My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge
Chapter 109: Breakfast

Chapter 109: Breakfast

Leonor woke up the next morning feeling invigorated, knowing she could exercise her mana properly for the first time in a year.

The early spring was cool and she got into riding clothing.

The last time she had worn pants was the few irresponsible times she practiced mana in her father’s lands and depleted herself completely. She would stay out practicing so her father wouldn’t bother her. She knew it wasn’t good to tire herself out but it was the only way to feel freedom again.

That is, until she was married off to the duke. She thought she wouldn’t be afforded freedom, but that wasn’t the case.

Not knowing what occurred the night before, once Leonor was ready with her hair braided back for the day, she walked down the hallway, wondering if she should bother Stephano. She decided against it, deciding he probably pushed himself too hard by riding after an entire week of travel.

She was excited, but she didn’t want to overstep boundaries. Being more the observing type, she knew that Desmond and Stephano both had a streak of working themselves to the bitter end. If she could be someone to give them a break, she would.

As soon as she was in the dining hall, Leonor opted for something light considering the plan was to start early in their practice. She didn’t want to be weighed down by heavy food.

However, she waited for the others to arrive and the maid told her the king opted for porridge in his room since he was feeling cold that morning.

It seemed it would be a breakfast between husband and wife. Despite her thoughts of the conversation with Stephano the night before, she didn’t mind it. He was her favorite person to spend time with.

While she healed the flower Valerio gave her, she wondered if Stephano was right. The path in front of her led her to the duke. If there was a possibility he held the same affection as her, should she take the chance?

Even if it wasn’t love at that moment, what if it could develop into it?

Leonor was lost in thought, only brought back to reality when she realized someone was calling her name.

The duke had entered the dining hall and saw Leonor uncharacteristically leaning into the arm of the wooden chair she sat on, her eyes staring at something on the table and her thoughts clearly elsewhere. While he wasn’t worried any longer about what Stephano said to her, he wondered what she was thinking about that took up so much of her attention.

"My lady," he called, keeping up appearances for the maids about to serve them since he came into the room. He dropped the facade when it wasn’t enough to rouse her. "Leonor?"

Her sapphire eyes snapped to Desmond and she immediately felt ashamed having been caught so deep in thought.

"Ah..." Leonor sat up straight and shook her head as if it would help clear her mind. "I’m sorry, Desmond. I was daydreaming a bit."

Daydreaming about the very man before her, but she couldn’t tell him that. She was the one who burnt the bridge between them in the first place.

"Understandable," he said. "You have a long day ahead of you."

The food was placed in front of them and Leonor tried to occupy herself with eating.

There was no resolution to her chain of thought. The man beside her would certainly rather not think about feelings considering his lack of desire to approach topics such as that. She couldn’t approach him and ruin what they had up to that moment.

At least he seemed a bit calmer than he was when Stephano arrived and they ate dinner together the night before.

"Do you have a lot of work today?" Leonor asked.

"As much as usual," Desmond said. "Although I want to finish early and see what you and Stephano will do."

Leonor perked up at the thought of this.

"You would like to watch?" she asked. "I would be nervous but I would appreciate it. Despite not being a mage yourself, you’ve shown the most interest in my magic so far."

His accusations from the night before came rushing back and Desmond felt awful. She was as sweet as she ever was. All she knew how to do was be loyal. She was even loyal to the very father who hurt her in such a way.

"You’re my wife," he formulated a response that almost reached his heart, though he couldn’t bring himself to confess everything. "I cared for you even before I knew you. As I said before, you can thank Stephano for that."

His words felt very warm at that moment. She wondered if he knew he was starting to be the catalyst of whether or not she would ever confess to him that her heart was changing. She was starting to fall for the person who protected her so well, but she wished he would trust her with all of himself.

"His name," she realized, referring to the king. "The two of you must be very close."

"After the war, I lived with him for over half a year," he explained. "That’s where I did the most healing."

Leonor cast a sympathetic glance towards her husband. She couldn’t imagine how much pain he must have been in during that time, only for the people of Castille to cast him looks of disgust when he was in the homecoming parade.

She wanted to hug him and promise never to be his source of pain or insecurity. That was more forward than she was willing to be.

"You must have had the best care in the kingdom," Leonor realized. "I’m grateful you had that."

Desmond could only nod and another voice joined them before anything further could be said.

"He was under my enchantment magic for most of the time," Stephano said as he walked into the dining hall. "You two have so much in common that way."