My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge
Chapter 45: Friend Before King

Chapter 45: Friend Before King

Word of what happened in the capital traveled quickly through the Castillian Kingdom. It was autumn and Leonor was headed into her fifth year at the Academy.

With the news, political tensions became high. A few students at the Magic Academy had to relinquish their positions and return to their homes. Students who were waitlisted for the upcoming academic year were able to take their place.

Whether the students leaving were affected by the massacre or not wasn’t spoken of, but most people could put things together. The students were nobles, after all.

Along with the deaths, the new King released documentation on each person killed. Every single one had their hands tied in shady business. As a result, their families were stripped of their titles, though depending on the involvement of their wives or children, the King would allow them to keep some of their wealth so they could survive. However, Castille was no longer going to be a comfortable place for them to privilege off of.

Leonor found out the news only when she returned to the academy after a long break. She had seen Quinn earlier in the day to reconnect but she closed herself in her room soon after. There was much to prepare for the upcoming year. It was supposed to be her last year at the Academy.

Quinn came to her room late in the evening. There were three days until school would begin.

He seemed somber from the moment she opened her door. It was far different from the mage she saw earlier in the day. Before, he was eager for the upcoming year and the first year students he would be in charge of.

"What is it, Quinn?" she asked quietly. "Please come inside. It’s warmer in here."

She kept a kettle over the fire full of tea and offered him some which he took with a shaky hand. The fire was small because it was only autumn, but in only a short while, the first nightly frost would show up. It was hard to get used to the cold again after spending more time in Burien over the summer.

Trying to calm himself with a sip of tea, Quinn sighed and managed to pull out the paper with the news he was there to deliver. He found the news sheet amongst many scattered all over the campus and the surrounding streets.

There were tabloids from the capital spreading the word and advertising their news sheet on every corner. Commoners who were eager for money spread the news like wildfire.

Quinn’s throat felt dry and he rang his hands together after handing Leonor the paper. He knew that Stephano was closer to her than he was to him.

Considering his strange behavior, Leonor’s eyebrows were lowered and she glanced at Quinn before carefully taking the paper from his hands. She didn’t know what could possibly be causing him to behave in such a way.

Silently, she read the biggest headline. The words "Bloody Massacre Paves Way to New Monarch" caused a gasp to involuntarily make its way out of her lips. She felt faint and dropped the paper but it only went as far as the table she placed Quinn’s tea on.

Leonor found herself unable to pull her eyes from the page as she continued reading. There were accounts of the king’s death happening late at night and the palace being covered in blood. It painted the former Crown Prince in a bad light and it was clear the tabloid favored the late King rather than the new one.

"How is this possible?" she whispered, her voice shaky and heavy with emotion. "He would never–"

"He would if there was a good reason," Quinn muttered. "He’s of a sound mind compared to the former King. Something must have happened..."

Leonor couldn’t cry, she could only stare miserably at the paper as Quinn spoke.

"I want to check on him but I know now that it will be impossible to get closer to him or make contact," she rambled, all of her thoughts spilling out of her easily. "I can’t go anywhere with the school year about to begin. Can I?"

She stood up straight, seeking validation to do something as insane as trying to figure out a way to get to the capital. Luckily, Quinn remained her voice of reason despite being in such a somber mood.

"Leonor, don’t go anywhere," Quinn warned her, suddenly alarmed. "It’s unsafe for nobles out there now and it’s clear His Highness, rather, His Majesty can take care of himself. Magia is relatively safe compared to anywhere else. With it being a neutral zone for surrounding kingdoms, there’s no better place to be." He sighed and explained, "I simply felt that you deserved to know this information. After all, you’re one of his friends."

"I appreciate it," she said. "I really do."

"Now, I must return to my dorm," he said, having spent his entire desire to socialize on visiting Leonor. "Sleeping this off is the only thing I can do now."

"Your solution for everything," she attempted to joke. "Please be careful. This news is making me worried."

Quinn lit up his fiery orange mana on his hand.

"I graduated at the top of my class," he said. "No one would even try to go against me."

She rolled her eyes at him but managed to offer a small smile. It had been a pleasure being able to witness his mana control firsthand. Being so new while he was so experienced made her forever grateful.

They bid one another farewell and Leonor locked the door when he was gone.

Even though she had been tired before, she knew sleep wasn’t going to come to her so easily.

She stayed up late that night and many following nights. She didn’t only have Valerio to worry about anymore. It seemed the former Prince was taking up that space in her thoughts as well. The capital was just as much of a battlefield as the actual battlefield in the north.

Months had passed and Leonor felt unsatisfied. She was relieved the new King Stephano had survived, but was he really living? She couldn’t imagine the stress he was under. Taking his father’s life and assuming all of his responsibility at such a young age. She wondered if there were good people around him.

The weather was cold since winter had fallen over Castille. The quietness was making Leonor feel antsy.

Eve sat on her windowsill with her hot breath causing fog to form on the window. Even though she wasn’t a real animal, she was warm like one from the mana that created her. Many times as Leonor got used to living somewhere with snow, the cat would cuddle up to her at night and keep her warm even after the small fire in the corner of her bedroom went out.

Leonor sat down at her desk and reached out to stroke the cat’s long fur.

"What are you watching?" Leonor asked the cat. "Do you like birds like a normal cat would? There aren’t many during winter like this."

Whenever Eve set her eyes on Leonor, it seemed she could see right through her. Perhaps it was because the cat was herself - an extension of her. Even through her defiance, Leonor knew it was one of her traits.

Since the cat was her and already knew each thought and feeling that crossed her mind and affected her heart, Leonor lightly sighed. If she could just get a glimpse of the new King, she would feel much better.

"Please go to Coeurvalle and see him," Leonor pleaded with the cat. "I just want to see if he’s okay. I don’t know how else to talk to him if he won’t send Alara here."

She opened the window and a cold gust of air caused Leonor to shiver. Papers on her desk went flying backward and settled on the floor.

To her surprise and joy, the cat turned into a hawk and took to the sky without looking back.

Leonor breathed out a quiet ’thank you’ and watched as her familiar flew into the distance.

Unlike the Prince, her magic wasn’t as strong and Eve would only be able to take a quick trip rather than interacting with anyone or staying behind.

It took over a day for Eve to return.