Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress -
Chapter 29: Savior
Chapter 29: Savior
Arabella thought they were doomed for sure. She thought she would die then and there with her nights.
However, she was just about to be attacked by one of the monsters when someone suddenly appeared in front of her and sliced up the monster with one attack as if it was something so easy to kill when her knights had so much difficulty.
The next instant, she was in his arms and he carried her away from the carnage as his two companions eliminated all the remaining monsters.
That person was Sir Elmir, a knight of the Hazania Kingdom.
Hazania was a kingdom between Lobelius and Medeus so Arabella and her knights had to pass through it as they headed home.
So why did Alwin suddenly have the knight’s appearance?!
"His Majesty first met you in this appearance," Alwin said in Sir Elmir’s voice.
"What?! How could that be?!" Arabella frowned in confusion as Alwin reverted to his real self.
"His Majesty went hunting on Mt. Callion that day because he heard about strong monsters appearing there. He was bored in the palace so I teleported him to Hazania. I was the one you met as Zion."
Mt. Callion is the largest mountain in Hazania and was said to be occupied by a lot of rare beasts because of the thick forest that was rarely visited by hunters. The beasts are afraid of humans though so they never left the forest. As such the roads and towns near it were supposed to be safe.
Arabella gasped as Alwin changed appearance once again and transformed into Sir Zion, one of Sir Elmir’s companions.
"And I was Rowan," Raymond’s appearance also changed when Alwin flicked his finger. Sir Rowan was another companion of Sir Elmir.
"You are saying the three knights who saved me and my companions that day were the three of you?!" Arabella was dumbfounded. It was hard to believe but how else would Alwin and Raymond know about it if it wasn’t them?
"Yes, Your Majesty. We were in disguise as knights of Hazania at the time since we couldn’t reveal our real identity. It would be a huge uproar if people hear the Emperor of Valeria was out there hunting monsters."
Raymond explained that after the assembly with the Council which he had also joined, he met up with Alwin and Ferdinand since he wanted to make sure the Emperor do not overdo things and make a mess of Mt. Callion.
Ferdinand went on a killing spree of monsters so the weaker ones got terrified and run away.
However, after the three eliminated the last of the stronger monsters, they heard Arabella’s scream and the sound of the knights fighting with monsters and headed in their direction.
"We were rather surprised when His Majesty instantly rushed to your side and rescued you. He would usually just let Alwin take care of such matters but he rushed to your side before Alwin could even cast a spell. I remember His Majesty carried you in his arms until everything was over," Raymond smiled teasingly.
Arabella was embarrassed at the recollection. She was so scared then that she didn’t even notice she was in a lover’s carry in Sir Elmir’s arms.
Only when everything was over and her knights who were healed by Sir Zion came and stared, and her maid almost screamed at seeing her in a man’s arms did Arabella realize what was going on, and asked to be settled down.
But Sir Elmir said he could carry her until she was no longer scared.
Sir Rowan scolded Sir Elmir though and reminded the latter it was rude to keep carrying a lady without permission.
Arabella’s maid also scolded her and reiterated she should not allow a man to carry her, especially for such a long time.
"His Majesty still has your hairpin and the bracelet you gave him that day," Alwin revealed and Arabella was wide-eyed.
Arabella recalled, at the time, when her hairpin fell from her hair, Sir Elmir caught it and returned it to her. However, it was already broken so she handed it to her maid to throw away later.
Sir Elmir asked to keep the hairpin as a remembrance of her. She felt bad leaving him with a broken hairpin after he saved her life so she also gave him the bracelet she was wearing.
"His Majesty treasures them very much. Please look, they are still in his room protected by a spell so they wouldn’t get dirty or get old. My lord also asked me to cast spells against theft so no one else could touch them except for him."
A magic sphere suddenly appeared on the table. It showed a view of a table with an exquisite jewelry box with the Emperor’s crest. It was open but it was surrounded by a barrier.
Arabella gasped when she recognized the contents as the hairpin and bracelet she had given Sir Elmir. They looked as good as new.
"His Majesty used to always bring them with him but after they almost got damaged one time, he leaves them in his room instead," Raymond added.
Arabella and her knights were accompanied by Sir Elmir, Rowan, and Zion until they reached Lobelius.
She invited them to the palace to receive gifts as thanks for saving her and even escorting her home. But they refused, saying they have to return to their post as soon as possible.
However, in exchange for any sort of reward, Sir Elmir asked to be allowed to kiss her hand. She agreed since a kiss on the hand was not really a big deal.
Arabella was surprised when Elmir kissed the back of her hand and her inner wrist.
It was the first time someone ever kissed her inner wrists and his lips even lingered for a few seconds.
Her maid later said once they parted with the three; that Sir Elmir was always staring at Arabella so he must have fallen for her.
However, Arabella was used to getting stared at by both men and women wherever she went so she didn’t give it any special meaning.
Just like any other ladies her age, she did end up having a crush on Sir Elmir. She was fascinated by his strength and kindness.
But she soon got over it since she never saw him again.
Moreover, she was already in love with Andrew and was exchanging letters with him at the time. Andrew also got jealous of Sir Elmir when she told him about her savior so she didn’t mention the latter again.
Wait!
Arabella glanced at her right hand and stared at her inner wrist when she recalled something important.
In Valerian culture, a man can propose to a woman by kissing a lady’s inner wrist. It was usually accompanied by a kiss on the back of the hand.
In Valeria, it was a way to propose without having to say the words directly. She learned about it when she became the Empress and read books in the library when she was bored.
Arabella glanced at Alwin and Raymond.
Alwin looked relieved that she recalled.
Raymond smiled and nodded his head.
[Her Majesty remembered. I almost had a heart attack when the Emperor did that. It was easy to figure he had fallen for the Princess since he never cared about damsels in distress before. Alwin or whoever was with him could save whoever was in need of saving. Yet, he went and rushed to save the Princess. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her.]
Arabella blushed when she saw from Raymond’s thoughts how Sir Elmir, or rather Ferdinand, watched her every move.
Back then, she had also noticed Sir Elmir’s gazes but she didn’t mind since he was her savior. And she didn’t know he stared at her for so long.
Sir Elmir also had gentle features even though he didn’t smile. He wasn’t scary at all, unlike Ferdinand. Or perhaps, it was because he had saved her so she viewed them differently.
[We ended up escorting the Princess home too since he didn’t want to leave her. But suddenly proposing to the Princess at the front gate of Lobelius Kingdom, without any gifts or preparations was totally unacceptable. It was rude to the princess. Thankfully, she didn’t understand what the wrist kiss meant at the time and we were disguised too.]
"It was love at first sight for His Majesty. His kiss on your wrist was a promise of marriage. When we returned home, His Majesty had wanted to send a marriage proposal right away but I and the other ministers stopped him since we have to make preparations first."
Raymond told her how it took him and all the ministers to explain and stop Ferdinand from asking for marriage right away because they had to prepare the gifts first, the palace, and even the servants.
"His Majesty is an impatient person, but he waited for a year before sending his marriage proposal. He wanted to get married soon after the engagement too but he waited another year," Alwin added. "I may have not fallen in love yet, but I know His Majesty treasures you very much."
’S-so Ferdinand loves me?!’ Arabella covered her face with her palms.
Didn’t he just like her body? He just visited her chambers until she was pregnant and never paid attention to her. How could he be in love with her?
No. That was in her past life. She was basing everything in the past again.
WAIT. First and foremost, Sir Elmir, her savior, was Ferdinand?!
Doesn’t this mean . . . Sir Elmir in her previous life was also Ferdinand?
’I actually owed him my life?!’
Arabella was horrified at the discovery. ’So this means I was an ingrate and ruined the person who once saved my life?!!!’
"Thank you for becoming my wife," Ferdinand’s last words rang in her head and she shivered as she recalled the smile on his face before he died.
Arabella trembled and braced herself.
’I, I killed someone who saved me?!!!’
Her chest and head hurt so much at the realization.
Ferdinand was her savior?
Then, just what had she been doing all her life?
’I spent an entire decade plotting his downfall. He even died in my arms.’
She felt dizzy. It was getting hard to breath.
[Why did she turn so pale?]
[Her Majesty is trembling?]
"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Raymond’s voice sounded alarmed but she could barely hear their voices the as the last scenes she had witnessed of Valeria in flames and Ferdinand’s dying words and expression filled her mind.
Her vision blurred and darkened until everything blacked out. And once again, she was in the magic tower watching the capital of Valeria in flames.
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