Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 954: They Still Panicked

Chapter 954: Chapter 954: They Still Panicked

Helping and using them were beneficial not only to her but to them as well.

"And, he’s not the only one I favor. I favor all my assistants, so I’m preparing them for their future positions," Arabella clarified.

Alwin just raised a brow at her.

"As for Ivan, a genius that only appears once every century or more needs special treatment. Just like you, Alwin," Arabella added.

"Why am I suddenly included in this conversation?"

"Because you are a genius yourself. All your elders in Estrella acknowledged that you are a prodigy who appears once after several millennia.

Imagine, if you did not grow up in Ferdinand’s island and instead grew with other magicians your age that learn and process much slower compared to your pace, do you think you’d be able to enjoy when you learn something in one explanation or before the explanation was even complete while the rest needs repeat explanations and demonstrations?

You’d be bored with every single one.

If your teacher goes at your pace, the rest will be left behind.

But if your teacher goes at the pace of your other agemates, you’d be bored to death and you might just stop learning from them.

Thus, you would need to be taught separately based on your pace.

That is how it is with my assistants.

All of them are excellent and promising talents in their own way.

However, Ivan is undeniably more advanced than they were.

If I don’t give Ivan special treatment, he would eventually be bored with his tasks with me and move to someone else who truly sees his value.

And Raymond and the others have their eyes on him.

The instant I fail to keep Ivan, they would snatch him from me.

How could I possibly let him go when he works so quickly?

I believe you’ll understand better after working with him."

"Alright. Alright. I get it. You can stop now," Alwin didn’t want her to continue her long explanation. "I’ll postpone working on the experiment until he can work with me."

"Thank you!"

Arabella smiled in victory.

[I can go and do some experiments in my lab instead. Since the Pope healed me fully, I can last for a while without any sleep.]

’Hah! Did he forget I can hear him? His elders especially instructed me to ensure he doesn’t overwork himself.’

"Then, shall we eat together? I already asked Alfredo to bring our meal here?"

"Why do you even bother asking when you have already decided on your own?" Alwin frowned at her.

"Because you should not go and do other things you were told not to do. Didn’t your elders tell you to sleep every day since you have just recovered? I just heard you planning something else," Arabella pointed out.

"Argh! Since when did you become my watcher?!"

"Since you passed out from overworking yourself," Arabella countered.

"..."

Alwin could not debate since it was true that he had made a mistake on that one.

If only he had stopped when he was told to stop, he would not have passed out for more than a week.

Prudencians who witnessed it were touched by his sense of responsibility and determination to help even waited for him to wake up so they could receive the treatment from him.

But it was not something that they would recommend for Alwin to do either.

"You know what, Ferdinand is wondering if it’s his fault for telling you he used his mana cores to heal you. He was thinking that you may not have thought about using yours for someone if he had not told you about it. He’s also wondering if he should have made you stay in Estrella instead and just brought Zion here from the start so you won’t be in danger again. So you better be more careful in your actions. I am also grateful to have you by my side as my greatest ally in preventing the past we know. And I’d like to maintain having you as my ally, so don’t do something that will make them send you back to Estrella. They are closely observing you right now," Arabella reminded.

"Alright. Alright. I will do as I was told and behave," Alwin raised both hands in surrender.

[Since when did she become so naggy? Is it because she’s actually older than her age?]

"Hey, I’m still quite young," Arabella glared at him.

"Yeah, whatever."

Alwin had dinner with her, and they simply talked about future plans and possibilities before they parted for the night.

Arabella felt his presence in the same place she usually felt it from when he was unconscious, so she knew he truly did go to bed and rest as he was told.

***

The following day, Arabella once again joined the early morning Court Sessions.

Some of the local lords looked troubled, especially those who were geographically close to the locked-down territories.

When Arabella listened to their thoughts, she learned that despite the assurance they had given that the pests were already eliminated, and there were recent developments in the research to control the plant disease, there were still a lot of people who panicked.

After the usual reports and proceedings, before the Court Session was over, Arabella inquired about their concerns.

"Some of you seem troubled. Did something happen after you informed your territory about the pest infestation and plant disease in the locked-down territories?"

The household rulers looked around, observing who had something to report.

The territories far from the seven locked-down territories looked fine and did not have anything negative to report about them.

However, the territories nearby glanced at each other, waiting for who would speak first.

A brave soul raised his hand, and when Arabella nodded, he stood to report what was happening in his territory.

"Your Majesty, my territory is next to Edra (the last of the 7 territories on lockdown with Sibruh as the first).

What separates us is the Naia River.

However, we are connected through bridges.

Due to this, the people in my territory panicked upon hearing the real reason for the lockdown.

In fear that the plant disease might reach us, nobles and rich commoners immediately purchased as much produce as they could to stock up in case a shortage of supply occurred.

This led to a shortage of food supply for the commoners who did not have as much money to store up as the affluent did."

In short, his territory’s affluent people hoarded food immediately upon learning about the truth.