Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 202: Let Me In on Important Matters [Bonus - ]

Chapter 202: Let Me In on Important Matters [Bonus Chapter]

Ferdinand ended up apologizing since the Valerians were his people. He felt bad that his wife was getting rumored like this here.

After all, Arabella was loved by the people in Lobelius. Rumors like this about her did not flourish there.

But she’s the Empress here now, Valerians were her people too.

Meaning, she should also help in managing people who spread gossip like this. And she just recalled there was something she could use for a situation like this.

’Right. I can use them.’

Arabella recalled the publishing company she worked with in her previous life. They had gone bankrupt and were in dire straights then.

She helped them out of their debts in exchange for working solely for her. She had hired them to control the spread of information in Valeria. They used facts and rumors alike to worsen the discontent of the people and intensify the civil war.

They were just the people she needed now. She used them for evil before, but she could use them for a good cause instead.

Arabella noted to meet with them after the Assembly in Medeus.

She planned to have the information about her hired assistants published so everyone would know she hired them for their abilities and not for their looks or their bodies. It just happened that they all had good looks since they maintained their appearances well.

It would have been fine if the rumors said that she was already picking the side of the most prestigious houses since it was true she chose seven of her assistants from them. But having an affair or a harem was a big no.

She cannot allow her reputation to go downhill when her goals this time were different.

In her previous life, after her son died, she didn’t care about all the negative rumors about her. She simply let it all pass.

But this time, she cannot let rumors overshadow what she wanted to do. She cannot implicate Ferdinand as well or make her future children suffer because of a bad reputation.

Ferdinand already had a dark one. She didn’t need to be the Dark Empress too just because her husband was said to be the Dark Emperor. And her husband was mainly just misunderstood.

. . .

Because of the rumors, Ferdinand asked to meet her other assistants since he hadn’t had the chance to see everyone yet. So far, he had only met Odette, Nadia, and Ivan.

Arabella then invited her husband to her office and he was horrified to see there was some truth to the rumors.

[Why are most of them, men?! I thought at least half, were ladies.]

Arabella’s male assistants tensed up when Ferdinand eyed them one by one.

All of them had turned pale and didn’t dare make a sound since it was clear Ferdinand was not in a merry mood. He had a dark aura about him.

[And they seem to be her type too. Except for Walter’s grandson and that one, who resembled Duke Vertus. Must be his son.]

Arabella almost massaged her temples from a headache.

How could she disprove the rumors when even her husband thinks her assistants were her type?

Walter and Egbert had bigger builds than the others since they were supposed to be knights but chose to be officials in Riva instead. This was why Ferdinand thought they were not Arabella’s types.

’I don’t even have a specific type. I only fell for Andrew before because he treated me so well.’

Ferdinand’s eyes lingered on Ronald and Norbert the most since they were the most attractive among her male assistants.

’Geez. Didn’t I already tell him that I liked his body? Did he not believe it again?’

Arabella introduced her assistants one by one in order to ease the tension.

She looped her arm around Ferdinand’s shortly after and invited him for tea so her assistants could breathe again.

"You didn’t have to scare them like that," Arabella scolded once they were alone.

"I was just looking at them," Ferdinand reasoned.

"Yes. With a frown and your aura screaming of danger," she pointed out and he looked away.

[I should have specified that all her assistants should be women.] Ferdinand thought.

"Do you also believe I have built my own harem?"

"No! Of course not. I was just worried they would try to seduce you. You are young and almost the same age as they were," Ferdinand quickly said as Arabella was glaring at him.

Arabella sighed and looped her arms around her husband’s neck.

"Ferdinand, look at me," she instructed and he obediently did.

"I hired assistants because I wanted to be able to support you as the Empress," she began and Ferdinand was touched to know she did it for his sake.

"As you can see, with all the rumors going around, I am nothing but a pretty face. People don’t think much of me. Rumors always pop up here and there. But I at least want you to think of me differently. Please trust in me even for a bit."

Ferdinand was wide-eyed at this and was about to apologize but she covered his lips with her hand.

"You don’t have to apologize. It’s not your fault. I haven’t done anything to prove my worth yet so people had nothing else to talk about. I may not be able to do much but I need to show everyone I am trying to do my best too. So please let me work in peace with my assistants. They are not your rivals but your comrades. Can you think about it this way?"

Ferdinand was silent for a few seconds before giving his reply.

"Alright. But still, please be careful."

[I don’t want you falling for any one of them instead of me.]

"I will. And you have nothing to worry about since in this life, you are the only husband for me," Arabella said and Ferdinand kissed her happily.

"I’m so sorry I made you feel bad. It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s all because I think of all sorts of things and worry too much."

[I always fear other men would steal you away from me.]

"Then don’t think too much about everything."

"I will try."

It was an honest reply. He wasn’t promising he wouldn’t since he wasn’t sure he would not overthink again.

"And, can you please stop hiding secrets from me? Can you at least let me in on important matters?" Arabella asked and Ferdinand froze.