My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge
Chapter 158: Offer of a Lifetime

Chapter 158: Offer of a Lifetime

It was fortunate for Leonor that Quinn wasn’t an early riser.

Even though he excused himself early the night before, he likely stayed up well into the evening. His night owl tendencies made him often miss breakfast.

Leonor ate breakfast and then sipped tea for quite a while before the silver-haired mage made his presence known in the dining hall where the maid directed him to go.

As always, he wore light brown robes that revealed nothing of the money he amassed as a professor in the Academy or working directly under King Stephano. He was true to his mage roots through and through.

"Good morning, Quinn," Leonor greeted her friend. "Would you like me to fetch you something to eat?"

There was already a spot for tea placed out for a second party, so he decided to sit across from Leonor.

"Tea will be enough," he said. "I would rather get on with what I came here for. Did you have time to read the letter from His Majesty?"

Leonor’s eyes widened.

She and Quinn visited until he went to his guest chambers. After that, the night ended early but it was for a different reason than she was willing to admit in front of someone else.

She politely cleared her throat.

"It slipped my mind," she admitted.

"Ah, he can wait," Quinn muttered. "It has nothing to do with my reason for being here. He was simply groveling a bit. Is his grace available to meet right now?"

Leonor retrieved a maid to request his presence. Five minutes later, the maid returned saying Desmond was in his study if they wanted to see him.

He had anticipated meeting with the mage sent by the King anyway and cleared his schedule, freeing him from having to meet with anyone else.

Since Leonor finally knew who Desmond was, he began meeting with reeves and counts from across his duchy and openly bearing his appearance. That’s what they were used to, after all. Not the man in the hood covered in bandages.

Before he was married, most had accepted that their duke wasn’t the picture of beauty. As long as he was a hard worker, most stopped caring as the status of their home improved. It was only petty nobles who were in their positions due to inheritance and not work ethic that cared whether or not he was beautiful.

Desmond could finally resume his work without being shrouded in secrets. Progress would be felt through his duchy and he felt bad for being such a coward before then.

Stephano had built him into a capable ruler and he was intent on proving himself as such.

There was a knock on Desmond’s study door and he brought the thin hood Leonor gave him for his birthday over his head. While his men were used to his appearance, he didn’t want to alarm the mage.

As Leonor and Quinn walked into the duke’s study, he stood up to greet his wife, though they remained less affectionate than before so Quinn wouldn’t be uncomfortable. He was having trouble containing his good mood after the night before and knew he may come across as overbearing.

Gesturing towards the back wall of his study where chairs were set out in an area close to the fireplace, they all joined each other and a maid placed snacks and tea on the table between them.

Leonor had observed Desmond drink tea quite a few times before that but she only just realized his tea manners were perfect. He certainly honed his skills since they drank together as teenagers. The observation was added to the long list of things she wanted to ask him. She never thought the stablehand in her father’s manor would be a duke one day.

Desmond could feel Leonor’s eyes on him. He had been struggling not to stare at her from the moment she entered. Deciding to take a chance, he acknowledged her with a faint smile and she seemed unnerved at a mere glance. He wished he knew what she was thinking.

After the night before, all he wanted to do was know her further. With each new bit of knowledge he had about her, the more he fell in love. Things felt as close to perfect as they could be. He wondered if she thought the same.

At that moment, however, Desmond needed to present himself as the one in control and he knew it was time to begin the meeting.

After placing down his tea, he sat there with perfect posture and his eye went to Quinn.

"What is His Majesty’s reason for sending you all this way?" Desmond asked directly, feeling it better to cut to the chase.

On the other hand, Leonor observed Quinn’s mannerisms as well. Even though he was the closest mage to the King, he wasn’t raised a noble. His entire lineage was full of mages on all sides. He was always polite and direct. His bluntness made people think he wasn’t a kind person but Leonor knew otherwise.

He was normally reserved but he came undone easily around her and Stephano. She always found that aspect of him amusing.

"King Stephano has proposed a creation of a central mage force out of each of the four dukedoms in Castille," Quinn explained. "With this comes education centers for young mages to be built in the most central cities of each dukedom and meeting in Coeurvalle quarterly."

Desmond’s interest piqued, wondering what Stephano was up to, though he kept his mouth shut and allowed Quinn to continue.

Leonor had to place down her tea so she wouldn’t drop it at the surprising things Quinn kept saying, particularly the detail he finished off with.

"The King believes that Castille has treated the average man as an object in the face of battles that could be easily subdued with magic," Quinn continued. "Although the most relevant detail to you both is Stephano’s suggestion that Leonor be the head of the central mage force in Montclair."

"Me?" Leonor asked, shocked.

"He’s quite certain you won’t say no," Quinn finished his spiel and picked up some of the cookies on a plate, filling his otherwise empty stomach with something until he could eat lunch.

There was a pause as Leonor gathered her thoughts.

To Desmond and Quinn’s surprise, she said, "What if I do say no?"