I Stole The Duke - Chapter 109

Wait… I don’t see any magical traces?

Olive, who had just been basking in a sense of victory, suddenly felt a hint of confusion. She couldn’t see any traces of an active spell on the Duke.

Is it because it’s a hypnosis-type combination spell?

But she quickly dismissed the doubt. The frightening thing about hypnosis magic was how the traces vanished completely after activation. Besides, the Duke’s expression looked much more drained than it had during their negotiation.

“Well then, I’ll see you again once the expedition concludes.”

After a quick farewell, Olive turned away. First, she needed to finish seeing off the departing party.

“To think I’d live to see the ruins of Sardis in my lifetime.”

“Truly. I was so nervous, I couldn’t sleep a wink last night.”

“That the Tower Master herself would come all the way to send us off—I, Regenti, am deeply moved.”

The mages’ excitement and gratitude only grew as they looked at the well-equipped port and the enormous warship awaiting them.

[Master, please return safely.]

Ignoring Regenti’s emotional ramblings, Olive sent a message spell to Karahan.

[Haha. You’ve finally matured.]

Karahan gave a small nod. The once immature girl had grown in both mind and body. He was proud of her.

After this trip, it might be time to start teaching her the basics of time magic.

In just one month, her skills had grown from intermediate to near-master level. Even Karahan—who considered himself the strongest mage alive—couldn’t help but be envious of such talent.

“Those boarding, please use this stairway to get on the ship.”

There wasn’t much time left before departure. Speaker raised his voice to shake the mages out of their awe.

“We’re in your care for the next forty days.”

“Mind your step—watch your footing.”

One by one, the mages began climbing the stairs with guidance from the knights and soldiers.

“Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Master.”

“It’s a result of your own skill.”

Olive, now much more like a true Tower Master, accepted the praise with composure.

“I’ll make sure this chance doesn’t go to waste.”

“I hope this journey helps your magic grow even more.”

“Yes, Master.”

Finally, Regenti gave Olive a long, tearful look before stepping onto the ship.

“Your Grace, I offer my final salute before departure. Honor and protection!”

“Sir Roswell Speaker.”

Not long after, all twenty mages had boarded. As Speaker gave his final salute, Michalis quietly opened his mouth.

“Yes, Your Grace?”

“This time, you may speak freely. You can talk as much as you like—even about your beloved Speaker family history.”

Michalis officially lifted the ban on idle chatter that had been placed on Speaker during voyages. It was a small, playful jab at the mages.

“Your Grace!”

Speaker’s eyes lit up, his mouth stretching into a broad grin.

“Set sail.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

Before Speaker could start talking Michalis’s ear off, the Duke quickly gave the order. Speaker, beaming, climbed the gangway.

Flap—!

Before long, signal flags fluttered back and forth. The iron anchor was lifted, and the square sails swelled with the wind.

The real ones are gone.

As the frigate glided away, Michalis watched in silence. Then, he slowly shifted his gaze.

“Then I’ll see you at the castle. A carriage is prepared. Once you board, it will take you directly to the inner residence.”

Now it was time to hunt the fake.

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

Olive smiled at Michalis, her eyes curved in a warm, polite expression. Finally, she would get to see her.

Two hours later, the two of them sat face-to-face in the ducal reception room.

“I’ll now cast the anosmia spell.”

“I’m ready.”

“Olfactory Paralysis.”

Olive cast the spell with focused intent.

“Please try smelling the tea.”

“……”

Michalis silently lifted the teacup from the table.

“I don’t smell anything.”

Sure enough, even though the chilled tea was filled with lemon, lemon balm, and honey, he couldn’t detect any scent.

As expected.

“To thank you, I’ve arranged a banquet. Please stay for dinner.”

Naturally, the spell was a complete success. The Duke, who had chosen to give up his sense of smell for his wife’s sake, looked satisfied.

“Then I’ll happily accept your invitation.”

She had not only secured a hefty profit, but was also being treated to dinner—more than she had hoped for.

“I have another engagement, so I’ll leave you here. Please rest in the guest lounge for now. I’ll send someone for you shortly.”

“Would it be alright if I looked around the castle a bit?”

“Of course. Though I’d recommend the garden. The training grounds might be dangerous.”

“I understand.”

The Duke, granting the Tower Master’s request without hesitation, left the reception room first.

“I’ll take you to the guest lounge.”

The butler stepped in, and Olive followed with a faint smile on her face.

What a fool.

He had no idea what was coming. The Duke had made a critical mistake.

“This will be your room. If you need anything, feel free to ring the bell.”

“Understood.”

To Olive’s surprise, the guest room wasn’t in the annex—it was in the main residence. That alone showed how much the Duke had valued the spell.

“Storage.”

The moment the door closed, Olive pulled off the Tower Master’s robe and shoved it into her personal subspace.

“Hm…”

Then, without hesitation, Olive walked over to the large full-length mirror and began checking himself from every angle, shifting his expression as he studied his reflection carefully.

The outfit looks good. And the face… as flawless as ever.

Tall, lean, and blessed with perfectly balanced features, he looked stunning—even to himself. No matter how many times a day he looked in the mirror, he couldn’t help but admire it every time.

Ding.

After spending a while straightening his outfit, Olive rang the bell.

Knock, knock.

“Excuse me, is there anything you need?”

As expected, it took less than a minute before a maid from the Duke’s estate knocked politely at the door.

“There is something I need.”

As soon as he spoke—with a voice that was distinctly male—the door swung open, and the maid quickly lowered her head in greeting.

“If you tell me what you need, I’ll prepare it right away.”

“What I need… is you.”

“…Pardon?”

Startled, the maid looked up from where she had been respectfully keeping her gaze down.

“……”

The moment her eyes met Olive’s, her face flushed a deep red. The guest before her was breathtaking—an incredibly handsome man with green hair and golden eyes.

“May I… hold your hand for a moment?”

“I-I’m afraid that would be a bit inappropriate…”

The maid’s face turned even redder at the unexpected request.

“I mean no harm. Just for a moment.”

Olive gave her a sweet smile, eyes curving in a gentle expression. His childlike charm made it hard to believe he meant anything bad.

“Um… okay.”

Unable to resist the soft, pleading look in his eyes, the maid slowly raised her hand to chest height.

“Memory Reading.”

With his fingertips lightly touching her wrist, Olive cast the spell in a quiet voice. It was a simple memory-reading spell.

What I want to see is the Duchess’s current location.

Deep, distant memories were hard to reach—but anything within the last 24 hours was easy.

Got it.

Since the maid was stationed in the main residence, Olive found the memory he wanted in just five seconds.

“Forget everything that just happened.”

“Yes…”

The lounge door closed softly behind her, as if nothing had occurred.

Third floor… end of the left hallway, second room around the corner.

Just knowing they were in the same building made Olive’s heart start to race.

Haaa…

He took a deep breath before stepping out of the lounge. He had studied relentlessly for this moment—staying up nights for a month to prepare.

Let’s see just how strong that love really is.

The smell must’ve been unbearable, yet the Duke endured it for nearly a month—and in the end, gave up his sense of smell for her. It was a choice that meant living with permanent discomfort.

The Duke’s devotion is remarkable… but what about hers?

As Olive climbed the central staircase, drawing closer to the Duchess’s office, his heart thudded louder and faster.

Knock, knock.

At last, he did it. He knocked—and immediately froze in place.

“Amy? Come in.”

Mistaking him for a maid, the Duchess’s voice came warmly from inside.

“……”

The polished door swung open without a sound.

Our fixed expenses are too high… That’s why our finances are tighter than expected.

“……”

Amy was supposed to quietly set down the drink and leave—but instead, she just stood there, unmoving.

“Amy, what are you doing?”

Eliana, who had been reading through domestic affairs documents, looked up, sensing something was off.

What the—?!

A complete stranger—a man she had never seen before—was staring straight at her. Startled, Eliana flinched.

“Who are you…?”

“You said to come in, so I did. I apologize for the intrusion.”

“Ah… It seems you’ve got the wrong room. Please leave.”

Eliana immediately dismissed him, assuming he had entered by mistake.

Seriously? Even this face isn’t working?

It was a little shocking. Olive, who had always been confident in his looks, suddenly felt a bit deflated.

“Why are you still standing there? If you don’t leave right now, I’m calling someone.”

She reached toward the bell cord. Why was this man just standing there, silently staring at her face? It was starting to creep her out.

“Seduce.”

Desperate, Olive murmured a soft incantation—barely audible. It was a very basic charm spell.

“I’ve missed you.”

His voice, laced with the magic, echoed sweetly with enchantment.

“Are you crazy? I don’t even know who you are.”

A frown formed between Eliana’s graceful brows.

“Actually… I fell for you at first sight. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since the moment I saw you.”

Was the spell too weak?

Olive poured more mana into the charm.

“I’ve never seen you before—and I don’t want to. Now, would you please leave?”

Eliana didn’t even blink.

What the—why isn’t this working?!

[Unauthorized intrusion into consciousness detected. User safety system engaged. Access blocked.]

Every time the man opened his mouth, a system message echoed in Eliana’s ears. She couldn’t help but smirk. She’d cast the bait—and the culprit had walked straight into the trap.

So it’s you—the bastard who cursed Michalis.

“Sis, my bad. I guess this isn’t working after all.”

Olive finally admitted defeat. No matter how much mana he poured in, the charm had no effect. He would have to try something else.

“‘Sis’? Wait… you’re not—”

Only then did Eliana realize who the intruder was. There was only one person in the world who called her ‘sis.’

“You’re that kid from the boutique?”

Now that she thought about it—green hair, golden eyes. His features still faintly resembled the boy she remembered.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“And you said… you fell for me at first sight?”

“Yup.”

“……”

Oh, gods…

Eliana could feel a migraine coming on. She regretted getting involved. She should’ve just ignored the kid—even if he had pumpkins strapped to his thighs and balloons tied to his shoulders.

“I don’t like you.”

In this kind of situation, a firm rejection was the right move. Leaving any room for doubt would only make him worse.

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