Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 882: Emergency Meeting With Her Assistants

Chapter 882: Chapter 882: Emergency Meeting With Her Assistants

Arabella promised she would do her best to see what they could do about it.

After all, Ivan had worked so much faster this time than in their past life.

Perhaps it was because Ivan did not have all the support he needed in the past. But this time, he had all the support he needed.

Still, the discovery was because of Ivan’s knowledge and expertise on the matter.

Thus, Arabella would also do her best to resolve the matters Ivan presented.

"Thank you for waiting. Please send this back to Ivan," Arabella handed her letter to Zion.

Zion then returned to his post.

Meanwhile, Arabella decided to go to her official office and have a meeting with her capable assistants.

"Greetings to Her Imperial Majesty," they all stopped what they were doing and greeted her.

"Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Did you eat your lunch?" Arabella smiled.

"Yes, Your Majesty," they replied in unison.

It was good to see them working independently without her supervision.

Just a glance at the containers where they placed the work they had completed for the day showed just how dedicated they were.

Looking at their genuine smiles and listening to their thoughts, she was relieved that there were no fights while she was not around.

"Can all of you come to my office? Let’s have an emergency meeting," Arabellas said.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the expression on her assistants’ faces instantly changed.

They looked alert and ready to do their best.

Arabella smiled in approval at their preparedness. This was exactly why she hired them.

She walked into the inner office, and they followed inside once she was seated.

[What could have happened for Her Majesty to suddenly call for an emergency meeting?!]

Arabella waited for all of them to be seated before she spoke.

"Everything I will say now is highly confidential, so you are forbidden to tell anyone about it. Not even your family or closest associates. Can you promise that?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," they replied in unison.

[Her Majesty is going to entrust us with a very important task?!]

Her assistants were eager to be part of something important.

"As all of you already know, I have sent Ivan on a task he alone could be part of," Arabella began, and her assistants’ eyes widened.

[We will finally know about it?!]

"I believe you must have heard rumors and speculations from your families about what is going on in several territories in the Empire, which had suddenly gone into a lockdown," Arabella eyed each and every one of them.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

[My family did tell me about it.]

[All the powerful households were digging here and there for more information. Even my family pestered me about it.]

[Everyone here is also curious about it since all households were told to wait for the right time, so they stopped.]

[One of my relatives who works at the storage houses said that knights and magicians had been transporting stocks somewhere.]

[I heard there’s always smoke coming from those territories.]

[Ivan was part of such an important task?]

All her assistants were eager to know, so Arabella continued, "I sent Ivan to be a part of the research team who had to go to the locked-down territories."

"What kind of research, Your Majesty?" Norbert inquired.

"I have received permission from His Majesty, so I can tell you now. All the locked-down territories were afflicted by a viral plant disease that had spread too quickly."

"All of them?!"

Her assistants gasped since there were several territories in lockdown.

"Yes. The disease was not reported immediately, so it had spread to several territories. There was also a pest infestation, and they spread the disease far and wide instead of just the one it originated from. Due to this, as you have heard from the rumors, there is constant smoke rising from the said territories. It was because all afflicted crops, plants, and weeds, even flora from forests, had to be cut down and burned to stop the disease from spreading further."

"All afflicted crops and even forests are burned?!!"

Her assistants were wide-eyed when they realized the severity of the situation.

"Yes," Arabella sighed deeply. She was glad she could finally tell them about this.

It had been difficult having only a few people to talk to about this.

"No wonder all forms of trade were suddenly stopped," Ronald noted.

"Indeed. I heard all the goods recently brought out were confiscated," Denzel added.

"Yes. It was a necessity. Any afflicted plant in those goods could be afflicted by the disease. And any rodent or other insect that could have gotten into the goods could be carriers of the plant disease. Thus, all areas found to have traded with the locked-down territories were also placed under observation and forbidden to trade as well," Arabella explained.

Her assistants nodded in understanding as she went into more detail.

They finally understood why the disease was kept hidden in the meantime.

"Then, is this why Ivan was sent?" Oscar inquired.

"Yes. Ivan is knowledgeable and well-experienced in Agriculture. When I visited his homeland, I saw a part of the library filled with his agricultural studies. His parents are farmers, so he had been conducting agricultural studies since he was a child with Count Cordelia as his mentor."

[Since he was a child?! How much more of a genius is he?]

[No wonder Her Majesty trusted him with a task this important.]

[I did hear about Count Cordelia’s expertise since my parents even asked him for help when our territory had problems with our crops.]

[Ivan is growing farther and farther away. Will we even get the chance to catch up with him?]

’They’re all so competitive. But there’s really no need to catch up since they all have different paths.’

However, since it drives them to improve and aim to achieve greater things, Arabella allowed them to compete.

"Today, I learned from His Majesty that there has been a great development in the studies thanks to everyone’s efforts. Thus, a way to completely eradicate or control the new plant disease without incessant burning may be developed," Arabella continued.

"Oh! Praise be to the dragon god!"

Her assistants cheered and sighed in relief.