Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 508: You Can Test Him

Chapter 508: You Can Test Him

"As to your claim that they wouldn’t have had the chance to study, that was wrong. All of them made a way to study so they could pass the exam," Arabella began.

"How would they have done it?" Narcissa was stubborn.

"Ivan’s family was once so poor that they could not afford to buy books. But since childhood, he went to read books every chance he got in a public library in their territory made by Count Cordelia.

"After Ivan read every book in the library, the Count then allowed him to read his personal collection of books. The Count even wanted to adopt him after seeing his potential.

"But Ivan refused and continued learning by reading and trying to apply what he learned. He even taught the people around him how to read and write. He also shared things he had read that he found would be beneficial to his family and their neighborhood.

"That was how Ivan kept improving through time and helped his family improve their quality of life.

"He made a lot of discoveries, inventions, and strategies that helped his family’s farms be successful. As the years went by, he kept learning and experimenting, and together with the Count and their people’s cooperation, they made Cordelia’s agriculture prosper.

"They also have a much better quality of life now than they had before. Ivan and his family are no longer poor. His family is the second most affluent in Cordelia most especially in terms of land. They rivaled Count Cordelia’s properties.

"Ivan was simply humble and still always referred to himself as someone poor. But it was because of the state of his earning situation here in the past when he only earned a small amount compared to the work he did. And even though he was the one who helped his family earn a fortune, he does not rely on his family’s money but only on what he earns here in here Riva."

Arabella also once thought his family was still poor since he was having problems with where to stay and what to eat. But it was because his pride didn’t allow him to ask for money from his family. He wanted them to think he was successful here in Riva, so he did not want them to know his dire situation.

"Cordelia County is also not a poor territory even though they are small in population. Cordelia is the main source of agricultural produce of its neighboring territory and greatly helped Safiro when it was in dire straits," Arabella related for Narcissa to know.

Hopefully, she would understand and stop insisting that Ivan cheated.

[Ivan did all that?! So, is he truly capable? How many books were in that library? Wait... how does Her Majesty know?]

"I visited Cordelia, remember? I had seen Ivan’s residence and spoke with his parents. I have conversed with Count Cordelia as well. This is something I have learned after I visited their territory. His Majesty, His Excellency, and His Eminence were all with me at the time, so they also know."

Arabella clarified so Narcissa would not think she was simply saying this out of favoritism. She had witnesses who could vouch for her if Narcissa claimed she was making up things.

[Her Majesty is angry.] Rowan thought.

’I’m not. I simply must educate this girl about their efforts.’

"Can you show us the public library in Cordelia?" Arabella asked Riley.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Riley then showed it through a magic orb.

"He read all these books?!" Narcissa gasped, covered her mouth, and acted composed again.

It was an entire building. But yes, Ivan had read all of it.

"Yes. He skipped meals and slept in the library just so he could keep reading. He had authored a lot of books on agriculture for their county. That shelf on the left was filled with books authored by him. The one beside it was also his, but about math and other fields," Arabella showed Narcissa, and the girl was wide-eyed.

"He had written that many books?!" Narcissa could no longer hide her shock.

Arabella smiled as Narcissa was left speechless.

"Yes. Ivan Meyer is a genius. He had a very good memory and the guts to execute the things he thought about. He began experimenting at a young age and recorded it all. Those books were the results of his experiments and continuous learning. Ivan would have been promoted to a high position by now if he hadn’t been employed by an unjust superior who hid him in an entry-level position for years out of envy and spite. His Excellency also wanted to get him, but I hired him first."

"His Excellency wanted him too? Then, doesn’t that mean even if he quit as Your Majesty’s assistant, His Excellency will recruit him?!"

"Exactly. Why should I let him work for someone else when he is already my assistant? There’s no way I will let go of such an asset. I believe this must be one of the reasons why they changed the law to accommodate everyone from all walks of life. Because there are people like Ivan who may be buried by their circumstances in life. But once you discover them, regardless of their background, they are simply too valuable to let go. Do you understand what I mean?"

Arabella let Narcissa know that she had no intention of ever letting go of Ivan no matter what Narcissa said about him.

[She treasures Ivan that much?!]

’Yes.’

"If he had suddenly gone missing, I would ask people to find him. Surely, His Excellency will do too. So, you are lucky we learned about your actions before you did something much worse to Ivan. No excuses will save you if you had cost us such a precious existence. Even His Majesty said Ivan is a genius born only once in a thousand years."

[His Majesty said that?! Is he really that good?!] Narcissa was dumbfounded. She was finally beginning to realize she had doubted the wrong person.

"I will summon Ivan so you can test if he is indeed as capable as I say. You can begin by asking him things related to agriculture, then to another topic that you think he would not know about. Let’s have a tea break while you list things you would like to ask him."

[Then, I must list the most difficult questions to ask him.] Narcissa noted.