I Stole The Duke - Chapter 122
“A robbery?”
The Countess, previously absorbed in the sea turtle, finally turned to her son. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. With how much effort she put into the estate’s security, especially given how rarely she visited, a robbery sounded absurd.
“Jo… My secret room—tell me it’s safe.”
Her secret room, where she kept only the most precious items, was protected by layered magical security.
“Well… it’s the secret room that was robbed.”
Joel braced himself. The bomb was about to drop.
“What…?”
The Countess stood frozen, her mind coming to a halt.
“That… That makes no sense…”
After a few seconds of stunned silence, her lips finally parted.
“It makes perfect sense! Because I was the one who robbed it!”
“JO!!!!!”
The Countess’s face flushed red with fury in an instant.
“Hit me until you feel better!”
Joel quickly lowered himself, offering up his back like a well-trained son.
“You—! You!”
The Countess looked around, sorely regretting that she didn’t have her fan with her. But she knew better than anyone that hitting her son’s rock-solid back would only leave her own hand sore.
“I’m sorry, Mother.”
“You! Do you even know what those things are worth?!”
In place of a fan, she grabbed the sea turtle and flung it upward.
Ack!
As Olive was suddenly hoisted into the air, he instinctively pulled his head back into his shell.
Thunk!
“Urgh!”
The turtle’s hard shell slammed directly into Joel’s back, and a groan escaped his lips. It hurt far more than being hit with a fan.
“Ow!”
Of course, the one who hit him wasn’t unharmed either.
“That shell is too hard, Mother. Let me take it before you hurt yourself.”
Joel turned and smoothly took the turtle back into his arms.
“What in the world did you use all of that for? Don’t tell me you took everything?”
The Countess clutched her stinging hand as she questioned him.
“The Eastern Empire’s fine embroidered silk dress, the master Cartier’s jewelry set, artisan Chanol’s silk shoes… and more—I gave them to Lady Rancelotti.”
Joel calmly listed off the stolen goods.
“Jo! You—!!”
More than just one or two?! The Countess was so stunned, she couldn’t even curse. They say raising sons is useless—and apparently, the Eastern Empire had that proverb for a reason.
“I truly apologize. I didn’t have time to find gifts that met her standards.”
“Is she… prettier than your own mother?”
“Yes.”
It had just slipped out. The Countess blinked, unsure if she should feel offended or proud. Out of all the women her son had dated, this was the first time he’d said someone was more beautiful than her.
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
This wasn’t just a political marriage to marry into a marquess family. His eyes said it all.
“Sigh… Fine. Let’s call it an engagement gift.”
“Thank you. She received it with appreciation.”
What could she do now? Her son had decided to settle down at last. Seeing his earnest face, the Countess gave up her lingering resentment.
“I suppose sea turtles really do belong in the wild. You must be tired—go and get some rest.”
No! Don’t go, lady! No—sis! Please take me in! Spare my life!
But while the sea turtle was desperately opening and closing his mouth, begging for help, the Countess was more focused on her throbbing hand. She figured she should go apply some ice.
“Yes, Mother.”
Only then did Joel let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“I’m pretty sure I told you not to draw attention to yourself.”
Damn it!
Olive ducked his head and quickly retreated into his shell after Joel gave him a sharp flick on the head.
By now, the entire estate was quiet and dark. Alone in the bathroom, Olive shouted,
“Blub! (Storage!)”
…Of course, the spell didn’t activate. As a sea turtle, the only sounds he could manage were splashing with his flippers or the occasional wet bubble of a fart—hardly anything that resembled a proper incantation.
I need to contact Master through magical communication somehow…
Floating in a saltwater tub and gnawing on raw seaweed, Olive fumed with frustration.
I should’ve cast a death spell on the Duke, not a body swap. If I had known it would turn out like this…
If he had realized how easily this life-risking plan would fall apart, he never would’ve attempted body-swapping in the first place.
Without the ability to speak, there’s no way to initiate communication. Now, the only chance is for someone to recognize me and cast Dispel Magic.
The problem was, all the high-ranking mages who could sense magical energy from a sea turtle had already boarded military ships headed to the ruins.
Master… please… come find me.
Tears of saltwater welled up from the corners of Olive’s eyes just above the surface. He never thought he’d miss his wicked master this much.
If only Master would use Time Magic for my sake…
Olive swallowed the soggy seaweed and smacked the saltwater with a flipper.
Kill them all… and take the Duchess for myself.
[Unauthorized access to memory detected. User safety system has activated and blocked the attempt.]
“What?”
Eliana blinked in confusion at the sudden system message, looking around in alarm.
Buzz, buzz…!
Cicadas clung to the garden trees, creating a chorus of harsh, echoing screeches.
This is the eastern garden…
Thankfully, the place looked familiar—this was the eastern garden of the Ducal Estate. But what shocked her more than the message was the fact that she had no memory of getting here.
Was the garden always this big?
Today, the sunlight felt hotter than ever, like it could burn her alive. And the main building looked impossibly far away. As Eliana shaded her eyes with a hand and began walking toward the mansion—
“Oh no, I’m late!”
A boy sprinted past her, completely ignoring the heat. Surprised by the sight, Eliana shouted after him.
“Sir Iadis!”
Wait—did my voice just sound like a child’s?
The moment she yelled, she was startled. Her voice was high-pitched, and her tone had a childish lisp.
“Huh?”
The boy—no, the young man—stopped and turned around.
“Wait… Sir Concerto?”
Eliana’s eyes widened as she faced him. He looked just like Iadis but much younger—no glasses, wearing a trainee knight’s uniform. He must’ve been his younger brother.
“You know me?”
No… it was Iadis himself.
“Uh…”
Eliana felt certain now, especially with how casually he spoke—he wasn’t using formal language.
“Sir Iadis. How old are you right now?”
“It’s our first meeting, and you already know my name? You look like you’re from the North… but still.”
Iadis suddenly grew wary. His mother was from the North, but he didn’t recall having any northern relatives like this girl.
“I’ll explain later. Just answer me—how old are you?”
“Sixteen. And you?”
“…”
Oh no. It seemed time had gone back ten years.
“Are you okay, little one?”
Iadis looked at her in concern. A pale-skinned northern child like her could easily get heatstroke in the southern sun.
Did he just call me little one?
The moment he finished speaking, Eliana looked at her palm. It was tiny and pale.
Yes. Her body was that of a perfect nine-year-old.
“This won’t do. Come on, hop on.”
Iadis crouched down and offered her his back. Now wasn’t the time to ask questions—this girl needed shade, fast.
“Okay. I feel weak… and dizzy…”
Without hesitation, Eliana climbed onto his back. Just as he’d guessed, her small frame wouldn’t last long under this intense sun. She needed to accept all the help she could get.
“Where are your parents? Should I take you to the main building?”
Iadis began walking briskly with her on his back.
“Not the main building…”
Eliana looked at the mansion growing larger in the distance, her mind racing.
Is there even a point in going to the main building right now?
If this really was ten years in the past, then Michalis would be seventeen… and at that age, he’d most likely be—
“Take me to the Second Knight Order.”
“Do you have a father or brother there?”
“No. My husband.”
Husband? But the average age in the Second Order is mid-twenties…
“……”
Iadis clamped his mouth shut, his jaw hanging in shock. This girl must’ve been married off at an incredibly young age to a much older man in a political arrangement. How tragic.
“We’re here. This is the Second Order. Who should I ask for?”
At the entrance to the knights’ training grounds, Iadis gently set Eliana down in the shade and asked. It was time to figure out who the mysterious “thief” really was.
“Michalis Acklera.”
“You mean… the Young Duke?”
The moment Iadis heard the name, his tone turned formal in an instant.
“That’s right.”
They weren’t officially engaged yet—but they would be soon.
“So… wait. You’re saying… you’re going to be the Young Lady of House Acklera?”
At her confident response, the young trainee knight felt like his soul had just left his body. How did a girl this young know his name? She must’ve memorized the entire list of knights to prepare for life as a duchess.
“P-please wait here a moment!”
Iadis spun around and darted into the knight order headquarters.
“What? Someone’s here to see me?”
Michalis was in the middle of sword training, completely unbothered by the blazing sun, when he paused mid-swing and frowned.
“They say… it’s the future Young Lady, sir.”
What kind of nonsense was that?
“Tch.”
Without even wiping off his sweat, Michalis stalked toward the entrance with a scowl.
“I greet the Young Duke. I am Eliana Acklera.”
Just as Michalis drew near, Eliana lifted the hem of her skirt and gave him a flawless curtsey, her manners impeccable.
Hello, young Michal.
“…The old man has finally lost it.”
That was the first thing seventeen-year-old Michalis muttered after staring at her for three full seconds.
“Young Duke, I know this must be surprising, but I’d like to speak with you for just a—”
Before she could even finish, Michalis brushed right past her without a word.
“……”
The air around him practically screamed “Don’t push it.”
“……”
To a seventeen-year-old Michalis, a nine-year-old girl was about as important as the cicadas buzzing in the trees.
Wow… full-blown teenage angst. He’s worse than I remember.
Eliana shook her head slowly, watching his figure grow smaller as he walked off toward the main residence.
“Um…”
“Iadis, would you carry me again?”
Still looking overwhelmed, Iadis snapped to attention at her request.
“O-of course.”
“To the entrance of the main building, please.”
At this point in time, the one holding true authority in the house wasn’t Michalis—it was the Grand Duke himself. If she wanted to get anything done, she had to negotiate with her future father-in-law.
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