Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 91

To the Teacher, From Vanessa 91

All day long, Vanessa practiced manipulating the flow of mana within her body, channeling it outwards and drawing it back in. She continued until her mana reserves were nearly depleted.

Jenien seemed unimpressed but still gave her a ‘serviceable’ rating. He also commented that her mana capacity was surprisingly high.

“It’s unusual for someone to practice magic realization for this long. Most people would collapse from mana exhaustion long before now.”

Vanessa was so pleased that she didn’t even mind collapsing onto the dirt floor.

Jenien, who had briefly stepped inside, returned with something in his hand.

It was a ‘barre’ [a wand-like tool] that looked handmade. Used for drawing magic circles, the moderately sized, pure white barre seemed easy to store.

“Are you really giving this to me?”

“Don’t forget that large-scale magic is more effective with magic circle configurations. And remember that inexperienced mages who have only recently grasped the basics are the most likely to get hurt.”

“Thank you, Jenien. I know I’ve been a burden these past two days.”

Vanessa expressed her sincere gratitude.

All she had done for him was bake a lemon pie and preserve some fruit in honey. She had made it after noticing his nearly empty pantry, but it still looked rather bare.

“If anyone gives you trouble, tell them you’re a disciple of Pokis Polis Stargera and to leave you alone.”

Jenien said gruffly. Vanessa’s eyes widened. A disciple?

Jenien, who always seemed to get flustered after saying something kind, suddenly grabbed his beard and yelled at the air. Then, he slammed the door and went back inside.

Vanessa stared blankly at the closed door before bursting into laughter.

“I’ll be going! Take care of yourself, Jenien.”

“Just get out of here!”

A muffled roar echoed from inside the house.

Vanessa smiled wryly and headed towards Phydom.

Tomorrow, her assignment to the Special Task Force would be formally announced at the Ministry of Magic. She should arrive early so she doesn’t get reprimanded.

Now that I think about it, do I even have a uniform?

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The next day, Vanessa stopped by Minister Tellios’s office at the Ministry of Magic before heading to the Special Task Force building. Minister Tellios, already at work, was scrutinizing documents with a disapproving expression.

He glanced at Vanessa as she cautiously entered and clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“How many times have I told you to pace yourself?”

“Haha….”

Vanessa laughed awkwardly. It was difficult to explain that she was meeting with the King not because of her outstanding work, but because of the chaos caused by her antics.

“For now, your duties at the Ministry of Magic are temporarily suspended, and you’ll be working concurrently with the Special Task Force. Finding a competent bureaucrat isn’t easy, you know? Are you trying to poach one?”

Tellios seemed slightly irritated. Just when he was getting used to her, she was being transferred elsewhere.

The people at the Ministry of Magic might not know yet, but they would surely weep tears of regret when they found out. Tellios was certain of it.

“His Majesty is really asking too much, isn’t he!”

“Y-yes, he is.”

Tellios clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Wherever you are, you must always act as if His Majesty is infallible. Don’t forget that you don’t have a powerful family to back you up, so you must be careful at all times.”

Seeing that Vanessa was listening attentively, Tellios cleared his throat and turned his gaze back to the documents.

He moved his pen, muttering just loud enough to be heard.

“The Special Task Force is dangerous, but it also offers significant privileges. You’re still young, and you don’t have a guardian. There are strange people everywhere. Always be cautious.”

Vanessa smiled slightly.

“I will keep your advice to heart. Thank you.”

Tellios furrowed his brow and coughed, bothered by the smile that conveyed her gratitude.

Vanessa tried to return the Ministry of Magic pin she wore on her lapel, but Tellios refused, saying her duties were only suspended for now.

“I’ll drag you back to the Ministry of Magic when things calm down, so there’s no need to return it.”

The Minister advised her to wear the Ministry of Magic pin along with the Special Task Force pin. It would make it easier to get assistance if something happened later.

Vanessa went to her office at the Ministry of Magic to pack her belongings, expecting it to be empty since she had arrived so early, but Danny Marlon was there, having worked overtime.

He gave Vanessa a look of despair. He seemed to have already heard the news.

“I know you’re going to a more challenging position… but this is truly unfair. The handover period is ridiculously short!”

“Thank you for everything since my first day. I know you’ve always been so considerate. I’ll be sure to properly thank you next time.”

Vanessa expressed her gratitude, remembering how kind he had been to her from the start. Danny Marlon sniffled as he watched Vanessa pack her things.

“If someone else comes, I’ll leave… I can’t bear to see you go like this….”

“Don’t worry. There’s a handover period, so I’ll be back.”

After a tearful farewell with Danny Marlon, the walk from the Second District to the Special Task Force building felt a bit surreal. The thought of the people she would be working with made her feel even more apprehensive.

Because…

“Va-nessaaaa!”

“Daloys.”

Vanessa smiled and hugged Daloys, who came running towards her like a bull. He seemed to have heard the news from inside the Special Task Force building and was waiting for her.

Daloys seemed even larger than before. Perhaps it was the thick clothes, but his arms looked even more muscular.

“If you were going to join us, you should have come from the beginning! I thought I was going to die reading all those documents.”

“Am I really someone who reads documents for you?”

Vanessa laughed in disbelief and pulled Daloys closer. Daloys smiled brightly and started walking.

“Well, it’s similar. Vanessa Rose is essential for my graduation. I would have failed if I didn’t have your data!”

As they passed the garden with the fountain, they ran into Evan. Evan, who was kicking at the stone floor, raised his eyebrows when he saw Vanessa approaching with Daloys.

“I lost my turn.”

The three walked along amicably. They had plenty of time, so they were taking a leisurely detour through the garden, which was divided into several sections. The fallen leaves rustled in the dry winter wind before being swept away.

“Did you get your uniform yet? It doesn’t look like it from your clothes.”

“I haven’t received it yet. Actually, this was all decided rather suddenly….”

“Now that I think about it, everyone who did the internship except Moshwi ended up here!”

At Daloys’ words, Evan smoothed his spiky hair at the back of his head. He had recently been in contact with Moshwi and heard about his situation.

“Moshwi had a tough time during the internship. He found it too difficult when the children got hurt. He seems to be doing well in his current job.”

“Really? What’s he doing now?”

“Well, he works for a small business. You know those escort mages who work on commission?”

“Ah, I’ve heard of them. They’re quite popular these days.”

“He likes that he’s protecting something.”

Vanessa nodded involuntarily, finding the description perfectly suited to Moshwi.

“Oh, did you know that there haven’t been any Special Task Force internships since ours? They said the Special Task Force is too busy to take on interns!”

“I hope it’s not because my internship was so disastrous that they cancelled it.”

“Maybe. It must have been quite an experience.”

Evan grinned, and Vanessa playfully nudged him in the waist.

“But, uh, wouldn’t it be awkward working with the, uh, Captain… nim [term of respect]?”

When Evan asked with a slightly awkward tone, Daloys tilted his head.

“Captain? Why? Are you not on good terms? Is he bullying you?”

Daloys asked seriously, and Vanessa shook her head in horror.

“W-what are you talking about? Why would the Captain bully me?”

“I don’t know. Why did I think that?”

As Daloys tilted his head, Vanessa clamped her mouth shut as if she had eaten something sticky. He *did* bite her a little the day before yesterday.

It was a difficult decision whether to tell him or not. Lina, Chevati, and Evan all knew, so it might feel unfair if Daloys was the only one left out. He might feel betrayed if he found out later.

But she was worried not that their relationship was a burden to her, but that others would feel burdened by it.

A member dating the Captain didn’t feel right, no matter how she looked at it.

Even though she had deliberately taken a slow route through the garden, they were already in front of the Special Task Force building. The ancient building, with vines partially covering the facade, felt particularly imposing today.

As Vanessa took a deep breath and patted her chest, Evan chuckled. He nudged Vanessa’s back.

“Don’t tell me you’re nervous?”

Daloys, who was also glancing at Vanessa and smiling, went into the hall first. Vanessa composed herself and finally stepped inside the Special Task Force building.

The inside of the building still felt suitably deserted. The hall was tall, and the doors along the corridor were tightly closed.

Most of the Special Task Force members were likely out on assignment, so it couldn’t be helped.

Vanessa was led by Evan and Daloys directly to the office used by the head of the Special Task Force.

Evan and Daloys, who had arrived together in front of the large door, whispered that they would wait outside. But there was no need to worry.

“This is Vanessa Rose.”

“It’s nice to be working with you again after a long time.”

As Vanessa had hoped, Gideon was very strict in separating public and private matters.

Gideon seemed indifferent under Colonel Riet’s curious gaze. His bright eyes looked cold, creating a slight distance.

“There are many documents to review since you’re joining late. You won’t be dispatched immediately, but I expect you to familiarize yourself with the work.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Vanessa answered firmly. Gideon took out a pure white, shining pin from a small wooden box next to him. It was the Special Task Force insignia.

He gestured towards Vanessa’s collar with his eyes.

“Didn’t you return the Ministry of Magic’s pin?”

“The Minister said that my duties are only suspended and wanted me to keep it.”

Gideon chuckled briefly.

“He doesn’t want to let you go, I see.”

“Who would return it? You should take that off. Aren’t you with us now?”

Colonel Riet grumbled as she sipped her tea, but Gideon ignored her completely.

He reached out and handed over the Special Task Force pin. Vanessa accepted it with both hands and turned it over for a moment. The pin, which seemed to be made of platinum, was shaped somewhat like a sword.

“Leave.”

Gideon said curtly, and Vanessa, who had been admiring the pin, tried to leave the office with a slightly embarrassed expression. She could admire the pin, couldn’t she? He was being too harsh.

And then she was immediately stopped. Gideon turned Vanessa around to face him and raised his eyebrows slightly.

“No, not you. Colonel Riet, leave. We will proceed with the contract immediately.”

The Colonel grinned and immediately left the office. As the sound of footsteps faded away in the hallway, Gideon spoke softly.

“This is your last chance.”

It meant this was the last chance to back out. His gaze settled calmly on her. Vanessa, who had already made up her mind, shook her head.

Gideon said nothing more and handed her a long pen. Then, he placed a thin but sturdy stone tablet on the table.

“The moment you write your name on the stone tablet, you will be assigned to the King’s direct special combat unit. At the same time, you will be making a vow not to disclose any secrets related to the Special Task Force. The disadvantages and risks of breaking the vow are entirely yours.”

His low voice was still gentle, as if she could turn back at any time.

But Vanessa picked up the pen and wrote her name on the pure white stone tablet, infusing it with mana.

Vanessa Rose

The letters on the stone tablet glowed blue for a moment before fading and settling down again.

Gideon picked up the stone tablet and returned it to his desk. When Vanessa handed the pen back to him, he took her hand instead and kissed her fingertips.