Tia’s Smooth Life After Regression - Chapter 155

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

Tiya’s Smooth Regression Life

Chapter 155

* * *

The atmosphere at the Dantal Estate in the Capital was as precarious as walking on thin ice.

The Butler who had gathered the guards into the study finally burst into a shout.

“How does it make sense that you don’t know when that girl disappeared!”

Last night, everyone in the manor had fallen into a deep sleep all at once. The Butler, judging this strange spell to be the work of outsiders, immediately had soldiers inspect the estate.

Fortunately, not a single valuable item was missing, but there was one thing that no one had expected to disappear.

“No one has seen Miss Valentina. We suspect she may have been kidnapped.”

Valentina Dantal, the family’s burden, had vanished without a trace.

Though the Butler reported frantically, Duke Dantalion did not stop writing his letter.

“Make sure no unnecessary words leak out.”

“Yes.”

The Butler hurriedly left the study. As if to replace him, the Duke’s Guard entered.

Having secretly received certain orders from the Duke, he reported his findings to the Duke.

“As you instructed, we requested a visit to Vladijef Manor but were refused. Also, we detected signs that the Duke is hastily preparing to return to the North.”

A sneer formed at the Duke’s lips.

“To stab me in the back like this. He must have grown quite fond of life in the capital.”

Unlike his twisted lips, there was not a trace of laughter in his eyes.

Contrary to the Butler’s speculation, he had already noticed that Valentina had left the estate on her own.

The place that foolish thing would go was also obvious. To that stupid thing’s eyes, Rodion Vladijef must have looked like a savior.

The only problem was why now.

If what Valentina wanted was to leave Rose Castle, it would have been achieved by simply being patient.

Though it was regrettable that he was the second son rather than the eldest, he had intended to sell her to the Vladijef Family after sufficiently raising her value.

Yet Valentina had fled. As if she feared returning to the South.

In the Duke’s contemplative mind, a report from long ago suddenly surfaced.

“Some vagrant came looking for Miss Valentina. Said he was from the village where the Miss lived.”

“We beat him thoroughly and drove him away, but he said strange things. That everyone was being deceived by the Miss.”

“He said he saw a boy at the Miss’s house.”

When he tried to verify the truth, the vagrant was already dead.

He had directly tested Valentina, but found nothing particularly suspicious either.

‘If what that vagrant said was true…’

He had several illegitimate children before. His bloodline who were either dragged to the estate by their mothers’ hands, or whose whereabouts the Duchess obsessively sought out.

The Duke personally dealt with the boys, and neglected the girls with indifference.

After that, well, the Duchess took care of cleaning up.

Only Valentina was the sole exception.

She was too beautiful to kill, and had the rare talent inherited from her mother.

But if she had been a boy from the beginning rather than a girl, then he would have been played by that young fool from the start.

“The little bastard might have hidden like a mouse because he was male.”

Now the Duke didn’t even sneer.

He sealed the letter with dried ink and handed it to the Knight.

“Deliver this directly to the Mage of Innate Nature. How long will it take to bring him here?”

“If we use a gate, three days would be sufficient.”

“Bring him within two days. And watch Vladijef Manor. Any carriage leaving that place, whether it’s a hired carriage or whatever, check the interior to see who’s riding.”

The Guard who sensed what his master wanted to say asked.

“If we discover Miss Valentina, how shall we handle it?”

The Duke paused for a moment. He coldly calculated the worth of his own blood.

“Capture her alive.”

“I shall obey your command.”

Valentina Dantal was merchandise that would sell expensively in the marriage market.

It would be too wasteful to kill her based on the mere suspicion that she might be a boy, so he needed to confirm with his own eyes.

* * *

In the middle of the night, on a dark forest path. A single carriage raced along the road leading north.

Five people were chasing behind it. All were Dantal Family Knights.

From the moment an old hired carriage left Vladijef Manor in the late evening, they had been tracking the carriage.

Though they couldn’t confirm the face of the carriage passenger due to the hood pulled over their head, judging by the build, it was definitely Valentina. Moreover, since Rodion Vladijef himself sat on the driver’s seat with the Coachman, keeping watch in all directions, there could be no clearer evidence.

The Dantal Knights moved as soon as the carriage left the capital and reached the outskirts.

Though they lost most of their personnel separating the knights escorting the carriage, in exchange they were able to drive the carriage into a secluded forest.

Soon the Dantal Troop Leader fell back and signaled to his subordinate.

The Knights spurred their horses and instantly closed the distance to the carriage.

Touching Rodion Vladijef would be too burdensome.

Therefore, they planned to first stop the carriage and kidnap Valentina.

It was the moment when one of the Dantal Knights was about to thrust his sword at the carriage horse.

Swoosh.

A black form shot up like a whip from the Knight’s shadow. It bit and tore at the horse’s legs.

The Knight screamed horribly as he tumbled down, and the sound of bones shattering echoed through the forest.

Despite the inexplicable attack, the Dantal Knights skillfully reorganized their formation and waited for the Leader’s hand signal.

Then, a horse separated from the carriage. The Leader immediately recognized the rider.

“Rodion Vladijef…”

No sooner had he uttered that name than another subordinate fell from his horse. This time there was no scream, not even a corpse left behind.

The Leader scanned the forest shadows that had devoured his subordinate.

He caught a glimpse of the scales of a massive white snake moving as if swimming through the darkness.

That must be the spirit that made the current Vladijef what they are.

The Leader, clenching his jaw, commanded loudly.

“Everyone at full speed! We deal with that man first!”

Rather than face an unknown power, target the Spirit Mage who wields that power.

His judgment was accurate.

The white snake that had been hissing as it moved between his subordinates’ shadows was summoned back to Rodion’s side.

The Leader didn’t miss that opportunity.

While his subordinates kept Rodion occupied, he spurred his horse at full speed to catch up with the carriage.

He risked danger and thrust his sword straight through, smashing the carriage door.

Inside, he could see a small figure crouched in the corner of the carriage seat.

Brilliant golden hair flowing from beneath the hood.

It was definitely Valentina.

Having confirmed his target, the Leader dangerously leaned his body from atop his horse. Then, just as his hand was about to snatch Valentina.

Clatter!

The carriage horses reared wildly and the carriage body swayed greatly. Valentina’s hair brushed against the Leader’s fingertips.

The Leader, who immediately regained his balance, checked the driver’s seat. Surprisingly, it was completely empty.

But without time to assess the situation, the uncontrolled horses began racing off the road.

“Damn it!”

Cursing under his breath as he chased the carriage, at some point the forest shadows disappeared and his vision opened wide.

A vast horizon spread before his eyes.

At the end of the road, he could see a sheer cliff.

The Leader quickly pulled the reins and barely managed to stop his horse. However, the horses running ahead had no time to reduce their speed and were swept away by the momentum of the accelerating carriage body.

The sound of horses crying and the friction of wheels scraping against the ground continued.

And in the next moment, the carriage disappeared below the cliff along with all that noise.

“….”

The Leader turned his horse’s head and stopped at the edge of the cliff.

He looked down below, but all he could see were thick fog and rock shadows.

Though he couldn’t see the wreckage of the carriage either, the Leader was certain.

“…It’s finished.”

Having fallen from this height, there was no way anyone could have survived.

He should have recovered the corpse to present to his master, but for now, escaping before enemy reinforcements arrived was the priority.

The Leader took a short breath, then pulled out the emergency whistle from his waist and blew it.

A sharp sound cut through the forest and echoed. It was a retreat order.

And that night, news of Valentina Dantal’s death reached the Dantal Family.

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