CHAPTER 890: CHAPTER 890: A GOOD LAUGH

Ferdinand suddenly straightened himself up and said, "I have a lot of work to do. I must go."

"No! We’re not done talking yet," Arabella clung to him. "I won’t let you go until we’re done talking."

[This is cheating.]

Ferdinand covered his face with a hand and sighed deeply.

"What, you don’t want my hug?" Arabella teased.

"You know I’d always want it," Ferdinand wrapped an arm around her waist.

Arabella smirked in victory but did not dare let go just yet since he might run away the instant she did.

"Then tell me. What is it that Ivan and Zion did not tell me," Arabella inquired.

The fact that the two withheld it made her even more curious about it.

Zion was one thing since he was loyal to Ferdinand.

However, Ivan was her loyal assistant, and he knew he must prioritize reporting to her rather than to Ferdinand.

So why did Ivan not tell her about it?

"Ferdinand, please tell me," Arabella asked nicely.

But even when she acted all cute, Ferdinand still said, "NO."

"Why? Is it something I should never know about?"

"No. But it’s better that you don’t know about it."

"Why?"

[How could I tell her about it?]

Ferdinand made the mistake, though, when he thought about it while meeting her gaze.

Arabella saw it and gasped at the horrible scene.

"Y-you saw?!" Ferdinand was wide-eyed when he realized his mistake.

He instantly looked away, but it was too late.

Ivan and Zion only said that the people tried throwing filth and other things at the knights and magicians.

They never said the people still did it even in Ferdinand’s presence.

"Those bastards! How dare they throw such filth at my husband?!!" Arabella screamed in anger. "I changed my mind. Ferdinand, I must go there and give them a good scolding. How dare they do such a thing to their Emperor?! Ah, maybe I’ll cut their hands off or something."

"Hahahahaha..."

"Ferdinand, this is no laughing matter. Let me go there, right now!" Arabella added.

"Hahaha..." Ferdinand just continued laughing.

’This is the first time I’ve heard and seen him laugh so much.’

Arabella was amazed at the sight in front of her, so she remained silent and enjoyed it.

It’s not all the time that Ferdinand laughed like this.

It was quite a sight to behold.

She didn’t know Ferdinand could laugh this much, too, and she rather liked it.

Ferdinand noticed her just looking and said, "Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you. Your reaction was just so unexpected."

"How did you expect me to react then?"

"Get disgusted by all the filth?" Ferdinand pointed out.

"It was disgusting. So how dare they throw it at you?! Those bastards are so shameless! You’re already working hard for them, and yet they dare do such a thing! They deserve punishment!"

Just recalling it made Arabella angry again.

On the other hand, it made Ferdinand have another fit of laughter.

"Hahaha..."

Arabella simply watched and listened until he finally calmed down.

"Geez. What do you find so funny?"

"Your reaction. I’m so happy you are angry for me to the extent of uttering expletives and villainous things I never would have thought I’d ever hear from you," Ferdinand explained.

"V-villainous?!" Arabella was wide-eyed and gasped when she realized the words she had uttered.

’What the hell?! I just ruined my perfect image. And to him of all people. He even thought it was villainous!’

"U-uhm... That was just... It’s because they were so infuriating. I didn’t mean to really do it," Arabella quickly explained herself.

"Haha. Worry not. I know you won’t. And I’m confident I can love you no matter your personality," Ferdinand assured her.

"Even if I’m not kind and I do bad things?" Arabella suddenly wanted to ask now that she had the chance.

"Of course!

Rather, I’d prefer it if you’re not so kind as to be tiring yourself for everyone.

You can do bad things, and I’m sure it will never compare to things I have already done a long time ago," Ferdinand confidently replied.

"Really? Even if I become a villain?"

"Yes. I didn’t fall in love with you because you are kind. It’s simply because you are you. I’m confident I can love you even if you change and want exactly the opposite of what you do now. I will keep loving you no matter what you decide to do," Ferdinand assured her.

Arabella was deeply touched by his words that she found it difficult to speak.

’Right... He did love me even in my past life. He tried to revive me because he still loved me regardless of my actions.’

This was exactly why Arabella was trying to make up for all her transgressions against him and the Empire.

But will ’this Ferdinand,’ who had no memories of the past, really feel the same way as the ’past Ferdinand,’ who loved her despite all the things she did?

Will he not hate her if he learned about what she had done to him in their past life?

Arabella was supposed to be content with his reply.

She was not supposed to ask more.

And yet, perhaps because of his words, she was emboldened to ask further.

"Will you feel the same even if a lot of people in this Empire die because of me?"

Arabella didn’t know why she even asked this. It simply came out of her mouth.

Was it due to a desire to be accepted by him regardless of what she had done in her past life?

"Yes, of course!

If I’m made to choose between you and Valeria, know that I will always choose you, Arabella.

I only do what I can for the people here because I was given the task to be Emperor.

But if I had to choose between you and the people of Valeria, I will always choose you, Arabella," Ferdinand confidently replied once again.

[I have no use of this Empire if I don’t have you.]