Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 58: Why Are You Here?

Chapter 58: Why Are You Here?

With her first goals achieved, Arabella slept soundly that night hoping Ferdinand would agree to her request.

Until. . .

’Hmm, it’s warm.’

Arabella stirred in her sleep when she felt it was warmer than it should be. She felt like someone’s arms were wrapped around her waist and she could feel someone’s breath on her ears.

’Wait, what?!’

She tensed and her eyes fluttered open when she realized she slept alone and Ferdinand was still at the borders.

Who would dare get into her chambers and sleep right beside her?!

She thought of screaming as loud as she could but if other people saw her with another man, she would be as good as dead. Her reputation would be tarnished.

People might conclude she already slept with Andrew when she eloped with him before marrying Ferdinand so she was no longer chaste, and yet, she also slept with another man while already married.

The ministers might just ask Ferdinand to divorce her.

Ferdinand might also think she was getting back at him for making her part with Andrew.

And Alwin would hate her even more.

She can’t afford to make Alwin hate her much more than he already does. Especially since he had memories of the past too. He has to be her ally.

’How could someone enter my room at night? Did Rendell leave his post? Did other guards stay outside my door and slacked off?’

No one would be able to enter through the window since her balcony was not connected to other rooms.

It was dark so she couldn’t see his face even when she tried to look. He was embracing her from behind too and he was so strong. She couldn’t even free herself to switch on the bedside mana lamp.

’Wait. This feeling. . . It feels familiar.’

It had been one month and two weeks since she last felt this warmth around her, but this warmth and strength felt like Ferdinand.

But why would he be here?

She gently felt up his hands and checked the rings on his fingers.

Ferdinand was always wearing their wedding ring, his summoning ring for Alwin, and the Emperor’s ring. He also had another ring on his other hand which she recognized had the same decoration as the flag of the palace she had seen in Estrella.

Her eyes widened when she felt the rings in the right places. The fear she felt deep inside slowly subsided.

"Ferdinand? Your Majesty?" she tried calling out in a low voice.

He seemed to have heard her but just responded, "Hmm..."

He was still asleep. But the arms around her tightened.

"Ferdinand?" she called out again and he nuzzled her hair. "F-Ferdinand?"

"Arabella?" he whispered in her ears in a low husky voice and she involuntarily shivered.

It was indeed Ferdinand’s voice.

’It’s him! What is he doing here?’

She froze when she realized it was the first time he said her name.

"Arabella . . ." he uttered her name again and she realized something was wrong with how he said it. It sounded more like a moan than just saying her name.

She flinched when all of a sudden, Ferdinand began kissing the back of her ear and trailed down to her nape.

"W-wait. Ferdinand, stop. What are you doing?"

No response. He just kept kissing her nape. Her body shivered again at the sensation and she knew she had to stop him now.

She covered his lips with her hand and he kissed her palm instead. She realized he was still asleep and was probably having a dream.

A naughty dream, because she was sure she felt something hard and hot against her back.

"Fer-Ferdinand! Wake up," she said much louder this time and he finally stopped.

"Are you awake now?" she asked, and he suddenly sat up.

"Yes?!"

Finally free, Arabella switched the bedside lamp.

A flustered and blushing Ferdinand greeted her sight. And something was bulging between his legs. She pretended not to notice as he covered it with a pillow.

[It was just a dream! I knew it was weird that she allowing me to do everything. How embarrassing! Did she notice? She didn’t, right?]

Ferdinand instantly collected himself and reverted to his poker face despite his flustered thoughts.

"Uhm, Dear, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at the borders?" she asked and he flinched.

[What should I tell her? It would be too embarrassing to say I came because I didn’t know how to respond to her letter. I kept trying to write but I used up all the papers Alwin brought but I still couldn’t write a satisfactory reply. What if she thought I was lame if my reply wasn’t good enough for her?]

’I just needed his permission. A yes you may or a no you may not would have been fine. Why did he have to think of it so much like it was so complicated?’

"I wanted to talk more about your intended visits to your assistants’ homelands."

Ferdinand was all calm and collected as if he was not fretting about his reply deep inside.

"Oh, I see. You could have just written me a letter."

[Didn’t Alwin say she wanted to see me? Then why is she saying this? Did Alwin lie to make me feel better? All because I kept complaining about not receiving a single letter? Did he tell her to write to me?!]

’Alwin informed him about that?!’ Arabella felt embarrassed. She just said those words so Alwin wouldn’t think she was so cold to Ferdinand.

[Does she want me to leave now? Ah, right. I just slept in her room as I please. She did tell me she would do her best as my wife but she didn’t say I can just sleep in her chambers as I please.]

"Uhm, I mean, you were busy at the borders, right? I don’t want to disturb you while you are busy with your work."

"Oh, not at all. I wasn’t that busy. And it’s nighttime too. There was nothing to do so I was bored and asked Alwin to teleport me here to the palace."