was under the impression the master of Tianhua Peak was a woman—and that she has little affiliation with your royal family.”

At that, Ryuhan’s face flushed darker. Tianhua’s master, Qianye, was the very person Ryuhan had always viewed as his lifelong rival.

“W-well, I’m the only spellcaster here right now—so that makes me the representative!”

Achilles stared at him coolly with golden eyes, then spoke flatly.

“Then let’s settle this tomorrow. Choose the time and place yourself.”

“Tower Lord, you’re getting married soon,” Oscar interjected nervously. “And he’s a prince of Lushan. It’d be problematic if anyone got hurt.”

Achilles turned his gaze toward Oscar.

“I’ll make sure he’s only slightly injured.”

That blatant dismissal caused a ripple of offense to spread through the Lushan delegation. One of the envoys opened his mouth to protest—but when Achilles looked his way, icy stare unwavering, the man promptly shut it again.

“Name the time and place, Prince. I’m a busy man.”

And with that, Achilles vanished in a shimmer of light.

Achilles’ sudden disappearance didn’t just startle Oscar—it left even the Lushan delegation and the Empire’s nobles momentarily stunned.

“How can someone be so disrespectful?”

Achilles had spoken formally to the Crown Prince, but insisted on using casual speech with their prince, the Fourth Prince of Lushan. It was grating, to say the least. Still, Ryuhan looked unfazed—his eyes shone with eagerness.

“It doesn’t matter. Geniuses always act that way. I’ll crush that arrogance of his tomorrow.”

You couldn’t even break his barrier… How are you going to crush anything?

His attendant didn’t dare speak the thought aloud, though worry etched deep lines across his face. Oscar, sensing the situation had already gone too far to deescalate, turned his attention away from the Lushan delegation entirely.

Achilles promised not to hurt him too much. That should be enough.

A brief image of Valter’s bloodied body surfaced in his mind—but Ryuhan was no Valter Bianchi. The situations were completely different.

Achilles descended quietly at the palace gate, where the banquet was being held. He’d originally planned to teleport directly to Charlize’s quarters—but she had refused, concerned it would alarm her attendants.

So instead, he called for a carriage and instructed an attendant to summon Charlize’s staff. Standing at the entrance, he gently touched the pocket of his cloak.

Charlize was inside—shrunk down to the size of a finger by his magic.

“How could you accept a duel like that? Did you forget we’re getting married soon?”

“How could I forget? Every day I wait feels like an eternity. I only accepted to send him a warning.”

To Achilles, the Fourth Prince of Lushan was reckless and full of himself. Men like him often caused trouble because they overestimated their abilities. Putting him in his place would ensure he kept his distance from Charlize.

He glanced subtly toward the imperial servants nearby, keeping a composed face as he whispered and gently ran his fingers through Charlize’s hair inside the pocket.

“I know you’ll win, but… I’m afraid you’ll get hurt if you go easy on him.”

“I won’t be hurt.”

Just then, Charlize’s carriage arrived, and her attendants opened the door for her. Achilles stepped in, drew the curtains, and gave the signal to depart.

Once they were on the move, he carefully took her out and reversed the spell—returning her to her normal size, right in his arms.

He set her gently onto the seat beside him and sat down next to her. Charlize flexed her fingers, intrigued by the experience.

It had been a strange, fascinating moment.

“Achilles, couldn’t you have just sent me back alone?”

Of course he could have. But he hadn’t wanted to be apart from her—not even briefly. With his usual calm, unreadable expression, he answered:

“I thought that man might notice.”

Referring to Ryuhan, Charlize nodded slowly. They had left the banquet early, but all things considered, it hadn’t been such a bad night.

Moonlight filtered in between the drapes. The previously opened window was now closed again. No one had noticed anything strange—but the evidence remained.

The bracelet in Susanna’s hand.

It was proof that a man had indeed visited her room.

She could still recall his voice—soft, but unnervingly cold.

“We share a common enemy, my lady.”

The man had stood against the wall between two windows. She hadn’t seen his face clearly—only the vague outline of well-formed features. What lingered most in her memory was his mouth—stretched too wide in a grotesque smile.

“The Tower Lord is a despicable man. He would do anything to win the Princess’s favor—even if that meant framing an innocent man for treason.”

I knew it. I knew I was right!

He hadn’t shown her proof. But Susanna, overwhelmed with emotion, had believed every word. She’d leapt from the bed, wanting to approach him—yet something about him made her uneasy.

Even if his intentions were good, why come to her like this? And could he truly be trusted?

“I’m watched by Tower mages. I can’t act openly. But I also can’t ignore the execution of an innocent man. So I offer you this.”

He had taken a slim, golden bracelet from his sleeve and held it out.

“It’s a teleportation artifact. Only the wearer can use it. But you’re clever—surely you can find a way to use it to save Lord Valter Bianchi.”

Standing atop her bed while the man remained on the floor, she reached down and plucked the bracelet from his outstretched palm.

And at that moment—something strange happened.

A vivid vision flashed before her eyes.

A monstrous creature with glowing red skin like molten steel. A knight bearing the emblem of the Sun God swung a shining blade and severed the beast’s limbs.

One piece landed at her feet.

Susanna screamed, stumbling backward.

At her feet was a dismembered wrist, slick with black blood—wearing the exact same bracelet.

“Ah!”

She gasped, startled, finding herself back in her darkened bedroom. Alone.

The window was shut tight. Nails still sealed it in place. Nothing had changed.

“What…? Hiiiik!”

Realizing she was holding the bracelet, she yelped and dropped it. It clattered loudly to the floor, prompting the maid at her door to knock.

“Miss, is everything alright?”

“I just dropped something! Don’t bother me!”

She scowled and looked down at the bracelet again.

It was just a dream. A very vivid dream…

Too vivid. And now the artifact lay there—real. Tangible.

She couldn’t let it go.

Valter was innocent. Of that, she had no doubt.

“I’m the only one who can save him now. Pull yourself together, Susanna Leroy.”

She picked up the bracelet once more, the image of that severed hand still haunting her, and fastened it onto her wrist.

She looked across the room, heart pounding.

I want to go over there.

In a blink, her body appeared across the room.

The teleportation worked.

She almost screamed with joy.

It hadn’t been a dream—she now had a way to save Lord Valter Bianchi.

With this…

In her mind, she saw it all play out. Rescuing Valter. Becoming his savior… and then, eventually, his beloved.

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