Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 102

Even after all the monsters had turned tail and fled, the Special Forces operatives meticulously searched the forest, thoroughly checking the nearby trees.

“There are no more ‘Dotram Branches’ visible near the village. We should be able to completely clear them out by today.”

“That’s a relief.”

There was no need to eliminate even the monsters living deep in the forest. Unless they were artificially created chimeras, they were ultimately a type of magical creature.

The Special Forces operatives decided to withdraw at that point.

Colonel Liet, walking out of the forest with her body battered, immediately began scolding Vanessa and Daloys.

“If something happens, report it or shoot up a flare! How could you just leave without a word!”

“We’re sorry!”

The two, kneeling on the ground with their hands up like punished children, answered loudly.

Vanessa had been seized by a sudden thought and immediately left, and Daloys had encouraged her, so both were at fault.

“Slyman was here, so he would have sent word. Be careful next time. Of course, this will result in a pay cut.”

Liet said in a cold voice, and Vanessa immediately agreed.

“Understood.”

Daloys, of course, had swollen lips and mumbled something under his breath. Liet flicked him on the forehead as punishment and sighed.

“Special Forces operatives! Not a single one of them follows the rules on their first deployment.”

“It’s practically a tradition, isn’t it?”

Andalus gave a faint smile, defending the two lieutenants.

Unlike their chaotic night, the village seemed to be having a very peaceful morning.

However, everyone had woken up early due to the flames and light pouring through the night sky and were gathered near the village entrance, murmuring.

The villagers were startled to see Captain Slyman’s Special Forces uniform and hesitated. Liet warned them gently with a weary look in her eyes.

“It would be best if everyone went back inside.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than the villagers scurried back to their safe havens. The road was empty in an instant.

Some of the Special Forces operatives applied ointment to their scorched wounds, while others straightened their creaking limbs and headed to the old man’s house.

The old man, opening the door at the knock, was surprised and flustered by their appearance but soon nodded.

“You must be the Special Forces operatives. Come in.”

The old man brought a sticky ointment to the Special Forces operatives, who were sprawled haphazardly in the warm room. It had a strange scent, but it felt cool when applied, so it seemed to be effective. Everyone rushed to scoop up a generous amount of the ointment.

Vanessa groaned as she applied the ointment to her overworked limbs. Her body was surrounded by a bitter smell, but it was bearable if it relieved the pain.

‘Should I just use healing magic?’ I’ve already used magic power like flowing water, so would it make a big difference if I used a little more? Vanessa blinked her flickering eyes and pondered.

“Speaking of which, where did you go, Lieutenant Rose? I assume there was a reason for leaving your post.”

Liet’s slightly brusque voice woke Vanessa up. Vanessa blinked and opened her eyes wide. Andalus looked at Vanessa with a worried face and took a sip of water.

“That’s right! I’m sorry. I found the Night Vandalu’s magic circle.”

Andalus coughed and spat out some water. Slyman irritably wiped away the splashed water.

“Really? Where?”

“At Bamberg Academy. There’s a large lake in front of the building.”

As Vanessa explained the situation in detail, Liet smacked her forehead. Of course, a string of curses followed.

They had been too busy protecting the village to pay attention to the magic circle. Also, the most monsters had poured out on the path she was guarding.

Liet immediately borrowed paper and began scribbling a letter. Before the sun fully rose and rumors spread, investigators had to be sent to Bamberg Academy to investigate the culprit.

Vanessa secretly watched Liet writing the letter from the side.

The content was so informal that Vanessa found it amusing.

「

Urgent! Urgent! Urgent!

To the wonderful and powerful Captain.

Captain, are you doing well?

I imagine you’re very busy dealing with annoying nobles all by yourself.

As soon as we arrived in Veloz, we were happily backstabbed. About half of the trees that make up the forest here were not trees but monsters.

Still, Lieutenant Rose discovered the magic circle in Bamberg Academy ‘instead of Veloz,’ so we had some gains.

The magic circle was also said to be blurred by the blood flowing from the animal carcasses, so it is judged that the priests moving to Veloz and leaking information about it was probably a trick to keep the Special Forces tied to Veloz.

Since the culprit is in the academy, please send investigators before dawn, and send some soldiers belonging to the security forces to Veloz.

The tree-shaped monsters do not move during the day, so soldiers will also be able to cut them down.

We will protect the village here until the soldiers arrive.

Colonel Liet.」

Even though it will remain as an official record, the words she uses are so casual.

Vanessa thought she was looking at letters from her friends. ‘Backstabbed,’ or ‘trick’.

Colonel Liet rolled up the paper, tied it with a string, and then went upstairs with a bang to get Honir [a type of messenger bird]. It was a slightly smaller Honir, so she had to completely crumple the letter to put it in the entrance.

Vanessa opened her mouth as she watched the half-crumpled letter being crammed in.

“If you send it this early in the morning, will he see it right away?”

“According to my perfect analysis, the Captain doesn’t sleep. Whenever I send it, he always answers that he’s already seen it.”

Vanessa rolled her eyes a little. Right, it seemed like that.

Colonel Liet patted the back of her neck and said with half-closed eyes.

“I think I can sleep a little now until the answer comes.”

Vanessa also nodded and blinked her eyes.

There was only one bed, so she decided to give it to the Colonel, and Vanessa spread a blanket on the carpet on the floor and curled up. The thick blanket was quite fluffy.

She felt like she would fall into a dark sleep as soon as she closed her eyes. Her long eyelashes fluttered down, and she took a shallow, small breath. She was just about to fall into a dream.

At that moment, a thought flashed through her mind. Vanessa couldn’t even open her eyes properly and jumped up.

Her barely half-open, dazed eyes groped over the fluffy carpet.

‘I want to lie down.’

But she couldn’t do that. She remembered Noah’s mother, whom she had failed to protect last night.

Once she thought of it, she wouldn’t be able to fall into a comfortable sleep. She had to finish it.

“Ugh, ah….”

“What’s wrong, Vanessa?”

Vanessa rubbed her eyes as she looked at the bewildered Daloys. She yawned involuntarily.

“Where’s Noah?”

“Oh, right. I took him upstairs. I think he’s sleeping….”

Daloys groaned as if he remembered what he had to do. Liet also tore at her hair, and Andalus blinked as if he was in trouble.

But the good thing was that they were colonels and majors.

“Captain Slyman. Go with the lieutenants as punishment for being late.”

“Where to!”

Captain Slyman, who was already wrapped in a blanket, shouted, but in any unit, rank is the top priority, so he had no choice but to obey the colonel’s order.

Dragged out, Captain Slyman grumbled with every step. Vanessa thought he felt similar to Lieutenant Grain for some reason.

Only more arrogant and bad-tempered.

“The lieutenants dare to order me around?”

“Order you around? We’re getting help from the powerful Captain.”

Vanessa praised him in a nonchalant tone, but Slyman just huffed and puffed as he walked. Daloys didn’t care and kept yawning as he walked.

“What’s there if I follow you here?”

Vanessa and Daloys couldn’t answer that question easily. Slyman scratched his crooked nose and looked puzzled, but no one spoke.

In the silence, they walked along the well-decorated stone path inside the village and entered the dirt road.

The road to the valley was a mess. Broken trees and the corpses of monsters were scattered, making yesterday’s beautiful scenery seem like a dream.

And at the end of that road, the old house had its door fallen off and its windows broken.

“Are we going to that house?”

“Yes. Inside, there’s… the body of the deceased.”

“We can have soldiers do that kind of thing. Does the Special Forces have to do this? Our job is to deal with monsters. That’s the end of it.”

“But it’s the aftermath of that.”

“That’s why I’m saying to have the soldiers do it. If you get involved in this and that and worry about it, there’s no end to it. Later, you’ll be suffocated by the countless tragedies you encounter. The Colonel and the Major, they’re too soft.”

Slyman, who spat out his annoyance without hesitation, went inside first. Vanessa and Daloys silently followed him into the small living room.

Vanessa looked around the messy living room and carefully picked up the frame with the photo in her arms, which only had broken glass but no scratches.

“Hey! Come in!”

Slyman shouted from inside.

The room where the tree’s trunk and roots had been pulled out was a mess. The back wall was completely broken, so it was lucky that the house didn’t collapse.

And inside, Noah’s mother was lying down, receiving a soft light. With the animal carcasses, bloodstains, and huge tree roots gone, she looked even smaller.

The three dug a hole in the back of the house. It wasn’t very difficult using magic.

Vanessa and Daloys took off their coats, wrapped her body, and laid her in the pit. Slyman clicked his tongue and only went so far as to wipe away the stains left on her clothes.

“Are you going to cover it with dirt now?”

“No. The child is in the village. It would be better to let him say goodbye for the last time.”

Slyman also sighed at the mention of the child being left behind.

“Tragedy always happens to the weak. If there is a god, this can’t happen.”

Vanessa nodded involuntarily at that.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Gideon tore open the letter sent by Colonel Liet and checked the contents. It was dawn before the sun had even properly risen.

He traced the content that Vanessa had discovered the magic circle in Bamberg Academy with his fingertips several times and gave a bitter smile.

In less than an hour, investigators from the Ministry of Justice, the Royal Court, and the Special Forces were dispatched to Bamberg Academy. Of course, the content was top secret and was not reported to anyone except the King.

And before the sun set that day, a student was dragged into the Royal Investigation Room.