Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 132

The dragon burst from the cave, slicing through the darkness and soaring skyward. Despite the day’s warmth, Vanessa shivered as they gained altitude. Night Vandalu seemed unaffected, but Vanessa cast a warming spell on him nonetheless.

The massive wings devoured the distance with each flap, carrying them over countless mountains and rivers. Vanessa tried to discern their destination, but the speed made her dizzy, and she quickly gave up.

Then, Night Vandalu spoke.

“A long, long time ago…”

She expected the wind to obliterate his voice, but it resonated clearly in her ear.

“There was a time before people, before magical creatures.”

Night Vandalu’s voice was a hushed song of the distant past.

“Back then, this place was vast, empty, and… flat. Then, great beings appeared and reshaped the land.”

Vanessa listened intently.

Ramaire, with wings of fire; Nuire, as cold and clear as water; and Bairakos, as hard as rock.

Ramaire beat his massive wings, spreading light evenly across the world. Nuire roamed the seas, creating currents to cleanse impurities. Bairakos shattered the earth with his powerful legs, raising mountains. The world flourished.

“Wasn’t Ramaire the name of a god?”

“Yes, that’s right. But if Ramaire is a god, then Nuire and Bairakos must be gods as well.”

But one day, intense light poured from the sky.

The sunlight was so fierce that Ramaire folded his wings to rest and flew away. Nuire, so transparent his bones were visible, was stung by the light penetrating the water and vanished into the deepest canyons.

Only Bairakos, who had been sleeping, remained. Bored, he rose and roamed as he pleased….

The story ended abruptly, leaving Vanessa disappointed.

But the dragon continued to fly for a long time. Night Vandalu hummed to himself, seemingly content.

Vanessa knew she’d never get used to flying. Her feverish, exhausted body, combined with the biting wind, only worsened her condition.

Finally, a shaky voice escaped her.

“A-Are we still far? I feel really sick, ugh.”

“Just a little further, we’re almost there… No! Don’t you dare throw up on my friend!”

As he spoke, the dragon began to descend. Vanessa noticed a mountain covered in massive rocks in their path….

Soon, the tip of the dragon’s wing brushed the trees. Moments later, the dragon found a clearing to land.

With a ground-shaking thud, the dragon landed. Relieved, Vanessa untied the glowing straps and jumped off the dragon’s neck, which he lowered for her.

“Thank you for the long flight. You always help me.”

She gently scratched between his scales, and the dragon squinted and flapped his wings. Vanessa smiled. Night Vandalu watched his old friend, the black dragon, with interest.

He’s usually shy, but he seems to enjoy Vanessa’s touch. She must be scratching just the right spots.

Then, a strange sound, resonating within her head, echoed from behind.

〚A mage of the past, and a human I’ve never seen before.〛

The sound didn’t vibrate the air but rather her bones.

Vanessa turned. And finally, she faced a form like a colossal cliff.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The massive form resembled a wolf. A large head, a long, scarred mouth, and burning red eyes. Thick black fur covered its body.

The wolf looked at Night Vandalu and said,

〚It’s been a long time.〛

“You’ve been sleeping for a long time.”

Night Vandalu bowed politely.

Regardless of his demeanor, Vanessa recognized it instantly. Anyone would.

That’s not just some magical creature. That kind of powerful, burning energy doesn’t belong to any magical creature classified by humans….

〚Someone has awakened me again.〛

“It’s always been this way. Human greed is truly amusing.”

〚You speak as if you are not human.〛

“No human lives for a thousand years. Now I am nothing. Neither human nor monster.”

〚Do you regret the promise?〛

“I don’t regret it, but it is boring. Very, very occasionally, it is rewarding.”

Night Vandalu smiled. The black wolf’s slightly narrowed eyes shifted to Vanessa. They shone like stars, making it difficult to meet his gaze. Involuntarily, she lowered her head.

〚A mage I’ve never seen before.〛

Vanessa replied, her voice trembling.

“My name is Vanessa Rose.”

She wanted to ask about his existence, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak. But she had a feeling. The old story Night Vandalu had told her wasn’t just a children’s tale.

〚You were born with great power. But you are still clumsy. Small and young. But like a flower blooming, you will soon be in full bloom. It will be nice to see when that time comes.〛

Her body trembled. Just speaking to him felt like her bones were being crushed by vibrations. But she tried to appear composed and asked,

“Is that your real body?”

〚No, this is just a manifestation. This mountain is my body. Oh, it looks like it’s hardened and turned to rock. But my fur shines brilliantly in many colors when the sunlight hits it. Black is made by embracing all colors. Would you like me to show you if you’re curious?〛

It was a boastful voice. Vanessa squeezed her eyes shut at the sight of the great being who claimed this vast mountain range as his body. If he took a single step, part of Priba would be devastated.

“I came here to ask you for a favor.”

〚Hmm.〛

Vanessa swallowed hard as the giant wolf stretched his mouth wide in a smile.

〚Where there are those who awaken, there are also those who try to put to sleep. I know what you want without you having to say it.〛

“That’s right. I want you to go back to sleep. I know you’ll be displeased, but I’ll do anything I can. Please tell me how.”

Vanessa clasped her hands anxiously and bowed deeply. Night Vandalu said she could do something, so she would. She couldn’t back down.

The tips of her lowered hands were turning blue.

〚Why do you want to put me back to sleep?〛

“…I want to protect the people who are precious to me.”

〚Is that so? You don’t really need to ask me.〛

Vanessa blinked in confusion and carefully raised her head. The black wolf’s eyes contained various sparkles, like the night sky. Black without any white, with blue, red, and yellow… dozens, hundreds of shooting stars flew out.

The black being, meeting her nervous, bewildered eyes, stretched his mouth wide as if smiling.

〚Little mage, you don’t know your own power.〛

“It’s my power. I do know….”

〚Your power is the kind that grows stronger over time.〛

Vanessa was silent for a moment.

〚As time passes and you become overconfident and arrogant, your power will become even stronger. The power you have is the kind the great ruler desires.〛

“I just-”

〚Listen to me. In just 10 years, you will have the power to rule the continent.〛

Vanessa was impatient. What on earth was he trying to say? She just wanted Gideon to wake up.

〚I promise. I will not set foot on the land you rule.〛

“What, what are you talking about? I don’t have any land to rule.”

〚While I get up and take a short walk, many things will disappear. Powerful mages will sprout new countries in the emptied land.〛

Only then did Vanessa remember the empty history books. Stories that no one knew. Why did the Edirne Empire fall? There were only speculations.

〚I have no malice. I was just strolling. Just as humans don’t care about ants, I just don’t care about humans. But I promise, I will protect your land. You will become the new ruler of the land.〛

“Then you won’t go back to sleep?”

〚As a trade for the glory you will receive, I must feel the sunlight for a while. I missed Ramaire’s traces. Why did he disappear so early?〛

Vanessa clenched her fist tightly. Night Vandalu, as if he had done his part, sat on a rock, listening to their conversation.

Vanessa felt like crying. Even at this moment, he must be in pain. Those black blood vessels.

She opened her trembling mouth.

“I don’t need any of that.”

〚You say that because you don’t know anything. All humans eventually pursue glory.〛

“No. What I want is different. I want the people I love to be safe on this land, and I want the person I love to wake up and meet my eyes. To do that, you have to go back to sleep.”

Vanessa pleaded earnestly.

“I’ll give you anything you want. I’ll do anything I can. So please tell me how.”

The black wolf’s eyes were like the stars in the night sky and like the burning sun. In any case, it was not something a mere human could look at for long. Vanessa closed her eyes tightly.

He didn’t answer for quite a while.

〚I do miss Ramaire’s sunlight, but I’ve actually lived for too long. I might not need a stroll.〛

The black wolf whispered.

〚The magic circle that Night Vandalu made for me gave me very good dreams. So falling asleep wasn’t painful. No, it might have been enjoyable….〛

Then he stretched his large mouth and laughed.

〚But to revive the broken magic circles, a very powerful magic is needed.〛

“You said I have great magical power, so I can do it. So-”

〚You could. But you have to give up your power as a price.〛

Vanessa closed her mouth.

〚There is no pain as bitter as losing the power you have realized. But how can you fill a broken glass again? Your body, which has consumed too much power, will never be able to replenish magic again. You will become a useless human.〛

Vanessa blinked. The great being watched her with interest. Human emotions were so interesting that they provided enjoyable entertainment, even without a stroll.

〚Will you live as a useless human, or will you become the great ruler of a new land?〛