Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 146

To my beloved Teacher,

It’s been a long time since I’ve written a letter. (I suppose it’s hard to write a letter to someone you see every day.)

This feels a bit strange to write now. But please think of it as the last letter I’m writing to ‘Teacher.’

I love days like these the most. The wind is cool, and the sunlight is warm. I always wondered what kind of weather you liked best, but now I know.

You prefer days with a few clouds rather than overly sunny ones, and you like winds that feel slightly cool rather than warm breezes. You enjoy going out in just a shirt, without even covering your knees with a brown checkered blanket.

I’ve always loved taking walks. Maybe it’s because Louise’s orphanage was in a very small town where even the bushes weren’t properly trimmed. It might sound old-fashioned, but I need time to breathe in the scent of grass to clear my head.

But these days, even walking in the Valdero Castle garden makes me nervous. It’s quite scary to have people’s attention focused on me.

The life of a celebrity isn’t for everyone. I really don’t think it suits me. Every time people gather to peek into the Valdero Castle garden, I get startled and shrink back. Of course, their only intention is to give me a flower.

Last time, a child gave me an unknown wildflower, and when I accepted it, the entire castle gate was decorated with that flower the next day!

Who would have ever known that I would receive such great love? No one could have predicted it. It’s hard to even imagine! Even fairy tales aren’t this dramatic.

Ah, maybe His Majesty, who spread the rumors, knew….

His Majesty laughed, saying that everyone loves a hero’s story, but ‘hero’ feels like too much of an exaggeration. It’s uncomfortable, like wearing clothes that don’t fit. As I said, my wish wasn’t that heroic.

His Majesty said that any cabinet department I wanted would be open to me. Whether it’s the Special Forces or the Magic Department, it doesn’t matter.

But I am a magician now, and at the same time, I am not. This power is, as Bam Vandalu said, a small miracle. It’s something to be grateful for.

But I think it’s a power that could disappear at any time. No matter how large a lake is, if it’s not replenished, it will eventually dry up, and no matter how high a mountain is, if you keep chipping away at it, it will eventually become a plain.

So, I decided not to covet the Special Forces or the Magic Department. My greed could put someone in danger.

Of course, the wizard Jenien Pokis Polis Stargera had a slightly different idea. He presented ‘Fabian’s Theorem,’ which states that a strong flow of magical power attracts magical power floating in the air without an owner.

As you know, Fabian’s Theorem was discovered because the magical power and the scale of magic used are not perfectly proportional. A spell that produces 100 units of destructive power doesn’t use 10 times more magical power than a spell that produces 10 units of destructive power; it actually uses about 9 times more.

The reason for this is, as mentioned above, that a very strong and concentrated flow of magical power attracts other forces.

So, Jenien argued that the flow of my magical power running over Bam Vandalu’s magic circle would attract other forces, so it would be replenished as much as I used it, or even become stronger.

Sounds plausible, right?

Still, I like being safe the best. What if I use that power like water and then one day it suddenly stops?

I don’t necessarily have to go to the Special Forces or the Magic Department. As long as it’s peaceful like these days, anything is fine. If I feel more comfortable, I might experiment with Jenien’s theory with him.

It’s okay to wish for a little teleportation magic, right?

Although the announcement hasn’t been made yet, I’m thinking about the Ministry of Justice or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. New challenges are always fun.

Jenien still nags me about everything in a gruff voice.

“Don’t run! You’ll fall! Don’t just eat fried food!”

Would you believe that these are the things I actually heard yesterday? I’m twenty-four! It’s ridiculous that I’m hearing things I didn’t even hear when I was ten.

Still, Jenien is only harsh with his words; he’s quite shy. He still runs away, clearing his throat, when I mention the story of how I refused to become a disciple of Aberdeen Chara.

Of course, if he knew I wrote this, he would get angry and tear up the paper. So, this is a secret just for you, Teacher.

Jonah Hill brings a lot of interesting news. After hearing what I did, she was concerned and brought a box full of only the most precious books from her bookstore. She said they were hidden in the back room because she couldn’t let just anyone touch them.

I was so afraid of touching the fancy leather bindings that I told her to take them back, and she quickly took them back with a relieved look on her face. She must have secretly regretted it.

Instead, she wrote down the folktales of the cities and small towns she visited while hunting for books. By the way, her handwriting is terrible….

Anyway, when I asked her why she didn’t publish it as a book, she scratched her head, embarrassed. Someday, I definitely want to see it in book form, even if I have to spend my own money. Instead, I’ll have her write ‘Dedicated to Vanessa Rose’ on the front page! Sounds like a good idea, right?

Lina and Chevati visit more than three times a week. Both of them are the same as ever. They are good friends who care about me, and they are wonderfully pioneering their own paths.

When I see Lina these days, I think that’s what the face of someone in love looks like. Her sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks are very pretty and wonderful.

When I said this, Lina said that I could see the same thing if I looked in the mirror. Do I really look like that to you, Teacher?

Chevati is going to make a lot of money with the patent that was recently approved. I was a student who didn’t even understand Professor Erin’s classes well, so I don’t know exactly, but it’s about something that can drastically reduce the failure rate of magic machines.

You know, right? When using machines, magic power can clump together and block the flow, but it minimizes the clumping by filling the gaps with very small structures…

Ah, this won’t work. Pretending to know is very tiring. Anyway, Chevati is a very excellent engineer. Later, he wants to leave his name with me, leaving Lina Delina out. Vanessa Rose and Chevati Milo Doti, like that.

Of course, when Lina heard that, she opened her mouth and let out a loud ‘Ha!’

Ah, I can’t leave out the story of Evan and Dalois. The two of them sometimes stop by after work. They even get dinner and go home with their bellies full.

Evan praises the Valdero Castle chef every day, saying he’s the best in Fydom. When I asked why they only come on days when the owner of the castle isn’t there, they said they do it on purpose. They’re afraid they’ll get more work if they meet him.

I apologized to Dalois for hiding my relationship with Gideon. Dalois nonchalantly replied that she would have done the same, and honestly, she couldn’t imagine the Captain being anyone’s lover.

Isn’t it strange? It’s very easy for me.

Anyway, there are so many visitors who come regularly, but surprisingly, no one visited today.

I wasn’t lonely, but I was a little bored. My hand hurt from replying to the numerous greeting letters, so I put it off until tomorrow, and I had nothing to do.

With so much time on my hands, I took the cookie basket that the castle chef had packed and wandered around, but the sun showed no signs of setting.

So, what else could I do? I had no choice but to explore Valdero Castle and find something interesting.

The servants of Valdero Castle, including Peres and Ramona, no longer stop me from going anywhere. Including the library with precious books and even the space where all kinds of accounting books are kept. Even the office is always wide open to me.

Is this okay? Does the owner of the castle even know this? Even if he didn’t know, he’ll know when he reads this letter, right? Give me the answer later.

So, I’ve told the story of targeting the office today in a slightly lengthy way.

The owner of this castle always likes things to be organized. In fact, the space that person uses often is a bit desolate. Overall, it lacks color, and the interior is cool. But that person is very sparkling and affectionate, so it balances out.

Ah, I’m only writing these words in a letter, so don’t expect anything!

Anyway, while rummaging through the office, I found a wooden box with gaudy gold leaf on every corner. It was so dazzling that I thought it contained jewels.

But when I opened the hinge, there were ‘only’ letters. However, it was unique that all the senders of the letters were the same.

The senders were all me. Vanessa Rose.

I was excited and brought all the letters I had received from you, Teacher. And I started reading them one by one, comparing them by date. So, time flew by.

We hid and talked to each other for a very long time. So, I thought I wouldn’t see anything new, but that wasn’t the case.

I didn’t know anything, but when I looked closely at the letters from ‘Teacher,’ I couldn’t stop smiling. Because I can see the increasingly thick affection forming layers.

The beginning was clearly not love for a lover. But you reply with warmth, as if you really cherish me itself.

So, Vanessa Rose, who was attending the academy, was always warm without knowing winter. Although it’s late, I’m now sending my thanks for that.

And I also realized that you are very stupid, as His Majesty said. Really.

If I hadn’t reached out to you first (yes, this is a slightly elegant way of saying it—if I hadn’t fallen into Valdero Castle while drunk), what would you have done? What if I had fallen in love with someone else?

Would you have kept watching me in silence like that, putting timid affection on paper? Hoping that your own feelings would fade someday?

Of course, I understand. You want the love you send me to be perfect, like a germaphobe.

But even if it’s a distorted and discolored affection, I think I would gladly accept it if it’s what you give me.

This is very different. You must know that.

I told you that this is the last letter I’m writing to Teacher, right? Yes, that’s right. I’m really going to send Teacher away now. I’m going to return the correct name to the recipient of the letter.

Still, Teacher, did you enjoy the time with me? Did you have any regrets about your choice?

I was truly surprisingly happy without any shortcomings. So much so that I regretted every passing day. I only hope that I gave you that happiness too.

I’m so sad to think that the Teacher who always supported me from behind is disappearing, but I think it’s okay to think that Gideon, who will protect me by my side instead, is appearing.

We will walk together through very long seasons. Even if the intensity of these emotions subsides over time, we will protect each other’s side.

So, don’t worry.

You worked hard today too! Have a good night, and let’s say hello again tomorrow morning.

To Teacher, from Vanessa.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Gideon chuckled softly. And then he returned to the bedroom where Vanessa was sleeping.

Because he couldn’t bear not to wake her up and kiss her.

Epilogue end

[공금.갠소.본문수정有.AngKeumToKi]