It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 82

Achilles understood exactly what kind of person Prince Ryuhan from Lushan was.

He was the type who would insist he had not lost simply because he had never said the words aloud.
If they let him go now, he would surely return to his country claiming that he fought the Tower Master to a draw after a fierce but deadlocked battle between magic and legal magic.

If it were any other time, I would have killed him without a second thought.

Achilles hated anyone who clung to him needlessly.
Only those he personally allowed could stay near him,
and Charlize was the sole exception to that rule.

If he causes more trouble…
I’ll just quietly break his limbs and heal him afterwards.
Idiots like that only learn through pain.

Since Ryuhan was a prince of Lushan, killing him on Imperial soil would only cause unnecessary problems.
He could set the stage for someone else to deal with him later if needed, but for now, the timing was bad.

“Achilles!”

The expressionless mask Achilles wore shifted slightly when he saw the Imperial Princess waiting for him at the northern gate.
The sharp tension that had surrounded him seemed to melt away under her gaze.

“Princess,” he said warmly.

In a single step, Achilles closed the distance and took her hand.

The crowd erupted in cheers, amplified by the Emperor’s agents planted among them.
The noisy roar filled the air as Achilles gently wrapped his arm around Charlize’s shoulders.

“We should move somewhere quieter,” he suggested.

Charlize nodded, and they made their way toward the carriage, avoiding the crowd.

At the same time—

What is going on? Why are there so many people?

Susanna had snuck out after hearing from her nurse that the Tower Master was going to duel.
But seeing the sea of people gathered like a flock of birds, she froze, overwhelmed.

She had expected it would be hard to get close to the Princess even here,
but this was far worse than she had imagined.

I can’t even see where the Tower Master is fighting!

It wasn’t hard to guess where the Imperial Family was seated.
Among the many tents spread across the wall, one stood out, decorated far more extravagantly than the others.

That must be the Princess’s tent.
Getting close is going to be impossible.

The fortress walls surrounding the capital were tall and wide, among the largest in the Empire.
But with so many nobles gathered to watch, there wasn’t a single clear spot left.

Even if I use magic tools, getting close would be dangerous.

The royals were all surrounded by their attendants, and among them were knights acting as guards.
Even if she managed to appear near the Princess, she would be cut down before she could move.

If only the Princess would go somewhere alone…

If that happened, Susanna might have a chance.
She could finally avenge Viscount Bianchi. She had to. No matter what.

The Lushan envoys arrived, anxiously asking about Ryuhan’s condition.
Shortly after, healers and priests sent by the Emperor hurried to him.

Ryuhan sent a bitter glare their way but allowed them to examine him.

It was the first time he had felt such humiliation since his encounter with Chunryeo.

That vile magician. I will never forget this disgrace.

“Fortunately, it seems there are no serious injuries,” one healer reported carefully.

“Check again!
After everything he went through, he can’t possibly be unharmed!” one of the attendants demanded.

“Are you saying I should have been seriously injured just to make you feel better?!” Ryuhan roared angrily, shaking off the hand of the attendant trying to help him.

By now, no one was even looking toward the wasteland beyond the north gate.
The commoners who had gathered had returned inside the walls, and the Emperor and Empress seemed to have already left as well.

The nobles who had filled the battlements were also dispersing.
Only a few officials remained behind to clean up.

“Damn it…”

Could there be a greater humiliation than this?

This was not the outcome Ryuhan had envisioned.
In his mind, his summoned warrior would have shattered the Tower Master’s magic one by one,
and the Tower Master would have been forced to his knees under the warrior’s blade.

The Imperial Princess would have looked at him with admiration and praise.
Everything would have fallen into place perfectly.

Afterward, Ryuhan had planned to acknowledge the Tower Master’s magic as not bad,
and generously offer to take him as his disciple.

But reality had not followed his expectations.
No, the truth was simple: he himself had not been strong enough to make it happen.

The summoned warrior, who had once defeated countless legal mages, was swallowed almost instantly by darkness.
And when Ryuhan was caught by Achilles’ vines, he could not even activate his legal magic properly.

He must have cheated somehow.
There’s no way I’m that weak.
My summoned warrior should have been unbeatable.

Chunryeo had not praised his strength either.
She had only said that he would never surpass the abilities he was born with.

And now everything had unfolded exactly as she had warned.

Ryuhan burned with rage and humiliation.
He wanted desperately to take revenge on Achilles.
But here, in a foreign Empire, on another continent, even that seemed impossible.

No, I won’t give up! There must be a way!

With eyes burning with determination, Ryuhan chased after the Tower Master, even though he had already disappeared from sight.

At that moment, Achilles was with Charlize.
She urged him to use magic and return to the palace, and Achilles followed her lead.

Technically, leaving before the Emperor was considered disrespectful,
but since the duel with Lushan’s prince was not an official event, it would likely be overlooked.

As always, they arrived at the balcony of Charlize’s bedroom in the Princess Palace.
Without hesitation, Charlize pulled Achilles inside, still holding his hand.

“Where were you earlier today?”

Before the duel, Achilles had not departed with Charlize.
He had said he had something to take care of, which Charlize had found strange.
After all, the Fourth Prince of Lushan didn’t seem strong enough to require special preparations.

And if it had been Tower business, Achilles would have said so.

At her question, Achilles looked at her seriously, then reached into his subspace.

“I received word this morning that it was completed.”

He pulled out a small box—a necklace case.
Charlize blinked in confusion, remembering that she had already received five chests of jewelry as engagement gifts.

“What is it?”

“Since there might be times when you need to use magic without me nearby,
I had a magic artifact made to help you control your power.”

At his explanation, Charlize’s mouth fell open in shock.
She had once nearly died after losing control while using magic.
This was something she had desperately needed without even realizing it.

“I love you!”

The words burst out before she could stop herself.
Achilles’ eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“I love you too, but… it seems you’re not listening to me,” he said with a soft chuckle.

“What?”

“Open it.”

Seeing her eyes gleam with excitement, Achilles smiled and handed her the box.
Charlize, her hands trembling slightly, quickly opened it.

“I had to rush the order, so the size is a little large.
But I have already requested additional pieces to be made.”

Inside the box lay a pendant necklace.
It was elegantly designed, suitable for any dress,
and subtle enough that she could easily hide it under her clothes if needed.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it!” Charlize exclaimed, her entire body buzzing with excitement.

It wasn’t just that the pendant was beautiful.
It was the thought that she could finally use magic freely without fear that made her heart race.

Achilles, pleased by her reaction, gently explained further.

“Princess… I must warn you.
The magic stone inside the pendant cannot endure your power forever.
If you see cracks forming, you must tell me immediately, or it might break after a few more uses.”

“Understood. Can I try it now?”

Even though it wasn’t permanent, the ability to control her magic was exhilarating enough for Charlize.

She handed him the necklace with a hopeful look, and Achilles fastened it around her neck.

Charlize immediately decided to test it.

Since they were indoors and close together, she chose a light magic spell.
In truth, Achilles had only taught her about five basic spells so far.

“Ah…”

Instead of flooding the entire room with blinding light as she had feared,
the magic softly shimmered and spread around her and Achilles in a beautiful curtain of multicolored light.

Charlize’s face shone with a brilliant smile at the sight of her first successful controlled magic.

“It worked!”

“Do you feel the technique behind it?” Achilles asked gently.

“Not exactly… but I think I’m getting the idea.”

The artifact felt almost like a walker given to a toddler,
allowing her to practice and strengthen her steps before walking on her own.
Achilles had designed it so that even using it would help her slowly improve.

“It’s meant for practice,” he reminded her,
“but remember, the artifact could break at any time.
You must not attempt dangerous spells with it.”

“I understand.
Thank you so much, Achilles!
This is exactly what I needed!”

Overjoyed, Charlize threw her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.
Achilles couldn’t help but smile, wrapping his arms protectively around her.

He remembered vividly how terrified he had been when he found her in the northern castle, almost swept away by a magical storm.
That moment had driven him to order the Tower to create an artifact that could stabilize her power.

Still…

She seems truly alright.

But deep down, Achilles remained cautious.
He worried that Charlize might simply be putting on a brave face for his sake.
He couldn’t be sure.

Valter Bianchi had committed treason and would inevitably be sentenced to death, no matter the trial.
Achilles knew that reality would weigh heavily on Charlize’s heart.

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