I Stole The Duke - Chapter 72
‘This feels like I’m getting ready just to visit Eliana’s bedroom!’
Tap. Tap.
‘Damn it.’
He should’ve stopped at aftershave. Spraying cologne had been overkill.
Creak. Creak. Creak.
His subconscious, his conscious thoughts, his body, and his legs—all moved with different intentions.
‘Work. I need to work. If I focus on work, I’ll forget about everything else.’
Michalis finally forced himself back into his office and collapsed into his chair.
“Haah…”
He took a deep breath and picked up one of the documents on his desk.
‘No good.’
The black letters blurred on the page, and he had to strain to keep them in focus.
‘Why do letters have to be black?!’
Flutter. Flutter. Flutter.
The black text seemed to morph into flitting butterflies and scattered before his eyes.
‘What the hell…?’
He couldn’t take in a single word. Frustrated, he threw the paper aside.
‘Still, it’s not entirely a bad thing. Eliana needs this—to protect herself.’
He had begun rationalizing. A dangerous line of reasoning.
Click.
Eventually, he unlocked a drawer in his desk. It opened slowly, as if hesitating.
“……”
Michalis stepped out of the office and started walking—with purpose. His strides grew faster and more determined.
“Sir Cedric. I’ll take over from here. You’re dismissed for the evening.”
“Yes, Your Grace. May she be well protected.”
Cedric saluted briefly and stepped back without question.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Eliana, I’m coming in.”
Too anxious to wait, Michalis opened the bedroom door as he knocked. If he hesitated too long, Eliana might fall asleep—and that would complicate everything.
“Michalis?”
Eliana, seated at her desk drawing a magic circle, looked up in surprise.
Gasp.
Standing in the doorway, holding the magic card box, Michalis froze.
‘Why—why isn’t she wearing the butterfly?’
Eliana’s nightgown had changed. Gone was the sensual piece from earlier. Now she wore her usual frilly, modest sleepwear.
“You changed?”
“Yes. I thought you didn’t like that sort of thing.”
“……”
‘That’s not true… not at all.’
Michalis didn’t have the courage to say it aloud. He approached her slowly, each step slightly stiff.
“Ah! Michalis, thank you so much.”
Eliana’s eyes widened as she noticed the box he placed on the desk.
“Just promise me one thing.”
“What is it?”
“That you won’t use magic to fight alone anymore—only to protect yourself.”
“Michalis… I didn’t understand. I was just trying to tempt you…”
Eliana’s voice wavered with guilt. She hadn’t realized how deeply he had been worried about her.
“I’m sorry. I won’t do that again.”
Her face was full of genuine remorse and gratitude.
“Well… alright.”
Michalis averted his gaze, suddenly shy.
‘Wait—why is the butterfly in there?!’
His eyes fell on a bundle of black lace shoved into the trash can beside her desk.
‘I didn’t even get a good look at it…’
So the black butterfly would remain nothing more than a fantasy.
“Michalis, you haven’t eaten yet, right? Let’s eat together.”
As Eliana turned toward the table, Michalis suddenly grabbed her hand.
“That can wait. Something else is more urgent.”
He stepped closer and wrapped both arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. His breath was warm against the crown of her head.
“Eek!”
Eliana let out a small yelp as she felt a firm pressure against her stomach.
“Ah… I startled you, didn’t I? It’s just… that part of me is still not over this.”
She couldn’t possibly understand how painful it had been—having her so close, yet untouchable, for four entire days.
“……”
“Will you help me… calm down?”
“…Yes.”
The moment Eliana gave her consent, Michalis gently lifted her and seated her on the desk.
Tap.
Their noses brushed, then parted again.
“I missed you.”
Michalis stepped back slightly and cupped her cheek with his large, warm hand.
“Me too.”
As Michalis stepped closer and leaned down, Eliana’s arms gently wrapped around his neck. Then, his lips softly grazed her upper lip.
Eliana responded by carefully taking his lower lip into hers. That small beginning quickly turned into something deeper. Lips of differing warmth met and moved with urgency, seeking each other with unrestrained longing.
That night, the duke and duchess reconciled so passionately that dinner turned into a midnight snack.
Bang! Bang!
The preparations, which had begun early that morning, were finally wrapping up.
“Haah…”
Jack paused his hammering and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a gloved hand.
‘Damn it. All this just to kill one woman.’
Three days of hard labor now. His worn muscles cried out in protest with every movement.
Bang! Bang!
He lifted the hammer again, driving in the last stake. Posing as a tent installer, he had infiltrated the grounds to gain access to the temporary portal used exclusively for the hunting tournament.
‘Tomorrow. I finish it tomorrow.’
He looked at the tent he had erected for House Ascher and nodded in satisfaction. The lines were sharp, the structure solid—sturdy and well-made.
“You’ve got a real talent with stakes. How about staying on with us?”
The foreman, walking around inspecting the last few tents, gave Jack an approving slap on the back.
“If you work under me, I promise you’ll never miss a meal.”
Jack looked like a man built for hard labor, and the foreman was clearly impressed.
“Not interested.”
Skill and passion were two different things. Jack had had more than enough of this.
“The setup’s done. You can all rest for today.”
After a rough meal served by the staff, the workers sprawled out inside one of the large tents.
“Just a bit of touch-up work tomorrow morning, so rest easy. But be ready—tearing everything down’s going to be rough again.”
“I feel like I’m already dead.”
“Good work, everyone.”
Snore. Snore.
Soon, the tent was filled with snores from every corner.
It was well past ten o’clock.
Lying among the workers, Jack suddenly opened his eyes wide.
‘Crossbow—maximum range, 200 meters.’
He stepped outside and measured the distance from House Ascher’s tent using his stride.
‘One meter, two meters…’
The farther the shot, the less force behind it—but with a poison-tipped arrow, even a light graze would be fatal.
‘I need to create as much distance as possible.’
After spending two days near House Ascher, Jack had come to one conclusion: close-range assassination was impossible.
As long as those knights in blue uniforms were around, he had no chance. Even if he somehow succeeded in killing the duchess, there would be no escape.
‘I have to end it in one shot.’
The Blue Knights were monsters—far stronger than he’d imagined.
‘If it doesn’t end in one shot, they’ll find me instantly.’
He had to succeed in both the mission and the escape.
‘That spot will do.’
He found the perfect place—one that offered both concealment and a direct line of sight to the tent’s entrance.
“……”
It was an ideal location. From there, he could see clearly, but remain hidden. Among the dense trees, he chose one and climbed it with practiced ease.
Click. Clack.
The only sound in the dark was the faint assembling of his weapon—parts being quietly connected, piece by piece.
June 20th, Imperial Year 321.
The day of the hunting tournament had dawned.
From early morning, carriages from noble houses lined up before the Imperial Palace, all waiting their turn to use the temporary portal.
“There’s a bit of a delay. We may need to walk a little,” Michalis said, looking out the carriage window as he stepped out.
“That’s fine,” Eliana replied, taking his offered hand as she gracefully descended.
She took a moment to glance around.
‘It’s been a while since I visited the palace.’
“Duke and Duchess Ascher, welcome.”
An imperial official approached with a formal greeting, having recognized their family crest.
“As previously informed, the portal cannot transport carriages. We ask again for your understanding.”
“We confirmed that in the official notice.”
“Thank you. The registered party includes Duke and Duchess Ascher, ten knights, three male attendants, two maids, and two horses.”
Two officials checked the guest list together, confirming every name and role.
“Have there been any changes to your group?”
“None.”
“Very well. You may proceed to the portal.”
“Feryari, your brother will come pick you up later tonight. Be good and listen to the palace men until then.”
Due to the portal’s limitations, those not attending the hunt had to temporarily part with their horses.
“Don’t stand behind this one. He bites.”
“Yikes!”
“And hold the reins no longer than thirty centimeters, or he’ll nip your shoulder.”
“When it comes to Bencho—he’s mean, stubborn, and if a stranger touches him, he’ll try to bite their head off. Now, what you need to watch for is this, and to calm him down, do that. His favorite treats are…”
“Yes, yes…”
“If you give him only one sugar cube, he’ll kick. You need to give him at least three at once. Now then, here’s more…”
The palace stablemen were having a tough time—between traffic control, muck cleanup, and dealing with temperamental horses.
“Sir Roswell. Enough. Let’s go.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
Michalis saved a palace handler who looked like he was about to cry from Roswell’s endless instructions.
The portal was about a hundred meters from the carriages. The duke and duchess led the group, followed by their ten knights and the attendants carrying their luggage.
“Is this one group? Please gather in the center.”
Portal use was based on arrival order, but things were moving efficiently, and the wait wasn’t long.
‘Are those the Mage Tower’s sorcerers?’
Finally, it was House Ascher’s turn. Eliana, standing beside Michalis, widened her eyes.
‘I always thought they were just money-hungry…’
She had assumed the Mage Tower’s wizards were just greedy misers, but in person, they looked refined—almost noble.
“Next party, please step into the center of the magic circle.”
Three men in white robes were managing the portal, casting steady spells to maintain it. The glowing magic circle beneath their feet looked to be about thirty meters wide.
“Excuse me, madam. Are you currently using magic?”
Startled, Eliana flinched slightly. One of the mages was staring directly at her—intently, without blinking.
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