Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 457: So Focused

Chapter 457: So Focused

Ferdinand teleported them to the dining hall where food was already prepared.

Arabella had asked Alfredo to prepare a hearty meal before she went and asked Ferdinand to eat. Due to the situation, she didn’t want him to waste time waiting when he was so busy and worried that he didn’t even go and see her.

"You’ve lost some weight," Ferdinand frowned and gently caressed her cheeks.

[How could she lose this much weight in the span of hours?]

’Hours? What does he mean?’

"I did? I didn’t notice," Arabella checked her hands, and she could not notice any difference. It was true though that she hasn’t had the appetite. She was worried about Alwin, and she was no longer used to eating alone for three meals a day. She had gotten used to eating with Ferdinand at least once a day.

[I must have made her feel lonely, leaving her like that without explaining what was happening.]

"How long has it been since I began searching for Alwin?" Ferdinand inquired.

[I was so focused that I didn’t notice anything else.]

’Oh, is that why he didn’t even go and see me once?’

"Five days and five nights," Arabella replied, and her husband was wide-eyed.

"T-that long?!" Ferdinand was horrified. "I thought it had only been a few hours."

[No wonder she had lost weight.]

’I see. He didn’t feel the passing of time.’

It only meant that was how much he was worried about Alwin.

"Arabella, I’m so sorry for leaving you all alone for days. It must have been terrible. I didn’t even tell you anything," Ferdinand kept apologizing.

"It’s alright. I heard it was about Alwin. I understand it was urgent and I am also worried about him so I was also hoping you would be able to locate him soon," Arabella gave him a peck. "Let’s eat before the food gets cold. You need to eat now since your human body hadn’t taken anything for days."

[She’s so understanding.]

"Thank you," Ferdinand kissed her breathless in front of Alfredo, Rendell, and Aletha.

Instead of getting embarrassed, Arabella kissed him back since she missed him a lot. They were nearby each other but they didn’t talk for days so it was as if they had been far apart.

Seeing his face this closely and being able to kiss and speak with him again felt so nice.

They had a meal together and Alfredo was rather relieved that she was eating well again. Rendell and Aletha too. They all noticed she didn’t have much appetite when she was eating alone.

It was a wonder for Arabella too. Not being able to speak with Ferdinand for days made the food she was eating not as delicious as it once even though the cooking and the chef were the same.

She still did her best to eat well so as not to worry Aletha, and likewise, to avoid making Alfredo think that the dishes he made were not good enough. But there was such a clear difference in her appetite when Ferdinand was there eating with her. The food tasted so much better too.

’Am I getting too attached?’ Arabella began to worry that she may be going too deep into this relationship. But then again, she did promise to be with Ferdinand for as long as possible. And she had been cultivating her feelings for him to further strengthen them so she would not waver. So, this was fine, right?

Once they were done with the meal, Arabella updated Ferdinand about work-related matters.

There were no pressing matters she could not deal with on her own so there was nothing to worry about.

"Oh, I took the liberty and used your seal for some documents that were urgent. Those were documents you had already approved and only needed some revisions last time, so some parts were redone and submitted again so I thought it was alright to stamp them."

Arabella realized she may have overstepped her bounds. Ferdinand loved her and all but using his seal to approve documents (without permission) as if he did it himself might be too much.

She was so focused on doing all the work that needed to be done that she simply did the work without giving much thought whether she should be doing it or not. It did not even cross her mind that it might not be alright.

She had been helping him with his workload before and he had allowed her to use his seal. But he had given her his seal himself during those times. Unlike now when she asked Rendell to bring it to her study.

Rendell did not say anything either nor thought it was bold or disrespectful of her so she forgot her bounds.

However...

"You did all this?!" Ferdinand furrowed his browse and Arabella froze.

’Is he angry about it after all?’ she prepared herself for the scolding.

"I’m so sorry. I won’t use your seal without permission again," Arabella quickly apologized. She knew she was in the wrong.

"That’s not what I meant. You can use my seal as much as you please. But all this work? You have done this much work all on your own?!" Ferdinand read the list of the work she did and browsed through the documents she had just finished earlier.

[No wonder she lost weight. She had been dealing with the workload of three people. And yet, she managed to do it all so well. There’s nothing I would like to have been revised. She’s so capable. No wonder Raymond said after training her that she would surely be a good Empress. He’s strict and had high standards when it comes to work but he had a lot of praise for her.]

’You think too highly of me. It’s just because I’m already used to this kind of work because I have been doing it for two decades.’

Arabella felt shy after hearing such thoughts from her husband.

"Rendell, fetch Rowan for me. Tell him he could continue his vacation later," Ferdinand instructed, and Rendell obediently left.

"Rowan? The one whom Raymond pretended to be when I first met the three of you?" Arabella inquired.

"Yes. He is second in command after Raymond. He’s almost as competent as Raymond so he can help you with the workload."

"I see. Thank you," Arabella sighed in relief.

"Why did you sigh like that?"

"I thought you would scold me because I just used your seal without permission," Arabella admitted.