I Stole The Duke - Chapter 24

“Yes…”

Eliana nodded, as if entranced.

She had assumed he was just a stiff, boring brick wall… but the Duke was a natural. It was only now that Eliana realized just how badly she’d misjudged him—blinded by her own assumptions and biases.

“And also.”

Still slightly dazed from the intense moment, Eliana looked up at the sound of his voice.

“Yes?”

“How long are you going to keep calling me ‘Your Grace’?”

“Oh… then…”

Still sitting on the desk, she hesitated under his slightly playful gaze.

Ah, right… we’re married now.

“Honey?”

Michalis almost burst out laughing at her unexpected response.

“Please… just call me by my name.”

He swallowed the laughter and spoke with controlled warmth.

“Michalis.”

“Michal.”

“Michal…”

Eliana softened the name as she repeated it, turning it into a gentle nickname.

“From today on, we’re having dinner together.”

He’d asked the staff to prepare well-balanced meals, but she was nibbling away like a little bird somewhere. She was so light and fragile, he feared he might break her just from holding her too tightly.

He’d decided—if he had to, he’d sit across from her every meal to make sure she ate more than scraps.

“Alright.”

“I’ll see you at dinner, then.”

Pleased by her easy answer, Michalis lifted her down from the desk.

“Okay, I’ll go now.”

Eliana left his office quickly—practically fleeing.

Her heart was a mess.

Was that really just responsibility?

The way his eyes had burned into her… that heat, that emotion—it wasn’t the gaze of someone simply fulfilling a duty. It was the gaze of a man who might be falling in love.

Could it be…?

Mid-step in the empty corridor, Eliana came to a stop. Heat rushed to her face.

“No, I’m overthinking this.”

She muttered quietly to herself.

If he really does love me… then I’m the one deceiving him.

A conflict stirred deep within her—she found herself both wishing it were love, and hoping it wasn’t.

If Michalis felt nothing more than obligation, then she could do her part, eat her fill, and log out—no strings attached.

But if he really does love me…

Logging out would mean leaving a wound behind.

Then what about my own feelings?

Eliana pressed a hand to her pounding chest.

It’s because he’s handsome. That’s all. Just because he’s too handsome…

Yes—that had to be it. She must’ve been swayed by that face, just temporarily.

Dream.

Eliana quickened her steps, returning to the bedroom. The moment she reached the bed, she collapsed onto it and called the system.

[Yes, I’m listening. Please select a function.]

Tell me the current system recovery status.

[There is no response from the developer.]

It had been over two months since she arrived in this world. And still—no update. No response. Eliana’s frustration flared.

Already overwhelmed emotionally, she found herself even more irritated than usual—despite having anticipated this outcome.

Dream, what’s your real purpose?

[Dreamcatcher (Beta Version 2) guides users toward personalized, optimal dream experiences.]

Don’t give me that vague marketing line. You have another purpose, don’t you?

To manipulate users, maybe? Or worse?

Frustrated and on edge, Eliana was more than ready to argue with this unreliable machine.

[…This information requires developer authorization.]

“Ha…”

A hollow laugh escaped her lips at the system’s response.

So far, she’d assumed Dreamcatcher was just a harmless device for lucid dreaming. That assumption was now beginning to unravel.

Dream, what are you really?

[…This information requires developer authorization.]

Oh, is that how it is now?

Annoyance gave way to stubborn curiosity.

Dream, what’s the name of the company that created you?

Eliana took a breath, then calmly asked.

[(IonSpace Co., Ltd.)]

The answer came instantly—and sent shivers down her spine.

IonSpace. A company founded by the eccentric billionaire Alon Mask in the United States, with the ultimate goal of relocating humanity to space.

Everyone thought it was centuries too early. Most saw it as the vanity project of a rich madman, burning cash in the name of impossible dreams.

There’s no way… This isn’t outer space. That’s absurd, right?

But now, confusion began to swirl again—different from earlier. This was a deeper, darker kind of disorientation.

Dream… is my body still alive?

[Heart rate during sleep: 62 bpm. Within normal range.]

Thankfully, Kim Eunchae’s body appeared to be safe.

Dream… this world I’m synchronized with… this isn’t just a dream, is it?

[…This information requires developer authorization.]

A new theory dawned on her.

The fact that the system wouldn’t give a straight answer suggested something: this probably wasn’t just a dream.

It didn’t feel like one. Not in the slightest. The sensations, the emotions—they were too vivid. The breath, the heartbeat of someone close… the way everything felt.

Whether this was a real alternate world or a meticulously crafted virtual one—it wasn’t something she could dismiss as a mere dream.

If the synchronization I underwent is something like being possessed inside a novel… then is DreamCatcher actually a soul-transmission device?

She couldn’t say anything for certain yet—but Eliana felt like she was beginning to grasp what the system truly was.

Dream, is logout actually possible?

[There is a possibility.]

When? How? By what method?

[…This information requires developer authorization.]

“I want to smash this thing!”

Another dead end. Eliana was growing exhausted trying to unravel the truth behind DreamCatcher piece by piece.

“……”

While she spiraled in confusion, night fell before she realized it.

Thanks to the unhelpful system, she had no appetite. Michalis had prepared everything with care, trying to make sure she ate, but every bite stuck in her throat.

“Is something troubling you?”

“No… I’m just not very hungry tonight.”

Under Michalis’s concerned gaze, Eliana forced herself to chew and swallow.

“If you’re uneasy about tonight, we can postpone it.”

“No, it’s not that…”

Eliana glanced up at him—his eyes fixed solely on her, watching every subtle expression.

She couldn’t keep worrying over a silent system forever. That would only place a burden on the person beside her.

“Actually, I’d like to ask you something.”

“Please.”

“Could I have access to the family’s private library?”

A few more hours of fruitless speculation were more than enough.

Yes. No matter when I eventually log out—what I can do now is what matters.

“I’ll tell the steward. You can begin using it starting tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Michal.”

The heavy atmosphere that had settled over dinner began to lift, just a little.

A few hours later.

Eliana had just finished her bath and was drying her hair when a visitor arrived.

“Eliana.”

It was Michalis, just as the maid had informed her moments earlier. He’d said he would be by soon.

“Ah—my lady. No, Madam. I’ll excuse myself now.”

Because he had arrived a little earlier than expected, Amy, who had been gently drying Eliana’s damp hair with a large towel, quickly retreated.

“Michal, just a second…”

Eliana, who had been seated before the vanity, rose quickly, her cheeks faintly flushed. The sight of him in nothing but a loosely tied bathrobe was unexpectedly provocative.

“Please stay seated. Your hair isn’t fully dry yet.”

He gently guided her back into the chair and picked up the towel Amy had left behind. Wordlessly, he began to press it against her hair.

“Thank you…”

Each time he moved, the edges of his robe shifted, revealing parts of his chest—and Eliana found it impossible to lift her gaze to the mirror. She had seen him shirtless before, but tonight, for some reason, it felt far more embarrassing.

“You’re here earlier than usual.”

“I hurried… I was worried you might fall asleep again.”

Pat. Pat.

No words passed between them for a while. Only the quiet sound of the towel soaking up water echoed in the room.

“Oh—I’ll handle the brushing myself.”

As Michalis reached for a hairbrush, Eliana panicked. She’d already accepted that he wasn’t just a cold, stoic man, but now everything he did continued to catch her off guard.

“…I want to do it for you.”

Why is he being so sweet?

He was so gentle—it frightened her a little. Eliana couldn’t bring herself to take the brush from his hands.

“……”

With long hair like hers, his movements had to be wide, and every now and then the familiar scent of his soap brushed past her nose.

Once her silver hair had regained its usual luster, he gathered a handful and gently kissed it.

That was when their eyes met in the large mirror—and that glance was all it took.

Michalis scooped her up without a word and carried her to the bed.

He laid her down, then positioned himself between her knees, trapping her gently beneath him. A soft smack echoed as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“……”

Propped on his elbows, Michalis stayed like that for several seconds, simply gazing into her eyes.

His emerald gaze held hers with a quiet intensity. He lifted his hand and ran the back of his fingers softly from her forehead down to her chin.

Their wedding night had come… one day late.

Michalis had hesitated before—because she had looked so delicate, so fragile, it had made him nervous. But now, his hands moved, settling beside her shoulders, bringing their faces slowly closer.

Their lips brushed—tentative, warm, soft. The moment Eliana parted her lips, his tongue slipped in—bolder than during the kiss earlier that day.

The kiss deepened—intense enough to leave her breathless, but never painful.

“Haah… haa…”

His lips moved to her jaw, then slid down to her neck.

Every now and then, that sweet scent rising from her skin drove him mad.

It was the scent of pure skin.

Michalis loved it—like fresh cream, sweet milk, and sugar all mixed together.

He kissed the same spot he had marked earlier—then moved just beside it and sucked harder.

This beautiful bride was his.

He held back the feral desire to devour her whole, instead marking her over and over with deep red kisses—a quiet declaration of territory.

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