CHAPTER 760: CHAPTER 760: BEING AT RISK IS PART OF LIFE

"Then, why did you still hide it from me? You should have informed me about it first," Ferdinand chided gently this time.

"Are you still angry?" Arabella pouted. She might not be able to take another set of scolding if he raised his voice again. She might just get depressed and lock herself up in her room.

"No, I’m not angry anymore," Ferdinand reassured quickly. "But why did you have to hide your meeting from me?"

"I just wanted to help you and be useful. I didn’t want to bother you if there was nothing important we would gain from it, so I met Princess Seraphina first," Arabella explained her side, relieved that he was not cutting her off this time.

"You are indeed a workaholic. You do not need to try so hard to be of help or be useful. You are already helping so much. Isn’t the Empire already overusing you with all the work you are doing?" Ferdinand sighed.

"Haha, I’m just doing my part," Arabella chuckled at how Ferdinand worded it.

Ferdinand smiled and eyed her affectionately as he said, "Just your presence is more than enough for me. I just want you to be safe and sound. We have people who can gather information for us or meet with the Princess instead of you having to meet her yourself."

"But that is only to you, Ferdinand. Other people would not think the same. I am in a position of power so I have to do my part to help as much as I can," Arabella had to point this out.

After all, it is only to Ferdinand that just her presence was enough. To others, she had to prove her value and be useful.

[Why does she have to be so dutiful? I heard other queens and princesses just spend their time drinking tea and spending money.] Ferdinand internally complained but Arabella heard it.

"Huh? Do you want me to just laze around and spend money?" Arabella chuckled. She had already done this enough in her past life so she was already tired of it.

"Yes, sometimes I wish you could do that. Why do you have to exhaust yourself and expose yourself to danger when you can just live comfortably?" Ferdinand muttered, his concern evident.

’It’s because if I do not gather allies now and lessen the problems while I can, we would be in a pickle in the future. Even if you and the other long-lived races are so powerful, we cannot fight all alone when we are outnumbered by several kingdoms working together against us,’ Arabella wanted to say but could not.

The long-lived races were restricted and bound by rules as well so they could not use the full extent of their power here in the human realm.

However, saying all this might make her seem suspicious so she sealed her lips for now.

Instead, she reasoned, "Because that’s not the way I want to live. I would leave the human realm someday and I want to leave a good legacy. I don’t want to be rumored as a lazy and useless Empress. If I do not work and achieve things people will talk badly about me."

Arabella understood now the profound impact of public opinion in their world and the potential consequences of being perceived as ineffective or idle.

She had experienced firsthand how rumors could influence politics and relationships among rulers and their subjects. It could spark all sorts of things from happening.

"..."

Ferdinand was momentarily silenced by Arabella’s reminder, especially considering the negative rumors that had circulated about her in the empire months before.

He understood the sensitivity of the situation and how uncomfortable it must have been for her to face. Especially if more negative perceptions of her increase if new rumors arise.

"Moreover, what if your subjects deem I am not a useful Empress and decide to have me replaced?" Arabella added, voicing a deeper concern.

"I will never allow that to happen," Ferdinand responded firmly, his tone resolute.

Arabella smiled warmly at his assurance. "I know you won’t."

"Then, please don’t expose yourself to danger anymore," Ferdinand pleaded earnestly.

"Ferdinand, danger is a part of being royalty. It follows because of the blood flowing in my veins. No matter where I am, as long as I am royalty, danger might come regardless of what I do."

Arabella explained with a calm acceptance, drawing from her experiences in her past life. She understood this fact now after having lived her past life until she was in her forties.

[She’s accustomed to being at risk?] Ferdinand frowned, realizing the weight of her words.

"Being at risk is a part of life, Ferdinand. If I die someday, I at least want to have been doing what I wanted to do instead of imprisoning and limiting myself in fear of the possibility of risk," Arabella pointed out.

Ferdinand frowned at her words. His grip tightened slightly on her hand as he expressed with concern,"How could you talk of death so easily? I would not allow you to die. You promised not to leave me."

"Of course, I won’t. I’m just saying it to clarify my point," Arabella reassured him gently.

[So am I suffocating her again? Are my actions limiting her and preventing her from what she wanted to do?] Ferdinand gulped at the realization.

Ferdinand’s thoughts raced as he grappled with his own emotions. He realized that perhaps his worry for her safety and his attempts to protect her might sometimes seem like he was limiting her actions. This insight struck him deeply.

"Arabella, I never meant to imprison or limit you. I’m just worried about your safety," Ferdinand admitted, his voice tinged with regret as he realized he may have overdone things and made her feel terrible with all the rules he had set for her safety.

"Yes, I know. I am grateful for all the safety measures you put in place for my sake," Arabella admitted.

The security measures Ferdinand had in place had kept Arabella safe and prevented more assassination attempts from harming her.