Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 41: First Stroll Together

Chapter 41: First Stroll Together

Arabella was beginning to feel sleepy when she suddenly heard thoughts in her head.

[His Majesty?!]

It was Rendell.

[What is His Majesty doing here? The Imperial Physician said to let the Empress rest.]

’Huh? Why would Ferdinand come here even after what the doctor said? Not that we are doing anything. But everyone would misunderstand it and think he still insisted to sleep with me even when I was told to rest. It would further mar his not-so-good reputation.’

"Your Majesty, the doctor said-" Rendell was cut off.

"Shh. Keep it down. I just want to see my wife. I won’t do anything. How dare you block me?!" Ferdinand hissed. He was speaking in a low voice for some reason.

"My apologies, Your Majesty," Rendell also spoke in a low voice.

Arabella sat up and stared at the door waiting for Ferdinand to enter but none came. Ferdinand’s thoughts kept flooding her instead.

[She must be asleep by now. I just want to sleep beside her. But would it be fine? What if she’s still awake and she kicks me out? She spoke with Alwin and Raymond about divorce after all.]

Ferdinand concluded she had never told him about it before but it was why she always pretended to be asleep when he visited her room. That she did not want to consummate because she was planning to ask for a divorce.

[What if she confronted me about it tonight? How should I respond? I don’t want to respond at all. We just got married. How can I possibly allow her to leave me? No. I won’t ever let her leave. But what if she insists?]

Arabella could tell he was pacing outside her room.

[Why doesn’t His Majesty go inside? Should I open the door for him?] Rendell was getting confused by his lord’s behavior.

Arabella waited for Ferdinand to come in but an hour passed and nothing. He just kept pacing outside her door and hesitating.

He wanted to sleep beside her but was scared she would ask him for a divorce tonight so he kept stopping himself from opening the door.

[I’ll just tell her divorce is not possible. It never happened to former Valerian rulers after all. It’s a valid excuse. I can’t possibly tell her I just don’t want to let her go. Yes, that’s right. I’ll just tell her about the past rulers.]

The doorknob turned but the door did not open.

[WAIT! What if she still insists even if I tell her about the former rulers? Wouldn’t she hate me even more if I kept saying no? But I don’t want to part with her. Why should I say yes?]

"Rendell, do you think my wife will ask for a divorce tonight?"

"Uhm, please pardon me but there’s no way I could tell what the Empress is thinking about, Your Majesty."

"But your instincts had always been on point, Rendell. Just try to make a guess."

"Then, I believe Her Majesty will not."

"Why do you think so?"

"Her Majesty never spoke about it with her personal maid from Lobelius. If the Empress truly planned to ask for a divorce, she would have talked about it with her maid so the latter could make preparations or send letters but she didn’t. The maid was as shocked as we were when Her Majesty mentioned divorce."

’Oh, Rendell’s surprisingly deep. He just keeps quiet all the time so it’s rare to hear his thoughts or listen to him talk,’ Arabella perked up to listen more since they keep lowering their voice.

"I believe what His Excellency (Prime Minister Raymond) said is possible. Her Majesty could have just been irritated by His Eminence (Alwin) so she spoke about divorce. But when she was speaking with His Excellency, Her Majesty was asking to be taught about her duties as an Empress."

’Nice, Raymond! I’ll go with that story. I was pondering about how to make a reason about this and yet you already made one,’ Arabella smirked. She would stick to what Raymond said.

"I see. That’s right. Well done, Rendell. You don’t have to guard tonight. Go home and rest."

[But the physician said to let Her Majesty rest. Ah, well. If Her Majesty faints again, His Majesty only has himself to blame.]

Even Rendell doesn’t know they have not consummated yet since Ferdinand usually sends him away when he sleeps in her room and summons him once he leaves.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Rendell obeyed and left.

But Ferdinand still did not enter her room. He hesitated again once Rendell was gone until he concluded he would guard her door instead. He thought of waiting until midnight before entering her room so she would surely be asleep.

’His court would go crazy if they knew their Emperor tried to guard my door.’

Arabella sighed. She could hear Ferdinand’s thoughts anyway and wouldn’t be able to sleep if he stands by her door till midnight so, she decided to go for a walk.

"My lady?!" Ferdinand was surprised when she opened the door. He was so distracted with his thoughts about divorce that he did not hear her movement. "Why are you not asleep yet?"

"I wanted to take a walk. Why are you here, Your Majesty?"

[What should I say?!! I can’t tell her I wanted to sleep in her room again after what the doctor said. I was planning to enter once she was asleep and leave the room before she wakes up.]

"I, I was taking a walk and decided to pass by here. Shall we go together?"

"Alright."

Ferdinand escorted her to the garden.

It was bright because of the full moon so she could still adore the flowers. But the bright full moon in a sky full of stars was even prettier.

"The moon and the stars are so pretty tonight," Arabella gazed at the night sky. It had been a while since she last adored it.

"Yes. So pretty," Ferdinand replied and Arabella was surprised. He actually knew to adore sceneries too. (She didn’t notice Ferdinand was looking at her, not the night sky.)

There’s so much she needed to learn about Ferdinand so her misconceptions from the past would be clarified.

She closed her eyes and inhaled. The cold night breeze was fragrant with the scent of flowers.

It was perfect for the beautiful night sky.

Who would have thought a time like this would come?

That she would one day adore the night sky with Ferdinand in a garden filled with flowers.

They have never done it before in her previous life. Because they often only met at night in her chambers. They only met in the morning for official reasons.

Perhaps it was one of the reasons their marriage did not work out.

They needed some time together to act more like a couple just as she did with Andrew and Icarus where they had dates and tea parties instead of just sleeping together.

If they do, maybe she could love Ferdinand again and reciprocate his feelings.

Since she had decided to live with him again in this life and atone for her sins, she cannot do it half-heartedly.

She has to take responsibility for agreeing to be his wife again.

But it scares her that she may have a change of heart and revert to tormenting him if someday she forgets all about the past.

She has to do her best to fall in love with him again so she wouldn’t end up repeating her mistakes even if one day, she forgets about her previous life or what she learned from her dreams.

[She’s so beautiful. The moonlight is making her skin glow differently than it does in the morning and makes her even more striking. She looks like a celestial nymph. It was no wonder so many men wanted to marry her. I’m so lucky to be her husband.]

Arabella flinched upon hearing Ferdinand’s thoughts.

’Had he been staring this whole time?’

She did her best not to look in his direction.

[She’s a human but sometimes I wonder if she’s an elf or nymph. Maybe she had some of their blood in her? She’s the prettiest human I have ever met. No. She’s the most beautiful lady ever. I don’t recall seeing someone this pretty in Estrella either.]

’He thinks that highly of me?’

Arabella couldn’t help but turn to look at him and he was truly staring at her.

[Her amber eyes are so beautiful too. They look so warm and gentle. Especially when I first met her. Her eyes shined like warm gold or the sunshine in summer when she laughs or smiles.]

Ferdinand just kept gazing at her even when she turned to look. Arabella couldn’t take it anymore and looked away.

[?!! Does she not like looking at me? Ah, right. Of course. She preferred beautiful men. I’m too tall and muscular to be her type. She’s visibly scared of me. Why didn’t I have a body like Alwin’s?]

’He is insecure?!’

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A/N:

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