Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 500: More Plans

Chapter 500: More Plans

"I have heard about it since childhood and read official accounts and books about it. My family gets educated about all the wars that happen in Valeria because my grandfather and those before him were once the Grand Commander of the Imperial Knights.

"Moreover, Her Majesty can gather her own knights. We can enlist on it once she makes one so we can serve as her guards and likewise her assistants," Oscar explained, and Narcissa could no longer rebut him.

’Oh, I can do that? In what section of the law is that stated? I can actually gather my own knights,’ Arabella nodded her head.

Oscar just gave her an idea.

’Perhaps in the future, once I have a better reputation,’ Arabella thought.

For now, Ferdinand’s knights were the ones guarding her and her people. If she was able to gather her own knights, she could gather people loyal to her. If there are. She would have to work hard for that.

"Where did you hide those swords, by the way?" Denzel asked since Nadia’s twin swords were nowhere to be seen.

"My legs," Nadia replied nonchalantly and pulled her skirt up to show it.

"What are you doing?!" Narcissa was horrified.

Odette, meanwhile, quickly pulled Nadia’s dress back to how it should be.

They glanced at the men and all of them had looked away and closed their eyes.

’That surprised me as well,’ even Arabella was taken aback by that. Nadia had indeed been using men’s clothes when she was in Cordellia. And even more so when she was a mercenary roaming around with her brothers, doing all kinds of jobs.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t think about that. But please don’t worry. I’m wearing another set of clothes inside so I can get rid of this long dress if I need to fight," Nadia explained.

Everyone sighed in relief, but they were still stunned that she said the word ’get rid of this dress’ like it was nothing. They were embarrassed just hearing it.

Assured that Nadia was indeed clothed inside, they looked at how she was hiding her swords and it was indeed strapped on her legs. She was wearing men’s clothing inside her dress.

Egbert and Oscar glanced at each other clearly thinking that Nadia was like a mercenary or assassin indeed, but they understood now that it was because of her past.

"I see. Is that also why you usually wear flat shoes or those that have just an inch or less heels?" Denzel inquired further.

"Yes. It’s easier to move in them. I can run if I must," Nadia explained.

’I see. I guess I need to let her wear whatever clothes she’s most comfortable with so she won’t have to do that all the time. I can also allow them to wear their knight uniforms but that may intimidate other palace officials when they are sent for errands.’

Arabella wondered what she should do.

Dresses were the norm for noble ladies in Riva. But ladies wearing trousers was not forbidden either. They could wear it if they want to. But of course, that was if they were fine with getting eyed by the people who were against ladies wearing it since it was not that common yet.

In Safiro where ladies could be warriors too, ladies’ outfits were not that much different from men’s. It was another reason why Nadia had to wear men’s clothing when she was outside Safiro.

’Oh, should I wear one and intentionally walk around in the palace for people to see before telling Nadia she could dress as she pleases?’

Arabella had another plan in mind. She would do it later so that those who see Nadia wearing such clothes would not tell her off when the Empress herself had worn it. There may be others like Nadia as well who prefer wearing trousers to dresses.

She watched as her assistants curiously asked Nadia how she was able to move in those. The dress already had many layers and yet she had also worn trousers inside it.

Especially since it was hot with all those layers and summer had just passed by but it was still hot.

"I’m used to hot weather since my homeland became akin to a desert before when almost all vegetation died down and the rivers and lakes dried up from continuous drought," Nadia said nonchalantly while the others clearly felt bad for her.

She had suffered too much to realize that what she was saying was a very difficult situation that doesn’t happen much in the prosperous duchies where her fellow assistants hailed from.

"So, it’s true that His Majesty’s magician, His Eminence, performed miraculous magic in Safiro?!" Felix asked and everyone perked up. They were also interested in the topic.

"Indeed, if you don’t mind answering, I want to know as well since it’s hard to determine the truth from the rumors. I heard His Eminence grew back an entire mountain and re-grew the vegetation in Safiro," Norbert could no longer contain his curiosity and inquired as well.

"I heard that too. There were also rumors that His Eminence even made it rain. Is that true? I heard he even healed everyone before that," Egbert was curious as well.

They all had updates about it from their households and their connections.

Only Oscar remained silent. He seemed to know the truth already.

’I see. Everyone seems to have held back asking Nadia about it before since it was a sensitive issue. They could only ask about it now that someone dared to bring it up,’ Arabella slowly nodded her head.

"Yes, it still seems so impossible to me but all of that happened indeed. My homeland and my people were both dying. But a single visit from Her Majesty had changed everything.

"That day was akin to the gods themselves descending and helping us. Our people were miraculously healed by His Eminence as per His and Her Majesties’ orders. They fed and clothed everyone as well.

"Then, His Eminence regrew the whole forest and other vegetation in Safiro. It was such a mysterious and miraculous sight. Towering trees grew impossibly after years of nothing...

"Later on, a huge magic circle appeared in the sky, and clouds gathered. It rained torrents for the first time in years. The dry soil was finally soaked in water and became damp..."