Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 78

To the Teacher, From Vanessa 78

The man steadied himself, gripping the back of the armchair with his large hand. Vanessa had to tilt her head back completely, but she had no trouble meeting his lips.

Gideon intended to give a light peck, like a stamp, and then pull away. His intentions were truly that. He merely wanted to express his overflowing affection.

However, Vanessa grabbed the back of his collar as he tried to pull away and tilted her head at an angle.

The unexpected, deep contact caused the man’s hand gripping the back of the chair to tighten. There was a faint sound of something creaking under the intense grip, but Vanessa didn’t notice, focused as she was on the warmth of their touch.

For a moment, only the sound of soft smacking filled the quiet room.

A gap formed between their lips, and when Vanessa opened her eyes, she saw that the man’s eyes were red-rimmed.

He straightened up and awkwardly dabbed at his lips.

Whether he was surprised or shy, his stiff demeanor made Vanessa smile slyly. Her own cheeks were probably flushed, but she pretended not to notice and opened her mouth.

“I was thinking about it all last night. I did well, naturally, right?”

“……”

Gideon didn’t answer, merely straightening his disheveled tie. However, his slightly red ears were answer enough.

Gideon muttered abruptly.

“Aren’t you… growing up too fast?”

Not long ago, she would run away from a simple kiss. Vanessa giggled at his somewhat disgruntled words.

“I do my best at everything. I tend to improve quickly.”

There was no need to tell him that she had spent last night worrying about something that would surprise him.

Gideon took a deep breath at Vanessa’s laughter and blinked a few times. Then, he wiped the wetness from Vanessa’s lips with his hand.

“Now that I think about it, that outfit suits you very well. Is it new?”

Vanessa glared at him, annoyed by his sudden attempt to change the subject.

“Look at you, pretending not to know. Where did you hide my clothes?”

“I am innocent. It seems like something Ramona or Perez would do.”

“If you’re innocent, you should return my clothes quickly.”

“I’m satisfied that we matched, so let’s just say it’s my fault.”

Only then did Vanessa realize that their clothes were in the same color scheme. Vanessa protested, but Gideon, having regained his composure, smiled.

“Are you really not going to have dinner together?”

“I would like to have dinner with you too, but… I have a slightly urgent schedule. I’m sorry.”

Vanessa sighed deeply at his apologetic expression, with the corners of his eyebrows slightly lowered.

“Okay. But next time, don’t leave me behind and go first.”

Vanessa jumped up and readjusted the jeweled pins on his chest. Gideon looked down at her, whispering.

“…Okay, don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

Vanessa tilted her head, finding his answer somewhat out of place, but Gideon simply smiled.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

A splendid chandelier hung from the high ceiling.

Beneath it, bathed in faint light, Gideon, impeccably dressed, stared at the massive door. Carved into the thick door was an imagined image of the black demon that Night Vandalu had subdued.

Gideon didn’t like the many things targeting Vanessa.

Even if it was an overreaction, her collapsing in the cave, unconscious, and her injured knee disturbed him. And the handwritten letter he received from the King yesterday.

「Vanessa Rose of the Magic Department is additionally selected for the Special Forces.」

That was why he couldn’t sleep a wink, couldn’t even have breakfast with Vanessa, and left Valder Castle.

He knew coming at this hour was a great discourtesy, but he couldn’t bear it. He felt he needed to resolve this matter quickly to ease his mind.

After a short wait, Gideon was led to the King’s private chamber. The servants standing before the massive door respectfully took his sword for safekeeping.

As he entered, the King greeted him with tired eyes. The food on the lavish table was steaming slightly, as if it had just been brought out.

“Did you already see the letter? To come this early in the morning. Won’t you join me for a meal?”

Gideon declined, and the King took a sip of warm tea and chided him.

“What are you waiting for? Say what you have to say and leave. I want to eat.”

“The selection period for the Special Forces has already ended.”

Gideon said with an indifferent expression.

“I wondered what you came to talk about. That’s why it’s called an additional selection.”

The King banged the golden dish with an absurd expression. He wondered why the words he said after coming in the morning were like that. Why is he doing this when he is giving an additional selection of special forces?

“That’s what a king is. I can’t even properly protect my mealtime. Ministers from all departments come and pester me, and now even the Duke comes. I can’t understand the hearts of those who want to be king. I feel like I barely sleep four hours a day.”

Gideon stood straight without answering, his expression cold. The King clicked his tongue.

“What exactly do you dislike? She was the most pleasing magician I’ve seen recently. She seems to have passion too.”

The servant standing next to him politely handed over a document. It seemed a background check on Vanessa had been completed.

The King took it with a nonchalant attitude and flipped through it quickly.

“She doesn’t seem to be lacking anywhere. She grew up in an orphanage and entered Bamberg Academy with honors. Ah, I remember seeing her somewhere; I personally awarded her the honors. My, she’s quite the talent.”

The King quickly scanned the next page. Gideon’s expression gradually hardened. He knew well that he himself had no proper justification to refuse her.

“She even did a Special Forces internship, so she’s not lacking, wait a minute. Ah, is she the student who fell into the cave with the Captain?”

“……”

“Looking at the name, it’s her. I remember her surname being unique. I like her even more? I have no intention of changing my mind, Captain.”

“She is a magician who doesn’t fully understand the conditions of her magic.”

“She uses space movement magic without knowing the conditions? She is not a magician with eyes rotten with defeat. She is making steady efforts. If she has conquered the highest level of incantation magic, the magic below it will be easy.”

“Magic doesn’t work that way.”

Eventually, the King looked at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling to cool his head. The glass jewels were terribly flashy, briefly distracting him.

*She doubted herself. Could this be what I think it is? What on earth is the Duke’s face?*

“What kind of tantrum is this?”

The King’s voice, hiding his embarrassed feelings, sounded rather indifferent.

“The things the Special Forces are touching are getting too big. Don’t think I don’t know what you guys are aiming for. No matter how much you have the title of Duke, you will have many enemies. Even if you have two bodies, it won’t be enough.”

“If it’s not enough, it’s my job to fill it.”

“If you are in your right mind, you cannot refuse this magician as the head of the Special Forces. Why are you doing this?”

“I didn’t come as the head of the Special Forces. I came to this place as the owner of Valder.”

Only then did the King notice Gideon’s noble attire and pressed down on his throbbing forehead.

“Duke, you’re choosing at will. Today you’re a Duke, tomorrow you’re a Captain? Well, if the Duke insists, I can’t easily ignore it either. You are a member of the Joint Council. But are you going to state the reason for your stubbornness yourself?”

“I have sacrificed quite a bit for a long time. Can’t I even choose this much?”

“Valder.”

Bina Dom Priba tilted her head and raised the corner of her mouth.

As the King put down the golden tableware, the servants turned their backs on them. The King did not offer the Duke a seat.

“You can’t act like that. You have to act more suspiciously.”

Gideon was silent.

“I’m letting it slide because it’s me. Remember that Jenyata was crushed at the last Joint Council, so he’s glaring at you.”

“…What do you mean?”

“You seem to be very close with that magician. Seeing you get serious and rush to get her out of danger.”

The King grinned. It was fun to see him acting coldly. But she was the King, and the King remembered the Duke’s childhood.

“I’m letting it go because I like the look of it. Either put this magician in the Special Forces and use her, or grant me one thing I want.”

Gideon stared at the King, who suddenly seemed excited, and barely managed to compose his expression.

But he gave an answer different from what the King expected.

“If you tell me what you want, I will offer it in my name.”

The King frowned. He bowed politely and turned around without the King’s permission.

The servants greeted the Duke as he came out and handed him his sword, but he was too preoccupied to receive it properly.

The distance from the First District to the Special Forces building was quite far, giving him time to clear his head. Most of the officials had not yet arrived for work, so there were few people around, except for the occasional palace official.

Gideon walked along the King’s garden. It was splendid with flowers that had been carefully bloomed even in winter.

He didn’t want to drag Vanessa into this….

He still saw the cave where Night Vandalu’s magic circle was hidden.

That flawless magic circle and the boy Vanessa saw.

But even after the continuous investigation that followed, no trace of the boy could be found. Only the result that the space movement magic circle was not that old came out.

No one knew why Vanessa had to go into the cave.

And yesterday, the King’s letter arrived, wanting Vanessa to be sent to the Special Forces, and Vanessa, with her ruined knees, was in Valder Castle. As soon as he saw Perez’s letter, he moved to Valder Castle, but it was already late.

She spoke lightly as if it were nothing, but it wasn’t for him. It couldn’t be.

There must be a reason why she used space movement magic in a hurry. She must have used it because she felt threatened.

She belongs to the Magic Department and has never wanted to join the Special Forces.

No, there was no need to come. He didn’t bring those who didn’t want to come into the Special Forces in the first place.

The work they do is dangerous and difficult to predict the future. No matter how hard they try to be as safe as possible, unknown dangers are everywhere.

Besides, what they are touching now is too much. But Vanessa has no family to protect her. So, even if it was his greed, he wanted Vanessa to be in a safe place.

If even she gets hurt….

“Oh, Captain. Have you already come out?”

Before he knew it, he had passed the Special Forces building and entered the inside. Lieutenant Grain, whom he hadn’t seen in a while, scratched his head in the quiet hall inside the Special Forces building and greeted Gideon.

Anyone could see that his whole body, except for his clothes, looked tattered, and Gideon frowned, so he quickly opened his mouth.

“The dispatch work was finished, so I came back faster than anyone else, but that’s the expression I get. That’s too much.”

“The story of the accident you caused reached Fydom. Are you in your right mind?”

“Haha, I worked hard. By the way, where was my desk?”

Gideon sighed briefly at his cheerful words.

“Second floor. Follow me for now. The Lieutenant will now be assigned to other work.”

“Ah, don’t tell me it’s paperwork!”

Grain acted as if he was being strangled. Gideon didn’t care and went into his office and handed over the pile of documents he had organized. It was worth preparing in advance because Lieutenant Grain was coming up to Fydom.

Grain really looked disgusted with his whole face, but he couldn’t refuse.

“…You mean I have to read all of this.”

“If you read it desperately all morning, it will be enough.”

Gideon said firmly and kicked Grain out. But even in the space where he was left alone, the chaotic thoughts were still there.

He contacted the Minister of Finance.