Tia’s Smooth Life After Regression - Chapter 26
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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 26
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“Take care of her just enough to keep her alive. Half of her blood may be from a lowly maid, but the other half isn’t Dantal blood. If we raise her well, she might be useful someday.”
“Just be careful not to let her catch my eye.”
Valentina knew that the Duchess of Dantal was deliberately letting rumors about herself spread in order to sell the bastard girl for a high price later.
Spirit magic was that precious a power. Especially since it was passed down through bloodlines.
Thanks to this, although Valentina had never left the castle even once since coming to Rose Castle at the age of seven, stories about the youngest lady of the Dantal Family who handled flower spirits spread far and wide like the rose fragrance that enveloped the castle.
Even the Duchess probably couldn’t have predicted what those spreading rumors would eventually bring.
One day, the Duke summoned Valentina, who had been living like the dead at the top of Rose Castle where no one visited.
“You’ll be leaving the castle temporarily to stay in the Dominion.”
Is this how a death row inmate feels when they’re suddenly released after only waiting for their execution date?
Valentina struggled desperately to hold back the laughter that was about to burst out.
“When you go to Vladijef Manor, find and report anything that could be Count Valoz’s weakness. Damn bastards. I want to use the gold that comes from my own land, but they’re making a fuss about embezzlement and whatnot. How annoying.”
From the Duke’s irritated muttering, she grasped the general situation.
‘So he wants me to do spy work.’
She could do that as much as needed.
As long as she could leave this hellhole.
That thought didn’t change even when she met Rodion Vladijef.
“So you’re Valentina.”
“I have a younger brother around your age who’s in poor health. If you don’t mind, would you become his friend?”
With just those words, Valentina immediately realized why Rodion had chosen her specifically among many options.
“Should I grow medicinal herbs for him?”
Rodion’s face was instantly clouded with guilt.
He seemed sorry for approaching her with ulterior motives, but Valentina was actually relieved by this.
If Rodion wanted something from her rather than showing inexplicable kindness, she just needed to pay the price.
When leaving Rose Castle, the castle’s mage came to see her off. It made her feel absolutely terrible.
“I will pray to my constellation for your safe return, my lady.”
Damn bastard. Praying for someone’s safety to a constellation that curses people?
The mage’s send-off was tantamount to the Duke’s threat.
Her life was in the Duke’s grasp, so she shouldn’t do anything foolish.
Valentina pretended to nod obediently, but inwardly she was scheming never to return to this place.
From that moment on, Valentina fabricated everything.
Since her entire life had been a lie, it wasn’t difficult.
On the first day, she deliberately pretended to stumble and made flowers bloom to prove her usefulness to the people of Vladijef Manor.
After deliberately revealing her status as a bastard, she observed how people’s attitudes changed to distinguish between enemies and allies, and acted shrewdly to avoid being disliked by the employees.
Fortunately, everyone quickly showed favor toward Valentina. Unlike at Rose Castle.
She thought everything was going according to plan.
Valentina carefully examined her reflection in the mirror.
No matter how she looked, she saw a lovely girl like a flower bud about to bloom.
But how on earth…
“How did he figure it out?”
That I’m a boy.
Valentina became anxious.
The fact that she was a boy was a secret known only to her and her birth mother, something even the damn Duke and Duchess and their scoundrel son didn’t know.
‘How could anyone think such a pretty, angel-like child is a boy?’
At least it was fortunate that he didn’t seem to know something and go around talking about it.
‘He looked dim-witted, but does he have good intuition?’
While Valentina was anxiously unable to leave the mirror.
The maid taking care of Valentina finally found him.
The precious second young master, who had been throwing a fit about why he had to become friends with a stranger, finally seemed ready to meet her.
Valentina put on an obedient expression and followed the maid to Lev’s room.
More than anything else, it was most important to make a good impression on Lev. Officially, he had come here as Lev’s playmate.
In the room alone with Lev, Valentina smiled her prettiest smile and greeted him shyly.
“Hello, I’m Valentina.”
“…”
He was a young master who looked very ill-tempered.
Pale complexion and thin arms and legs without a single muscle.
His face was plastered with the spoiled attitude of ‘I’m sick. So I’ll do whatever I want.’
She had even managed to please the scoundrel son of the Duke and Duchess of Dantal, so how hard could it be to handle a mere ten-year-old brat?
Valentina smiled sweetly and continued speaking to Lev, who was making a sour expression.
“I heard a lot about you from Lord Rodion. I… don’t know if you’re aware, but I-“
“Why are you wearing a skirt when you’re a boy?”
As if struck by a surprise attack, Valentina’s shoulders flinched.
A moment of silence. After a very brief exchange of probing glances.
Moisture gathered in her lilac eyes, and a pearl-like tear rolled down her thick eyelashes.
“Why, why are you saying such harsh things…? Did I do something wrong?”
A delicate voice trembling as if hurt.
Tear-wet eyelashes and a fragile expression that looked precarious.
All of it was so pitifully lovely that one couldn’t help but want to comfort her.
“If not, then lift up your skirt and show me.”
“…”
Lev didn’t budge. As if he was certain that Valentina was a boy.
Finally, Valentina’s head dropped down with a thud. Her hands clasped in front of her trembled violently, as if she felt humiliated.
Lev clicked his tongue and shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, fine. If you can’t do it yourself, I’ll have Melody check.”
It was when Lev’s hand moved toward the bell cord.
“…You little shit.”
“What, what?”
Having lived his entire life like a hothouse flower in a comfortable manor, Lev had never heard such vulgar profanity before.
However, as if what Lev had heard was a hallucination, when Valentina raised her head again, there wasn’t a trace of irritation on her face.
“You, what did you just say?”
Valentina smiled brightly at the wary Lev and whispered as she extended her hand forward.
“Rose.”
At that moment, a fluffy fur stole appeared around Valentina’s neck.
Two pointed, large ears perked up from the fur stole, and bead-like eyes flashed open.
The desert fox that had been quietly wrapped around its owner’s neck while biting its own tail stepped onto Valentina’s shoulder and stretched.
At the same time, a bright yellow flower bloomed in Valentina’s hand.
Bringing the freshly bloomed flower to her lips, Valentina exhaled with a soft puff.
Pollen scattered as a sweet fragrance filled the room. Lev, covered in pollen, irritably waved his hands.
“What the hell are you… huh?”
The floating pollen particles sparkled like snowflakes in the sunlight before slowly melting away.
No, it wasn’t the pollen melting—it was Lev’s vision.
His vision suddenly became dizzy and his mind grew hazy.
‘This can’t be…!’
He hurriedly covered his nose and mouth, but it was already too late.
Lev’s swaying body collapsed onto the bed.
In Lev’s slowly blinking golden eyes, he could see Valentina walking toward him as gracefully as stepping on lotus flowers on a pond.
The beautiful girl who made even reality feel dreamlike chattered smugly.
“Telling a girl to lift up her skirt. You’re a failure as a man.”
What’s the big deal about wearing a skirt anyway?
He wanted to snap back fiercely, but lifting his eyelids was already difficult against the overwhelming drowsiness.
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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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