Tia’s Smooth Life After Regression - Chapter 132

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Tiya’s Smooth Regression Life

Chapter 132

Pretending to be a helpless child.

When Rodion had come to Dantalion Castle, Valentina had willingly revealed her weaknesses to gain his sympathy.

His plan had succeeded, and he was able to safely escape from his family.

However, there was something strangely odd about Rodion’s question just now.

Feeling uneasy, Valentina put on the most pitiful appearance possible and answered.

“I don’t want to go back. Because…”

Valentina’s words slowed for a moment.

Now it was time to move according to plan.

“Father made me do terrible things.”

Rodion was a perceptive person.

No matter how skilled he was at lying, if he completely fabricated something that didn’t exist, he would eventually be caught.

So the method of mixing a little falsehood with the truth would be effective.

Moreover, perhaps because of his siblings, Rodion was particularly soft toward young children. Valentina aimed for that point.

“He suddenly sent a letter telling me to find something that could be Count Valoz’s weakness… I didn’t know Father had sent me here for such a purpose. If I couldn’t properly do what Father ordered, I would surely be severely scolded, and I was afraid of that…”

“Valentina.”

Rodion called to him quietly and made him stop speaking.

“You don’t need to say any more. I’ll do everything I can to make sure you don’t have to return to Dantalion Castle.”

The voice that followed was gentle, and Rodion’s eyes held only pure goodwill.

Valentina’s lilac-colored eyes met Rodion’s.

The boy noticed that there was no disturbance whatsoever in the eyes of the person he faced.

‘Could that… be possible?’

Rodion was what people commonly called a ‘good person.’ But that didn’t mean he was easy to deal with.

While gathering information inside the manor, Valentina had realized that it wasn’t Count Valoz but Rodion who controlled this massive manor in the palm of his hand.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that everything at Vladijef Manor went through his hands.

To wield such power, one couldn’t simply remain just a good person.

He would have to suspect whether those around him were spies, and sometimes make decisions to sacrifice the small for the greater good.

Even in the situation where Count Valoz was in crisis, the fact that the manor maintained at least minimal order on the surface meant that Rodion had handled his responsibilities excellently.

Far from being surprised by Valentina’s confession, this person who would never be easy to deal with actually comforted him instead.

As if-

“You knew I was extracting information.”

As if he had known from the beginning that Valentina had come to this manor as a spy.

A brief confusion crossed Rodion’s face, but that was all. He neither denied nor confirmed it.

Immediately, Valentina’s instincts rang alarm bells.

It felt as if the shells surrounding him were being peeled away, layer by layer.

Valentina took a step back.

Just how much did he know? Valentina took a gamble.

“I’ve told you Father’s plan now, but I’ve been deceiving everyone all this time. So I have no right to be here. I’ll return to Dantalion Castle.”

“There’s no need for that. You can stay here as long as you want. This place would be safer for you than there.”

Safe?

At the strange words, Valentina unconsciously stared up at Rodion.

“I was treated unfairly, but it wasn’t unsafe. It’s still home, and they’re family.”

“Valentina.”

“I’ll go back now…”

His heart beat anxiously.

Why was he so certain that Dantalion Castle wasn’t safe for me?

Of course, he had subtly revealed that he was being treated poorly at Dantalion Castle, but regardless, Dantalion Castle was Valentina’s ‘home.’

Yet his mention of ‘safety’ meant-

“There’s no one here who would interrogate you or treat you carelessly. You’re safe at Vladijef Manor.”

He must know that Duke Dantalion posed a threat to him.

Valentina looked at Rodion’s hand that had somehow grasped his shoulder.

A hollow voice leaked out, so much so that he forgot to even wear his mask.

“Since when?”

“…”

“Since when have you known?”

That I’m not a girl.

Rodion alone understood the words Valentina couldn’t voice.

He smiled bitterly and answered.

“I suppose I should say it’s thanks to hugging my younger sister and brother hundreds, thousands of times.”

The trigger was trivial.

The day he had headed south without a plan after hearing information that there was a child who had tamed flower spirits at Dantalion Castle.

At Dantalion Castle, Rodion had bumped into Valentina, who was dressed shabbily and running from something.

He instinctively caught the child to prevent him from falling, but he felt that Valentina’s attitude of not entrusting his body was unlike that of a girl his age.

Just that slight sense of unease.

However, Rodion didn’t ignore that unease.

So during the journey from the South to the Dominion, he kept Valentina by his side and directly observed the child.

Thanks to that, he realized.

That Valentina was fabricating everything for survival.

Rodion matched eye level with Valentina, who was tensely on guard after hearing that he knew everything.

To convince this child, something more calculating than pure goodwill was needed.

“Do you remember what I said when we first met? I told you I had a frail younger brother your age and asked you to bloom flowers for him.”

Valentina nodded slightly.

“As I requested, you did many things for Lev. In return, I simply created a place where you could stay comfortably. So this is a relationship of mutual use.”

“…”

Valentina neither agreed nor refuted.

Being quick-witted unlike other children his age, he probably realized that Rodion was just saying this to reassure him.

Nevertheless, for Valentina who had grown up too quickly, Rodion continued the lie.

“If you return home now, it would become difficult to obtain the medicinal herbs to restore Lev’s health. So I’d like you to continue staying. For Lev’s sake.”

After a long while, Valentina finally answered.

“…I’ll think about the proposal you’ve given me.”

Until the very end, Valentina couldn’t completely trust Rodion.

Even knowing that a good person was showing him kindness with good intentions, he was afraid that some trap might be hidden.

Valentina hated himself for not being able to properly accept even kindness directed at him and fled the spot as if escaping.

He wanted to run away to a place where no one could see his face.

With such feelings, while running down the corridor without properly looking ahead.

“Kyaang!”

He bumped into someone and fell backward.

He clutched his shoulder and immediately bowed his head.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking ahead properly-“

“Valen! Are you okay?”

Through his fallen hair, he could see familiar shoes.

They belonged to the person Valentina least wanted to face right now.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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