Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 305: Simply A Means To An End

Chapter 305: Simply A Means To An End

Since King Neville was the Head of the Council, he and his family met with delegations from other continents.

Lucille could have gotten acquainted with someone from Fynnia or Griffith through such meetings.

Perhaps, someone from them egged Lucille on and made her envy and jealousy over Arabella get worse. Until Lucille reached a boiling point and ended up trying to assassinate her.

Arabella had done this to a pest to her plans in her previous life. What if there was someone who had the same kind of mindset and did this method too?

And the ultimate goal was not only to kill Arabella.

Her death was simply a means to an end.

The real goal was to make Ferdinand disagree with joining the Council and cause chaos and distrust among Council members.

Moreover, Valeria would not take this sitting down.

They were invited to the Assembly by none other than King Neville himself. And yet his daughter attempted to kill Arabella.

It was a great insult to Ferdinand and Valeria as a whole.

They could interpret it as the Council looking down on them. It could even be interpreted as the Council working together in trying to eliminate Ferdinand which was why he was invited here.

This was more than enough reason for the Ministers to agree with a declaration of war.

’If this is the case, Eliora would be divided. We will be caught unprepared and fighting among ourselves when Fynnia or Griffith attacks!’

Arabella was horrified when she realized the possibility.

[She turned pale!]

"Are you alright? Do you feel pain anywhere?" Ferdinand was alarmed.

"I’m fine. I was just wondering over her reasons to go this far," Arabella sighed. She hoped she was just overthinking things because of her past life as a villainess.

[Right. She must be sad and hurt that her friend betrayed her twice. And this time, it was way worst than the first. It seems that princess got impatient after her previous plot to ruin my wife’s reputation completely failed.]

"Did you have any disagreement with your friends before this?" Ferdinand inquired.

[One tried to seduce me and another tried to kill her. It seems she cannot trust her own circle. Did they just stick together because of their status?]

Her husband was becoming more wary of her "friends." He wondered if the other three could be trusted or not.

[I guess, I have to get her other friends secretly investigated so they won’t be able to try to harm her as well in case they did not really get along.]

’I also think that’s the best action to take for now. My marriage with Ferdinand is more dangerous than it looks. I did not realize it before, but being his wife was too risky yet powerful at the same time.’

In her past life, her friends were not used against her and Ferdinand because she did not meet them again. But this time, Arabella, her friends, and even her family could be in danger of being used to manipulate or at least affect Ferdinand’s decisions.

This was the perk of marrying an extremely powerful man that held sway over a whole continent’s military power.

After all, Ferdinand’s decision to join the Council or not highly affected whether Fynnia or Griffith would win a war against Eliora.

"I don’t think so. We didn’t have a fight. Ah, but I did tell Lucille off when she ’accidentally’ leaked that I was going to have a tea party with them when Julia was the host. But I don’t think that’s enough reason for her to go this far. Can I go with you when you interrogate Risa today?"

’I need to learn directly from her thoughts. What if Lucille already had other plans? She must have gotten suspicious of Beth so she did not use her again and used her own maid instead. I need to know if she had met with someone from Fynnia or Griffith.’

"It’s dangerous. Please let us take care of this," Ferdinand didn’t want to expose her to danger.

"You and Rendell would be there with me, right? What’s there to fear when you have already imprisoned her? I just want to see the guilt on her face. Wouldn’t she feel scared and guilty once she sees me? It would be apparent on her face," Arabella pointed out.

[Hmm. That’s true. I would also be able to sense if she regards my wife with malice or animosity.]

"Alright then. But are you sure you would be alright? What if she screamed unpleasant words at you?" Ferdinand was worried Arabella would not be able to take it.

"Then we would have reason to punish her even if she doesn’t admit to her crimes," Arabella grinned and her husband was surprised.

[Insulting royalty would indeed be another reason for punishment but I don’t want her to listen to unpleasant things.]

"Don’t worry. I’m used to listening to all sorts of things," Arabella smiled, and yet her husband had an even more worried expression instead.

[She’s used to it?! She had been listening to all sorts of negative things and just bear with it all?!]

Her husband didn’t like it. He did not want her to suffer in silence.

’I meant due to my ability,’ but Arabella did hear all sorts of terrible things in her previous life too.

[I have to make sure the negative rumors in Valeria stop before we return. Raymond said the rumors are gradually stopping when he revealed Clarisse was pregnant. Her assistants’ families are also helping. But I have to make stricter actions so she would not hear bad words and rumors about her even there. We would have to live in Valeria for several years to a few decades. I have to ensure she won’t suffer there as well.]

Arabella couldn’t help but smile at her husband’s thoughts.

"You are with me, so I will be alright," Arabella beamed and her husband’s ears turned red.

[She’s relying on me?!]

’I have been relying on you for a while now. Geez. When will he realize it? How come he still thinks I’m not relying on him enough?’

"I see. I will protect you at all costs so please be rest assured," Ferdinand held her hand.

"Thank you."