Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress

Arabella felt like she was hit by thunder and finally recalled they were here on a mission, not to be lovey-dovey.

Her face turned red in embarrassment as she realized she got tempted and got carried away.

Meanwhile, Ferdinand was smiling in satisfaction.

"Why you?! You did that on purpose?!" Arabella knitted her brows, her face further flushed at the thought that Ferdinand got her.

"Not at all. It just felt right," Ferdinand smiled and gave her a peck.

[She’s so adorable. Look at her face flushed like this.]

Arabella pouted when she heard his thoughts and tried to calm her heart. She was truly beginning to worry that she might be falling too hard. It was beginning to get scary.

’I’m here to get fruits for Clarisse,’ Arabella reminded herself repeatedly so she could calm down. Thankfully, Ferdinand stopped teasing her.

She was also glad Alwin had teleported ahead to scout the area while Arabella and Ferdinand

were here riding the carriage.

For the sake of Elder Satara’s servants, they would pretend like they rode up to the residence instead of just teleporting nearby.

"The elf is here," Ferdinand suddenly said as he peeked outside the window.

"Huh?! Where?!!" Arabella rose from her seat and looked out the window. She did not see anyone.

"It’s in the residence," Ferdinand quickly held Arabella to support her since the carriage was moving. He helped her back to her seat.

"So, someone in Elder Satara’s residence is an elf? Or is the elf just hiding herself in the Elder’s residence?" Arabella frowned in confusion.

"Calm down. We will see once we get there. We have to meet the Elder first, right?" Ferdinand reminded that their goal here was to see Elder Satara and ask for the fruits for Clarisse.

"Right. I got too excited. Haha," Arabella scratched the back of her head. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"You always get excited when it’s about elves. You still prefer them over dragons, don’t you?" Ferdinand pouted.

"Eh? No, not at all. I love dragons very much now," Arabella quickly said to appease her husband.

Ferdinand was still jealous over the fact that in the past, Arabella had a negative image of dragons while she never hated elves and had loved them since the beginning.

’But why would the elf be here?’

The carriage ride suddenly felt long Arabella became impatient as she kept wondering about why an elf would be here in Lobelius.

"Did you not feel the elf when you first came here to Lobelius?" Arabella inquired.

After all, Ferdinand had gone here to Lobelius twice. First, when she was sixteen as Sir Elmir. The second time was to speak with her parents for their official engagement. Now, was the third time.

"No. I was too distracted back then. I was focused on you," Ferdinand’s ears turned red.

Arabella wanted to tease him but saved it for another time and said instead, "Then what about Alwin and Raymond?"

They were with Ferdinand during his visits.

Arabella asked since she recalled that they felt Esmeralda and Blanca’s presence immediately when they were at Safiro.

"This one’s presence is very weak so we had to touch something that had been exposed to her mana before. Moreover, the stronger one’s mana is, the less likely one would feel the presence of someone with so much less mana," Ferdinand explained.

"Is that why you were able to feel Blanca and Esmeralda in Safiro immediately?"

"Yes. In their case, though Esmeralda was weak and on the verge of dying, Blanca still had so much mana so we felt her presence first. She tried to hide Blanca with her presence but it made Blanca’s presence even more noticeable to us who were able to perceive it."

"I see," Arabella slowly nodded her head.

She glanced outside the window. The closer they were to Elder Satara’s residence, the taller and bigger the trees were as if trying to hide the residence on top of the mountain.

Arabella was reminded of seeing Alwin and Alvis bless the forest on Ferdinand’s island to make them flourish again despite the autumn.

"A lot of the trees here are said to be evergreens. I have never been here in winter before. But now, I could see why those who had been said so," Arabella said as she watched the trees they passed by that were still filled with life and as green as they were in spring.

"Yes. But that’s not the only reason. The trees here are tended to by the elf. The same is true at the palace but it is stronger here," Ferdinand verified Arabella’s suspicion.

Elder Satara might know the elf. After all, Elder Satara always told Arabella a lot of stories about elves since she was young. The Elder and her family might have been hiding an elf here the whole time.

Arabella just hoped the elf was treated well. If not, Alwin and Ferdinand might get furious. It was clear from the blessed trees that the elf was not an enemy.

After all, if the elf was not an enemy, she would not have bothered tending to the trees here or the ones at the palace that were quite a good distance away from here.

Arabella’s curiosity was killing her so she sighed in relief when the carriage finally stopped and Rendell reported, "We have arrived."

Arabella and Ferdinand did not get out since their visit was a secret.

Thus, they let Rendell speak with the guards at Elder Satara’s residence.

Meanwhile, Ferdinand spoke with Alwin.

{Is it safe for Arabella to get out?}

{Yes, Your Majesty. I do not sense any malicious presence.}

The gates were finally opened and the carriage was allowed in.

"The elf’s presence is getting closer. Perhaps, she is a close associate of the Elder," Ferdinand said and Arabella gulped.

"Maybe," Arabella simply said.

[She’s responding with just a single word but her eyes are shining with excitement as if she had not seen several elves already.]

Ferdinand still noticed Arabella’s enthusiasm even when she tried to hide it so he would not feel bad again.