VNC 38

Chapter 38

“Those people are pretty unique too.”
Perry threw out a sharp remark, but I let out a deep sigh, unable to argue.
“Vanessa, you’re going to read mine first, right? Hm?”
“Sherry, did you forget your literature class grades? Vanessa, that’ll just make you sleepy.”
“Dave doesn’t know anything!”
“I can tell without even looking.”

Amid their childish quarrel, the count didn’t miss his chance and waved an envelope in front of me.
“Vanessa, read your father’s first. Look at this opening line. I described how happy I was when you came to the Feard estate, but that day, even my dreams were strange. Just reading the first line of this letter from your father—you’ll see I couldn’t sleep the night before you arrived at the count’s house…”

Father… My father… I absentmindedly reached out for the letter while letting the count’s words wash over me. I’d felt this way before.
“…Give me all of it.”
These people are such a nuisance.

“Cent feels like it’s been a while.”
I dozed off with my head drooping in the carriage and eventually arrived at Cent.
After getting off, I took a deep breath, chest rising and falling as I exhaled.
“I’ll do it too!”
Perry flew up beside me, mimicking me.
“Hss! Ha! Hss! Ha!”

As we exercised our breathing side by side, Perry suddenly twirled.
“Cent! Cent!”
He teleported, green light flashing as he appeared and disappeared.
I furrowed my brows at his restless behavior.
“Behave.”
“Huh?”

Donna, who was beside me, blinked wide-eyed in response.
Oops, I need to be careful. Sometimes I get so caught up talking loudly with Perry that I forget someone’s nearby. I lightly tapped my hand over my mouth.
“Don’t mind me. Talking to myself.”

I scrunched my nose and smiled playfully to smooth over the situation. Donna tilted her head but soon looked like she understood.
“The department head does that often, right? Talking to the air.”

At that moment, a familiar voice brushed past my ears.
Before I knew it, Feard’s convoy had arrived in Cent, and Kaian stepped out. He approached, hands in his pockets, moving with casual swagger.

Donna looked at him with displeasure, sensing hostility. Catching her gaze, Kaian glanced at her sideways, a sly smile spreading across his lips.
“You’re lucky, being loved. Have you read the letter?”
He was definitely mocking.

Kaian raised his eyebrows like it meant nothing and shrugged.
“Can you see me? Can you see me?”
Perry got right in Kaian’s face, waving his hands, but there was no way Kaian would notice.

Watching the scene impassively, I noticed Robert stepping down from the carriage behind Kaian.
He casually looked around, and our eyes met briefly. Surprised, his expression softened and he approached warmly. I quickly looked away.
Since that day, I had no idea what expression to wear when facing Robert. If he confessed again, I’d have to reject him—it was too uncomfortable.

For a moment, I saw Robert stiffen like stone and scowl. Had I been too obvious? I exaggeratedly clapped my hands, as if remembering something I’d forgotten.
“Ah! Speaking of which, Kaian, did Lord Dustin respond about the Cent schedule?”

Kaian replied with a sullen expression.
“Yes. There’s nothing unusual, so proceed as planned.”

Thankfully, there was no need to reschedule. I scratched my head, feeling oddly unsettled. Tomorrow, when I meet Evan, I had no idea what expression to wear or how to act professional and detached.

Pushing aside my worries, I turned to Kaian, who was looking at the winding mountain ridges with distant interest.
“Ambassador Salis arrives in Cent tomorrow, right?”
“Yes, I guess.”
“That’s good.”

Kaian, who had been answering indifferently, twitched his eyebrows as if sensing something odd.
“Are you nervous?”

As usual, his question was blunt. Feeling like it would show weakness, I hesitated but answered honestly.
“Well, a little?”
“You don’t seem like the type to get nervous, so don’t do things that don’t suit you.”

I blinked, unable to hide my surprise. Kaian frowned at my gaze, seemingly irritated.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Encouragement, perhaps?”
“…I think I misheard something.”

Kaian’s face twisted in frustration. His dark brown eyes clearly showed his irritation.
Hmm. No? Right. I guess not.
“Never mind, then.”
“Yes, it’s nothing.”

That impudent man. I forced a small smile, hoping Robert’s gaze would wander elsewhere.

After finishing the schedule, we each returned to our lodgings to prepare for tomorrow.
I stayed at the Feard villa where I had spent about a year before, while they stayed at a nearby inn.
We had completed Perry’s sand reconnaissance and had the next day’s schedule perfectly planned. My duties were done.

I opened my eyes, slowly pulling back the blanket that had covered me up to my neck. Looking down, the dress I’d been lying in for so long had wrinkled. Pressing it by hand wouldn’t smooth it out, so I left it as it was.
“At least I put it on beforehand, that’s good.”

I was glad to have changed into my going-out clothes earlier, hidden from Donna and Perry, and lay in bed. Because I had changed from evening on, Donna had been suspicious.
I had Donna leave early so I could go to the night market. Pretending to sleep, I endured a sudden bout of drowsiness, thinking of the night market.

Going out the night before work, late at night—if Donna knew, she would have stopped me. No choice.
If Perry were awake, he’d throw a tantrum about not being taken along.

“Finally asleep.”
Perry was fast asleep in the cradle by the window, holding the edge of a magazine page with his small hands. His hair shone like a moonlit lake spilling outside the cradle.
“Sorry, Perry, but I’ll have to go alone.”

I remembered the conversation with Perry—trying to let the ambassador sense his magic through the sand without revealing Perry’s presence.
“Perry, can the ambassador feel your magic as that of a sand fairy?”
“No! I won’t! Transformation’s hard! It drains too much magic! Are you asking me to use all my accumulated magic?”
“Not impossible, right?”
“Ha, but no!”
“Perry, when this is done, I’ll give you all the energy you need, and a lot of chocolate cookies, even if I collapse myself.”
“A lot…?”
“Yes, a lot. You said you wanted those shoes from the promo book, right?”
“Then I’ll specially show my greatness! Not just for cookies and shoes!”

We reached an agreement, so Perry couldn’t overexert himself tomorrow.

Time to go. I tiptoed on my toes toward the door.
“Where are you going!”
“Hff!”

Startled by Perry’s voice, I jumped, shoulders tense, legs numb.
“Mmmnya mmmnya.”
Perry scratched his neck in his sleep-talking. Phew. I exhaled in relief and slipped out like a thief.

“Good work.”
I paid the coachman and turned. Unlike before, I could find a carriage rental nearby to return to the villa, so I felt no regret.

I leisurely turned and observed the lively night market. Families, couples, and friends enjoyed the hot bustle, and lanterns strung across tents flickered in colors.
“I wanted to visit again, and here’s the chance.”

Maybe because it was where I first met Evan—it was impossible to forget. That might be why it kept coming to mind.
“Crazy… why does that name pop into my head here.”

Shaking my head, I banished the thought and looked up. A warm summer breeze shook a wooden sign that read “Welcome.”
Time to go in. I stepped into the entrance of the night market.

“Ah!”
“Eek!”

I had just entered, but something slammed into my lower back.
I rubbed my back, looking down to see a little girl sprawled on the ground, face down.
“Kiiiing—”

Beside her, a small, fluffy white puppy circled, worried about its owner, whining for help. The girl, embarrassed from falling in public, lay still with red-tipped ears.
“Are you okay?”
I bent down and tucked my arms under her armpits to lift her.
“Come on, get up.”

The girl rolled her eyes to check for bystanders, then shakily stood up.
“Woof!”

The puppy seemed to cheer for its owner, circling her feet. Her soft pink bobbed hair, round face, and big round eyes matched, cheeks flushed.
“Did you hurt your knees?”

The girl nodded a couple of times, rubbing her cheeks with the back of her hand to wipe off the dirt.