My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge

Chapter 249: The Emotional vs The Lazy

The pathway between the main palace and the mage area was far more bearable when Leonor wore an outer coat and cloak. Even though the wind blew through and disturbed the heavy material of her cloak, it didn’t affect her like it would if she wore a gown.

There wasn’t an inch of her uncovered except for her head, but it wasn’t yet cold enough to wear a hood.

To her shock, as she passed the last quarter of the pathway before the mage area, she brushed past the last person she would have expected to see that morning–King Stephano.

"Your Majesty," Leonor greeted.

He didn’t even acknowledge her and kept pressing forward. It was as if he didn’t hear her at all.

"Stephano," she said his name loud enough to call after him since he had moved away already a few paces.

Hearing his name was a rarity and it was enough to take him from his thoughts. Stephano paused and turned to see where the voice came from.

Leonor realized his expression was dark as if he was greatly burdened by something. It was no wonder considering the state of Castille as they entered what could very well be another war.

However, he was leaving the mage’s quarter, which raised flags in her head.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"There is a lot on my plate these days," he admitted.

Considering the King of their nation was on the verge of falling over under the immense pressure he must have been under, Leonor took a few steps closer. She knew she couldn’t get too close because of the rumors that used to swirl around the two of them when they were younger but it was enough for her to place a hand on his shoulder.

"Please take care of yourself," she requested. "While you’re fussing over everyone around you, you’re neglecting yourself. Things will change as long as I’m in the palace."

She wondered what happened to the servants who were loyal to the Queen who loved her son very much. The late monarch was known far and wide to be one of the few who took special care of their own child. She didn’t bother with wet nurses and stayed up with her son while he cried as a baby.

They were only rumors but the way Stephano made sure to never mention his mother made it seem like it could be true. Perhaps it was painful for him to even acknowledge her memory. That was another aspect of him Leonor could relate to.

If she could find the staff still in the palace who cared for the Queen, perhaps she could find a way to get them closer to the King. The maids he had didn’t seem to take special care of him. He wasn’t spoiled by any means as a King should be.

Quinn half laughed half scoffed.

"You meddle too much in another’s life," he said.

"I am simply doing the same you did for me all those years ago," she defended herself, crossing her arms as she did. "Get used to it. You’re going to be uncomfortably comfortable for once."

He smiled despite all that was swirling around in his head.

They departed from one another shortly after that.

Stephano had meetings to lead while she had a mage waiting for her.

Leonor was interested to see the state Quinn was in once she passed through the threshold and into the warm building.

However, all he did was sit in a chair with a pensive expression. The second he saw her, he stood up and acted as if nothing had happened. She decided not to press for answers. It would be evident enough in their mana spar if he was distracted or afflicted with anything.

"Shall we?" Leonor asked her friend.

He nodded and led her to another entrance that put them in what seemed to be a knights’ practice yard. Yet there was no evidence of sword fighting or practice dummies that would say knights or soldiers were anywhere nearby.

At Quinn’s haste to begin, his hand lit up in a silvery magic that made Leonor’s eyes widen.

"No warm-ups then?" she asked.

A smirk spread across Quinn’s lips.

"If you expect me to go easy on you, you’re mistaken," he said. "You’ve been lazy and I’m going to teach you a lesson."

Since he was using his sharp tongue as a weapon as well, Leonor lifted her hand and a triangular pattern formed with her light blue mana appeared over her hand. It started small but multiplied and compounded until it was covering the upper third of her while she kept her hand outward.

"Perhaps the easiness of my life lately will make this version of you that was moping around once I arrived evenly matched," she taunted.

Quinn’s eyes widened and there was a particular glint. He rushed forward to Leonor, deciding to get her at a closer distance than he normally liked to fight. She was like a sister in the way that she prodded him with mere words.

His mana crashed into hers and became too much for the thinner tip of her shield and she had to let it go, ducking instead and moving away.

She felt heavier on her feet than she used to but she was determined not to let her lack of mobility and stamina be the reason she was defeated that day.

They went back and forth with different forms of magic, though mostly relying on their main mana category as always.

One thing that always worried her about Quinn’s attacks was his desire to try and singe her hair because it was the point in her defenses he normally attacked the most.

However, she should have known that his upward attacks were a feint.

He used enchanting magic to disturb the ground at her feet and Leonor tripped, falling flat on her bottom but still managing to keep her shield above her in case he decided to be even more brutal than that.

It was only then that she realized a few students had gathered to watch the two of them spar.