Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 141

Gideon carefully sat Vanessa back up on the bed, propping her against the cushions. Yet, his expression remained frighteningly stern.

Of course, unlike his serious face, Vanessa was nonchalantly thinking that even his slightly long hair that covered his ears suited him well.

Well, what wouldn’t suit him, anyway?

“You’ll get better soon.”

“Of course, you will.”

If she didn’t, he was ready to not forgive the doctor treating her and the other mages.

Vanessa smirked and reached out to poke his tense jawline.

“Relax. I’m fine.”

At those words, he barely curved his lips, but his eyes remained darkly sunken. Vanessa couldn’t see herself in the mirror, but she could easily tell that her condition was worse than he had expected.

Seeing his face full of worry and anxiety, Vanessa said mischievously.

“You were the one who told me to choose freely.”

The fingertips that had been caressing her cheek flinched and slowly retreated.

It was the words she disliked the most. It sounded like he could easily give up the time they shared. It was so precious to Vanessa, but she was furious, wondering if it wasn’t the same for him.

“If you had the courage to let me go, shouldn’t you be able to calmly handle something like this?”

“I’m sorry. I was afraid you would regret your relationship with me, so I tried to avoid that… I think I just blurted out whatever came to mind.”

His voice was weak and subdued, and Vanessa’s desire to tease him vanished completely.

Okay, that’s enough. I shouldn’t poke at him with this anymore. Looking at his pitifully sunken cheeks, it seemed he had suffered enough.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. Gideon frowned slightly. The tender affection disappeared, and a sharp voice burst out.

“Who is it?”

“It’s…”

The doctor, who had slipped out earlier, carefully peeked his face through the crack in the door.

The doctor was trembling with a very nervous expression, and cold sweat was even dripping down his forehead.

And for good reason.

Who wouldn’t be happy to see their lover open their eyes after a long time! He must have missed that smile so much that he would be exchanging eyes as sweet as sugar and conversations as sweet as honey.

But an unfamiliar doctor was assigned the role of a troublemaker!

If the Duke and his lover were having a secret and enjoyable time, he would have no excuse even if he were kicked out right away. Who doesn’t know how fierce Duke Valder has been lately? He wondered if he would be locked up somewhere immediately.

The doctor trembled with terrifying thoughts.

However, they had received the King’s order and had a duty to take very good care of Vanessa Rose. If he had to choose, the King, who would be glaring in the royal palace, was more frightening.

“I, I wanted to check on her condition before she fell asleep again… and, I, I was worried that it would be too much for her to stand for too long, so, I… no, we all…”

The doctor, who was clearly being pushed, babbled incoherently. He couldn’t even step through the doorway and looked like he wanted to burst into tears right away.

Seeing his pitiful appearance, Vanessa nodded, and Gideon slowly rose.

Nevertheless, he didn’t step back immediately. The doctor, quick to catch on, said, ‘I’ll come back later,’ and closed the door.

Gideon hesitated for a moment and then whispered softly.

“If you feel unwell or have any discomfort, tell me anytime. Anyone is fine.”

“I will.”

“Call me if you need anything.”

“I will do that too.”

“You’ll probably be going to sleep right after the doctors check on you, but you can pull the cord…”

Vanessa shook her head with a slight smile at his endless worries. Eventually, Gideon reluctantly took a step.

He looked so pitiful that Vanessa finally,

“Gideon.”

Called his name.

Gideon turned around as if he had been waiting for it, and when their eyes met, Vanessa smiled faintly.

Now that she was awake, she wanted him to feel relieved and at peace. She just wanted him to have a night where he could completely relax and rest peacefully.

“Don’t worry.”

Gideon was waiting for her to continue… so Vanessa spoke in a cheerful voice.

“Because we’ll meet again tomorrow.”

I’ve already slept too much. I want to wake up early tomorrow and take a walk. Come and support me. I need to see the Ailia flowers, just like you said.

Vanessa spoke casually, waving her hand lightly. Gideon, leaning against the doorframe and looking at her, gave a faint smile as if he was melting.

How do you always say what I want to hear?

The man strode back to the bedside. Just as Vanessa was about to look up in bewilderment, he lowered himself close. Their eyes met directly.

“Why do you keep kneeling wherever-”

“I love you.”

He thought it would be better to say it after she had recovered. He worried that the truth he faced as soon as she opened her eyes might feel too overwhelming and burdensome.

But the moment she smiled, he couldn’t hold back. The emotions he had been suppressing swelled up, exceeding the critical point.

He always thought he had to hide his true feelings and only show a part of them. Because the things he cherished and loved disappeared without a trace in the most perfect moments.

However, Vanessa woke up from her dream and returned to his side. So, the man decided not to hesitate anymore. At least, not in front of Vanessa. He knew how precious that was.

He tried his best to convey his heart and thoughts completely, even if he stumbled and was slow.

“I am sorry for the disappointment and resentment you felt the moment you realized that I was your teacher. I feel even more sorry because I think that emotion was felt solely because of me.”

His large hand carefully wrapped around Vanessa’s hand. The generous Vanessa Rose willingly allowed him to hold her.

“That secret was always like a thorn. Even in the moments when I was incredibly happy with you, it lingered at my fingertips, leaving a subtle pain. I will never do that again. I will not create any secrets from you.”

He could feel the sweat on his hand.

“I am so greedy when it comes to you that I regret even those small moments when I wasn’t completely happy. I will always try my best. Thank you for coming back, and thank you for forgiving me.”

Vanessa smiled. She liked his words, which were full of tension and trembling.

Okay, then it was her turn to reassure him. She decided to completely dispel his doubts, something she hadn’t been able to do before.

Without hiding her flushed cheeks, she grabbed his collar and kissed his gaunt cheek. The man’s returning smile was so radiant that she was blinded. So, she wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed.

The drafty inn, the cliff where she studied magic circles, the dark cave.

While walking alone, she had spent a long time choosing the words she would say when she met him again, so she spoke without stumbling at all.

“I like the way you smile at me like that. You may not know it, but your eyes seem to overflow with affection. When I feel that, I feel very warm even on days when the cold wind is strong. I think it’s lovely and wonderful that you’re strict with yourself but subtly generous to others. I like that when we’re together, you always try to close your eyes later than me, no matter how tired you are, and it’s comfortable to be held tightly because you’re so much bigger than me.”

He looked a little dazed at the sudden stream of compliments.

But he soon realized. It was the reason she had promised in her letter that she liked him. The man’s ears began to turn red.

“I also like that you listen to whatever I say as if it’s the most important story in the world. I like that you try to make time for me no matter what when I come to find you, and I’m grateful that even if you don’t like what I want to do, you eventually follow along.”

Her vocal cords, weakened from not being used for a long time, easily lost strength, but there were still many things she had to tell him.

“The fact that the reason you hid the truth was because you were afraid I would leave is actually kind of nice. Is that too bad? But I just like that you, who are not afraid of anything, were tormented for my sake alone. I can only say this because we reconciled, but anyway, that’s how it is.”

Vanessa smiled brightly.

“This wasn’t created by your teacher’s letter, but by you.”

Our meeting was probably a coincidence.

As he said, he had simply added Vanessa Rose as one of the many patrons of the Valder family. Without any ulterior motives, without any interest. Vanessa Rose was just a pitiful woman with frozen cheeks hanging laundry.

But it was a single, almost ignorant letter that lengthened the thread of that connection. Not knowing how to send a letter to a patron, she filled it with affection.

So, in fact, it was she, not him, who turned coincidence into inevitability. The mage, whose magic condition was ‘believe in yourself,’ had even successfully grasped and created her own destiny.

So, what should be doubted was not Vanessa Rose’s sincerity, but Gideon Sol’s sincerity. Did he really love Vanessa Rose?

But Vanessa decided not to doubt his heart. She believed in what she had experienced. She believed in his sincere voice.

So now we could just hold hands peacefully and take a walk. Like the last chapter of a fairy tale for young children.

How does it end? Usually, they lived happily ever after, right?

Then that’s how it will be.

Gideon only moved his lips with his flushed cheeks before burying his face in her hand and laughing. Vanessa felt very happy as she felt the slight trembling.

“I will work hard to make you find even more things you like about me.”

“Okay. Since I’ve told you the reasons as promised in the letter, don’t ever doubt my sincerity again. I’m embarrassed now, so get out. Come early tomorrow morning.”

Vanessa cleared her throat and grumbled, pulling her hand away.

He looked at her for a long time, smiling, and then got up and left the room—of course, he looked back with every step he took, so Vanessa eventually got annoyed—and the mages and doctors who had been lingering in the hallway rushed in.

Through the slowly closing door, Jenien’s shouts could be heard. Starting with ‘Are you crazy?’ to ‘You need to be punished more.’

Gideon looked wistfully at the completely closed door before turning around.

Ronan and Miguel were waiting for him in front. The two quickly tried to summarize and report the letters they were holding, but Gideon picked up the letters himself.

“What’s with you trying to do all the work,”

Ronan kicked Miguel in the shin. He gave him a reproachful look and whispered that his mouth was his sin.

Gideon chuckled and walked away, tearing open the letters.

He wasn’t afraid to leave her side for a while and come back. Vanessa would definitely keep her promise, and tomorrow they would relax together in the garden, enjoying the breeze.

Well, maybe it was because the world had become peaceful and there were many days to come together.