Tia’s Smooth Life After Regression - Chapter 30

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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 30

“My aide told me you were going to die soon.”

His dry gaze swept over Tiya.

“Seeing that you’re perfectly fine, he must have lied.”

Thud.

Shurkha set down the memorial box he had been holding onto the bedside table.

Four years ago, when he had his ducal title stripped for breaking the Family’s rules, everything changed.

Shurkha distinguished between what was necessary and unnecessary, weeding them out, and as a result, countless people left the manor.

The remaining belongings were no exception.

This memorial box was probably one of them.

“Father, do you remember this time?”

The Count nodded slightly at Tiya’s question.

To him, memories of the past were like scenery beyond a frozen window pane.

No matter how warm it looked beyond the window, that warmth would never reach him.

“Then what are you saying now?”

Beyond the window pane of the past, the Duke was touching foreheads with the daughter in his arms.

The Count unconsciously brushed away the frost covering the window pane with his hand.

Then the scenery beyond was revealed clearly.

The couple whispered in hushed voices so as not to wake their sleeping daughter.

“Tatiana. This is serious. I can’t even imagine myself saying ‘no’ to Tiya. To think I was such a doting father…”

“My goodness, I’m more surprised that you’re just realizing this now.”

The Duke, having realized this shocking fact, made a vow while touching foreheads with his daughter.

“It can’t be helped. Now that it’s come to this, no matter how our daughter grows up, I can only love her to my heart’s content.”

“Whatever this child becomes in the future, I won’t be able to help but love her.”

There was a time when he thought that way too.

A time when his family was the standard for the entire world.

“Even if I wasn’t a Spirit Mage? Even if I was a very, very bad daughter who always worried Father?”

Shurkha looked back at his daughter.

Before he knew it, his youngest daughter had grown up considerably, but the vow had long been forgotten.

“Would the Father from back then have still loved me?”

“Yes.”

A brief affirmation based on fact. However, the words that followed were cruel.

“But it’s different now. Whether you’re a Spirit Mage or not, it means nothing to me.”

If she hadn’t known Shurkha’s circumstances, his words would have surely shaken Tiya’s entire universe.

It meant that even if she became a good daughter, a useful child, or even a Spirit Mage, it would mean nothing to Father.

But Tiya couldn’t help but smile.

“Father, your time, one hour.”

Shurkha’s brow furrowed at Tiya’s sudden request.

Nevertheless, Tiya smiled brightly with her face flushed with fever and pulled his hand.

“Father’s hand is cold, so it feels nice.”

Tiya acted spoiled, rubbing her cheek against the Count’s hand.

“Stay by my side until I fall asleep. Even after I fall asleep, please don’t leave.”

Only then did Shurkha acknowledge that his judgment had been wrong.

He shouldn’t have accepted Tiya’s proposal in the first place.

If he had known it would be this inefficient and self-restraining.

The Count’s gaze looking down at Tiya grew increasingly cold.

‘Something without value.’

That must have been the reason for sending Tiya to the North.

“Speak with your own mouth. Whether I may take my granddaughter.”

Was that really all there was to it?

She was no longer the Duke’s daughter, but Tiya’s name still carried Vladijef behind it.

So there was plenty of utility value.

At the very least, she could have been sold off in a political marriage.

Why did he make such an illogical decision back then?

‘I can’t tell.’

After losing his emotions, problems with no visible answers would sometimes arise.

Like ‘that certain matter’ he had been clinging to all along.

Problems that he would have known the answers to so naturally before.

However, instead of pondering further, Shurkha took out his pocket watch and began timing.

He didn’t know.

That there was another gaze quietly watching him from across the room, not just Tiya.

【You don’t change. No, you can’t change.】

Winter’s voice saying this was as ruthlessly dry as the Duke’s, indistinguishable from it.

* * *

The next day.

“Buuuuah!”

Tiya bolted upright in bed and shouted.

As if she had never been sick, her face was full of life.

“This is my first time fainting!”

【That’s not something to brag about.】

Winter responded in a more irritable tone than usual.

The manor’s physician was competent, but ultimately couldn’t determine the cause of Tiya’s illness.

That was understandable. Tiya hadn’t collapsed due to illness or physical problems.

【There’s something I need to tell you.】

Winter’s voice dropped even lower. She hesitated for a long moment, then spoke as if blurting it out.

【It seems we can’t be separated beyond a certain distance.】

“Huh?”

【So your illness was because of me. Because I left your side. I found out after separating from you yesterday. If we get too far apart, I disappear and you stop breathing.】

“What…?”

Tiya’s voice was filled with shock. That was understandable. She had suddenly found her life mortgaged to someone else.

How should she make sense of this situation?

Winter was just about to speak after organizing her thoughts when—

“Jackpot!”

【Yes, jack— What?】

Surprisingly, Tiya was clenching both fists in joy. Not only that, she shouted in excitement.

“This is awesome. Like soulmates!”

【Soul… mates?】

Winter couldn’t quite understand Tiya’s meaning and could only stupidly echo her words.

Tiya put her hands on her hips and bragged smugly as if to say ‘see that.’

“Hehe, how about it, Winter! How does it feel to be stuck as my best friend with no way out?”

Best friend?

For a moment, the conversation Winter had previously had with Tiya flashed through his mind.

“Then do you want to be friends with me now?”

【No.】

【You don’t tell me…】

“Do you still dislike me even like this? Huh? Do you dislike me? If you dislike me, Winter’s life will be in danger, you know?”

【You… when the situation is this serious, is that all you have to say?!】

“Huh? Why are you getting angry? Nothing’s changed from before.”

With Tiya’s single remark, Winter realized how useless and pointless his worries had been.

Still, he spitefully added one more comment.

【…It’s not something to think about so easily.】

Perhaps it was thanks to being together for several months.

Even though she couldn’t see his expression, Tiya could tell that Winter was feeling dejected. So she deliberately smiled brightly.

“Then we just need to not be separated, right? And it’s not because of Winter. Winter didn’t know I would get hurt either.”

No, he had anticipated that some disadvantages might occur.

Yet he had left Tiya’s side due to his complacent thinking that it wouldn’t be a big problem… and his obsession with finding out Valentina’s true identity.

“Come to think of it, Winter, weren’t you hurt?”

At those words, Winter hesitated, then sighed as if he had no choice.

Even in this situation, Tiya’s foolishness in worrying about others was frustrating. Someday she would get deeply hurt because of that.

However, this time he swallowed his harsh words and changed the subject.

【Valentina worked hard. Thanks to her giving you emergency treatment right after you collapsed, there shouldn’t be any major aftereffects.】

“See! I told you she’s a good kid.”

Tiya was delighted as if she herself had been praised.

Then, as if remembering something, her eyes widened.

“Oh no! I forgot about preparing Valentina’s welcome ceremony!”

Tiya immediately jumped out of bed. She could leave it to the employees, but she wanted to prepare the welcome party herself.

“On the way, I should stop by Valentina’s and thank her too.”

【You won’t be able to meet her right now. An envoy came from Dantal. They said the young lord of Dantal came personally to see how his younger sister is doing.】

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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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