I Stole The Duke - Chapter 112

“Who else knows that the Tower Master has been captured?”

“Only Sir Ladis and myself. You don’t need to worry.”

Ladis… who was that again? Oh, right. He was the pale guy standing behind Duke Ascher during the negotiation meeting.

The man who moved like an extension of the Duke—he must’ve been Ladis.

“Michal, what do you plan to do with the Tower Master?”

They had locked him up for now, but when and how to punish him was still undecided.

“I need time to think.”

Olive hesitated. She had gone through so much to take over this body. Now that she had it, the idea of just getting rid of it felt like a waste.

“Eliana…”

That was how the Duke used to address his wife.

“Michal, is your head still hurting badly?”

“May I… hold you for a moment?”

“Of course. As long as you want.”

Without another word, Olive pulled the Duchess into a tight embrace.

Ah… this is amazing.

The soft, warm sensation of her chest, and the sweet scent that overwhelmed the senses—it was everything she had imagined.

I’ve already played the role of the Tower Master. Playing the Duke can’t be that different.

A faint smirk curled on Olive’s lips. If she couldn’t have the Duchess by force, then all she had to do was become the Duke himself.

“Michal… you’re holding me too tightly.”

Eliana’s breath hitched. His arms were wrapped so firmly around her waist that it was hard to breathe. It was unlike Michalis to lose control like this.

“Just… a little longer.”

Under normal circumstances, Michalis would’ve pulled away immediately, apologizing. But this time, his grip only tightened.

“……”

Olive was sitting on the bed, and Eliana was standing in front of him. His face ended up buried against her chest.

Was the fight with the Tower Master that traumatic?

Eliana gently stroked his hair, ignoring her discomfort and trying to soothe him.

“It’s okay, Michal… It’s over now. Everything’s going to be fine.”

This feels too good to be true.

Olive felt like she was melting into a cloud—soft, comforting, and warm. Her eyelids started to grow heavy under the calming voice and the gentle touch in her hair.

“Earlier, I used the Tower Master’s power to numb my sense of smell. My nose doesn’t hurt anymore, and I can’t smell anything. So… let’s start sharing a bed again—starting tonight.”

Her real intentions began to peek through.

From a memory she had pulled from one of the maids, she knew the Duke and Duchess had been sleeping in separate rooms ever since the curse took hold.

I want to spend our first night together as husband and wife.

Starting now, she wanted to live as the Duke in every way.

Wait… what did he just say?

Eliana, still held tightly in his arms, suddenly felt something was off. Michalis was speaking like someone who had been cursed this whole time.

Dream, initiate image search.

This wasn’t something Michalis Ascher would say. Eliana’s senses snapped into focus, and she quietly activated the system.

[Image search complete.]

Image Search Result

Name: Olive (in the body of Michalis Ascher)
Age: 17 (appears 27)
Nationality: Wespere Empire
Affiliation: Mage Tower / Ascher Dukedom (Southern Navy)
Height/Weight: 187 cm / 82 kg
Special Note: “Body Change” synchronization in progress (Current: 3%)
Full access to the body’s functions and memories will be available once synchronization is complete.

Eliana stared at the pop-up, stunned.

Oh my god… Body change? Did he actually steal Michalis’s body?

She was suddenly tempted to yank out every strand of that silky hair she’d just been petting—but this was the Duke’s precious hair. It needed to be protected.

Dream, activate navigation.

Hiding her fury behind a calm expression, Eliana continued to operate the system.

[Navigation activated.]

Show the current location of Michalis Ascher.

A map appeared in a floating window. Two glowing dots blinked on the screen.

‘One of the dots… is right beside me. And the other… in the prison, of course.’

Since the body and mind had been separated, it made sense that the system was showing two different locations.

“Um… Eliana, may I kiss you?”

Olive pressed her cheek against Eliana’s chest, trying to draw her in even closer. The sweet, whipped cream-like scent was driving her mad. Why wait until night? She wanted to become a real couple with her right now.

…How should I kill you, exactly?

Eliana clenched her jaw. She would’ve slapped him across the face—if it wasn’t Michalis Ascher’s face.

“Could you let go of me for a moment?”

Holding back the flood of curses rising in her chest, Eliana spoke in the softest, most patient tone she could manage.

Stay calm, Eliana. The priority is getting Michalis out of that prison.

She had no idea what had happened and had unknowingly thrown the real Duke into a cell.

“Please, have a seat beside me.”

Only then did Olive loosen her grip, tapping the space next to her with a pitiful, pleading look, trying to stir sympathy.

Don’t use Michalis’s face like that.

The moment Eliana was free, she took two steps back from Olive. That sly, suggestive gaze on Michalis’s face made her stomach turn. There was no way she could look at him with anything but contempt.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Olive noticed the chill in her eyes and started to feel nervous. Had she made a mistake?

Knock knock knock.

Just in time, a knock broke the tension in the room.

“That must be Doctor Taineno.”

Eliana turned her gaze to the door, carefully masking her emotions. For now, she needed to keep this imposter calm.

“Your Grace, are you awake?”

“Doctor, you brought just what we needed.”

Eliana couldn’t have been more relieved to see Doctor Taineno entering with a tray holding a mug. She didn’t even need to look inside to know what it was. The scent wafting through the room made it obvious.

“Yes, my lady. I examined His Grace earlier and sensed high stress levels. I’ve prepared a special medicine that helps with both headaches and body pain.”

Doctor Taineno had brought his infamous pain-relief potion—a revolting green concoction that looked and smelled like swamp sludge.

“Thank you for preparing it in advance. I remember just how effective it was the last time.”

It tasted absolutely awful, but Taineno’s herbal remedy worked—that much was true.

“Just let me know any time, and I’ll brew more.”

“Michal, you said your head hurt earlier, didn’t you? Try drinking this.”

Eliana immediately brought the mug to Olive’s nose.

Ugh, what is that?!

The stench of raw herbs made Olive’s face twist involuntarily.

Wait… I can smell this?

That didn’t make sense. The sweet scent of Eliana earlier… this bitter smell now—her sense of smell was fully functional. But she had cast a scent-blocking spell earlier.

That spell is cast on the body… which means it should still be active on this body.

“What are you waiting for? Go ahead, drink it.”

“…Fine.”

Before Olive could think it through any further, the mug was practically being pushed into her face. With Eliana watching so closely, she couldn’t exactly whine or throw a tantrum like a child. She squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to gulp it down.

“Here, have a candy.”

Ah… now that makes it bearable.

Olive happily accepted the candy Eliana offered, trying to forget the horror she had just swallowed.

“Your Grace, any symptoms aside from the headache?”

Doctor Taineno looked pleased as he checked the chart, watching the two with a gentle smile.

“My body feels heavy. There’s a tingling in my hands and feet.”

“Any pain in your lower back? Or a crawling sensation, as if insects were moving under your skin?”

“No, nothing like that.”

“In that case, it’s likely a temporary nervous system issue. If the symptoms persist, please inform me right away.”

“Understood.”

“Now that you’ve taken the medicine, you’ll start feeling drowsy soon. Get some rest, and I’ll recheck your condition once you wake. Just pull the bell cord when you’re up.”

“Got it.”

Thank you, Taineno.

Eliana genuinely appreciated the doctor. One of the potion’s biggest side effects was strong drowsiness. Once Olive passed out and got some sleep, the headache would disappear—and hopefully her body would be easier to manage.

“Michal, get some rest. I’ll see you later.”

Eliana gave a soft smile and slowly backed away.

“Wait, I—”

Olive reached out her hand hesitantly.

Can’t you stay… until I fall asleep?

The words caught in her throat and never made it out.

“Then I’ll excuse myself as well.”

“I’ll come back tonight, Michal.”

With that, Eliana and Doctor Taineno left, and the door closed with a solid click.

This doesn’t make sense… Why can I still smell everything?

Olive tried to focus, attempting to sense the flow of magic in the air—but then she realized something even more alarming.

Damn it. This body… can’t use magic.

There was no mana flowing from the heart, and no matter how much she focused, she couldn’t sense a single trace of ambient magic. Of course—this was the body of a warrior.

Ugh… I’m so sleepy. I’ll figure things out after I rest.

Olive gave in to the drowsiness and drifted off into sleep.

‘I’m glad I had that extra riding outfit tailored.’

It was a specially customized riding suit—with extra buttoned pockets for utility. Eliana calmly suited up in her combat attire.

It’s a shame to waste it, but there’s no helping it. I can always make another one later.

She glanced at the pile of leftover magic cards after filling every pocket and her crossbody satchel to the brim. It felt like a waste.

Thud. Crackle—snap.

The remaining cards tumbled into the fireplace.

“Imperial Flame Arrow.”

Eliana spoke the activation phrase of a separate card she had set aside on the desk. A small flaming arrow shot forward and struck the pile in the hearth. In an instant, the magic cards were consumed by fire. In just a few minutes, all that would remain would be the magic stones—the paper would burn away completely.

I’ll come back to retrieve the stones later. For now, it’s time to move.

Time to break the Duke out of prison.

“Let’s do our best today too, Annie.”

Eliana climbed onto her pony, which she had waiting at the main hall’s entrance. She couldn’t do this mission alone—she needed a helper.

“The civilian deployment of Aquabus units is accelerating. That means the same weapons could soon fall into the hands of enemy nations.

That’s why we must move past the outdated Aquabus and master the musket—a weapon with greater range and destructive power. It must become an extension of your own body.”

Her pony stopped in front of the Second Knight Order’s training field. To escape the brutal August sun, the knights had gathered in the shade for musket assembly drills.

Click. Clack. Click.

Dressed in crisp white uniforms, the knights worked quickly and precisely with their hands.

“If there’s any leftover powder in the barrel, the gun won’t fire. A misfire on the battlefield is a death sentence—so treat your barrel the way you’d treat your own face. Moisture or impurities in the powder will also cause failure. Handle your powder as carefully as you would your lover.”

The solemn voice of the Second Order’s commander echoed across the field.

“Excuse me… Sir Joel?”

Amidst the steady rhythm of metal-on-metal clicks and the commander’s voice, a soft female voice suddenly broke the air.

“Lady Eliana?!”

Dozens of men froze all at once.

There she was—standing under the blazing sun, dressed in a perfectly fitted white riding suit. Her long silver hair was neatly tied up in a simple knot. She was someone they had only glimpsed from afar—and yet now she was standing right in front of them.

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