Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 123

To Teacher, From Vanessa 123

“What is that!”

“That’s not a monster, it’s just…”

What was bursting out from between the trees were countless animals.

No, it might be more accurate to call them all the creatures living in the forest. There were even animals I had never seen before—animals that rarely showed themselves to people and were only known through literature.

Of course, that didn’t mean there weren’t magical creatures classified as monsters. However, it didn’t seem like those monsters’ goal was to attack people.

Those creatures were running as if they were just trying to leave this land and escape….

Vanessa stopped thinking and immediately materialized a barrier. A brilliant streak of light poured down to the ground, then rose again, and the light spread. Soon, a barrier that looked like shimmering sunlight blocked the city’s gate in a cross-section and continued to the other side.

“Wouldn’t it be better to cover the entire city with a barrier? Damn it, there are too many! We can’t kill them all!”

Vanessa shook her head at Grain’s words, who was chattering his teeth with a pale face.

“I wish we could, but there’s no time. It’s better to guide them towards the river. I don’t think they intend to attack people….”

That’s why she was even more anxious. It was like the scene from books where animals flee before a disaster strikes. Creatures with legs were leaving the forest, stepping on the ground at a terrifying speed.

Vanessa swallowed her terrible premonition.

At that moment, a flare soared from the opposite side where Vanessa and Grain were standing. The flare, which soared with an ear-splittingly sharp sound, soon burst like a firecracker, signaling its location.

“Is that the Captain?”

Grain tore at his hair. If the arrogant Sleiman had fired a flare, he thought it couldn’t be a small matter. He was the type of person who wouldn’t ask for help, saying his pride was hurt.

“Lieutenant, go. I think I’m enough here. I’ll check that there are no problems and go there.”

“If, just if, an uncontrollable monster tries to attack the Second Lieutenant, come straight into the city. Got it?”

“Yes, I will.”

Only after seeing Vanessa’s eyes did Grain nod. And he ran into the city.

Vanessa checked the strength of the barrier and watched the situation without letting her guard down.

Fortunately, the creatures that popped out of the forest moved as Vanessa intended. They bumped into the barrier and pawed the ground in confusion for a moment, but soon changed direction and ran towards the distant riverbank.

Vanessa thought her frantically beating heart was calming down a bit….

For some reason, the procession coming out of the forest continued incessantly for quite a long time. From a distance, it looked like black dots gathered to form a huge line.

Vanessa, who was carefully watching the scene, let out a small sigh.

Still, there will be no harm to the people of Inis. I’m so glad…. I should just maintain the barrier and join Captain Sleiman.

Vanessa sincerely thought so. And that was an overly early relief.

The moment she turned around, a flapping sound echoed loudly across the sky. When she suspiciously turned her gaze back to the forest, a winged creature soared through the tall trees that grew between the cliffs. It was a surprisingly huge bird.

Starting with one, dozens, hundreds of flocks of bizarre birds flapped their wings and flew up. The flock of birds, which were moving in confusion, began to circle in the sky. The shape looked like dark clouds covering the bright blue sky. It was that huge.

“Are they just trying to leave this place…?”

Vanessa blinked. *Is it nothing?*

As if mocking that thought, suddenly a bird fell to the ground like an arrow.

“What….”

Before she could be surprised, the bird grabbed a deer that was running away and broke its neck. The scene was clearly visible even from a distance.

Only then did Vanessa recognize the name of that bird. A monster characterized by head feathers and a beak as sharp as steel: a ‘Zaparos’.

Vanessa recalled the passage about Zaparos. Fortunately, it was always an example of a carnivorous monster, so it wasn’t difficult to remember.

「The Zaparos, famous as carnivorous monsters in the east, live in flocks on cliffs, and once they start hunting, they don’t fold their wings until every individual is full. They generally prey on herbivores or fish, but there are very many records of hunting humans. They target young children and women first. They often attack cities, so be careful.」

The barrier was not high enough to reach the sky. Unless it was in the form of a hemisphere, it could not protect the city.

But the city of Inis was too huge, and there was not enough time to draw a magic circle right away….

Vanessa swallowed a sigh gloomily.

The range in which the flock of Zaparos circled the sky was gradually widening. She instinctively knew that she had to deal with it before the city entered that radius.

Vanessa calmly checked her skills.

*Is my magical power sufficient to deal with those numerous monsters alone? Isn’t it more dangerous for people if I act recklessly?*

The fingertips she looked down on had no tremor. The flow of magical power flowing through her body was as strong as ever these days.

Vanessa calmly clenched her fist. There would be no doubt or lack.

Magical power was clothed with will, and innate conditions completed the magic. With a buzzing vibration, a vast range of atmosphere fluctuated. At first glance, it looked like a typhoon was forming. Her long hair fluttered in the wind as if dancing.

The Zaparos, which had been flying leisurely, suddenly encountered a fierce gust of wind. They tried to ride the wind by spreading their wings, but it wasn’t enough. The powerful wind, strong enough to break bones, prevented them from using their wings effectively. As the Zaparos tried to glide downwards, another gust of wind swept them upwards, and they were caught in the turbulent air currents.

Vanessa confirmed that the Zaparos were trapped in the air currents. Although it had consumed a lot of magical power, surprisingly, she still felt fine. *If that’s the case, then it’s enough,* she thought.

After a long series of calculations, the target range was determined. Instantly, the atmospheric pressure above intensified, and the Zaparos within that radius were immediately forced to the ground.

The huge birds fell with earth-shaking sounds, rolling across the ground. The birds that had inspired fear in everyone from the sky were now crawling on the ground with broken wings, unable to do anything.

Even as Vanessa watched the scene, she only felt a sense of relief and wasn’t particularly impressed by her magic. It was more of a professional assessment.

*It’s a large-scale magic, so I’m glad it worked out…*

“Should I really do an experiment with Jenien or something….”

She scratched the back of her neck with a troubled expression. Even after consuming so much magical power, her body felt refreshed. Like the feeling she had in the past, it seemed to increase the more she used it.

*How much magical power do I have by nature? At first, I couldn’t even use incantation magic properly and was scolded by Jenien all day. It’s a strange thing indeed.*

Vanessa scratched her cheek and carefully checked that not a single Zaparo could fly again before turning around. Then, she moved towards the location where the signal flare had been fired.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The place where the signal flare had been fired was the beach adjacent to Inis, but when Vanessa arrived, only Evan was there. He was panting as he blocked the magical creatures crawling out of the water.

Thanks to the intense fire that evaporated the seawater, leaving salt sparkling on the sand, the creatures dejectedly returned to the sea. Of course, some of them used their unique abilities to jump around. Evan felt a sucker sticking to his face and was horrified.

“Evan?”

“Aaaagh, Vanessa! Help me!”

Vanessa felt her hair becoming limp with moisture and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back. According to her will, a barrier that could not be climbed stretched along the coast. It didn’t completely block everything, but it was enough for Evan to take a break.

Evan collapsed onto the sand without even bothering to brush it off the back of his head.

“Are you okay? What about the Captain?”

“Damn it, a few houses inside were tilted by the vibration from earlier. Captain Sleiman and Lieutenant Grain are inside, finding residents and evacuating them…. What the hell is going on!”

Evan thrashed around, scattering white sand wildly.

“You said all we had to do was find the Night Bandalu’s magic circle! You said it would be easy! It’s a complete lie! What is this! What is this!”

“I told you before, it’s better to abandon hope quickly.”

Vanessa replied kindly. Then, she blew away a magical creature trying to crawl over the barrier using its sticky body with a gust of wind.

While moderately blocking the magical creatures, Evan, who had been sitting down with a gloomy expression, noticed a change. The seawater had been close enough to touch his toes, but strangely, it was now far away.

“Is it low tide?”

Vanessa tilted her head at Evan’s sudden question.

“I’m not sure. Why?”

“No, the water was up to my feet here a moment ago…. Now it’s retreated all the way over there.”

Come to think of it, Vanessa also saw the water continuously receding very quickly. Small fish that couldn’t keep up occasionally flopped on the exposed seabed.

“I just want to go back to Fiodom.”

Vanessa muttered, feeling another wave of anxiety washing over her. Evan agreed.

“I’m even missing my father’s nagging. I think this is the day I’ve seen the most sea magic creatures in my life…. To think things like that live in the water.”

Evan, who had turned pale as he recalled the sensation, made a loud retching sound on the sand.

“Why are the magic creatures trying to leave their habitat?”

“I think it’s because of the vibration that shook the ground earlier.”

Vanessa nodded at Evan’s gloomy voice. However, another question arose. What was the cause of that vibration?

“Ah, I don’t know. It’s giving me a headache…. Like I said before, I just want to go back to Fiodom.”

“Hey, it’s only been one day? Do you miss your girlfriend that much?”

Vanessa smiled as Evan grumbled.

“That’s right. Actually, you’re right. We had a fight…. I want to make up quickly. I’m going to punch her, but where should I hit her to make it hurt the most?”

“The Captain…?”

After rolling his eyes for a moment, Evan advised her to wear a ring with a thick gem and punch her with it. He said that it would hurt the most and her hand would be fine, so Vanessa nodded seriously.

A ring with a thick gem, that’s good.

But the sea clearly didn’t like their carefree conversation. Perhaps it didn’t like them talking without including it. So, it revealed its powerful force as it was.

At first, they thought it was an approaching wave. But they quickly realized that wasn’t the case.

The wave visible in the distance was continuously getting higher. Like a giant mountain range that would crush everything.