It was a Political Marriage, But I’m Being Loved - Chapter 97

The Master of the Mage Tower was at her side. Even from a distance, the presence of Achilles Illien was impossible to ignore.

Iaoros knew he could never stand against him. That knowledge kept him from approaching, and he grew increasingly restless.

How could everything fall apart the moment I stepped away?!

He was sick to his stomach over Susanna Leroy’s stupidity—but he couldn’t simply abandon her. She was the bearer of something far too valuable: a Fragment of the Demon King.

He had planned to retrieve the bracelet immediately if she failed, which only made him more anxious.

Achilles Illien has already destroyed one of His seeds before!

Of course, he hadn’t done it with his own power alone—he’d enlisted the help of the Church. And once again, it seemed he had sent for them, because Iaoros could feel the High Priest and Holy Knights rushing toward the palace.

It was infuriating.

Iaoros beat his black wings against the night sky, unable to contain his rage—but he didn’t make a sound. Even in the form of a crow, being spotted by Achilles would be disastrous.

He didn’t go far. Instead, he flew to a vacant palace wing near the Princess’s quarters. His opponent was still human—sooner or later, there would be an opening. And when that moment came, he would break Susanna out.

But… can I really pull it off with my own strength?

Wrestling with uncertainty, Iaoros decided to observe for now. He left his crows behind to monitor the situation and flew off toward another part of the imperial grounds.

If the Tower Master had summoned the Holy Knights, and it involved a demonic artifact, there could be only one reason. The High Priest urgently told the coachman to speed up.

“You suspect it’s one of those, then?”

A Holy Knight seated across from him asked quietly.

The High Priest nodded grimly.

The Mage Tower prioritized eliminating demons. The Church, however, had a slightly different focus—even if their goals often overlapped.

The Church’s main concern was preventing the resurrection of the Demon King. That had always been their guiding mission, even here in the capital.

Achilles Illien, known for healing even the most critical injuries with his magic, had once saved the princess’s life. For a man like him to seek help from the Church… it could only mean one thing.

A Fragment of the Demon King has appeared in the Imperial Palace!

Achilles carried the name Illien, and he was engaged to the imperial princess—a descendant of the bloodline that once fought the Demon King himself. It wasn’t far-fetched to think the demons might target her.

But to see them act so boldly… right here in the palace? It’s deeply troubling.

At the front of the group, Peter, a knight of the imperial guard, was riding ahead. He ordered the palace gates to be opened and allowed the High Priest and Holy Knights to enter.

The gatekeepers looked startled by the sudden arrival. Their eyes said they wanted to ask questions, but when they met Peter’s gaze, they quickly lowered their heads.

“If you want to live a long life, forget everything you’ve seen tonight,” he said coldly.

The guards nodded in silence.

At Peter’s signal, the carriage carrying the High Priest rolled into the palace grounds, followed by eight heavily armed Holy Knights.

Their wheels thundered along the stone path, but the gatekeepers didn’t say a word. They simply shut the palace doors behind them and looked at each other in uneasy silence.

“This way, please.”

At the entrance to the Princess’s wing, a royal attendant was already waiting for them. He guided them into a room—where Achilles Illien, the Tower Master, was waiting.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Tower Master,” the High Priest said.

Achilles gave only a slight nod. No one dared to take offense.

No one could—because just then, the automaton lifted the unconscious Susanna Leroy to her feet.

“And this young lady?”

“Susanna Leroy, daughter of the Marquis. She was caught attempting to assassinate the princess,” Achilles answered.

The High Priest’s expression hardened as he felt the dark energy radiating from her. To his eyes, her left arm—and much of her body—was already blackened with demonic energy.

It was his first time seeing a Fragment of the Demon King in person. But the moment he saw it, he knew exactly what it was.

“…There’s no doubt. It’s that thing. Fortunately, it doesn’t look like it’s fully rooted yet.”

It seemed the fragment hadn’t fully taken hold. In fact, Susanna didn’t appear to be a suitable vessel—there were subtle cracks in the most corrupted areas, where the darkness hadn’t completely settled in.

He didn’t know why the demons had chosen Susanna Leroy as a host, but it was clear their attempt had failed.

Still, a body that had been touched by the fragment was dangerous. Even if the resurrection failed, it could become a threat. If her body collapsed under the fragment’s power, the shattered pieces could become a gateway—linking this world to the demonic realm.

It got all the way to the capital… into the palace itself. Unthinkable.

“Is Her Highness safe?” the High Priest asked.

“She is,” Achilles replied.

His presence alone was proof enough, but the High Priest had to ask. He still carried guilt for not being able to help when the princess had once been gravely wounded.

“Have you captured any other demons?”

Sir Hans, one of the Holy Knights, asked quietly, “Were there any other demons that entered the Princess’s Palace?”

Achilles Illien shook his head.

“No. There were no other demonic intruders.”

“That’s fortunate.”

As the Holy Knights moved in to take custody of Susanna, the automaton released her without resistance. Achilles turned to the High Priest and said,

“That magical artifact she used has teleportation capabilities. I was able to suppress it using a reverse magic circle, but it will need to be properly neutralized.”

“I understand, Tower Master. From here on, we’ll take responsibility.”

The High Priest approached Susanna, who was being held upright by the knights gripping both her arms. He took a long breath, then summoned divine power and began casting holy magic.

The moment his spell touched her, Susanna, who had just moments ago been unconscious, snapped her eyes open and let out a sharp, bone-chilling scream.

Screeeeech!

It wasn’t the scream of a human—it was more like a wounded beast. She thrashed wildly, fueled by a dark and terrifying energy, but the Holy Knights held her steady, their grips unwavering.

Dark energy—unseen until now—began to rise from her body, creeping toward the knights restraining her. But the sacred enchantments on their armor blocked the demonic force completely.

Meanwhile, Achilles had raised a protective barrier over the room, sealing in both Susanna’s screams and the demonic energy so nothing could escape.

When the High Priest finished the spell, Susanna coughed up blood and collapsed, unconscious once again. He wiped the cold sweat from his brow, looking at her with a mixture of sorrow and fatigue.

“That should keep the worst of it at bay… for now. This room will need to be purified. Until then, seal it off and make sure no one enters.”

Achilles nodded.

One of the Holy Knights, not involved in restraining her, retrieved a silk veil embroidered with golden thread and gently draped it over Susanna’s face. It wasn’t to offer dignity or privacy—the veil itself was inscribed with holy enchantments.

The High Priest gave the order to carry Susanna out, then turned to Achilles, who was in the process of lowering the protective shield he’d cast over the room.

“Is Her Highness being targeted by demons?”

“And if she is?” Achilles asked calmly.

“The royal house of Alstead is descended from one of the sixteen noble kingdoms. We will assign a priestess and several Holy Knights to protect Her Highness.”

“…”

Achilles hesitated. He wasn’t someone who trusted the Church’s military strength, but he had to admit—their ability to sense demonic presence was superior to even the Mage Tower’s.

“I’ll speak with Her Highness. And… one more thing.”

He asked that the incident involving Susanna Leroy’s arrest inside the palace be kept secret. This had been Charlize’s request as well.

Too many incidents had happened already, and the marriage was still ahead of them. If the nobles or citizens of the capital found out about this, they would undoubtedly start calling the marriage cursed.

Worse still, once the Marquis of Leroy learned that his daughter had been seized by the Church, he wouldn’t stay quiet. Keeping things under wraps was in everyone’s best interest.

“Understood. Nothing will leak from the Church’s side… Wherever your path may lead, may the radiant blessing of the Goddess follow you.”

Achilles gave a short nod in acknowledgment. The High Priest opened the door and stepped out first, with the Holy Knights carrying Susanna closely behind.

As they exited, Achilles followed them out and sealed the room with a spell.

Even though the Fragment of the Demon King had only been temporarily sealed, the demonic energy that leaked out was enough to warrant caution. The room would need to be purified before anyone could enter again.

He turned and made his way to the room where Charlize was waiting. Now, it was time to tell her everything.

Charlize sat in silence, deep in thought.

Ever since the Emperor had arranged her marriage, so much had happened around her—far more than she could have imagined.

Demons, now?

The original novel had included conflicts involving demons, but there had never been any mention of the Fragments of the Demon King.

After subduing Susanna with magic, Achilles had explained some of the truth to her—only to her. He told her that the artifact Susanna wore was one of the fragments, and that it was extremely dangerous.

Susanna… That dark aura was spreading from her left arm. It looked like it was trying to consume her whole body.

Charlize had seen what the High Priest had seen. Even though Susanna’s body was being eaten away by demonic energy, much of her face had remained intact—making the corruption easier to recognize.

She guessed that Susanna’s sudden violence—her attack on Joanne, and even breaking into the Princess’s Palace—had all been driven by the fragment’s influence.

There were cracks in her left arm. Maybe that means she wasn’t strong enough to become a vessel for the Demon King.

But if that were true… why did the demons give the fragment to Susanna Leroy in the first place?

Were they just handing them out randomly, hoping someone would be suitable?

Or  was there another reason?

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