"That’s a pity then," Ferdinand pouted. "Here I was thinking of giving you lots of attention tonight."

"Oh, I think I do miss you," Arabella changed her response and Ferdinand smiled.

"Really? It’s like you forgot my entire existence earlier though. You did not hear me knock. I called you thrice too but you did not hear me at all," Ferdinand complained. He did not like being ignored.

"I’m sorry. I was lost in thought," Arabella gave him a peck on the cheek, trying to soothe him.

It worked but only for a few seconds before Ferdinand asked, "What were you thinking about then."

"Just this and that," Arabella said. She almost replied honestly and Ferdinand would have been surprised about why she already knew about why shops were still open in the city this late at night when she had never gone downtown yet.

[She doesn’t want to tell me.] Ferdinand noticed and pouted.

Arabella recalled something she had to tell him so she decided to use it instead.

"Right, I’m thinking of sending Aletha home for a vacation since it has been months since came here. I’m thinking of going home to Lobelius too and-"

"NO," Ferdinand stiffened and cut her off with a heavy no.

"It’s for- "

"NO. YOU ARE NOT GOING BACK TO LOBELIUS," Ferdinand said in a stern and heavy voice. He had also stopped hugging her.

Arabella blinked repeatedly and turned around to look at him. Ferdinand’s expression had turned dark.

"Ferdinand I just-"

"I ALREADY SAID NO," Ferdinand frowned at her.

Arabella was silenced by that and decided to read his thoughts instead.

[If she’s angry at me because I decided to go to war with Crux without consulting her, she could have told me. Why would she go back to Lobelius immediately instead of telling me why she’s angry or dissatisfied? I won’t allow her to go home no matter what she says. I heard they always use this excuse and never come back. She’s bringing her trusted maid with her too so she might be planning to never come back.]

"Pfft..." Arabella tried to stop herself from laughing.

Here she was getting nervous that she might have done something to anger her husband. And yet, it was just his old "disease" acting up again and he was getting angry all on his own because of the overthinking he was doing.

Ferdinand frowned at her but Arabella still could not stop herself.

"Haha...Hahaha," Arabella chuckled. She covered her mouth but she still couldn’t help it.

"What’s so funny?"

[Do I look so funny to her right now? Why would she laugh when this is a serious matter?]

Arabella closed her eyes and took deep breaths. When she was sure she was calm, she hugged Ferdinand who stiffened because he was puzzled at what was happening.

Arabella did not talk since he might just cut her off again so she simply hugged him for a few seconds.

When Ferdinand eased up, she cupped his face and kissed him on the lips. There, when he was speechless and utterly confused, she finally had her chance to talk.

"You are overthinking things. It’s not what you think. I’m not angry about the war with Crux," Arabella quickly said.

[She’s not?]

"Then why are you trying to go back to Lobelius?" Ferdinand said with an aggrieved expression.

Arabella sighed when she recalled that Ferdinand had been heavily opposed to her going back home since the beginning.

They had been getting along so well that the past few months she forgot he did not allow her to go back home to see her family last time too.

Ferdinand only agreed to go to Medeus to attend the assembly so Arabella could meet her family there without having to go to Lobelius.

"That was what I was trying to explain but you kept cutting me off. You are so rude," Arabella glared at him and pretended to be angry.

Ferdinand flinched.

[See? She’s angry after all.]

"You cutting me off and the matter of the war with Crux are two different matters. I’m angry about the former," Arabella acted sternly.

"I... I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to go to Lobelius," Ferdinand finally admitted. "What if you never come back to me?"

Arabella held her chest when he said the latter part, ’This is cheating. How can he say those words like I was trying to run away and he was so pitiful? Look at that expression. When did he learn to use this on me?’

"Listen to me, Ferdinand."

Arabella cupped his face and drew their face near so he would not avoid looking at her and he could talk in his voice either.

"It’s just for a single day. I would visit Elder Satara and ask her for some freshly picked fruits for Clarisse. She’s pregnant and she needs to eat what she wants to eat. And I was thinking of bringing Aletha along and leaving her there for a week so she could be with her family," Arabella explained.

"Then, why do you have to go in person? Can’t your maid just ask the elder for the fruits and hand them to Alwin?" Ferdinand still did not want her to go.

"More like why are you so against me going to Lobelius just for a day? Do you not trust me at all?" Arabella pointed out and Ferdinand was wide-eyed.

"It’s not that I do not trust you. It’s just... that is the place where you grew up.

That’s your comfort zone.

That’s where everything you love and everyone you know since you were young lives.

Valeria and Estrella are foreign to you.

No matter what we have, it’s just a foreign and empty place to you.

Meanwhile, Lobelius is filled with all your memories ever since you were born.

It’s a place so dear to you no matter what and you will have all sorts of feelings once you go there."

Ferdinand bit his lower lip as he stopped himself from saying the rest.

But Arabella heard it from his thoughts.