Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress

"Why would you be nervous?" Ferdinand inquired and Arabella had a bittersweet look on her face as if she had not been to Lobelius for years not months.

"Because it’s been a while since the last time I was there," Arabella said.

She glanced at her assistants who had just finished lunch and came to greet her when they saw her pass by, and added, "I’ll just give instructions to everyone. I’ll see you in a bit."

Arabella quickly went to speak with her assistants about their work for the afternoon. She tried to make it look natural but Ferdinand noticed that she intentionally avoided him. Likely, because of their topic. There was something she was hiding.

She must have heard from his thought that he noticed the sadness in her eyes.

Ferdinand sighed and silently watched her speak with her assistants. They were reporting something to her and Arabella’s attention was focused on them.

The sadness deep in her eyes was finally gone.

Ferdinand found the leeway to think as he pleased while Arabella was absorbed in something else. He had been trying to be careful about what to think about when he was with her due to her ability. But he kept forgetting about it quite a lot.

After all, Ferdinand also had thoughts he did not want her to hear since she might push him away.

For instance, just like how he noticed the sadness in her eyes earlier. She avoided him instead of telling him what it was about.

Ferdinand did not like getting avoided like that. He wanted to know what that was about but given that Arabella even avoided him, it meant it was something she did not want him to know.

Of course, it hurt to know she was keeping secrets from him but Ferdinand had countless secrets he could not tell her either. He likely does not remember most of it even, due to his latest slumber and all the new laws that bound them now.

Thus, he could not insist on knowing something she would go to lengths to hide from him.

Of course, as long as it was not about another man.

Ferdinand was sure it was not something like that so he was at least rest assured, it was alright not to ask her about it in the meantime.

He had been holding back from asking her and had avoided thinking about it when he was with her. Especially when she was not focused on something and the range of the thoughts she could hear was vast.

Ferdinand had figured by now that once his wife was focused on something like she was at the moment, she would not be able to hear his thoughts. She might not even hear his voice even if he called out.

She could focus on something and completely shut out the world. It was scary and dangerous since she might not notice someone approaching her with ill intentions. But at the same time, it was Ferdinand’s leeway to think of whatever he wanted while he knew she could not listen to his thoughts.

Ferdinand reminded Rendell and Alwin to be more alert instead when Arabella was busy doing something since she might not even notice someone already entered her office.

’I hope whatever causes such sorrowful and reminiscent eyes is not something too grim,’ he wished Arabella had not gone through something cruel for her to have such an expression in her eyes.

Ferdinand wanted to help Arabella solve her problems just as much as she was willing to share his burden.

But at the moment, whatever that matter was, Arabella had likely concluded she could not rely on him about it.

It hurt, but it only meant he needed to show her that he was a reliable man. He had to work harder so she could trust him enough to tell him about it.

After all, today was not the first time she had a deep tinge of sadness in her eyes.

Sometimes, she stares into the distance like she longed to see something or someone far away and unreachable.

Ferdinand used to think she was thinking of Prince Andrew. That perhaps she still had lingering feelings left for him. But after their visit to Medeus and observing her for a while, he realized it was not. She had completely moved on from Prince Andrew.

But what or who was she thinking about when she got that mournful and longing look on her, Ferdinand could not figure.

It made Ferdinand wonder if there was someone else she loved so much more deeply than Prince Andrew that he did not know about.

However, after observing Arabella for a while, he noticed, it seemed to be something else. It was not about a lover.

Thus, he concluded it must be something related to her childhood since when she thinks about it, she usually gazed into the distance as if recalling something from long ago.

It pained him to see her silently suffer all alone about whatever it was that was burdening her.

Thus, Ferdinand wanted to ask why she had such an expression on her face at times. But he felt that even if he did, he would not get the answer he sought.

It was not that he did not trust Arabella either. It was just what his instincts were telling him.

He kept observing her and it was indeed as if she was reminiscing about something so painful from the past that she was so scared about.

Ferdinand kept trying to figure out what it was without asking her about it directly since she looked pained whenever she thought about it. It was as if she would break if he asked.

Thus, Ferdinand never dared.

Something deep inside warned him that he should never ask anything about it.

It was an unreasonable fear that told him everything they had now might end if he asked about it.

It was such a terrifying feeling.

Moreover, since Arabella looked so hurt by whatever those memories were, Ferdinand did not want to remind her about them by asking what they were about.

Thus, Ferdinand decided to wait until she was ready to talk about it.

Perhaps, someday, once Arabella realizes that she is completely free of whatever those memories were or that she could rely on him, she will tell him.

For now, what Ferdinand had to do was to ensure that she was safe wherever she went so she would not experience any more traumatizing events.