Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 143

Vanessa shifted, making space beside her and patting the spot. Gideon shook his head, flustered.

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

Vanessa gave him a sidelong glance, and Gideon awkwardly rubbed his cheek. He was only wearing a thick robe over his underclothes, so he might as well lie down.

“Hurry up and lie down before I change my mind.”

“That…”

The reason for his hesitation was obvious. They weren’t officially together yet, and he worried that sharing a bed might reflect poorly on Vanessa if word got out.

Still, it was better than him worrying and not sleeping. The servants of Valder Castle were very discreet, so it would be fine.

Vanessa held out her hand.

The man, captivated by her hand, eventually lowered the curtain and came inside. He kept hesitating, but Vanessa even placed a fluffy white pillow where he should lie. The bed was very, very large, so there was plenty of room for both of them.

Finally, when he lay down, Vanessa arranged two more pillows behind his back. Then, she opened her book again.

“What book is that?”

“A book exploring the development of the Friba Code [a legal framework]. It’s interesting how it focuses on the parts that have changed over time.”

He lay on his side, watching Vanessa read. He really didn’t listen when she told him not to overdo it. When Vanessa finally met his gaze, he smiled gently.

“Have you always been interested in law?”

“No, now that I can’t be in the Magic Department or the Special Forces, I need to think about other departments. I’m not a mage, and I’m not interested in the Treasury Department.”

Vanessa laughed, and Gideon frowned.

“You’re already thinking about working when you’re still not well…”

“What’s wrong with preparing? If you open your mouth one more time…”

I’ll kick you out. Vanessa muttered darkly, and he put on a deceptively innocent expression and closed his eyes. Vanessa gently stroked his long, lowered eyelashes.

“Sleep.”

He reached out and wrapped his hand around Vanessa’s without a word. And soon, he was breathing evenly.

Vanessa turned a few more pages of her book, then looked at her captured hand and smiled silently.

He was tired, but he pretended not to be.

After that, they fell asleep in the same bedroom almost every night. This continued even after Vanessa’s fever subsided.

It was after she had become too accustomed to his body temperature that she felt something was wrong.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“…So.”

“Huh?”

“What’s going on between you two that you’re sharing a bedroom?”

Lina asked, a bit taken aback, as she visited Valder Castle. Vanessa couldn’t say a word because there was no good excuse.

“Sharing! A bedroom! What’s that supposed to mean!”

“That…”

“Hey, come to my house if that’s the case. I’ll take better care of you. It’s ridiculous! And why aren’t you going to your own house! His Majesty gave you a wonderful mansion!”

“The garden is still under construction… They’re bringing a huge stone from some province. I don’t really know why they have to go that far…”

“If the garden is under construction, you can still use the inner bedroom! You can go there. No problem.”

Vanessa mumbled something for a moment. Lina narrowed her eyes, and Vanessa looked at the ceiling and then at Lina’s glare, cleared her throat as if she was sleepy, and finally confessed.

“Gideon doesn’t seem to be doing well lately.”

“Is he sick? He looked much healthier than before when I greeted him in the hallway. He looked good.”

Chebati tilted her head, and Vanessa sighed briefly.

“It’s not that… Ah, I don’t really know. I think he gets anxiety sometimes. I’m really feeling much better now. I sometimes lack strength, but I have no problem running. So, I went out a little further the other day. I was thinking it was about time I went to my own house and visited the mansion His Majesty gave me.”

The servants of Valder Castle never stopped Vanessa from going anywhere now. Whether it was the hidden library with the most precious books or the Duke’s office full of secret documents.

Thanks to this, they didn’t even know that Vanessa had left the castle and walked to Jonah Hill’s bookstore. It was just that they didn’t pay attention to where she was going.

It just so happened that Gideon returned to the castle early that day, and Vanessa’s bedroom was empty. He hadn’t seen the small note she had left on the table, so he was very surprised.

The man was so flustered that he didn’t even dress properly and ran out again. He even forgot that he was a mage and didn’t think to use magic.

When Vanessa returned to the castle before dinner, there was not a single place in the castle or garden that was not lit up. As soon as the servants of the castle saw Vanessa, they breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took her to Gideon.

The man she faced was a mess. His hair was disheveled, and his clothes were covered in dirt.

Vanessa hugged him and calmly patted him, hearing his whisper that he was afraid she might have collapsed somewhere.

“His face was so pale… I didn’t know because he’s been doing so well with his work. I’m going to leave after he’s a little more stable.”

“Why are you being more dramatic than when you collapsed?”

Chebati poked Lina’s back at her blunt voice.

“Lina, you know that the people who were left behind had a hard time. Let’s stop being so cynical today.”

Lina pouted and eventually nodded.

“Okay, it’s just that his only good point is that he likes you so much. I’ll let you stay in this castle. You need time to comfort each other’s anxieties. Okay, I understand…”

She reassured Vanessa in a subdued voice, then suddenly pointed her finger.

“But the same bedroom is not okay! You’re not even engaged!”

Ignoring her raging beside her, Chebati sipped her tea and smiled brightly.

“He’ll notice quickly if Vanessa is sick. That’s a relief.”

“You shouldn’t spoil her like that!”

“Living together isn’t that big of a deal these days. And Lina, you were doing all sorts of things with your boyfriend last time.”

“What? Lina has a boyfriend?”

This time, Vanessa was so shocked that she slammed her teacup down, and Lina flinched. Vanessa huffed.

“You never told me!”

“You were busy saving the world. And it’s your fault that I got caught!”

Lina retorted without giving in, and Vanessa felt very wronged.

“What did I do?”

“I! Because! When you didn’t wake up and I was worried every day! He took advantage of my weakened heart!”

“Who? Your boyfriend? Took advantage?”

She turned her head belatedly, but Lina’s neck was already red and blotchy. Vanessa chuckled.

“Look at you blaming me. Chebati, have you ever met him?”

“I met him briefly before. We had dinner together. The two of them were stuck together…”

Chebati began to chatter, telling everything she had kept in her heart.

We went to a restaurant together, and the two of them were stuck together like one body, they fed each other, I ate with my own hands, blah blah blah.

With each word, Vanessa snorted loudly.

“Look who’s talking! We maintain etiquette outside. Very polite and dignified.”

“That’s great. Try to be dignified inside too.”

Lina nonchalantly tossed the elegantly styled ends of her hair over her shoulder. Vanessa squeezed the cushion she was hugging and shouted.

“Show me! Bring him! I’m curious. Ah, should I invite him here? How about it? Would he dislike it?”

“No-o. I’ll invite you together when you come to my house later. Of course, when you leave this castle.”

“That’s not fair!”

Vanessa stomped her feet in frustration.

Just as Lina was about to say something about what would happen if she got another fever, someone knocked on the door. Soon, the owner of the castle appeared.

“Vanessa.”

Gideon nodded lightly to Lina and Chebati as he greeted them. He strode over and gently stroked Vanessa’s flushed cheeks with the back of his hand before frowning.

“You have a slight fever…”

“No, it’s because I was surprised. I was cold until just now. By the way, can I invite someone?”

“Invite who?”

Vanessa got excited and told him that Lina had a boyfriend. She kept it a secret from me. Is that so? If you have time, we should definitely invite him. The man replied with a smile.

Lina stared at the two with a sulky expression.

With a face that might overflow with affection, the man was looking down at Vanessa as if she were the most lovable thing in the world.

Etiquette? Dignity? Is it all right as long as they’re not stuck together? Such eyes in front of people. As if he wanted to swallow her whole.

Cooling her flushed cheeks with his large hands, stroking her disheveled hair. Smiling whenever Vanessa smiled….

“I’m leaving.”

Lina jumped up. Vanessa looked shocked.

“You haven’t been here long!”

Lina, with a nonchalant expression, stared silently at the window. She seemed to be telling them to look at the sky, which was already dyed with colorful sunset, and Vanessa couldn’t think of anything to say in response.

In fact, they had already been talking for over four hours. Thankfully, Lina and Chebati had taken time off to come and visit.

“Okay, it’s been a long time… But can’t you stay and play a little longer?”

Inwardly, she was only thinking about finding out about Lina’s boyfriend. I’ll torment him as much as he tormented me!

But on the outside, she put on a pitiful face, and Chebati kindly patted Vanessa.

“The owner of the castle is here. I’ll come again next time.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to formally invite you this time. I’ve been thinking that I should treat you because you’ve done so much for us.”

Gideon bowed politely, and Chebati nodded slightly awkwardly. Lina huffed.

“Rest, Vanessa. I’ll come again soon.”

At Chebati’s kind voice, Vanessa finally said goodbye.

“Okay. I’ll definitely visit Milo Dottie’s mansion too. I regret not keeping my promise to bring a bunch of gifts last time.”

Gideon tilted his head slightly at her words but didn’t say anything. He also said goodbye.

“I’ll formally invite you soon.”