Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 512: Praises from the Emperor

Chapter 512: Praises from the Emperor

"I see. That’s good. I didn’t mean to disturb you. But you seem to be doing something fun, so I decided to join," Ferdinand glanced at Narcissa and Ivan.

"It was becoming fun indeed. I was discovering things I didn’t know about my assistants."

She learned from Ferdinand’s thoughts that he had been listening to them while they were asking questions to Ivan.

"May I also test him?" Ferdinand asked, and Ivan paled.

[His Majesty too?! He’s from the Royal Family, so they know best about Valeria. What if I make a mistake?!!]

Ivan glanced at Arabella with a pleading look for her to say no. But this was an opportunity they should grab.

’I’m sorry, Ivan. But if you answer Ferdinand’s questions correctly and he says you are indeed good in front of Narcissa, then she wouldn’t be able to debate that you are not capable.’

"Yes, of course," Arabella agreed, and Ivan was petrified.

Ferdinand then joined and asked the most difficult questions. It was about Valeria and its territories, both old and new.

Arabella and Narcissa both did not know the answers to most of his questions, but Ivan did.

It came to the point that Narcissa asked permission to take notes since there was a lot of information she was only learning about now.

Because Ivan kept answering correctly, Ferdinand increased the difficulty until Ivan began sweating buckets.

Ivan’s answers were still correct though even when it came to the history of Valeria from a thousand years back.

Ferdinand was entertained that Ivan knew so much about the past as recorded in Valeria’s history books even though he was so young. Thus, he kept upping the difficulty level until Ivan was no longer able to answer any of his questions correctly and he had turned so pale he might pass out.

Narcissa had taken a lot of notes and looked exhausted as well. She rubbed her hand when Ferdinand finally stopped because Ivan could no longer make guesses.

"Hmm, you do not know about these? I thought books about these were also in the library. I have read them myself," Ferdinand revealed.

[It’s available in the library?! How come I haven’t read it? In what section? Is it accessible to us? What should I do? His Majesty must be disappointed.]

"My deepest apologies for my inadequacy," Ivan bowed so low.

[Then, what about me? I also do not know almost everything His Majesty asked in the later parts. Ivan was still able to answer at least more than half of it.]

Narcissa also bowed with Ivan since it meant she was also lacking. She had begun taking notes early on.

"Your Majesty, in what books are those published? Is it accessible to everyone? Or perhaps it was in the inner section?" Arabella inquired since it may be books only accessible to the royal family.

"Ah, right. It was in old Valerian language so they wouldn’t be able to read it," Ferdinand recalled, and Ivan sighed in relief.

[I see. Thank goodness. I thought I might get fired.] Ivan thought he had missed something so important about Valeria’s history.

"Is the old Valerian language still used for books?" Arabella intentionally asked to save her assistants from disgrace and panic. They might think they were very much lacking because of this. They maintained their position since Ferdinand hadn’t told them yet that they may raise their heads.

"It was used in the old books. There are only a few people who can read and write it fluently now. The books are available to those who can read them," Ferdinand revealed.

"I see. No wonder they didn’t know about it," Arabella pointed out it wasn’t their fault they could not answer.

"You may raise your heads," he finally told the two.

"Well done on answering most of my questions. Even the Head Ministers no longer recall those," Ferdinand praised Ivan. "You are truly competent. Alwin would love to work with someone as knowledgeable as you."

[Work with His Eminence?!] Ivan and Narcissa both gulped.

"I am honored by your praise, Your Majesty," Ivan took a deep breath and visibly looked happy to receive praise from the emperor himself.

Narcissa was envious and just remained silent. It was clear to her now that Ivan knew much more than she did.

"Your Majesty, m-may I ask a question?" Ivan raised his hand nervously.

"Sure."

"Where can we learn the old Valerian language?" Ivan dared to ask. He wanted to learn it.

Narcissa perked up at that. She also wanted to learn it so she could read those books.

"Finding a teacher would be difficult. Only historians and linguists still study it deeply. You can try looking for one, but they would be too busy to teach you," Ferdinand dampened their enthusiasm.

"What about the older Households? Do they not know it?" Arabella inquired.

"Ah, yes. At least one from their houses, especially the heirs are required to learn it."

But the issue was if they were willing to teach it to someone outside their household.

[The heirs?] Ivan and Narcissa both thought of their fellow assistants who were from the oldest houses in Valeria.

[Does this mean Denzel knows?! And I don’t?!]

Narcissa was horrified to have been surpassed by someone from Farrell.

[I need to learn this language... Maybe, Ronald knows. I’ll ask him to teach me. Ryvaleh and Reginald are close. I will pester him until he agrees.]

’Just please don’t do it violently,’ Arabella thought.

[Fidelis is one of the oldest houses since it was where the First Empress of Valeria hailed from. Perhaps Norbert knows. I must ask him to teach me. I can’t be lacking information because I couldn’t read a book.] Ivan was determined as well.

Ivan and Narcissa had a new goal. But they would have to find a teacher first.

"I have one last question for you," Ferdinand eyed Ivan.

[There’s more?!] Ivan braced himself for another difficult question.

"Are you a spy sent by another kingdom?" Ferdinand gave Ivan an intimidating look.

"A spy?"

Ivan blinked twice, not understanding why Ferdinand would ask that to someone like him. He froze when he realized Ferdinand meant he may be gathering information about Valeria to leak it outside.