Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 65

To Teacher, From Vanessa 65

Gideon carefully picked up Vanessa. Fortunately, Vanessa didn’t resist this time, only mumbled softly.

“Why are you avoiding me?”

“I don’t know why. Maybe I’m coming on too strong.”

Gideon held her and walked calmly. Vanessa, unaware of his efforts to avoid touching her, leaned comfortably against him. *It’s just a dream anyway, so what.*

“I don’t know what you mean… Why I’m avoiding you is because I’m too inadequate.”

“…….”

“Too good… Everyone is just too good.”

Having said it too many times already, Vanessa was getting a little tired of this conversation. So, she yawned softly and shifted her body to get more comfortable.

Gideon flinched involuntarily as the soft curve of her body touched his arm.

He barely managed to open his mouth.

“Why do you always think you’re inadequate? You don’t even ask me and just run away.”

“Because I am inadequate… I’m so tired of this conversation…”

Vanessa rubbed her eyes. As she strained her blurry eyes from rubbing them, she saw beautiful eyes looking down at her.

Vanessa suddenly reached out and wiped his eyes, and he seemed a little surprised.

“It’s my dream.”

“I see. I’m sorry.”

Gideon walked up slowly. The room prepared by the servants was probably on the third floor, where the most beautiful guest rooms were located.

He wanted to walk fast and slow at the same time. He wished this time would stop.

But because his stride was wide, it was quick to climb the stairs.

Perez, who managed the entire castle, was waiting in front of the prepared room.

“I’m worried it might be insufficient since it was prepared so hastily.”

“It’s fine.”

Gideon looked at Vanessa blinking sleepily in his arms and wondered if it would be better to let her walk.

Since it was connected to the bedroom, it seemed better for him not to enter.

“Vanessa, can you walk?”

Gideon carefully put Vanessa down, but Vanessa, consumed by alcohol, immediately staggered and her legs buckled. She didn’t seem to have any intention of putting strength into them.

Perez smiled and bowed his head.

“Please call if you need anyone.”

“Ramona… It would be nice if you could call her. Is a nightgown prepared?”

“Yes, the nightgown is prepared. I will send Ramona soon.”

Perez barely suppressed a smile and left, and Gideon ended up picking Vanessa up again.

Vanessa seemed to be sinking into sleep. But she kept rubbing her eyes roughly, as if trying to stay awake.

“It’s okay to sleep.”

“I want to see your face a little more… Because I won’t be able to see it well….”

“Why can’t you see it? I want to see you often.”

Considering it wasn’t prepared, the room was very clean and cozy. Overall, the color of the furniture and the decorations inside were light and bright.

Gideon opened another door inside and entered the bedroom. The thin, transparent curtains on the bed fluttered softly.

He lifted it with one hand and gently sat Vanessa on the edge of the bed. Ramona had to come and change her clothes.

Vanessa was still rubbing her sleepy eyes and shaking her legs off the bed.

Gideon, who was sitting carefully next to her, gently grabbed her wrist, worried that her eyes would be rubbed raw.

Vanessa stared blankly at the warmth on her arm and suddenly said.

“I haven’t been greedy for more than I can handle very often.”

“It seems so.”

“Because it doesn’t work out even if I’m greedy. Was it because I was a bad kid?”

Vanessa counted her fingers one by one and muttered. Adoption, gifts, and even the teacher didn’t come in the end….

Gideon slowly lowered his eyes. His long eyelashes cast a shadow on his cheeks.

His melancholic expression made him look like a masterpiece. Vanessa, who was staring blankly at him, muttered.

“You look very good with Eugenia.”

Gideon raised his eyebrows in surprise at the sudden remark.

“Eugenia?”

“You, with, her… At the restaurant. It looked good.”

Gideon frowned slightly at the weak, stammering voice. He couldn’t quite grasp the flow of this conversation.

Still, the misunderstanding had to be cleared up.

“Eugenia is nothing to me. She has someone else. That day, we just had something to discuss regarding a contract between us.”

Vanessa glanced up at him, but the voice mentioning Eugenia was very indifferent. Only concern for Vanessa could be seen in his eyes.

Vanessa only moved her lips and fidgeted with her fingertips.

“She has someone else?”

“Yes.”

Vanessa thought with her dulled mind. *I see. She has someone else.*

Then Gideon is still alone?

She only blinked her eyes repeatedly. *I guess it won’t work out even if I’m greedy.*

But this is my dream… Just once.

Vanessa carefully reached out her hand. Her trembling fingertips touched his cheek.

Gideon looked surprised. But soon, he waited very obediently for the warmth to come.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

A faint ray of light passed through the curtains and touched her white forehead. Vanessa closed her eyes and pulled the blanket over her face.

The sun shines too well here. No wonder he said so many times that the window faces east.

But somehow, she felt a sense of incongruity. The direction and intensity of the sunlight were different, and the texture of the blanket touching her skin was strange.

It was as soft and light as covering herself with clouds, and at the same time, it wrapped around her body well and felt stable. It was different from the cheap, rough blanket Vanessa had bought.

Vanessa didn’t want to open her eyes because her eyelids were heavy, so she retraced the day with her eyes closed.

*What did I do yesterday?*

I got off work, and I felt a little lonely and bored that day. As I was walking, I was near the Vatnir Bridge, so I decided to go to Jonah Hill’s bookstore, and I met a strange boy and drank some alcohol.

Then, is the place I’m lying now inside Jonah Hill’s bookstore?

The memories after that were strangely mixed up. Vanessa started to sort them out in order.

*I think I had a very long dream. Gideon came out….*

Vanessa opened her eyes wide and got up violently at the same time. The touch of the bed on her hand was soft, and the bedding was all white and clean.

She tried to look around, but the fluttering curtains hanging over the bed only swayed softly.

However, the curtains were very thin, so the outline of the outside was faintly visible. The sofa, low table, and large window nearby came into view.

Vanessa covered her mouth. Her body was very clean, unlike the memory of rolling on the floor several times, and instead of the clothes Vanessa was wearing, she was changed into a pure white nightgown.

Vanessa suddenly remembered a passage from a letter she wrote to her teacher a long time ago.

*‘From now on, you can add the preface, “The very impulsive Vanessa Rose,” and I will have nothing to say.’*

Suddenly, she felt like crying. *Teacher, what should I do? What should I do!*

It took Vanessa quite a long time to gather courage while squeezing the blanket and trembling.

When she pulled back the curtains of the bed with trembling hands, it was indeed Valder Castle. It was certain when she saw the embossed pattern engraved on the door and the inscription engraved on the window latch.

*Window. Let’s escape through the window.* Vanessa was already out of her mind.

Vanessa couldn’t face Gideon’s face at all. It was impossible unless she was crazy.

*No, I’m already crazy, so it’s impossible even if I’m crazy.*

Besides, every time she remembered what she had done between the faint memories, she wanted to bang her head somewhere.

*Is it a dream? He’s annoying because he’s handsome?*

Besides, the things I did come to mind quite clearly, but strangely, his face was blurry as if it were covered in fog. I couldn’t remember his expression well. So, I wanted to run away even more.

*He must have thought I was crazy. He probably had a contemptuous expression.*

I drank a lot of alcohol and suddenly came and babbled something, then groped him. It’s really the worst. Now everything is useless.

Friend? It would be fortunate if we remained acquaintances.

Vanessa opened the door to the space where the bed was located in the most crouched state possible. She hoped that her clothes would be placed beyond the open door.

But when she opened the door, what appeared was a reception room with similar colors to the bedroom. It was a more gorgeous and cheerful, but still dignified space.

And of course, there were no clothes of Vanessa’s.

“If I escape in my pajamas….”

They’ll think I’m crazy and take me away.

Vanessa had never regretted not being able to do space- 이동 magic [teleportation magic] as much as today. That magic was the most essential magic in my life.

Vanessa got up weakly.

The sunlight coming in through the huge window filled the room. It was a beautiful space, all white but with occasional light colors mixed in. Even Vanessa, mixed in it, was natural with the color of her pure white pajamas.

The scenery seen through the window was peaceful.

Trees with overwhelming heights similar to those seen at Bamberg Academy and well-kept flowers. The sound of birds riding the breeze and the occasional chirping of insects.

Vanessa was somehow fascinated and approached the window and touched the glass with hesitant hands. This place was really beautiful.

Then, the sound of the door opening came from behind.

Vanessa was horrified, smoothed her gown, and quickly turned around.

What appeared through the door was a woman who looked older than Vanessa.

The woman, who had her hair neatly tied with a thick white ribbon and was walking in with a silver tray with a glass bottle filled with water on it, widened her eyes when she saw Vanessa.

Soon, her eyes were filled with a kind smile.

“Oh my, hello. You’re awake. I came in to leave some water.”

The woman smiled brightly. Vanessa grabbed the pure white curtains and didn’t know what to do, then greeted timidly.

“Hello….”

“Yes. Aren’t you thirsty? I only brought some cool water, but I should have brought some milk in case your stomach hurts.”

The woman didn’t look young, but she didn’t seem to fit the word middle-aged either. She was of a wise and mature age, but her voice was brighter than Vanessa’s.

The woman poured the water in the large glass bottle into a glass.

“My name is Ramona. I’m the head maid of Valder Castle. Please call me comfortably.”

“Ah, I’m Vanessa Rose. Um, here is….”

Vanessa took the glass that Ramona handed her and barely swallowed a sip. Her throat was so dry that the water tasted really sweet.

“It’s the third floor of Valder Castle. It’s the guest room with the most beautiful view outside the window, do you like it?”

Ramona answered cheerfully. Vanessa despaired but tried to smile.

“I see. The garden view is really beautiful…. By the way, do you know where my clothes are?”

“Ah, your clothes were very dirty around the knees and sleeves, so I changed them for you because I thought it would be uncomfortable for you to sleep in them. They are currently being repaired, washed, and dried, but I will bring you other clothes for now. This is a note that was in your pants.”

Vanessa took the note that Ramona handed her. When she unfolded the note that was folded and crumpled here and there, someone had scribbled a short message in terrible handwriting.

「Vanessa, it was for you.

It wasn’t just for my fun! Really!

Have a nice weekend. Or is it a burning weekend?

-Jonah Hill」

Vanessa gritted her teeth and squeezed the note with force.

*If it wasn’t in front of Ramona, I would have torn it up! Knowing everything, you abandon people here?*

Vanessa barely smiled and said to Ramona.

“Oh, no, it’s not. I have to go. Um, if you just give it to me, I’ll dry it and wear it myself.”

“Oh my, where are you going?”

Ramona widened her eyes and tilted her head. The white hair tie, contrasting with her dark hair color, dangled behind her, catching Vanessa’s attention.

“The Duke is waiting for you. It’s been quite a while.”

“…….”

“He didn’t specifically say to wake you up, but he told me to take you to the drawing-room when you woke up.”

*Yeah, if I wanted to run away, I should have at least woken up early.*