Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 12

To Teacher, From Vanessa Episode 12 (12/146)

“Hey, Vanessa. Not browsing today?”

It was the owner of , Vanessa’s favorite cake shop in Nimrod.

was the most famous cafe in Nimrod, known more for its cakes than its drinks.

Actually, she’d first wandered in because the white paint was pretty. The cake, as the owner had assured her, had a wonderful texture, with sweet cream and fluffy sponge melting in her mouth.

The owner, a burly man whose appearance didn’t quite match the fluffy cakes, was holding an armful of fruit.

“Today’s lemon meringue tart is the best. I brought in a ton of lemons from Mount Sisyphus. You like lemons, right?”

The owner seemed to remember Vanessa’s chatter.

“Not a cake-eating day today. But lemon meringue… just hearing it makes me happy.”

“Not a cake-eating day? You’ll regret it! It’ll all be sold out tomorrow!”

At those words, Vanessa groaned for a moment. Lemon meringue tart. No, I have to resist. I eat cake too often!

But, contrary to her thoughts, Vanessa was unknowingly following the owner like a bee drawn to a flower.

The owner, who had easily lured Vanessa in, chuckled and opened the door to the cafe, which was still being prepared.

Vanessa quickly went inside and began to look around, her nose practically pressed against the glass display case. The lemon meringue tart was in the center of the display.

“Wow….”

The tart crust, which looked rich with plenty of butter, the slightly browned meringue topping, and the candied lemon slices. It was truly perfect.

The owner laughed heartily as he watched Vanessa, almost넋을 놓고 [넋을 놓고 (neogeul nohgo) is a Korean expression meaning ‘mesmerized’ or ‘entranced’], staring in fascination.

“I’m in a good mood. If you say you’ll buy it, I’ll cut you a really big piece!”

The cake was expensive, a testament to the owner’s skill. Vanessa pondered fiercely.

I bought two pieces of cake two days ago. Isn’t this too extravagant? But Jenien said it was delicious… wouldn’t it be a good gift for Jenien, who is exhausted from research?

Of course, Jenien didn’t seem to get tired when it came to research-related matters, but it was a good excuse.

Just before Vanessa was about to shout out to have two pieces wrapped up, the cafe door suddenly opened. Jingle, jingle.

“Hello, cough.”

The owner, who had a 영업용미소 [a forced or business smile], plastered on his face, suddenly stopped, choking. Vanessa was startled and looked up.

“Mister, are you okay?”

“Are you alright?”

A low, soft voice. Vanessa turned her gaze back. And with wide eyes, she stopped breathing.

Oh my god.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

To Teacher.

Are you doing well in the heat?

I hope there are many shady spots and it’s a little cooler where you are. Nimrod is very hot, making the weather exhausting.

Anyway, I have some news. I’m writing to let you know that Vanessa Rose has made a new friend in Nimrod!

I go to the most famous cake shop in Nimrod every day these days.

It’s called ‘Cafe, Dulce.’ It seems too extravagant to buy something every day, so I hold back and buy something about once every three or four days. It’s as pretty as it is expensive.

Usually, I wrap up the recommended dessert of the day and share it with Jenien. Jenien says it’s 감질난다 [a Korean word meaning ‘tantalizing’ or ‘not enough’] and tells me to buy more, but it tastes better this way, right?

Ah, two days ago was a very hot day. I was walking and got exhausted, so I was resting by the fountain.

But the owner of Cafe Dulce recognized me and tempted me with a lemon meringue tart!

I couldn’t resist the owner, who knew how much I liked lemons!

In the end, I followed him. I decided that this would be the last cake for this week.

Since the store wasn’t open yet, I was the only customer, so I was stuck in front of the cake display case, looking around.

Of course, I was 홀렸 [possessed or captivated] by the lemon meringue tart, but the 생크림케이크 [fresh cream cake] with lots of strawberries looked delicious, and the chocolate mousse cake with plenty of chocolate is always a winner.

I can imagine it even as I write this letter. I want to send you one, but it’s not a size that can fit through Honir’s entrance.

At that time, the bell on the shop door rang, and the cafe owner made a choking sound.

When I looked up, I was worried because the owner, who had scars on his face and forearms as big as my waist, was holding his heart.

“Mister, are you okay?”

“Are you alright?”

It was a very low but soft voice. When I turned my head, I was breathless from that moment on!

The most, most handsome man I’ve ever seen in my life was standing there.

I don’t know if it makes sense to describe his appearance. There is beauty in the world that makes women and men alike stop breathing!

Could it be that I took a literature class just to describe this person’s beauty? If I showed Professor Eliot this person, wouldn’t I get the highest grade just for that?

He was just perfect, like the main character in a 명화 [masterpiece painting].

The neatly exposed forehead and the cleanly swept-back golden hair looked elegant and soft, but the brightly shining golden eyes had a feeling like the eyes of a predator hiding in the shadows. It was amazing that even though the colors were so bright, they didn’t look light and had weight.

He was very tall, so I had to raise my head. Considering that I’m quite tall, it’s amazing. His big, solid body was like a knight in a book.

I hope he doesn’t get offended by my description of his appearance like this?

You have to keep it a secret because I’m only telling you, teacher. I wanted to convey the feeling I felt as it is!

Anyway, as that person walked closer, the owner’s face turned as red as if it would explode. It’s really funny, right?

“Isn’t the store open yet?”

“Th, th. Th-that… cough.”

The owner didn’t seem to be able to answer, so I decided to answer instead. I could breathe again.

“It’s not open yet. Only 포장 [takeout] is available right now, is that okay?”

I got nervous when his gaze came down to me. Was it because of the height difference?

“Yes. Which one is the most popular?”

I was excited from then on. I know the Cafe Dulce menu as well as the owner.

“Well, the lemon meringue tart will be the most delicious today. I’m going to buy this too. But if you’re going to buy several pieces, the rich cheesecake is also delicious, and the cream cake with lots of fruit is popular!”

Then he smiled.

“You’re going to buy the meringue tart. Do you like lemons?”

“Yes. I like them. It’s delicious to just buy the jam here and eat it.”

He was staring hard at the glass display case next to me, and I was 열심히 힐끗대다 [stealthily glancing] at his profile. A beautiful person saves the world, they say.

Teacher, you noticed that your 피후원자 [protégé] is quite weak in the face, right?

“Is there something on my face?”

He tilted his head and wiped his cheek with his big hand, and every movement was 예술 [art]. I just decided to be honest.

“I think you’re the most handsome person I’ve ever seen.”

Then he smiled again.

Anyway, I carefully selected and 포장 [packaged] two pieces of lemon meringue tart, and he 포장 [packaged] everything one by one except for the lemon meringue tart.

Absurdly, I chose first, but the owner served that man first! He also 포장 [wrapped] it with the prettiest ribbon.

When I glared at him, the owner just waved his hand and ran away.

But when I came out of the store, he was waiting in front.

“May I ask your name?”

“Vanessa Rose.”

“I see. Please call me Gide.”

There was a commotion when I walked with Gide. Someone fell while looking at Gide’s face, and someone else bumped into a sign. It was a mess.

“Does this happen often?”

“Magicians are originally weak to aesthetic things.”

So, that means it happens often, right?

Anyway, the conversation was fun. Jenien is fun, but the conversation collapses here and there. I was clearly talking about one thing, but at some point, the topic veers off in a completely different direction.

But with Gide, the act of giving and receiving conversation was fun in itself.

Please don’t think I fell for his looks. The conversation was really good!

But I was a little puzzled because he kept going the same way as me, but it turned out that he was going to Jenien’s house. He said they had known each other for quite a while.

But Jenien didn’t seem to think so. All that was visible again was the stake, not the house.

I hesitated to shout Harihara [likely a reference to breaking a barrier or illusion] in front of him because I was meeting Gide for the first time. It might be Jenien’s weakness.

But I didn’t have to.

Gide had a long sword and a medium sword hanging from his waist, and the moment he lightly touched the sword with his finger, Jenien’s barrier was shattered.

With the sound of something breaking, the mansion rose from the ground. Bang!

But as the barrier broke, the latches on the mansion windows went down with a rough sound, and three locks 철컥 [sound of locks clicking] on the gate. At the same time, a prickly fence immediately rose up to prevent entry from the inside.

As soon as Gide drew his sword and swung it, it looked like a line of light was passing by, and at that moment, the thorny fence disappeared, the gate was smashed, and the latches on the windows fell to the floor.

It’s really amazing, right? When can I be like that? Seeing the battle between the two great magicians made me think that I should study harder.

In the end, Jenien ran out and started screaming. It was like fire was coming out of his mouth.

“You devil! Please go somewhere else!”

“Haha.”

“This bastard is laughing? He broke someone else’s barrier and…!”

“There are those who pay off debts with their mouths, but our Jenien Pokis Polis Stargera 선생님 [teacher] is still incurring debts with his mouth. I have something to ask you for a moment, do you have time?”

“No.”

“I see. I’m glad you have time.”

“I don’t!”

Well, the fight between those two was also fun. No matter how much Jenien ran away, Gide grabbed Jenien and dragged him in with a calm expression. He gave me what he bought at Cafe Dulce.

The two seemed to be doing something in the backyard, but they didn’t show it to me.

Gide came to stay at Jenien’s house for about five days. He said he came here to find something out and for a vacation.

It’s only been two days since we met, but we got along so well that we didn’t even have time to be shy.

When I first met him, I thought he was much older than me because of his clothes and his unique, unkempt posture, but he turned twenty-three last December.

We joined forces to fix Jenien’s old boat and played at rowing on the pond. We also bought ice cream together in Nimrod.

I found out after talking endlessly that Gide also graduated from Bamberg Academy!

So, when I talked about Bamberg Academy, I didn’t know how time was passing.

When I talked about Professor Eliot, he laughed as if he was out of breath. When he heard about the literature assignment, he couldn’t even make a sound and just trembled.

Almost a month of vacation has passed. These days, I’m having so much fun every day that I’m a little sad that time is passing.

But why hasn’t the report card arrived yet? Could it be that I failed the literature class?

Vanessa Rose, who is having a very enjoyable vacation thanks to the teacher.

p.s. You said you like thick letters, right?