My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge
Chapter 256: What the King Wants

Chapter 256: What the King Wants

Ever since Leonor could take care of herself as a mage, she hated when people pitied her.

A few times when she was betrothed to Desmond, she witnessed people’s pity when they thought she was marrying a monster. Another time was when she was first Desmond’s bride and everyone in the church followed her with eyes full of emotion.

She hated it then and she hated it in that moment when everyone in the King’s Study around her was eyeing her with forlorn looks.

The way she responded to her family was one thing she could not hide. They sent a stake into her that was so hard to remove. A minor interaction would stay with her for ages after.

She felt powerless when it came to von Burien.

Stephano finally stood up, seeing that Desmond could support his wife from next to her and the King took a seat in the armchair next to the one Quinn decided to occupy. He pointedly ignored the way the mage responded to him, not wanting to sour his mood for the afternoon.

"No, Leonor, I take full responsibility," Stephano said. "In the coming weeks, we will have the annual Winter Solstice Ball. Your family attends each year without fail."

Desmond felt he should speak up as Leonor’s mouth further turned down in a frown.

"His Majesty sends the Montclairs an invitation each year but it’s more of a courtesy," Desmond explained. "Normally we would be snowed into the mountains by this point and have no means to attend. This year, however..."

Leonor witnessed her husband scowl at the monarch and she widened her eyes slightly. For him to treat Stephano in the brotherly manner he always did in the palace amazed her. Desmond could be so appropriate and so inappropriate all at the same time.

"This year, I won’t take no for an answer," Stephano smirked slightly. "My left and right hand are in the palace at the same time for once. It will be a perfect moment to flaunt my power. I have the mages and I have the largest duchy led by the war hero on my side."

"Very well," Leonor uttered. "Does that mean I will have to face the Count? I knew it would happen eventually. I simply would like to mentally prepare myself."

Despite Leonor’s certain words, Desmond covered her hand with his and he felt that she was trembling.

"Whatever you need to do," Stephano assured her from the other side. "Use my treasury to buy something extravagant if you would like one of the seamstresses in the capital to make you something unforgettable. Your sister will never be able to dream of touching something so beautiful."

Leonor was looking down at her lap. Her thumb had hooked over Desmond’s pinky while he comforted her.

"It isn’t my appearance I’m worried about," Leonor admitted. "They are the only people I can’t compose myself around."

"Then it seems I will have two people to keep occupied that evening," Stephano admitted. "You who may snap at the snide words of your sister and Desmond who will have to be convinced not to lay a hand on your father if he says something out of line. What a wonderful couple the two of you make. It’s truly disgusting."

His sarcastic tone was enough to make Leonor crack a small smile.

"Your envy is unbecoming, Your Majesty," Leonor joked back with a smirk. "Don’t fall for it or my sister will be there to catch you on the other side. She no doubt has been loving the rumors that she could be the one you decide on."

Stephano’s eyes had a glint in them at that. He was relieved to see Leonor joking once more.

"I would sooner marry a man than dirty my hands with another von Burien," Stephano said. "You’re lucky that you’re de Montclair now."

Leonor lightly cleared her throat, knowing that the King of Castille saying that would undoubtedly rustle feathers. She also knew that it was cruel to say it in front of someone who at least once wished he would do just that.

"Will you really be alright having to attend such an extravagant ball?" Leonor turned her head towards her husband and raised her eyebrows in concern. "If you think people are critical now, wait until they are dressed in fineries and the alcohol is flowing. Decorum goes out the window."

"Stay by my side," Desmond insisted. "That’s how I will get through the evening."

Leonor nodded and offered his hand a squeeze.

"Ugh, as I said before..." Stephano said, making a dramatic show of how he felt about their affection even though it was far more mild than it was behind closed doors. "Now that is settled, please join me in the palace for dinner this evening. All of you."

Leonor gave him an expression of shock and Stephano quickly corrected himself.

"Just us," he assured her. "Anyone else wouldn’t be invited."

The duchess’ smile was tight-lipped but it was a smile nonetheless.

"Then we will see you there," she said. "For now, my sore body needs to rest. Quinn put me through a meat grinder and spit me out."

She offered a smile to her friend who hadn’t said much since he had gone into the room.

"It’s the least I could do considering how lazy you’ve gotten," Quinn muttered and crossed his arms.

Desmond leaned forward, about to defend his wife but he was stopped by the monarch.

"If you’re certain you’re not tired from such a spar the day before, perhaps it’s our turn to exercise our abilities," Stephano said to the mage. "The meetings are dismissed for the day and I’m feeling pent up."

Quinn’s eyebrow rose.

"The King who hardly eats one meal a day would like to spar?" he asked. "Would your mana agree with such a thing?"

"If you’re so worried about it, we’ll eat something then I’ll show you the difference between Royal Mana and that of an average mage," Stephano taunted.

"Then let’s, Your Majesty," Quinn said. "You will see the difference between a practiced mage and one who sits on a throne day in and day out."

Leonor had to press her fingers to her lips to keep her thoughts to herself as she smirked. If Stephano thought she and Desmond were a disgusting couple, what could she think of their constant teasing of one another?

"If you could excuse us," Leonor said. "We will retire to the Queen’s Palace in the meantime. Please be careful."

However, she knew that she could trust the two greatest mages in the kingdom to make sure they weren’t hurting the other too badly or misusing and depleting their mana.

With her hand on Desmond’s arm, they left the study and took a slow walk.

After all, that was the only thing Leonor’s sore legs would let her do as she moved along.

Meanwhile, Stephano and Quinn walked away from the study, seeking a meal and a place to train. Since no one was there by that point, Stephano elbowed Quinn in the ribs before going into the dining hall where lunch would be brought to them.

The King reflected on their relationship that far.

When Stephano met Quinn, they were both teenagers, though the silver-haired mage was only entering the Academy for the first time while the former Crown Prince was at the end of his time there.

Just as he was as an adult, he was serious because he was there to prove himself. He had large shoes to fill coming from parents who were both great mages.

Stephano originally approached Quinn to give him trouble for how uptight he was behaving. He thought he could knock him down a few pegs considering everyone in the Academy was on equal footing.

His jokes and jabs during practical application classes were all in good fun, but after class one day, Stephano happened to be looking for a corner to hide in. Being the Crown Prince in a place such as the Academy meant that he had a lot of people trying to get on his good side. At times, he needed a breather. He was unaware that Quinn was much of the same.

Thinking he was safe to relax once he made it behind the large shrubbery that bordered one of the hidden gardens, Stephano stiffened up when he saw Quinn sitting on a rock with his face buried in his arms.

Stephano couldn’t remember what he uttered to make Quinn’s head snap up, but when Stephano’s hazel eyes met Quinn’s greys, he saw the evidence of tears.

Finding the younger mage to look particularly pathetic, Stephano rushed forward.

It was then that he found out one of his mild jokes had caused Quinn to misstep and fail one of his tests. Being under such a strict scholarship that was sought after by many, there could be no room for mistakes.

Stephano knew he had to right his wrongs. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if someone was kicked out of the Academy because of something he did. Especially when his actions weren’t backed by ill intention.

From that point forward, Stephano was kind to Quinn.

The Crown Prince reached out to the professor who gave the mage a failing grade and confessed to him that it was his fault Quinn had any mistakes at all. Not only that, but Stephano contacted the head office and said that Quinn would no longer need the scholarship. He was going to be sponsored by the Royal Family from that point forward.

At first, Quinn was resistant and didn’t want to be favored by the prince, but Stephano slowly melted him down and he eventually started responding positively to the other mage. Soon after, they became mana partners and the rest was history.

As Stephano ate his meal quietly across from Quinn who occasionally looked up to make sure the King was truly eating, he wondered where they went wrong or what he did to make it so Quinn pulled away from him.

Perhaps he would learn more in their spar.