Tia’s Smooth Life After Regression - Chapter 23

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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 23

“Who’s going to become what?”

Winter, who had been muttering absentmindedly, shook her head.

【The Dantal Family is our enemy, but Valentina Dantal’s intentions are unknown. You just need to know that much.】

She condensed all the complicated details and briefly explained only what Tiya needed to know.

There would be plenty of opportunities from now on to confirm whether Valentina was the future Thorn King.

However, even that seemed difficult for Tiya to understand.

“The Dantal Family is our enemy but Valentina isn’t? Why? Because she’s too pretty?”

【…Why are you bringing up prettiness here?】

“But Valentina really is pretty. I’ve never seen such a pretty kid before.”

Before she knew it, Tiya’s eyes were sparkling like a crow that had discovered a glittering glass marble.

【You think that annoying face looks pretty?】

At Winter’s words, Tiya blinked and asked as if she didn’t understand.

“Winter calls pretty things annoying?”

That couldn’t be right.

This time, Winter’s voice carried bewilderment.

【You don’t feel anything when you look at Valentina?】

“Feel what…?”

No disturbance whatsoever appeared on Tiya’s face as she asked back.

Winter scratched her cheek and spoke in what sounded like an excuse.

【I thought you’d be jealous of her.】

“Meee? Why on earth?”

Tiya looked like she’d never even considered such a thing.

When asked why, Winter had only one thing to say.

Because the Astiya I knew was like that.

【Never mind then. What’s important is watching to see whether Valentina is Vladijef’s enemy or not. To do that, we need to tail Valentina. Can you do it?】

“Sure. I can do that too! Tailing someone, how thrilling- ahem, no. This is a heavy responsibility.”

Just then, Valentina could be seen crossing the garden outside the window.

Tiya immediately stuck just her eyes out the window to observe Valentina.

Acting like that, she’d be completely visible from outside.

Winter shook her head in exasperation, then followed Valentina’s movements with her eyes like Tiya.

Every step and gesture was careful and demure.

Suddenly, Tiya’s absurd words came to mind.

“Why? Because she’s too pretty?”

Perhaps those words weren’t entirely wrong.

When the Thorn King appeared, people had whispered.

“A Dantal bastard? How did a male bastard manage to survive?”

“That family kills every single male child except for the direct line.”

For generations, the head of Dantal was chosen by the Sacred Relic Rosabella, and that relic was a tremendous sexist that only recognized men as masters.

So male children other than the designated direct heir, especially bastards, were eliminated to prevent them from becoming competitors.

How could a male child have survived in such a family?

Even knowing of Valentina’s existence, the reason she hadn’t connected her with the Thorn King at the time was purely due to the gender issue.

But if Valentina Dantal wasn’t a girl but a boy, everything would fall into place. Though she couldn’t be certain yet.

‘She is quite… very pretty to be called a boy.’

What exactly was Valentina’s identity?

In the past, had rejecting the Thorn King’s proposal been the right choice?

She needed to find that out from now on.

* * *

The next day.

Just hours after deciding to uncover Valentina’s identity according to her plan with Winter, Tiya discovered a new fact.

“Brother Rodion is close with Valentina.”

Every time she spotted Valentina, Rodion was by her side.

Since Rodion was the one who brought Valentina home, it would be natural for him to look after a guest staying in an unfamiliar place.

The problem was…

“Brother, you know what.”

“Oh, it’s Tiya. If it’s not urgent, could we talk later? I just remembered receiving a report about problems with the eastern water pipes.”

Rodion smiled warmly as he explained that he was too busy right now to spend time with Tiya.

But she couldn’t count how many times this had happened.

As if Tiya had a to-do list written on her forehead, whenever he saw Tiya, he’d mutter “Come to think of it…” and rush off to handle urgent matters.

Watching Rodion’s retreating figure as he turned away almost like he was fleeing, Tiya stamped her feet.

During all this time, Rodion had never once hugged Tiya.

‘This wasn’t how I imagined my reunion with brother would be.’

It felt like she’d buttoned the first button wrong and kept fastening the rest incorrectly.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that her brother was somehow avoiding her.

Watching her brother’s back as he moved away from her, Tiya hung her head and muttered.

“Does brother dislike that I came home?”

Such a complaint slipped out between her protruding lips.

‘I sent him so many letters. He never replied even once.’

‘He promised he’d come get me.’

Just then, a long shadow approached Tiya as she hung her head.

“Tiya, that’s not true.”

A voice that was gentle as always but firm.

Tiya raised her head.

Somehow having returned, Rodion was facing Tiya from three steps away.

After hesitating briefly, Rodion lowered himself to meet Tiya’s eye level. Then he looked directly into his sister’s eyes and spoke clearly.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t come out to meet you in advance when you arrived at The Dominion. I had urgent business in the South, so I didn’t even receive word that you’d returned home.”

At Rodion’s honesty, Tiya also gathered courage to ask.

“If you had known, would you have rushed to see me?”

“Of course. My sister I’d been waiting for so long had returned. It’s just that the manor is a bit chaotic right now. I wasn’t even able to properly prepare to welcome you.”

His face, usually gentle like a spring breeze, was serious unlike other times.

At those words, Tiya’s heart was relieved and she was about to take another step toward Rodion.

“The epidemic in the North will subside in half a year. When that time comes, you’ll be able to return to Frost Castle, so let’s be patient a little longer. Okay?”

The words that followed bound Tiya’s feet tight.

Of course she missed Grandmother. If she could go to the North, she’d rush there immediately.

But that wasn’t what Tiya wanted to hear.

【He’s talking as if you shouldn’t be here, that bastard.】

The distance between Rodion and her was still just three steps.

But between them lay a sheer cliff.

Rodion absolutely wouldn’t allow that distance to be closed.

Only then did Tiya clearly realize that Rodion avoiding her wasn’t her misunderstanding.

In an instant, hurt feelings surged up and the corners of Tiya’s eyebrows shot up.

“Whether I return to the North or stay at home, I’ll decide for myself! Don’t interfere, brother!”

Feeling upset, Tiya whirled around and deliberately stomped her feet as she walked.

Just then, she saw Valentina walking toward them from far away, her arms full of blooming flowers.

Seeing Tiya, she gave an awkward nod and hurried past.

“Lord Rodion. I heard you were looking for me.”

“It wasn’t urgent… Wait a moment, there’s a flower petal here…”

Just as Tiya was about to turn her head at the conversation she heard behind her.

【Don’t look back. It’s better not to see.】

Winter’s firm voice stopped Tiya.

Tiya walked stiffly out of the corridor.

However, the moment she turned the corner, unable to contain her curiosity, she glanced sideways and ended up seeing it.

The sight of their two shadows overlapping.

Rodion, who had been reluctant to even let her shadow touch his, who rarely allowed anyone close, was removing a flower petal from Valentina’s hair.

In that moment, a very old memory came rushing back like a wave.

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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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