It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 94

Charlize pouted slightly without meaning to, then glanced at Achilles through the mirror. The man holding her firmly from behind looked more like a beast than a human—his broad frame exuded raw power and dominance.

When his arousal pressed fully into her in one swift motion, Charlize let out a sharp gasp, her back arching in response. Achilles moved with deliberate thrusts, as if proudly showing himself off in the mirror.

She could feel every inch of him—thick veins, unrelenting pressure—and although there was no pain thanks to the overwhelming wetness, the sensation was intense and consuming.

“Hnn… Aah…”

“You’re hard here too… Haa…”

His fingers, which had just been teasing her sensitive bud, moved upward to gently cup her breast. When he brushed her already taut nipple, her body flinched.

“Achilles… mm…”

“You don’t need to beg. I’ll make sure you feel everything, my rose… I love you, Lize.”

With his movements deepening, Charlize felt pleasure surge far beyond what she had anticipated.

…Murderer!

The sharp voice rang out in the darkness. Susanna violently shook her head, eyes wide. Her family stood before her like statues of judgment.

No! It wasn’t me!

…There was a witness. Someone saw you push her. You vile thing!

…To disgrace the family like this!

…And over a man! A traitor, no less!

Her father, Marquis Leroy, spat the words with contempt. Susanna wanted to plead with him, to say it wasn’t true—but the looks of disdain and blame paralyzed her.

I didn’t do it! If you had just helped me, Father, none of this—

She screamed in protest, but no one in her family listened. They stepped aside, and a group of armored guards approached.

The insignia on their uniforms marked them as officers of the capital guard.

Susanna Leroy—You are under arrest for the murder of Lady Joan Weber.

No! It wasn’t me! It was Rebecca Roland! That filthy commoner—she framed me for her own crime—aaah!

The guards seized her roughly and dragged her away. As they led her out of the Leroy estate, not one servant, not even her own family, reached out to stop them.

She had expected a carriage. But instead, the guards pulled her forward by her wrists, offering no such courtesy.

Where’s the carriage? Why are we walking?

You think a criminal deserves a carriage?

What—? Prepare a carriage! I’m a noble!

She screamed, but they didn’t respond. They tied her hands behind a horse, and one by one, the guards mounted up. Susanna’s heart sank.

They intended to drag her behind the horse.

No! Someone help! Father! Mother!!

…Did you think of your family when you committed your crime?

A voice whispered cruelly in her ear, but Susanna didn’t hear it. She still believed it had all been for love. And love—such a noble emotion—couldn’t possibly be wrong.

The mounted officer nudged his horse forward. As the reins pulled tight on her bound wrists, Susanna screamed in pain.

—

Fear in a dream may not be the same as real fear… but it lingers all the same.

Susanna lay sprawled on the floor, drenched in cold sweat, groaning softly. With every twitch of her body, the bracelet on her wrist glowed faintly—draining her energy like a cursed parasite.

From the perspective of Iaoros, the demon who stood over her, Susanna’s soul was being consumed exactly as planned. The bracelet was steadily feeding on her. A few more days, and it would be complete—just in time for the tower master’s wedding.

Caw!

A large raven burst through the open window with a harsh cry. Iaoros recognized it immediately—it was the familiar he had sent to monitor Joan.

Hmph. So, she didn’t die, after all?

Apparently, the Weber family had sent a carriage and people to retrieve her, and she had returned safely. While she might still suffer lingering effects, Iaoros suspected there would be no lasting damage—thanks to Duke Gianni’s decision to ask the tower master for healing.

If only she had died… Susanna Leroy’s downfall would have been complete. What a waste.

If she had been a lower noble, she might have been imprisoned just for this. But Susanna Leroy was the daughter of a marquis. A high-ranking noble like her would, at worst, pay a fine and endure being whispered about behind her back.

If Count Weber reported it to the imperial court, she might face exile from the capital’s social scene or even be banned from entering the capital altogether.

「………」

Iaolos, who had been quietly lost in thought, suddenly grinned—his smile stretching unnaturally wide. A new idea had come to him—one that could amplify Susanna Leroy’s guilt and drag her further into despair.

As he transformed into another large raven and flew out through the window, a gust of wind slammed it shut with a rattle. The noise startled Susanna awake.

Wh-What…? Where am I…?

There was no light, but in the moonlight, she could just make out the opulent decorations of the room. Approaching the curtain, she ran her hand over the embroidered pattern and finally recognized it.

The imperial crest… This is the palace!

Only then did memories from before she lost consciousness return. Susanna quickly looked around the room to see if anyone else was there. Outside the window, a lone raven perched on a decorative spire, watching her silently.

Who…? Who would bring me to a place like this? Someone from the palace?

A flicker of memory surfaced—the mage who had given her the magical artifact. But she couldn’t be sure. Recalling how the raven had once led her, Susanna opened the window toward where the bird was perched.

Caw!

But the raven simply flapped its wings and flew off like any ordinary bird. Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Susanna quickly shut the window, worried someone might have seen her.

Is there really no one else here? Then what should I do now…?

She hadn’t forgotten her goal. She had become a murderer—killing Joan—and now her plan was to free the young duke from the imperial prison and escape the Empire with him.

She had secretly stashed away her jewelry and, with the help of her magical device, could retrieve it at any time.

The young duke won’t betray me… Not after I saved him. We’ll run away together. We’ll be free.

But… what if he still had feelings for her?

The thought hit Susanna like a stone. She looked out the window again, uncertainty churning in her chest. She didn’t know which wing of the palace she was in, but she knew who she needed to find.

The princess. The woman the young duke loves. I have to find her—and kill her. Only then will my heart finally be at peace.

Turning from the window, she activated her bracelet’s magic and slipped out of the room. Under the moonlight, a raven perched atop a tall tree silently watched her departure.

Elsewhere…

Ryuhan flipped through his spellbook with a frustrated frown. He already knew most of the content, but he skimmed through in hopes of finding something useful.

“They say the princess attended the Gianni family’s picnic today and was scheduled to dine with the duke and duchess before returning in the evening.”

But something had happened at the duke’s estate—some kind of incident. The nobles had left earlier than planned, canceling the rest of the day’s schedule.

One would think the princess might have taken a detour somewhere afterward…

“Instead, she returned to the palace and seems to be spending time alone with the Tower Master.”

That damn Tower Master! I thought he was all stone-faced and distant, but he’s faster than he looks!

Rumors were already swirling outside—of the princess and the Tower Master having an unusually close relationship. Ryuhan didn’t believe everything he heard. He suspected there was an organization within the Empire shaping public opinion to favor the imperial family.

I’ve heard someone else had feelings for the princess… A sudden political marriage like this can’t be welcome news.

He didn’t know how the Tower Master had persuaded her, but from the looks of it, their relationship might actually be genuine. Or worse… maybe the Tower Master was using the emperor’s backing to dominate her.

If that’s true, I’ll never forgive him! If he’s forcing her against her will—I’ll make him pay!

Whatever the case, Ryuhan needed to speak to the princess herself. But the person he had stationed to watch her reported the same thing over and over.

The wedding was just days away. Once it was over, the princess would move into the Tower Master’s domain after returning from their honeymoon.

“In other words, I only have a few days left.”

Staring longingly at the moon, Ryuhan sighed.

“It’s a beautiful moon tonight… Too beautiful for the likes of him to witness.”

Meanwhile…

Her flushed skin was glowing—smooth and radiant, like soft petals or ripened fruit.

To think I’d come to feel something like this… Even as I experience it, I can hardly believe it.

“Haa… Haa… Mm… Ah…!”

Holding Charlize’s trembling body close, Achilles thrust deeply, the sound of their movements echoing through the room.

The way he filled her, hot and unrelenting, made her cry out softly. Her lips parted as pleasure spilled out in breathless whimpers.

“Ahh… Ugh, mm…!”

Every movement sent shivers through her spine, wet sounds filling the bedroom. Charlize tried to steady herself, lifting her hips to meet his, matching his rhythm despite how overwhelming it was.

Support