Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 43: The Words He Longed For in Two Lifetimes

Chapter 43: The Words He Longed For in Two Lifetimes

"Thank you. If anyone else disrespects or does anything unpleasant to you, please tell immediately."

[She forgives so easily? Right, she’s a gentle person. But it would be dangerous if she were this forgiving to others too. I have to remind Rendell to always be watchful. I will punish anyone who disrespects her. I don’t want her to suffer here more than she already does.]

’Suffer? What does he mean?’

[I had been too selfish and just wanted her to be mine. But now that she’s my wife, her heart aches for the love I unintentionally broke apart. Can I really call her mine like this? Aren’t I just making her suffer by my side? And yet, still, even if I know it, I don’t want her to go to another man. I still want her for myself. . . But she was crying a lot in her sleep. Does she hate staying here that much? Should I suck it up and let her go?] Ferdinand was very much conflicted.

’I see. He’s worried because of everything I have told Alwin and Raymond.’

She had to clarify this now before the misunderstandings get worse.

Arabella took a deep breath and Ferdinand flinched.

[She wouldn’t ask me about the divorce tonight, right?! Should I leave before she says it?!]

"Uhm, Ferdinand," she held his hand so he wouldn’t escape. He nervously gulped. "They must have told you I talked about divor-"

Ferdinand covered her mouth with his palm.

"Don’t say it! I don’t want to hear it," Ferdinand was wide-eyed and in a panic.

[I don’t want to let her go, after all. I won’t let her ask me for a divorce! I’ll head to the borders now if I have to. I’ll summon Alwin and-]

Arabella held both of his hands so he could not rub the summoning ring to call Alwin over. He was planning to be teleported away from her this instant.

But when she tried to speak again, Ferdinand kissed her instead to stop her from talking since his hands were occupied.

[I WON’T LISTEN TO IT. I won’t let her ask for a divorce.]

"Hmpf."

’He is going to the wrong conclusions.’

Arabella pulled away, cupped his face with both hands, and quickly said, "I won’t ask for a divorce."

[!!!]

"Y-you won’t?"

[Is she telling the truth?]

"I won’t."

"R-really?" Ferdinand was fearful and doubtful.

"Yes. We are already married so it would be difficult to get a divorce now. Things will get complicated. I just got irritated last time so I ended up saying it to provoke Alwin. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it."

[She didn’t mean it?!!]

"Then, you really won’t ask for a divorce?" Ferdinand repeated and eyed her so closely.

"I won’t. I am your wife now so I will do my best to move on from my former lover going forward. I’ll be in your care from now on. I will do my best as your wife. Please take good care of me, Ferdinand," Arabella smiled.

[Am I dreaming?!!]

Ferdinand was wide-eyed and gawked at her.

He blinked repeatedly and rubbed his eyes as if trying to ensure he was awake and this wasn’t a dream.

He even cupped her face and caressed her cheeks as if to make sure she was truly there.

It was rather cute to see the scary Ferdinand this flustered.

Arabella smiled again and Ferdinand wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Thank you! I mean it. Thank you very much! I will do my very best to take good care of you."

’He is trembling?!! Is he crying?!’

[I’m so happy. What’s this feeling? This overwhelming relief and joy. It’s washing away all the pain I had been feeling. She said she’s my wife now. She would forget about her former lover! I just want to keep holding her in my arms like this for all eternity and never let go. . .

[I’ve never felt like this before. Why does it feel like I have been waiting all my life to hear these words from her lips? As if I had always been waiting for her to say such words to me for so, so long even before I met her. Like I have lost her before, and now she’s back, and finally saying she’s going to be mine. My wife. . . My beloved. . . ]

Ferdinand was so elated that his thoughts were a jumble.

His joy was making her feel embarrassed but she let him be.

’Could he have carried over his feelings from our previous life?! Is it the reason why he is so much more intense than he was before?’

Listening to his thoughts, it was as if his former feelings remained even when he doesn’t remember the past.

Now she understood why the times he slept in her room, he craved and lusted for her so much like he had already held her before and was dying to hold her again to satisfy an unsatisfied longing.

A painful longing that was not given any attention in the past, for so, so long.

Arabella wrapped her arms around him and gently rubbed his back.

’I’m sorry for everything. I will do my best to be a good wife to you in this life.’

The former Ferdinand forgave all her misdeeds after all. Even when it led to his death. He still loved her and wished for her to be his wife.

And right now, he was crying and trembling without even realizing it. He was just so relieved she wouldn’t leave his side.

The promise to move on from her former love elated him.

[I wish you could forget about your former lover soon. I look forward to the day when I am what your beautiful eyes see. I want to see these eyes brighten again someday. I want to be the one to occupy your mind. Even your dreams.]

Ferdinand gently caressed her cheeks and kissed her before embracing her again.

He hugged her for so long until he finally calmed down and felt so embarrassed when he realized he just cried in front of her.

"This . . . I was just . . .I don’t usually. . ." He didn’t know what to say as he quickly dried his tears.

[Would she think of me less now? How could I cry right in front of her when she was finally thinking of me as her husband?! I don’t even remember the last time I cried in my entire life. Did I ever even cry before?]