Tia’s Smooth Life After Regression - Chapter 133

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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 133

Valentina answered with her head bowed, not even making eye contact.

“…It’s nothing.”

And she brushed past Tiya just like that.

The whispers of the maids she had heard before pierced her ears painfully.

“Instead of staying quiet during such difficult times, they’re making up stories. These traitors!”

As they said, there was indeed a traitor right here in the manor.

It was a fact she had always kept in mind, but now she couldn’t bring herself to face Tiya at all.

Her face must be a mess right now.

She wanted to run somewhere no one could see her, but there was nowhere to hide in this vast manor.

No, she didn’t know where to hide. She couldn’t even think of looking for a place.

Because she had never needed to run away from anyone here before.

Perhaps Valentina’s attitude was too different from usual.

“Are you really okay? I can’t see your face, can’t you show me?”

Before she knew it, Tiya was following behind Valentina, persistently asking. Valentina picked up her pace even more to avoid showing Tiya her face.

“…I’m fine.”

“Really, really?”

“Really.”

After an intense chase, they had somehow arrived in front of Valentina’s room.

She wanted to slam the door shut so Tiya wouldn’t follow her anymore, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

‘If I drive her away without giving a reason, she’ll definitely wait stubbornly.’

She could easily imagine Tiya crouching in front of the door, wondering why she was being turned away, waiting until she came out.

At least she wouldn’t break down the door like Lev did, so that was fortunate.

‘I have no choice.’

Valentina lightly brushed her cheeks with both hands, massaging her facial muscles.

As if nothing was wrong, smiling innocently as if she knew nothing of malice or worry.

Valentina scolded herself and drew on a pure white smile as if picking up and wearing a mask that had fallen off.

She turned around and asked calmly.

“I’m really fine, Tiya. It’s nothing at all. More importantly, you’re on your way back from visiting the Princess at the Imperial Palace, right?”

Despite her complicated inner feelings, Valentina’s mask was perfect.

But Tiya’s reaction was different from usual. She didn’t answer and stared intently at Valentina with wide-open eyes.

Feeling a strange sense of pressure, Valentina unconsciously avoided Tiya’s gaze and continued speaking.

“Oh, come to think of it, the chef said we should stay strong during times like this and offered to bake cookies today. They should be finished by now…”

She threw out the bait, expecting Tiya to immediately run to the kitchen at the mention of cookies, but Tiya didn’t budge.

“…Tiya?”

She glanced sideways to check on Tiya’s behavior, but Tiya still hadn’t taken her eyes off Valentina’s face. As persistently as if trying to find a glass bead on a sandy beach.

“Why, why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?”

It was the moment Valentina smiled awkwardly.

Finally, as if she had caught a glinting difference in the pile of sand, Tiya stretched out both hands, grabbed Valentina’s hands firmly, and pleaded.

“You’re as pretty as always! But Valen, wait here for just a moment, just a moment. Don’t go anywhere, you have to stay here.”

Then she ran into Lev’s room right next to Valentina’s without even knocking.

“Corn, you didn’t even knock- hey, why are you taking that!”

Along with Lev’s shout, there was a commotion, then Tiya returned with her skirt fluttering.

“All done! Valen, would you like to take a walk with me?”

Naturally, she wasn’t in the mood for a walk. Still, she couldn’t refuse Tiya’s suggestion and hesitated, so Tiya asked again pleadingly.

“Don’t you want to go for a walk?”

The words came out before she could think.

“No, I don’t dislike it.”

Only after saying it did she realize her mistake.

She could have made an excuse about being tired. Why couldn’t she refuse like an idiot.

“Then let’s call Lev and go together…”

“Not Lev, just the two of us.”

Just the two of us?

Before Valentina could answer, Tiya took her hand and walked ahead with big steps.

Valentina didn’t shake off Tiya’s hand, but rather fidgeted with the hand Tiya was holding and followed behind her.

However, the walk with Tiya didn’t last as long as expected.

Twenty-three steps after leaving the manor. They quickly arrived at the estate backyard, specifically at a place where all kinds of flowers were blooming in a cluster, unseasonable for the time of year.

Tiya spread out a white handkerchief there and said like a well-mannered gentleman.

“Would you like to sit here, Valen?”

Recognizing immediately that the handkerchief belonged to Lev, Valentina sat down on it without hesitation.

However, not knowing Tiya’s intention, she was about to turn her head to look up at her standing behind when.

Thud.

She felt Tiya carelessly sitting down on the dirt ground.

Though she couldn’t see her face, she could feel a small warmth through their touching backs.

“Tiya, what are you doing?”

“Valen, you have worries, don’t you?”

She froze.

Valentina’s tension was transmitted directly through their touching backs.

Valentina, who had been opening and closing her mouth as if her inner thoughts had been discovered, bit her lips. She hesitated for a moment, but since they weren’t facing each other, lying shouldn’t be difficult.

It was the moment Valentina’s mouth opened.

Tiya’s hand touched the back of her hand that was carelessly placed on the grass.

A hand smaller than hers, but hardened with calluses from sword training and courage.

Tiya’s gentle voice reached her ears.

“You don’t have to tell me. I didn’t suggest the walk to hear about Valen’s worries, but because I felt like I shouldn’t leave Valen alone.”

After a moment, what came out of Valen’s mouth wasn’t words of denial.

“Why did you think that?”

“Well, your smiling face earlier was strange.”

You wouldn’t even make eye contact with me.

Valen’s head dropped down.

She belatedly realized that this was the backyard where she had spent the most time since coming to the manor.

Did Tiya think she would feel at ease if they were here?

‘If that’s the case, she knows me well.’

After letting out a hollow laugh, Valentina continued speaking more calmly than expected.

“I might have to go to the South.”

She heard the sound of a sharp intake of breath from behind. Even though they weren’t facing each other, she could clearly picture Tiya’s face with her eyes wide open in surprise.

“Th-th-th-that’s great! You’re going back home…”

Despite her words, her voice was full of disappointment. Valentina felt a little relieved by that fact.

Valentina added comfortingly.

“I don’t want to go back either. But I can’t stay here forever.”

Rodion had told her she could stay here. If she left his kindness behind and returned to Dantalion Castle, she would live in constant anxiety, not knowing when her identity might be discovered.

Still, the reason she hesitated to stay here was because trusting people was more frightening than dying.

Because she was afraid to trust people, to trust Rodion.

“Why? Here you can eat cookies, take walks with Lev, and play with me!”

“This isn’t my home.”

But Dantalion Castle wasn’t home either.

For him, there was only one home.

Only the modest cottage where she lived with her mother, which remained faintly in her memories.

However, on the day that house burned down and her mother died, Valentina lost her place to stay forever.

“…I don’t have anywhere to return to anyway.”

The moment she muttered those words to herself.

Tiya’s hand firmly interlocked fingers with Valentina’s hand and held tight.

Then her body turned around completely, and she immediately met eyes with Tiya.

Tiya spoke with her golden eyes sparkling.

“Then I’ll become Valen’s home.”

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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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