Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 24

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To my teacher,

It’s been incredibly difficult to start these letters since my last one. I keep worrying that you’re not angry, but perhaps tired of my stubbornness.

Thank you for understanding my thoughts. And thank you for your warm words that many people are trying to protect me. I realized that my actions could hurt those who care about me.

Don’t worry, I’m resting well on weekends these days. I’ll worry about the cold wind after graduation.

I knew that the Westgot region, where Bamberg Academy is located, was famous for being cold in winter, but I never imagined it would be this cold. And it’s only November!

It’s bearable if I wear a cloak over my uniform.

Lina says that wizards look coolest when they wear cloaks, so she’s diligently following that advice.

The white cloak you gifted me is short but goes well with everything, and the dark gray cloak is long and very warm.

Oh, the exam announcement for the class is already out. It’s quite unconventional.

This class is all about knowing how to use magic offensively, as the name suggests.

So, they’re going to embed a stone in the middle of the test site and say we can break it. They said they don’t care what magic we use.

They even named the stone ‘Nana’!

So, the friends in the class were whispering about whether it would be better to bring a hammer.

“A hammer would be better.”

“Yeah, physically hitting it might be better than my magical power.”

“Shouldn’t Professor Apher be doing this kind of test in his class?”

Everyone is just racking their brains and worrying. They’re even saying that ‘Nana’s’ appearance will only be revealed on the day of the exam, so we don’t know how big or how hard it will be.

I have a question, teacher.

Have you decided where I’m going this vacation? If you haven’t, can I visit the Milo Dotty mansion?

Lina and Chevati both invited me, but Chevati won the ‘Winter Vacation Vanessa Ownership Contest’.

The Milo Dotty mansion has a lot of things I would like. It’s safe and has a lot to see because it’s in the capital, Puy-de-Dôme. Chevati really wants to introduce me to her family. She says she wrote about me so much in her letters that they’re curious about me.

I won’t spend a lot of money! Really. There won’t be much to spend if I just stay at the mansion.

For the first time ever,

I want to go to a friend’s house,

From Vanessa Rose.

To Vanessa Rose,

First of all, I am not angry or tired of Vanessa.

Rather, I was concerned that I might have written the letter in too forceful a tone. I am sorry.

The proliferation of monsters has been extreme these days, so it might be better to be in the capital, Puy-de-Dôme.

Originally, I had arranged for you to go to another wizard’s house besides Jenien, but the Milo Dotty mansion seems like a good idea too.

Instead, make sure you never go to dangerous places.

I received a report that you have hardly used your sponsorship money. Don’t worry about the money and enjoy many things in the capital, Puy-de-Dôme.

Please give my regards to Dotty and Delina.

From your teacher.

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“The exam is coming up soon, but why does the vacation feel so far away?”

Lina said gloomily, wrapping herself in a blanket. It was even harder to get out of the warm blanket because the temperature outside was low.

“It’s because there are so many hardships. I want to sleep more too.”

Vanessa yawned softly and curled up.

It was still dark outside, and it was a long time before the sun would rise. So, she couldn’t fully wake up.

The two were lying in bed, chatting quietly.

“Vanessa, what’s the exam subject today?”

“ and [referring to the language or culture of Edirne]. What about you?”

“, just this one. But why am I so unsure of myself?”

“Lina, you’ll do well. I heard you always get the highest grades. Don’t pretend to be weak! It doesn’t suit you.”

Vanessa glared, and Lina abandoned her humble attitude and immediately spoke in an arrogant tone.

“That’s right. I’m good at everything.”

Lina deliberately raised her chin, and Vanessa giggled.

“Okay. You can do it!”

The two kicked off their blankets and started getting ready to go out. The person who sees even one more word in the morning will be the winner.

Vanessa, who had washed up, quickly changed into her uniform. Lina applied fragrant oil to Vanessa’s wet hair.

“How’s this? I blended marjoram, mimosa, clove bud, and rosewood… with light scents. I thought you liked floral scents.”

“It smells good. It feels like I’m in a garden.”

“It’s supposed to clear your head.”

Lina pinned Vanessa’s hair so it wouldn’t fall forward, put a thick cloak over her uniform jacket, and tied a ribbon around her neck to secure it.

Lina was impressed by her appearance even though she had styled it herself.

“Pretty Vanessa, have a good day. Win everything! Don’t lose to Evan!”

Vanessa smiled and waved her hand as she walked out of the dormitory door.

When she came down to the first floor, Evan was waiting in front of it. White breath puffed out of his mouth.

“You’re late.”

Evan grumbled for a moment, then thought the scent that fleetingly bloomed as Vanessa passed by was nice.

“Do you like fragrant oil?”

“I like it when Lina puts it on me. If Lina likes it, I like it too.”

“You have a lot of time. I just woke up.”

Evan wanted to say that the scent was nice, but he internally slapped himself dozens of times for the crooked tone that came out without him realizing it. Of course, he only looked stiff on the outside.

“Are you nervous that I might win? I’ll go easy on you, don’t worry.”

Vanessa giggled and poked Evan’s waist. Evan’s cheeks turned completely red.

“No, I’m not.”

The two walked briskly into the huge forest next to the academy. The stone that Professor Conrad called ‘Nana’ was in an open space in the forest.

When Vanessa and Evan arrived, students were analyzing ‘Nana’ from a distance.

“It’s bigger than I thought.”

Evan frowned and muttered. Vanessa also frowned.

The stone ‘Nana’ was very large and massive, and it wasn’t a crumbling texture. The magic Vanessa had planned seemed to be meaningless.

“Fourth year!”

Professor Conrad, who suddenly appeared, shouted loudly. All the students stiffened and focused on Professor Conrad.

“I will start the exam.”

Professor Conrad walked slowly and picked up a wooden stick. And he began to draw a circle around ‘Nana’.

When a perfect circle was drawn, he threw the wooden stick away carelessly and said indifferently.

“Hurry up and try it and go. Prepare for the next exam.”

Seeing Professor Conrad, who didn’t seem to have any interest, the students puffed out their breath and doubted. He wouldn’t be giving an impossible task as an exam, would he?

One of the male students, who was in a hurry to prepare for the next exam, came out first. The student was said to have some talent for magic.

He hesitated a little, then drew water from a nearby stream and poured it over the stone.

Of course, nothing happened. The male student stepped back out of the circle dejectedly.

“Next.”

The situation continued to repeat itself. All the students who entered the circle walked out trudgingly.

The only unique part was that Dalloize took out a huge hammer from his bag, and everyone watched Professor Conrad’s dumbfounded expression with interest.

Dalloize struck the stone with the hammer with great force, but only clear ‘clang-‘, ‘clang clang-‘ sounds echoed through the forest.

Dalloize smiled awkwardly, and Professor Conrad said sullenly.

“Stop.”

Dalloize came out of the circle cheerfully. Professor Conrad regained his expression and forced a snort.

“Are you and I even seeing the same thing?”

The students were discouraged and pouted.

“You are not seeing what you should be seeing!”

Professor Conrad scolded, and Evan whispered to Vanessa.

‘What the hell is that?’

‘That is….’

The majority of the students were also dissatisfied.

But Vanessa, who was watching the stone, commonly known as ‘Nana’, from afar, narrowed her eyes. What is that? There’s something there, like gold….

“Last, Vanessa Rose.”

Vanessa, who had been absorbed in the sense of discomfort, suddenly came to her senses. Professor Conrad picked his ear with a very bored attitude.

It was quite cute to see the students struggling, but it was bound to be boring after seeing it for several years. Everyone was overlooking a corner of this class’s name.

Vanessa, who was named, crossed the drawn line and stood in front of the large stone. It was a huge stone that was probably twice her height.

The magic Vanessa had originally prepared was movement magic. The plan was to lift a large stone nearby and drop it on top of ‘Nana’.

But Nana was bigger than she thought, and the stone she could lift was too small in comparison.

Vanessa did not dwell on the useless plan. And she had no intention of ignoring the discomfort she had just felt.

A sound like water flowing from a stream flowed from Vanessa’s mouth.

Water drawn from a nearby stream due to her innate talent and will swirled above Nana.

“Hey, Vanessa! You already did that!”

Evan whispered worriedly from behind. Moshwi was restless, and Dalloize was just licking his lips. He didn’t know that Vanessa, who was the most magically superior, could draw water.

Water could not break that hard stone….

But Vanessa relentlessly poured a huge amount of water on the stone.