Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 114

To my teacher,

The winter I kept complaining about, wondering when it would end, has vanished without a trace!

Are people destined to always have regrets? Suddenly, I find myself wishing I had walked a bit more on the snowy path, bought a warm snack in the cold wind, or worn my favorite scarf one more time.

But rather than dwelling on regrets, it’s better to think about how to enjoy the spring that has fully arrived, right?

I bought a white silk blouse that goes well with the warm weather. I’m hoping I’ll have the chance to wear it. The price was high, so I felt a sting while paying, but I’ll consider it a worthwhile purchase.

I’m so relieved to hear that you’re doing well with the change of seasons. Your replies have been short lately, so I was worried you might be sick.

You know, I imagine you as a kind grandfather sitting in a rocking chair with a yellow blanket over your knees.

You know, colds are very dangerous at that age… I’m always busy worrying about you in various ways.

Of course, you said you’re not that old, but I’ve never actually met you, so, well, what can I do?

But if you wish, I can change the yellow blanket to a more dignified checkered brown blanket in my imagination.

The Special Forces are as chaotic as ever. But things have really improved a lot lately. The news from various places is a bit hopeful!

It makes the work worthwhile.

One of the senior officials said that this sense of fulfillment makes up for the insufficient allowance, and well, that seems to be true.

Always waiting for your reply,

Vanessa Rose.

P.S. To be really honest, my biggest motivation is the thought that the people I care about in Priba are becoming safer.

You sponsored me to create a great talent for Priba, but I’m just busy protecting such a small area.

Of course, I’m making it clear that you are within that area. Bang, bang!

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“I hate this so much.”

As Evan muttered next to her, Vanessa blankly nodded.

“I said I felt rewarded when I sent the letter to my teacher… protecting someone and all that.”

“Cancel it, quickly.”

“How can I cancel it? Should I send another letter saying it was all a lie?”

“Judging from what you’ve told me so far, your patron teacher must know the Cabinet very well, right? So they’ll easily understand your change of heart.”

The morning after returning from Count Jenyata’s mansion, Gideon barely brushed cheeks with her due to an urgent call and left for work early.

Vanessa, whose shift was changed to the afternoon due to overtime, gave him a pitiful look as she saw him off. Of course, as soon as he left, she happily rolled around on the bed before leisurely leaving the castle.

The path through the garden behind Valder Castle was now quite familiar, and she didn’t get confused even in the large forest.

As soon as she entered the building, Vanessa was grabbed by someone.

“Vanessa, I heard you almost got into big trouble?”

“Ah, you scared me! Who told you?”

At Vanessa’s question, Evan clicked his tongue and matched her pace.

“The rumors have already spread throughout the castle. Count Jenyata, who was dragged to the Ministry of Justice, spilled everything.”

“Already? Not even a day has passed? What did he spill?”

“I don’t know the exact details, but he made it clear that he was threatened in Rossini’s name. And his daughter too!”

“Unexpected. I thought it would take a bit longer… I thought he was very afraid of Marquis Rossini.”

“The fact that Count Jenyata cherishes his daughter is a well-known story throughout the capital. He couldn’t bear the anger of having his daughter held hostage.”

Evan checked to see if there were people around and leaned in to whisper.

“And the Commander completely rescued the daughter that the Rossini family had hidden, so he had to repay the favor. Rossini’s safe house in Leparo was completely destroyed, I heard.”

“Where did you hear that, Ack!”

The two were unexpectedly grabbed by the back of their necks and turned their heads with a creak.

The person grabbing them was a man with a prickly beard and a very fierce look, with three sword marks on his uniform’s epaulettes.

“Ge, General Zankval.”

As Evan stammered, Vanessa quickly lowered her head and greeted him.

“Hello, I’m Lieutenant Vanessa Rose!”

“I know Lieutenant Rias, and you’re Lieutenant Rose. Nice to meet you. I’m General Zankval.”

General Zankval released their necks and opened his mouth, stroking his prickly beard.

“Lieutenants are usually teamed up with various members. I’ll be in charge of organizing this dispatch team. It’s not confirmed yet, but for now, both of you should go to the second room on the third floor and work.”

General Zankval finished speaking and walked away with a bent back. I had definitely heard that he was a very fierce lieutenant colonel, but unlike that story, he didn’t seem to have any strength at all.

“Wo, what a surprise.”

“He must have stayed up all night. He looks so haggard.”

“No, he usually looks like that……”

Vanessa, as if reminded of a bad memory, dragged Evan, who was staggering, up to the third floor and opened the second door in the hallway.

Carefully poking her head inside, she saw several people lying face down on the desks.

Just as she was about to give a cheerful greeting to the back of their heads, Lieutenant Sleiman and Lieutenant Grain, with sleepy expressions, raised their heads.

The two, who usually grumbled and complained, were together.

“Wow.”

Vanessa unknowingly made a strange noise, a sound that was hard to tell whether it was admiration or lamentation.

“What, Lieutenant? Aren’t you going to greet us?”

Vanessa dejectedly grabbed a desk and sat down.

‘There’s still… hope left. The General said it’s not confirmed yet!’

At Evan’s whisper next to her, Vanessa coldly replied.

‘Give up hope quickly.’

However, the dispatch location was not quickly decided even after that.

With Count Jenyata’s testimony, they caught Marquis Rossini and secured the justification. After that, a royal order was issued to investigate the temple, but the priests were vehemently opposed. They demanded evidence, and when the evidence was sent, they blocked the front of the temple with a determined attitude to commit suicide.

There was definitely a time in the past when the name of God held great power, a time when no one had systematically organized magic, so only a small portion could enjoy the power of magic.

But that was a long time ago, and the name of God was fading. As the royal authority grew stronger and the number of wizards increased, the kingdom’s people no longer sought the temple.

The kings did not feel threatened by the weakened temple and lost interest. Therefore, they only paid appropriate respect to the past glory.

But this incident was a problem that could not be overlooked.

As the temple continued to refuse the investigation, the king detained some priests who were scattered outside. He interrogated them and compared their stories, intending to break in if they didn’t match.

Whether the priests were hurt or not, what was more important to the king was the safety of the country.

“Why are there so many documents?”

“That’s what I’m saying. Were there only record-keepers?”

And the king issued a new order to the Special Forces.

The order was to check the past subjugation records remaining in the Special Forces and determine whether those places were related to Bam Vandalu’s magic circle. It was to confirm if there were more of Bam Vandalu’s magic circles that had already been destroyed.

The problem was that the past subjugation records filled a small room with just bookshelves.

The Special Combat Unit was a group with a relatively long history. Collecting the records submitted by those dispatched to places other than the capital only brought laughter.

Since there were not many Special Forces members left after the dispatch, Sleiman, Grain, Vanessa, and Evan were assigned two bookshelves each.

From then on, everyone rummaged through the papers with a grim face, but even after several days, the thick bundles of documents did not decrease.

“Ah, I just want to go on a dispatch quickly. Can’t we just specify a place and go?”

“Please tell that to the General.”

As Lieutenant Grain listlessly turned over the yellowed paper, Captain Sleiman loudly complained to the air.

“When are we going to see all of this!”

Sleiman flopped onto the desk, but no one responded to him.

Lieutenant Grain often clashed with Sleiman and had a bad relationship with him, and Vanessa was desperate to keep the correct quitting time. Evan had already confirmed his overtime and ran away to clear his head somewhere.

Vanessa finished one bundle of documents and added a few locations to the map hanging on the wall. And then came back to the desk and pulled the next bundle.

The bundle of documents she had just finished was roughly tied with a string, so the color was yellowed as a matter of course, and there were many places where the ends were tattered and the ink was smudged. In fact, most of them were like that.

But this one was neatly organized with clean leather binding, and the papers inside were perfect without a single wrinkle. It was the first time she had seen something so neat, so Vanessa’s eyes widened.

But she soon realized the reason and smiled.

The name of the reporter engraved on the leather binding: Gideon Sol Valder. It was written by him.

“You brought the Commander’s. Too bad for you.”

As Grain clicked his tongue after glancing at it, Vanessa tilted her head.

“Why?”

“He tends to record everything without missing a single detail. It’ll be difficult to extract the contents from there.”

“It’s more difficult to infer where to go from a report that’s too vague.”

At Vanessa’s smiling words, Grain nodded with a loss of energy.

“That’s true… That’s what I’m looking at right now. I’m going crazy. I have to finish it within the remaining time.”

Grain, who spoke dejectedly, buried his head on the desk again.

Regardless of his gloomy mood, Vanessa vigorously unfolded the documents. Gideon was too busy these days to even contact him, so even seeing his documents was welcome.

Looking at the year it was written, it was when he had just joined the Special Forces. His neat handwriting seemed to have been perfect even in the past, as if printed with type, with no strangely protruding places.

Vanessa smiled faintly and turned the next page, then paused.

Vanessa, who was just blinking, put down her pen and quickly flipped through the paper. Without realizing it, she put strength into her hand, and the old paper was almost torn.

Three pages passed, but what she saw in front of her didn’t change much…

‘This can’t be happening.’

Vanessa flipped through dozens of pages again and repeated going back to the front again.

Vanessa eventually picked up the bundle of documents and took it under the window. She looked at it under the sunlight shining brightly through the window, but what she saw did not change.

‘How…’

“What are you doing? Are you doing that because you don’t want to work!”

Captain Sleiman’s voice, which was scolding her, was not heard well.

‘I haven’t been able to sleep enough. I’m too tired, there’s too much to do…’

But no matter how much she whispered to herself, the handwriting on the document was too familiar.

Slightly tilted, elegantly written sideways.

As Vanessa’s face gradually turned pale, Lieutenant Grain, who was surprised and got up, calmly grabbed her shoulder.

“Lieutenant, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“I, that.”

As Vanessa couldn’t quite come to her senses, Grain eventually lightly tapped her cheek. Nevertheless, Vanessa’s eyes were still fixed on the document. Then, a voice barely flowed out through her bloodless lips.

“I’m… sorry. Is the person who signed the front of the document the author of that report?”