Sincerely, Vanessa [EN]: Chapter 97

“Who is it!”

A disheveled boy came running from behind the house fence like an arrow. He glared at Vanessa and Dalois, panting, clearly wary.

“Oh, hello. We’re just passing through this village. The forest path here is so beautiful, we followed it.”

The boy’s messy hair looked completely unkempt, not deliberately styled, but rather grown long from neglect.

“Is there an adult inside, by any chance?”

“What’s it to you! Just go on your way!”

The boy retorted sharply and pushed Vanessa. Dalois put his hands on his hips and snorted.

“Why are you pushing people! You little rascal.”

“This is our house. Why are you trying to come in without permission!”

“We haven’t even gone in yet! Is this all your land? This road too? That forest? Huh?”

Dalois immediately retorted childishly. The boy, speechless, sniffled and snatched the cloth from Vanessa’s hand.

“T-that’s my laundry. Give it back….”

“It fell on the ground and got dirty. Can I have it for a moment?”

Vanessa bent down to meet the boy’s eyes. The boy, wearing a stretched-out knit sweater, flinched and then let go. Vanessa briefly glanced at the boy’s dirty cheeks and chapped fingertips.

Vanessa used magic to dust off the dirt and dispel the musty smell. The shawl, instantly regaining its original pink color, gleamed smoothly.

The boy’s eyes widened as he watched.

“How did you do that? The smell wouldn’t go away, even after washing it three times…”

The boy swallowed hard, his eyes sparkling.

“A-are you a priest too? Like the ones who came to the village before….”

“No, not a priest.”

Vanessa mumbled an answer and handed the shawl to the boy. He fiddled with it as if it were a marvel, then flinched and stepped back again.

“Anyway, d-don’t come near our house…. Mom won’t like it….”

“Your mom is inside. Sorry, the tree back there was so pretty, that’s why.”

The boy glanced at the tree behind him and then lowered his head.

“My name is Vanessa. This is Dalois. What’s your name?”

Kind blue eyes.

It had been a very long time since someone had asked the boy his name. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had received such a warm gaze.

So, without realizing it, he opened his mouth.

“Noah.”

“Oh, what a cool name.”

Dalois grinned and took off his thick gloves, handing them to the boy’s chapped and injured hands. The boy’s ears turned bright red.

“Wear these when it’s cold! Your wounds will swell up.”

The boy hesitated, then grabbed the pink shawl and ran into the house. The old door, with its peeling yellow paint, opened and quickly closed.

“He looks like he’s only about seven or eight years old.”

Dalois scratched his head. Vanessa sighed softly. The small window had curtains drawn, so nothing could be seen.

“Did you see the cuts on his fingertips? They looked like they were cut by frozen snow.”

“It looked like he was digging in the dirt…. His fingernails were full of dirt.”

In this cold weather, is there a reason to dig through the snow and dig in the dirt? Vanessa looked towards the forest where the boy had emerged.

“Let’s go around and enter from that side.”

“Alright.”

Vanessa and Dalois searched the forest thoroughly, but still couldn’t see anything.

Vanessa used magic to track the scent of blood, but only found the corpse of a small bird. The magic sometimes took her to strange places, probably because the scent was so faint.

“Vanessa! It’s snowing too much. We have to go back.”

The snow was falling more and more, blurring their vision.

Vanessa and Dalois reluctantly turned back to the village. Even as they did, the snow continued to pile up, blurring even the footprints they had just made.

When they returned to the old man’s house, Liete was already inside, drying her damp shoes. Surprisingly, Major Andalus was next to her.

Vanessa smiled warmly.

“Major! It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”

“Ah, Lieutenant Vanessa Rose. It really has been a while. I heard you were assigned to the Special Forces.”

He still looked calm and composed. Andalus returned a gentle smile and shook his head, looking at Liete.

“Nothing’s wrong. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

“Damn it, those priests wouldn’t have come here for no reason. They’re in a desperate situation now. We’re already after them, and their funding is drying up.”

“Could it be that their plan isn’t complete yet?”

Dalois tilted his head and asked, but Liete began to tear at her short bob. Then her eyes flashed.

“When is Sliman coming?”

“There’s no telling when that guy will stop chasing tails. Why was he assigned here?”

“How would I know what the Captain is thinking…. But the Captain is usually right.”

Andalus sighed, since it was an order from Gideon, and didn’t say anything more.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. Everyone was startled because they hadn’t been paying attention to the sounds outside, but it turned out to be the homeowner.

The old man smiled.

“I’ve prepared some greasy food perfect for a cold day. Is it not time to eat yet?”

The old man had indeed made greasy food. He sliced a small pig’s hind leg whole, made delicate cuts, and brushed honey on top to bake it crispy. Roasted vegetables and small biscuits modestly decorated the surroundings.

“My goodness, how is this so delicious! This crispiness!”

Liete exclaimed, chewing on the meat that was crispy on the outside and full of juice on the inside. The old man smiled, then coughed.

“I always eat alone, but it’s nice to have company. But I heard three sisters were traveling?”

“Ah, this is my husband. He was worried about me and couldn’t help but come.”

Liete grinned, and Andalus grimaced openly. But there was nothing he could do. He gave a reluctant smile and agreed.

“Yes, my wife did send me a letter, but I was very worried. The weather is bad, and there’s a lot of snow.”

“This village is very safe, so it was unnecessary worry.”

“Yes. It’s a very quiet and small, but beautiful place.”

The old man smiled proudly at Andalus’s gentle affirmation. Most of the people living in this village seemed to have pride in their long-lived home.

Vanessa cut the meat little by little and ate it, subtly watching the others.

She could see that the old man’s mood was very good with the team members’ admiration and a sip of fruit wine. So she opened her mouth in a very casual manner.

“I was walking along the birch forest path, which was so beautiful, and I reached a valley. There was a young child there.”

“Ah, Noah. He’s a good kid who takes care of his sick mother.”

The old man smiled. Vanessa smiled brightly too.

“But I couldn’t see his mother. Is it okay for the child to be alone?”

“Ah, his mother started getting sick around the end of summer. Sometimes the villagers would go and check on the child, but their visits stopped this winter.”

“Why?”

The old man paused, pursing his wrinkled lips.

“The priests who came last time said it was a contagious disease…. Everyone was worried about what to do, but they said they told the child the cure and told them not to go near.”

“But he’s so young.”

“If they tried to separate him from his mother, he would resist and hide in the forest, so everyone couldn’t do anything about it. There’s been a lot of snow this winter too. And since there’s a contagious disease, everyone doesn’t want to go.”

The old man said, spreading a sticky sauce made with meat fat on white bread. There was a hint of indifference in his casual attitude.

Dalois tilted his head.

“So the priests said it was a contagious disease?”

“Yes. They told them not to go near. It’s a good thing they didn’t kick him out of the village….”

The four people except the old man were quickly racking their brains. Dalois cheerfully changed the subject and brightened the atmosphere of the meal. The old man was very pleased every time he was praised for his cooking.

After the meal, the four people helped with the cleanup and then went back upstairs.

“Did you go inside the house?”

“No. The child refused so vehemently.”

Liete leaned against the wall with a troubled expression. The warm room had no chairs, so they had no choice but to lounge on the thin carpet.

“A priest visited, and they told you not to go near?”

“In this cold weather, such a young child is taking care of his mother alone.”

Andalus also had a troubled look in his eyes. A silence fell over the room for a moment.

Vanessa jumped up. There were many suspicious things, but it wasn’t just that. She couldn’t sit still, remembering the days at the orphanage when she barely managed to eat one meal a day.

“Are you going back to that house?”

“Yes. A young child can’t take care of himself. Whether it’s related or not, it’s good to visit.”

“Yes, let’s go together. If his mother is unable to take care of him, it would be good to send him to an orphanage.”

“Good idea. I wanted to go to the forest at night anyway, since there are things that can only be seen in the dark.”

Liete readily got up at Andalus’s agreement. The four people quickly prepared.

Fortunately, the snow, half-melted by the moonlight, reflected white, so the visibility wasn’t bad. Andalus summoned a small light to illuminate the way.

Vanessa and Dalois, who had already been there, took the lead, and it didn’t take long to reach the house in the valley. It was thanks to moving in a straight line, the shortest distance.

“Is that it?”

“It’s quiet.”

Vanessa carefully approached the house and tapped the tin pot.

Tung-, Tung-.

Small sounds echo loudly at night. The hollow sound spread through the valley.

“Noah, are you inside?”

Vanessa called, but the inside was quiet. Dalois called the boy’s name again in a loud voice.

“Hey, Noah! It’s me, the guy who gave you the gloves.”

And he started banging on the tin pot noisily. Tung-tung-tung. Vanessa recoiled slightly at the sight of him banging excitedly with both hands.

Eventually, the boy couldn’t stand it and burst out of the door. The panting boy began to get angry with his cheeks frozen red.

“What are you doing again! I told you not to come!”

“Did you have dinner?”

At Vanessa’s sudden question, the boy’s ears were so red that they could be seen even in the dim light.

“What’s it to you! Get lost.”

Liete clicked her tongue and pushed Vanessa and Dalois forward.

The two lieutenants were only kind and clumsy. The bad and nasty Colonel had to step in.

Liete smiled.

“Hello, kid. My name is Liete Liruza. I currently work as an official in the Freva Royal Castle. Children like you should receive proper care. If your mother is unable to take care of you, you have to go to an orphanage. You can’t live here alone.”

The boy, who had widened his eyes at the words Freva Royal Castle, became furious like a demon at the word orphanage.

“My mom is inside! So I’m not going to an orphanage!”

“Then I have to see your mother. I don’t believe you.”

At the firm tone, the boy’s lips trembled.