Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 316: You Can Shine Again

Chapter 316: You Can Shine Again

"Everything is not over yet. You still have a very promising future ahead of you. King Neville and Samuel will surely support you. Don’t you think it’s high time to grow out of your mother’s shadow and be in the limelight in the path of your choosing? Didn’t you say you wanted to be the best scholar in Obrusca, and even perhaps Eliora someday?"

Arabella gave a bit of a push. It was up to Lucille how she would interpret this.

"Why? Why are you saying this? Shouldn’t you be angry at me?" Lucille asked in confusion. She wondered if Arabella was stupid or simply naive.

"I was. I was furious and felt betrayed after learning you were the one who tried to set me up. I’m annoyed that you even worked with Carmella. I’m angry that you are using other people to commit crimes and terrible things. And I don’t like it that you are copying your mother," Arabella said and Lucille was wide-eyed.

"I will never-" Lucille paled when she realized Arabella was right. The way she had been acting was just like her mother’s.

[Did I have that obsessive and hateful look in my eyes too?!] She recalled the gaze she hated seeing in her mother’s eyes.

"The Lucille I used to know was so much brighter. She works hard to learn and do something she wanted and smiles dazzlingly when she accomplishes it. I liked that Lucille better. Your mother may be living in the past, but you shouldn’t be. Why won’t you show her what you can do? You can shine again. I’m sure, if it’s you, you can do it. Maybe, someday, you will even be able to wake your mother up to live in the present."

Arabella told Lucille that she didn’t need to do things alone. That she shouldn’t shoulder everything on her own.

Samuel was there ready to listen and support her.

Olive and Risa were loyal to her as well so she could share her emotions and thoughts with them. This way, she wouldn’t blow up.

And, King Neville loved his daughter very much. He did his best to elevate Obrusca so Lucille and his other children could live as they please without having to be married off to other nations. He wanted his children to get married to people of their choice and live much freer than he was.

"Speak with your father, I’m sure he would understand," Arabella smiled.

Lucille pondered about it. She knew her father was so much more understanding than everyone else. He chose to believe in her after all, even if all the pieces of evidence found by the team he, himself organized pointed at Risa, and thus, Lucille as the culprit of the assassination attempt.

"If he doesn’t, I don’t mind you blaming everything on me again. I didn’t know you liked me that much. I’ll let you chase after me again for a little bit more. But I’m not really interested in girls and I like my husband now so please don’t have any hopes," Arabella joked.

"Ugh. Gross. Excuse me, I was never into you," Lucille rolled her eyes. She was cheerful once again and her eyes looked so much brighter after crying so hard. She truly let out all her negative and rotting emotions that had accumulated for years.

Lucille did turn red in embarrassment as she realized she had even told Arabella about that part.

Lucille apologized for everything she had done and Arabella accepted.

They spoke some more and Arabella clarified all the things Lucille had been misunderstanding. She knew from experience how all these misunderstandings could turn for the worst. Thus, it was better to clarify it all here and now while they had the chance.

Moreover, it was better to ensure Lucille would not be her enemy from now on since Lucille could actually be really smart. She had simply become clouded and vain because of her mother’s negativity and the betrayal of the adults around her.

Hopefully, someday, Lucille would be able to show her mother that she could shine again despite becoming a laughingstock once or twice or even a lot of times.

One simply needed to rise again and prove everyone wrong. It was a difficult path, but it was better than watching from the sidelines wallowing about a past long gone and feeling bitter about everything one was not able to do.

Arabella only realized this in this life too. Thus, she at least wanted to give Lucille the chance to choose what path she would take.

To help Lucille understand, Arabella used herself as an example. When her engagement with Ferdinand was announced, there were those who pitied her. But there were a lot of people who laughed at what they thought was her misfortune.

Yet, what they thought was misfortune was a blessing instead. Now, everyone was trying to be on her good side since her marriage worked out well.

Thankfully, Lucille listened and decided to try. She recalled all the things she had wanted to do when she was a child. And she decided to do it all now regardless of what her mother said.

Lucille decided to confront her mother and clarify that she would not be her puppet anymore. She would live her own life from now on.

Arabella smiled contentedly. She felt a different sense of satisfaction after turning a supposed enemy into, not really a friend, but at least no longer an enemy.

Hopefully, this second chance would work out well for Lucille too.

If she becomes Arabella’s ally someday, then even better.

But for now, she was happy to have eliminated a snake from her list. Carmela was probably out of it too since Lucille said the former was terrified. Rendell seems to have scared off Carmela a lot.

Further, Arabella hoped Lucille would marry Samuel instead. He was so much better than Lucille’s husband in her past life. And it seems, there was indeed a chance that Lucille would choose Samuel.

Arabella smiled as she watched Lucille’s cheeks turn pink as she eyed Samuel and she met the latter’s gaze. Samuel checked on Lucille if she was alright. He was concerned due to her puffy eyes and almost touched her face but hid his hand behind his back instead.

Lucille glanced at Arabella when she realized she was right. Arabella gave an I-told-you-so smiled and Lucille turned red.