Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 460: There Were More Injuries

Chapter 460: There Were More Injuries

[How did Her Majesty notice?! I tried to maintain my expression. Or did someone inform her about what that lady had been doing?]

’What?! So, this wasn’t the first time?’ Arabella fumed. Who would dare do this to her precious assistant?

"Ivan, who did this to you?" Arabella further inquired and Ivan gulped, fearing how he should reply. He hadn’t even answered her first question yet.

[What should I do?] Ivan bit his lips.

[Your Majesty, it’s clear with how he moved that he’s hurting a lot in most parts of his body. But the visible parts had no bruises to show any sign of injury. It was intentionally avoided so other people would not see it. But the slap on his cheeks seemed to have been inflicted just a few minutes ago. With how he’s hesitating to talk about it, he must have been threatened not to tell anyone.] Rendell thought. He knew Arabella would be able to hear his thoughts, so he answered her question since Ivan kept his mouth shut.

’What?! He is hurt that much?!’

Who would dare threaten someone working in the Imperial Palace and as her assistant at that? It meant it was someone powerful enough to not fear her wrath. Or was it because she wasn’t around? Did they think they would not be found out?

[If I tell her, my family could be harmed. But if I lied to Her Majesty, I could be executed along with my family as well.]

Ivan turned pale, not knowing what to do. It verified Raymond’s observation.

’Had all my assistants been bullied while I was gone? I thought they were doing well?’ Arabella glanced at Ronald, and he seemed to be fine. But he looked nervous.

[I just happened to see her slap him. Should I speak up or just wait for him to say it himself?] Ronald wondered. He decided to speak only when he was asked since Ivan seemed to have a reason for not saying who it was.

[Ronald would likely not say anything. The Reginalds are close with her family. If he said something against her, he could cause a rift between their families. And His Excellency is here too. She’s a close relative of his wife so he would likely protect her. He didn’t say anything earlier even though he clearly noticed she just made a reason on the spot.] Ivan thought.

’What’s that supposed to mean?’ she glanced at Ronald and Raymond, and they indeed didn’t seem like they would say who it was. They both pretended to be looking elsewhere when she glanced at them.

[Clarisse and Her Majesty had been on good terms, but I still don’t want to be the one to say it.]

Raymond was concerned that if Clarisse’s family would hear it was him, who let her know, their relationship might turn sour.

[You can hear me, right? Your Majesty? My apologies, I can’t say it. I brought Ivan Meyer here despite his state so you would have a clue about what happened, but I won’t mention the name myself. I’m sure you will still be able to learn who it was with your abilities.] Raymond glanced at her.

’I see,’ Arabella nodded. She understood it would be difficult for Raymond if Clarisse’s family became hostile to him. The same was true with Ronald, though he was willing to answer when asked directly.

No wonder whoever it was, had been so bold as to hurt her assistant.

Arabella realized that asking was not the right approach since Ivan was threatened with the lives of his family and the Reginalds were not willing to say it themselves because it was someone related to them.

"Ivan, stretch your hands forward," Arabella instructed, and Ivan did as he was told, still trying to maintain a poker face. But she could tell he was pained by the movement.

"Rendell," she said, and he knew what to do.

"Please excuse me," Rendell said and cut off the sleeves of Ivan’s clothes.

Arabella gasped at the sight that greeted her. Ivan’s arms were bandaged and there were even bloodstains on the bandages. It verified that he was indeed hurt a lot. She asked Ivan to open his upper garment and he was riddled with injuries there too.

’How could they do this?!!’ Arabella pursed her lips.

She had to do this in front of everyone to have them be the witnesses later that Ivan was indeed gravely injured.

Raymond and Ronald would have no choice but to say what they saw if they were questioned by Ferdinand himself later.

Even if it was someone from Ryvaleh, and someone close to the Reginalds, Arabella still had to punish whoever it was since they hurt Ivan this much.

"Ivan, is the one who inflicted those slap marks the same person who inflicted those injuries on your body?" Arabella asked.

[Her Majesty noticed I was threatened not to reveal who it was?] Ivan wide-eyed and thankful that she was no longer asking the specific identity. [If the question is like this, I’m not breaking my promise not to reveal who she was.]

"Yes, Your Majesty. The injuries were not directly done by her, but she instructed her people to beat me," Ivan replied to her this time.

[What?!!] Raymond and Ronald were both wide-eyed.

[She had instructed someone to beat him up too?! I thought it was someone else who inflicted those injuries that were noticeable when we walked earlier. There’s no helping her then. This is too much. What the hell was she thinking?] Raymond frowned.

[Narcissa was the one who caused all this?!! I noticed she seemed to have some issues with Ivan, but I didn’t think she would go this far. I thought they probably had fight earlier which was why she slapped him. I had been picked up the scent of blood on Ivan repeatedly and noticed that he had injuries. I simply thought he was still getting into fights just as he did in his former workplace. But it was all Narcissa’s doing? Why would she do this? No matter what, Ivan is still Her Majesty’s assistant and our workmate.] Ronald was horrified.

’It was NARCISSA?!!’ Arabella’s brows furrowed deeply. That was unexpected. She thought it wasn’t someone among her assistants who did this Ivan.