Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 123: Take the Risk

Chapter 123: Take the Risk

Alwin explained that Esmeralda was the reason for Mt. Esme’s former lush forest and fertile lands. Thus, she was worshipped as Safiro Tribe’s guardian deity.

"Esmeralda had probably shown herself to the ancestors of the Safiro Tribe. This was why they prohibited cutting her tree and was then labeled as a sacred tree by the following generations and worshipped as their guardian deity."

Arabella nodded her head as Alwin explained.

[Is she believing it or does she think I’m spouting nonsense?] Alwin raised a brow.

"So you are saying that the Goddess Esmeralda that Nadia talked about was a dryad and was also the one who helped Nadia and her people not to be fully controlled by Count Dempsey’s magician?" Arabella asked to show Alwin she was listening attentively.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Alwin explained that the magician knew about the dryad’s existence and ensured she would not be able to recover after the forest was destroyed. Thus, she had no choice but to remain asleep or else she would die easily in the state Mt. Esme was in.

"Mt. Esme and the lands of Safiro were put under a curse so they would not grow back and recover. It was why it remained barren for years without a single bud or sprout appearing anywhere."

Alwin finally told her that they sensed the presence of the nymph when they visited this morning and she was weak and dying but would recover with some mana.

"She’s dying? Then shouldn’t you go and help her as soon as possible?" Arabella asked to show them she was open and accepting of the idea and that she could also sympathize with the other races.

"!!!"

They were all wide-eyed and glanced at each other.

[She’s just going to accept everything I said as a fact? And she’s even sympathizing with the dryad now? She truly just believes what people tell her, doesn’t she? But I guess this works in our favor. I just have to make sure suspicious people don’t get close to her.]

Alwin was horrified that she just believed his words with a bit of explanation.

But if she acted difficult to persuade about it, they might decide to keep their identities from her. Alwin was one difficult being to please.

If she denied the existence of other races or if she asked a lot of questions, he would probably think she was closed-minded.

[Her Majesty is quite unique. Even Clarisse didn’t believe me when I first told her about my identity. But Her Majesty believed in what Alwin said so easily. If Her Majesty sympathizes with a dryad she doesn’t even know, then soon, maybe His Majesty can also reveal his identity to her.]

’Oh, Clarisse knows about Raymond’s identity.’

Arabella felt envious. Raymond was honest with his wife. Now she wondered why Ferdinand didn’t tell her in the past.

Since she loved him before, if he had told her, she would have been able to accept his identity even if she would have gotten shocked and scared at first. But she would have accepted him still because she loved him then. And they had Fermin.

Or did he think she never loved him? Did he think she had always been in love with Andrew?

She glanced at Ferdinand and their eyes met. He stared at her.

[She doesn’t think of us as monsters so it’s alright for us to suffer? Would she not be terrified if she saw my real appearance? Would she not think she had married a monster? Would she still want to have a child with me? Will she not kill herself after knowing she had married a dragon? The source of all sorts of evil in humans’ eyes.]

’Kill myself? What is he talking about? Why would I kill myself because I married a dragon?’

Ah, right. Other humans would have done so. But Arabella had a glance of Estrella in her past life and Ferdinand didn’t look like he was a monster at all. He didn’t have a lair but a palace instead. And he loved her so much to not wish to part with her even after she died and all the wrongs she had committed.

If she didn’t get the chance to see those and learn of the truth, she might indeed fear Ferdinand and choose death rather than remain married to a monster who could eat or burn her when he was in the mood. After all, that was how she would have thought if she didn’t live with him for so long to know he also had a weakness. And that he also lived like a human. He was different but also alike.

[If she got pregnant with my child, will she not refer to our child as an abomination and rid herself of it?] Ferdinand thought and Arabella glanced at her dress to hide her shock at such a thought.

’Why would he think that?! I would never hurt my child. Even in the case that I’m afraid of a dragon, I won’t get rid of my child because he was the father. It’s still my child so I wouldn’t do such a thing.’

She wondered where Ferdinand got such ideas from. Did someone he knew experience it?

[Maybe, His Majesty should also inform Her Majesty about Estrella and his true identity before getting her pregnant. Just like Clarisse. Clarisse got terrified of me after learning I was a dragon but after a long explanation, bringing her to Estrella, showing her my true form, and showing her that I am not violent just as human myths and legends have said, she soon calmed down and learned to accept me. If Her Majesty is this accepting of other beings different from humans, maybe she wouldn’t be as terrified as Clarisse was when she learned I was a dragon. I formerly thought my wife would divorce me but she didn’t and was grateful I told her everything even at the risk of her hating me. Perhaps, milord should also take the risk.]

’Oh, so Raymond is also a dragon.’

Arabella got even more envious that Raymond had been so honest with his wife. She wished Ferdinand would be honest with her too and tell her the truth about his identity soon.

’Yes please, Raymond. Advise Ferdinand that he should be honest with me,’ Arabella hoped and prayed the day would come soon when Ferdinand tells her the truth.