Tia’s Smooth Life After Regression - Chapter 2

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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 2

01

In the ‘Our Family’ drawings that four-year-old Tiya drew, there were always four family members together.

First was her frail second older brother, Lev Vladijef.

Though he was so timid that he’d startle at the smallest sounds, to Tiya, her brother who gulped down medicine so bitter it made her tongue curl seemed like the bravest person in the world.

That wasn’t all.

“Shh, you have to be quiet. I’m secretly giving this only to you.”

Whenever Tiya came to visit, Lev would secretly hide the candy he received with his medicine and slip it into Tiya’s mouth when the adults weren’t looking.

Though it was sticky from being half-melted by her brother’s body heat, Tiya had never tasted candy sweeter than that.

Second was her eldest brother who was seven years older than Tiya, Rodion Vladijef.

On the day Tiya left for the North, Rodion clung to the carriage window and promised her over and over again.

“Tiya, stay with Grandmother in the North and I’ll come get you. Until then, be very, very happy. You understand?”

Like savoring a last remaining cookie, Tiya endured the unfamiliar life in the North by chewing over her brother’s promise bit by bit every night.

Third was Mother, who had passed away from illness.

Even while her body was being consumed by disease, Mother held her daughter in her arms and told her stories about her ‘kind Father.’

“Your father is actually a big crybaby. He cried so much on the day you were born too.”

But contrary to Mother’s words, the Father that Tiya saw had never shown even a smile, let alone tears.

Still, whenever Tiya drew Father’s face, she used her imagination to always draw him with a smiling face.

And now in eight-year-old Tiya’s ‘Our Family’ drawing, Grandmother appeared. In a magnificent and enormous form that looked like she could swallow the peacefully gathered family in one bite.

Tiya tucked the completed drawing under her arm and gazed at it throughout the carriage ride to the Dominion.

Was it because of the excitement of being able to see her family soon?

The journey that required traveling all day through several gates and riding in a carriage didn’t feel difficult at all.

And finally, what greeted Tiya when she arrived at the Dominion was—

“The master is currently at the palace. He’s scheduled to return at dawn.”

“The eldest young master has extended his stay at the Academy. He won’t return for another month.”

“The second young master’s condition isn’t good, so he said not to let anyone into his room for the time being…”

Only unfamiliar employees.

‘Everyone must be very busy.’

Tiya didn’t get disappointed and spent her time exploring the manor.

The house she returned to after four years had many changes, so there were plenty of places to explore.

And on the third day.

“Are they perhaps avoiding me?”

Setting aside Rodion who wasn’t at home and Lev who was said to be ill.

Tiya still hadn’t seen even Father’s shadow, let alone his face.

Why?

The answer came quickly.

‘It’s because I’m still not a Spirit Mage.’

Tiya pulled out a necklace made of spirit stones from between her collar.

Spirit stones that were said to summon spirits.

She tried calling spirits as always, but only the familiar silence returned.

‘It’s okay! I’m a Vladijef child too. Someday I’ll definitely be able to become a Spirit Mage.’

Tiya comforted herself as usual and repeated it cheerfully.

If she became a Spirit Mage, she would surely become a daughter Father could be proud of.

Then Father would come to see her face too, and praise her for doing well.

And…

Hoping to run into Father even by chance, Tiya’s steps suddenly stopped as she wandered around every corner of the manor until late evening.

‘That place is…’

“The room where a ghost appears, isn’t it?”

She had heard it several times while exploring the manor.

The employees whispering while pointing at a certain room.

“That’s the room where the ghost appears.”

“What ghost?”

“It’s true. You know Sophia, right? The one who used to serve the lady of this manor. She said so. That there’s a ghost living in that room, so we should never go in.”

It was a room that was always locked, perhaps because of the ominous rumors circulating among the employees.

But today, for some reason, she could see that the lock on that room was open.

At that moment, what dominated Tiya’s mind wasn’t the story about ghosts.

It was something that Erin, the manor’s maid, had whispered secretly last night.

“Miss, do you know? They say something very precious is hidden in the room where the ghost appears.”

“Something precious?”

“Yes. A ‘Spirit Egg’ or something.”

A Spirit Egg.

A precious treasure she had longed for desperately, said to make whoever holds the egg into a Spirit Mage.

She had searched through the Northern Forest for the past four years, but had never found one even once.

‘I want to see what it looks like.’

Even while thinking she shouldn’t, Tiya stealthily stepped into the room.

Standing on tiptoes in the center of the dark room, she could see a ‘Spirit Egg’ stored within a transparent magical barrier like glass, among furniture covered with white cloth and placed haphazardly.

Tiya gazed up at the Spirit Egg that emitted a whitish light as if enchanted. She felt like she could stare at it until dawn broke.

“Wow.”

She wanted to touch it, but Tiya clenched both fists and held back.

“The reason for keeping the Spirit Egg? Well, I heard it’s used as some kind of medicinal ingredient.”

She had heard it would be used as medicine in the future.

Still, unable to just stand still, she cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered toward the Spirit Egg.

“Spirit… Could you please introduce just one friend to me? I’m really a nice person.”

Right at that moment.

Thud, click.

The door closed behind her and the sound of the lock engaging echoed.

“Huh, what? Tiya is inside!”

She shouted and ran over, but the door was already tightly shut.

It was late at night, and the employees were too scared of the rumors to come anywhere near this area.

In short, she was trapped.

In the room where a ghost was said to appear.

On a dark night.

All alone.

“Hmph! As if there’s such a thing as ghosts.”

Tiya snorted and looked around once before crouching down in a corner.

When would people notice that she had disappeared?

Probably Erin, who took care of her bedtime, would notice first.

‘So I just need to wait until then.’

How long had she waited like that?

Her eyelids began to grow heavy as if it was time to sleep.

Tiya buried her forehead in her knees and mumbled like a sleepy complaint.

“Is Erin still far away….”

【…Erin…you said?】

“Mm-hmm, I’m waiting for Erin…”

The next moment, Tiya’s half-closed eyes snapped wide open.

‘Erin came to find me!’

Tiya quickly lifted her head.

Winter boots appeared right in front of her nose.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she followed the long legs upward and took in the face when.

“…!”

Chills.

Every hair on her body stood on end as goosebumps erupted.

A face half-hidden by the jet-black veil she had seen at Mother’s funeral.

A towering height that rose like the god of death and pitch-black clothing.

And most of all.

‘I, I can see through it!’

Beyond the silhouette standing under the dim moonlight, she could faintly see the room’s scenery.

Just like….

【Ha, of all times it had to be now. This is getting really complicated.】

Like a ghost from the rumors.

“Kyaaaah! A, a ghost!”

Tiya screamed and shuffled backward on her bottom.

The ghost watched her quietly, then clicked its tongue and spoke.

【…I don’t have much time, so I’ll explain briefly. You’ve fallen into a trap.】

“Kyaaaah! It’s a trap!”

【Tonight, a thief will come here to steal the spirit’s egg.】

“Kyaaaah! A thief! …Wait, a thief?”

Her instincts reacted to the unjust word. Tiya stopped screaming and quickly looked back at the spirit’s egg.

Fortunately, the spirit’s egg was safe.

【For now, that is.】

The ghost added as if reading Tiya’s thoughts.

【If you hadn’t woken up thanks to me, what people would find here tomorrow morning would be the missing spirit’s egg and you collapsed beside it. You would have been falsely accused of stealing the spirit’s egg.】

A ghost, a trap, and even false accusations of theft.

Wondering if all this might be a dream, Tiya pinched her cheek.

It hurt terribly.

Rubbing her reddened cheek, Tiya asked.

“H, how do you know that?”

Unfortunately, she didn’t need to hear an answer from the ghost.

Clank, creak―

Like a mouse gnawing, rattling sounds came from beyond the tightly closed door. Very stealthily, as if secretly picking a lock.

The ghost’s words were true!

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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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