Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 494: He Is Already Strong

Chapter 494: He Is Already Strong

[He did go through a lot. If I was the Duke, I would execute those two on this very day. They kept glancing at each other meaningfully even though he was right there.]

Ferdinand glanced at Dimo right when a teardrop fell from the corner of his eye.

[He’s crying even in his sleep?]

He gently dried it with his thumb and quickly withdrew it when he realized what he had just done.

[What’s with that feeling?! I suddenly felt like I wanted to protect him and all that.]

’He couldn’t help but sympathize with Dimo as well.’

Arabella smiled at the look on her husband’s face. His protective instincts were getting triggered, and she wondered why it was even a surprise for him.

"That’s a normal feeling. You may have only felt that kind of protective instinct towards the younger generation of your kind before. But now, you are in a human body so it’s natural to feel it for human children as well."

[Right. I did begin to feel a lot of things again when I began living in this body.]

"That’s how people usually feel when they see a child going through so much. Even if the child is completely unrelated. It’s being compassionate. I don’t know what went wrong with Sonia and the Head Butler... Ah, they did feel guilty earlier. But they were still set on their plans. They believe it’s for Brent and Monica’s future."

"I see. Sacrificing one for the others. But I don’t think their situation required them to go that far."

"Yes. They could have solved it in another way without making this child suffer. Rather, they shouldn’t have fooled the Duke in the first place," Arabella gently petted Dimo’s hair.

[Why could she do it so easily? She’s used to children?]

"Want to try?" Arabella invited him since he looked so curious.

Ferdinand extended his hand but stopped midway again.

"What if he wakes up? Raymond said children who were disturbed from their sleep are moody."

"They are. But if you do it gently, he won’t wake up. Children like getting petted like this or rubbed on their backs. It helps them sleep," Arabella encouraged.

Ferdinand gulped and tried with just the tip of his fingers barely touching Dimo’s hair as if he would crumble at the lightest touch.

"Do it with your whole hand or just your fingers or palm. But don’t put any weight or pressure," she instructed.

Ferdinand experimentally did it ever so lightly until he was a bit more comfortable in doing it.

"Want to try rubbing his back too? Like this," Arabella demonstrated. "Children usually get comforted when you rub their back while they are crying."

[I see. Even I felt so good and relaxed when Arabella rubbed my back.]

’Right. I’ve done this to him, and he sounded like he was purring.’

Ferdinand was more confident to try this time. He gently rubbed Dimo’s back without much encouragement.

[His body is so tiny. I can feel his small bones.]

He recalled Raymart and Alice who were even smaller and thought he didn’t want to hold them ever again. He was so stiff when he tried carrying Raymart on his lap last time.

[What if I accidentally hurt them with the least bit of pressure?] Ferdinand shook his head at the thought and retracted his hand.

"Won’t you get exhausted like this?"

He asked since Arabella was facing sideways to accommodate Dimo and was supporting some of his weight with her body.

"I will. But it’s alright. He is not heavy. And watching him sleep so soundly is already a worthwhile reward. Look at him, isn’t he adorable even asleep?" Arabella smiled.

"He is."

[But also small, fragile, and weak.]

"He may be weak for now, but he will grow strong and resilient someday."

"You sound so sure," Ferdinand noted.

"I do. After all, he did not give up on life and kept escaping even when he was beaten up so much. He wanted to survive and meet his father. That alone makes him strong and courageous. Children usually fear the darkness. Even adults do. But he conquered that fear and ran as far as he could and reached that road, so we met him."

And because of that tenacity, they were able to meet Dimo and help him. Now, they succeeded in taking him away from danger and letting him study magic.

Hopefully, in the coming days, what they would see would be his smiles and laughter, not his fearful tear-stained eyes and trembling body.

"Ah, indeed. He is quite a spirited child."

[It’s like going to battle despite being blind. He had that much courage and determination. Hmm... Maybe he would make a good swordsman. Should I train him?]

"No. He’s better suited as a magician," Arabella contradicted.

Dimo was already very much interested in magic.

"It doesn’t hurt to learn both," Ferdinand pointed out.

’Ah, Dimo did train with weapons too for instances when he ran out of mana and magic items.’

"Right. But maybe, with a light sword or other weapons."

As far as she could recall, Dimo only used lightweight weapons. Two small swords, daggers, and knives. He was more focused on his magic abilities and those weapons were only for last resort in dire situations.

"Hmm, if it’s light weapons, the others can teach him instead. I usually use heavy weapons if I need to use one."

"Right," she wondered if he was bragging or simply stating a fact. But since it was Ferdinand, it was probably both. He’s always so confident with his fighting abilities and strength but it cannot be refuted since it was the truth.

She recalled Alwin saying that Ferdinand taught Fermin swordsmanship. No wonder their son grew proficient with it at a young age.

’How excited was Ferdinand to teach him?’

She hoped to see it with her own eyes someday. But it could wait. For now, she’s simply glad that she’s assured Fermin would be born as their son no matter what.

That was more than enough of an assurance for her, so she no longer gets sad when she recalls him.

She could look forward to the future and think that she doesn’t have to worry since they would surely meet someday and be able to hold him in her arms too.