Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Irene and Carla grinned at each other already expecting that Arabella would say this. They had also seen something they would love to get from the gifts sent to Arabella.

"Alright. You’re all dismissed except for Blanca."

Her four other maids then bowed and excused themselves, knowing that Arabella needed to speak more with Blanca who had just begun working.

"How is your first day?" Arabella smiled at Blanca.

"It was so much fun, Your Majesty," Blanca beamed.

[It’s only fun because you just went to choose gifts. Just wait until you meet the pesky nobles.] Alwin thought. He had been listening to their conversation since earlier.

"I see, that’s good," Arabella smiled.

It was good that she was not dealing with the nobles at the moment since Blanca had just begun. This was Blanca’s first time to work too.

Thus, it would indeed be a difficult start for Blanca if she began while Arabella was having tea parties or conducting social events with the nobles.

"Tomorrow, you should choose something for Esmeralda from the gifts. You can visit her when you can, right?" Arabella pointed out.

Blanca was allowed to visit Esmeralda as long as she was accompanied by one of the magicians in the magic tower and if she only stayed for a short time in Safiro.

"I can still visit there?!"

Blanca thought she would no longer be allowed to visit there as often as she did before now that she was Arabella’s maid.

"Yes. Of course, you can. As long as you inform me first so that I won’t summon you while you are away. Likewise, you have to time it when we are not too busy. And you have to follow all the rules originally set when you visit Esmeralda," Arabella explained.

Blanca beamed the instant she heard Arabella’s words. She truly loved Esmeralda who was her only family now that her parents were gone.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will follow everything!"

Blanca was excited to visit Esmeralda again and was already thinking of what gifts to bring her.

With that, Arabella dismissed Blanca as well.

Once Blanca left, it was time for Arabella to speak with the chefs.

"Alwin, did Alfredo give a response?" Arabella glanced at the balcony where Alwin was.

"Yes," Alwin said and entered her study.

Arabella had sent a letter to Alfredo through Alwin, asking him to ask at least two chefs who would be willing to go to Lobelius for at least a week to teach them how to prepare some Valerian cuisine.

She knew the chefs would have refused outright if it was something long-term, but since it was only for a week, someone might agree.

"Did anyone agree?" Arabella glanced at Alwin nervously.

Valeria was a huge nation so it made her nervous to ask for favors like this, especially since Lobelius was even smaller when compared to some of the territories here.

"Yes. There are two chefs who are willing to go," Alwin responded and Arabella perked up.

"Really? Then can you summon them here?"

Arabella needed to speak with them to thank them in person and likewise inform them of the foods that her family might like among the cuisines here.

"Of course. But why do you look so surprised? If they could not even do such a small thing, then they should just get out of the palace. This was His Majesty’s suggestion," Alwin said.

"Wait, did you tell them it was Ferdinand’s suggestion?" Arabella tilted her head.

If Alwin did, then the chefs would have been too scared to say no since Ferdinand was still stern to others.

But even if this was Ferdinand’s suggestion, the chefs could still refuse for various reasons since it was not a formal edict.

"I didn’t. I just handed Alfredo the letter and he asked the other chefs on the spot. A lot of the chefs immediately volunteered," Alwin clarified.

"Really?" Arabella was even more surprised at that.

"Why are you acting so surprised again? They are glad to be useful to you now after you have shown that you value their feelings. You let them shift preparing meals for you and His Majesty, and for your assistants as well, so not only Alfredo gets to shine. Letting them participate in preparing meals in Safiro instead of hiring other chefs also made them trust you more," Alwin pointed out.

Arabella thought about it and realized that Alwin was right. The chefs had been so much warmer to her now and they always thought about her tastes before preparing a meal so she no longer got meals she did not like.

Sometimes, she simply could not help but recall what her previous life was like. Thankfully, so much had changed now.

The actions she had been doing these past months rippled and helped change how people treated her here.

"I see. That’s good then," Arabella sighed in relief. They were indeed succeeding in making changes. Hopefully, they could change major events in the future too.

"I’ll tell Alfredo for them to head here," Alwin said and contacted Alfredo telepathically.

In a few minutes, there was a knock on Arabella’s door.

"Your Majesty, the chef’s have arrived," Rendell informed.

"Let them in."

Upon her reply, Rendell opened the door and let the chefs enter.

Arabella recognized them. They were Linus and Reuben. They owned popular restaurants here in Riva but they were hired to be chefs for the Imperial Palace when Ferdinand’s wedding with her was close.

"Greetings to Your Majesty," Linus and Reuben greeted.

"Thank you for volunteering to go to Lobelius," Arabella smiled at the two. She had been with them serving food to the Safirans several months ago.

"It was our pleasure, Your Majesty."

Arabella then discussed with them what ingredients had already been chosen and packed from the gifts she received. Then, she informed them of the Valerian cuisines she knew her family might like.

She gave the chefs the freedom to prepare anything else that they thought her family would like. She listed it down so it would be easy to know if they needed more ingredients.

"If there’s anything you would like to add to this list, then please inform Alfredo so the ingredients will be prepared," Arabella explained.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Linus and Reuben replied politely.