Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 63

The day was cool, and the evening breeze was refreshing. It was the kind of day where just walking made you feel better, even if your heart was a mess.

Vanessa strolled along the dazzling Nardo Street before turning into a side street.

This alley was lined with smaller shops selling quaint crafts, freshly baked bread and jams, and unusual inventions.

Vanessa browsed, drawn in by the fragrant smell of bread, and picked up a few fluffy loaves.

Carrying the bread and jam in a brown paper bag, Vanessa briefly lost her way.

This street wasn’t a neat, straight line; it twisted and turned like a spiderweb. Occasionally, people passed by, cloaked in somber robes.

Continuing along the path, Vanessa found herself in a familiar spot: near the Batnir Bridge.

The Batnir Bridge evoked memories: Jonah Hill’s bookstore, the day Vanessa first tasted alcohol, and the day she happily explored the streets of Fydom with Gideon.

The place still felt the same—deserted, with unkempt weeds peeking out from between the stones.

Vanessa pondered for a moment before entering a nearby liquor store and selecting two reasonably priced bottles.

“Is the alcohol content very high?”

“Well, it’s moderate. This one’s popular, too. It’s not too sweet and has a clean taste.”

The shop owner carefully wrapped the bottles with string. Vanessa paid and carefully carried the package out of the store.

Vanessa turned into the alley leading to Jonah Hill’s bookstore. Since tomorrow was the weekend, it wouldn’t matter if she returned to the inn a little late.

As soon as she turned the corner, Jonah Hill’s bookstore came into view, still standing. The books were piled high, and the precariously added space looked as precarious as ever.

Vanessa peered inside the bookstore. Just like that day in the past, there was no sign of anyone.

Vanessa pushed open the rattling glass door and walked along the narrow path between the books. The sound of the alcohol sloshing in the bottles echoed.

Vanessa called out toward the ladder leading to the second floor.

“Jonah Hill, are you there? It’s Vanessa. Vanessa Rose.”

Even raising her voice, Jonah Hill didn’t appear. Vanessa wrinkled her nose slightly.

*Should I wait a bit?*

Eventually, Vanessa placed the bag of bread and the alcohol as far away from the books as possible and squatted down in a small space.

The book she randomly grabbed was, as expected, well-worn. Between the pages were someone’s annotations, and below them were rebuttals.

Vanessa smiled faintly at the faded traces. She touched a green ink stain before pulling out another book.

The book in her hand was very thin.

It was a children’s fairy tale that Vanessa remembered seeing in the orphanage. It was the story of Bam Bandalu, who set out to find the friend who had saved him.

She used to think it was a ridiculous story, but after experiencing so much, her thoughts had changed slightly.

*Could the friend who saved him be the dragon she saw in the cave back then?* Vanessa seriously pondered.

“You have so many good friends… very powerful ones…”

“Right?”

Startled by the sudden voice, Vanessa looked to her side and saw a brown-haired boy squatting next to her.

The boy grinned when he met Vanessa’s eyes. Vanessa’s eyes widened.

“…Hey. I think I’ve seen you somewhere before?”

“Right?”

“You!”

Vanessa quickly grabbed the boy’s sleeve. This, this kid!

“You! You!”

“Hey, noona [term of endearment used by younger males to address older females]. You shouldn’t grab a child like that.”

“What are you!”

She recognized him instantly. The boy in front of her was the one who had lured Vanessa into the Morea Forest a while ago.

The one who led her to step on the teleportation circle, causing her and Gideon to fall into the cave! The one who caused so much trouble! That very boy!

“Why are you here! No, this isn’t the time. I’m taking you with me.”

“Why? Where to?”

The boy tilted his head. Vanessa put strength into each syllable as she spoke.

“It’s clear that you’re involved in that incident. The teleportation circle, too. You seem to be a small but powerful magician and a perfect subject for investigation! Do you know how much trouble you caused me?”

“Do you have proof? No one saw me except you, noona.”

The boy grinned. Vanessa’s mouth dropped open.

It was true. Even Gideon said he had never seen the boy, so the only person who had seen him was Vanessa.

“If you take me, noona, you’ll probably be suspected. It might sound harsh, but they’ll think you’re crazy. I look like a completely innocent child on the outside.”

“……”

The boy’s smile was extremely irritating. The boy smiled brightly and tilted his head toward the book Vanessa was reading.

“I haven’t finished reading this book. Read it to me! Read it to me!”

Vanessa glared at the top of the boy’s head. The boy was just being innocent as if he didn’t know anything.

“What’s your name?”

“Ban.”

“That sounds like a very fake name.”

“No, it’s real. You can call me Ban. My brother gave me the name.”

Vanessa looked down at the book for a moment. *Should she read the book and coax him while talking?*

After fierce deliberation, Vanessa cleared her throat. Ahem, ahem.

“‘Bam Bandalu sat by the lake, waiting for someone. After a very long time, the stars in the night sky descended onto the lake and sparkled. Yet, he was alone.'”

“He must have been bored, right?”

“‘But Bam Bandalu was not lonely. He talked to the stars. The stars sparkled and told him many stories.'”

“Is Bam Bandalu crazy? Talking to stars. Just like the noona who accuses a boy she’s never seen of being a criminal. Right?”

“…Hey.”

The boy widened his eyes and tilted his head, pretending to be innocent. Vanessa gritted her teeth for a moment. *Binding magic. Let’s use binding magic first.*

“Noona, you’re not going to use magic, are you? Without even knowing the conditions.”

“……”

*What is he really?* Confusion was written all over Vanessa’s face, and the boy smiled.

“I’m a fairy. But a very good fairy. Keep reading!”

Vanessa opened her mouth as if possessed.

“‘The stars asked what he was waiting for. Bam Bandalu said it was the person who had saved him. Then the stars sparkled and made a tinkling sound. It was the stars’ laughter.'”

“This is important. You know? The lesson comes at the end.”

“‘The sparkling light whispered. The one who saved you there was yourself. The heart that believes in yourself saved you.'”

“It’s not bad for kids to read.”

Vanessa narrowed her eyes. Ban, who was squatting, still looked carefree.

“You’re a kid, too.”

“I was talking about noona. I’m a fairy, so age doesn’t matter.”

Ban stared intently into Vanessa’s eyes. Bright blue eyes. Ban always liked colors like the blue sky, so he decided to give her a small clue.

“Noona, try to remember this fairy tale well.”

Ban brushed off his knees and stood up. Vanessa was startled and pulled on Ban’s sleeve.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m busy. I have an appointment.”

Vanessa was slightly hurt that even young Ban had an appointment that she didn’t have, but she still wanted to talk to Ban more.

He was really a strange kid. *Such a great magician at such a young age, able to see through everything?*

“How did you know I didn’t know the conditions? Who are you?”

Ban stared at Vanessa.

“I know noona.”

“How?”

“Noona, you don’t have to tell people everything they ask. Everything requires a price.”

Watching the boy shake his head as if she were pathetic, Vanessa genuinely got angry. Forgetting that she was in Jonah Hill’s bookstore, she shouted loudly.

“Hey!”

“I’m leaving. Anyway, read that fairy tale carefully.”

The boy scattered like a mirage and was already standing in front of the bookstore’s wooden door. As Vanessa looked on with a bewildered expression, he laughed loudly and waved his small hand enthusiastically.

“See you next time!”

“If I see you next time, I won’t let you off!”

“Puhaha.”

The boy disappeared with a clear laugh. Vanessa, who had rushed out and was looking out at the empty street, felt truly wronged.

*Who am I going to tell this to again? If I tell them, they’ll just say I’m crazy!*

“What’s wrong, Vanessa?”

“Aaaah!”

Jonah Hill raised an eyebrow at Vanessa, who had stepped back three steps. Her shaved head and loose clothes were still the same.

“This is my bookstore. Is it okay to be so surprised to see the owner?”

“D-d-did you just see a boy?”

“No, I didn’t. Did something happen? But it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Vanessa made a blank expression. *Actually, am I really crazy?*

Jonah Hill looked at Vanessa -*what’s wrong with her?* – and closed the bookstore door. The small bell jingled.

“Anyway, it’s good to see you. Let’s go inside.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Jonah Hill was overjoyed to see the alcohol Vanessa had brought. She hid one bottle among the books and opened the other immediately.

Jonah Hill returned with two glasses that were roughly wiped and still wet, as if trying to make things look proper.

“As expected, an educated kid is different.”

“What are you talking about? No, why are you drinking it like that!”

As soon as Jonah Hill opened the bottle, she ignored the glass and started pouring the alcohol into her mouth, but Vanessa immediately snatched the bottle away.

Jonah Hill smacked her lips with a disappointed expression.

“Nagging. Just like Gideon.”

Vanessa flinched at the name Gideon, which had flown in like an attack. Jonah Hill didn’t notice and poured a glass jar full of snacks into Vanessa’s hand.

Vanessa carefully put one in her mouth. It was salty and crunchy.

“What’s he doing these days? I haven’t been back to Fydom for a while. I went on a book hunt. A book hunt is literally going around all sorts of places to find the books you want.”

“Oh… I see. I came at the perfect time.”

“That’s right. Do you want to see the books I got this time?”

Jonah Hill excitedly took out two books.

“I got them from a really rural place. The binding is in great condition, and it’s clear they were treated with care. It’s even a first edition!”

Vanessa was exhausted when she saw one of the two books. It was the fairy tale she had just been talking about with the boy.

Vanessa carefully turned the pages of the book.

“Who is the author of this book?”

“Unknown. However, it is speculated that he may have been close to Bam Bandalu. It’s a fairy tale, but it contains a lot of metaphorical things.”

“Hey, Jonah Hill. I’m really sane.”

Vanessa said with a very serious expression, suddenly even kneeling. Jonah Hill raised the corner of her mouth with a smirk.

“Usually, the people who say that are more crazy. Anyway, why?”

Vanessa told the story of her encounter with the boy.

Jonah Hill, who likes interesting stories, listened very enthusiastically. She clasped her hands together and sparkled her black eyes.

“Wow. That boy was just in here until just now?”

“That’s right! I’m really so frustrated because he only appears and disappears when I’m alone, so I can’t report it anywhere, and I feel like I’m crazy. He even seems to know a lot about me.”

“The part he pointed out is this sentence, right?”

Jonah Hill repeatedly read the ‘heart that believes in yourself’ from the fairy tale.

“Why did he suddenly say this and leave?”

“I don’t know?”

“He said he was a good fairy and told you to keep this in mind. It seems to have some meaning.”

Vanessa roughly gathered the stray hairs and brushed them back. And she started banging her head against the many books. The scent of books and the smell of alcohol mixed together, making her confused.

“He dropped me in a cave, though, for a good fairy.”

“You fell with Gideon, and you said nothing happened?”

Vanessa became depressed again at the name Gideon, which was tormenting her again. Jonah Hill scratched her head.

“Why don’t you just ask Gideon? He fell into the cave with you. If that boy is related, Gideon is the most suitable person.”

Vanessa mumbled.

“I’m… not close enough to ask…”

“What?”

Jonah Hill grabbed her own ears for a moment as if she had heard something she shouldn’t have.

And soon, an absurd voice echoed loudly inside the bookstore.