Tia’s Smooth Life After Regression - Chapter 58

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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 58

 

At Rodion’s voice, Shurkha, who had been hiding behind a large tree, slowly poked his head out.

 

Lev, who looked like a baby angel that had fallen from the sky, and Rodion, whose perfect features already promised a bright future.

 

Taking in the sight of his sons, Shurkha suddenly clutched his chest and murmured.

 

“Gasp, they’re my children but they’re so cute. They say you lose your memory when you see cute things, this is serious.”

 

“Now, Daddy will be it—”

 

“Gasp, they’re my children but they’re so cute. They say you lose your memory when you see cute things, this is serious.”

 

“….”

 

“Gasp, they’re my children but they’re so cute. They say you lose your memory when you see cute things, this is serious….”

 

Rodion’s eyes narrowed. Then the boy spoke with surprising coldness.

 

“Stop it now, Dad. You’ve already been caught.”

 

“…Our Rodi is so smart too.”

 

Though his scheme had been seen through, he couldn’t just give up here. This was already the seventh round of hide-and-seek.

 

In the end, Shurkha used the dirty and petty tricks of an adult. He scooped up his sons, holding one in each arm, rubbed their soft cheeks, then kissed them while asking in a coaxing voice.

 

“Smooch smooch. My little darlings. Shall we stop playing hide-and-seek and go to Mommy?”

 

“Using Mommy as an excuse is cheating— Ugh, get away! Your beard is prickly!”

 

“Prickly. Prickly, prickly!”

 

“Just this once, forgive me, son. Daddy wants to see Mommy now.”

 

When Shurkha whined with a completely exhausted face, Rodion reluctantly gave permission.

 

Then the father and sons headed toward the gazebo in one corner of the garden.

 

Tiya, who had been watching that scene in a daze, finally came to her senses much later with a gasp.

 

And with a fearful expression, she pointed at her father’s retreating back.

 

“That’s a fake daddy! Our daddy would never act like that! Is this a nightmare?”

 

【….】

 

Winter said nothing at all. Though her expression couldn’t be confirmed due to the veil, she too seemed quite shocked.

 

Even so, the two of them followed behind Shurkha as if they had made a promise.

 

Though they exchanged no conversation, they simultaneously stopped walking and looked at the same place.

 

A harmonious family was gathered inside the gazebo.

 

The husband lightly kissed his heavily pregnant wife’s forehead, the wife wiped the sweat from their children’s foreheads. The children fanned their parents with hand fans.

 

It was such a peaceful scene that one would want to cut it out and keep it in the pages of their heart to unfold and look at for a very long time.

 

‘Don’t disappear.’

 

Tiya suddenly wished that.

 

For this world to continue forever.

 

Even if she remained trapped here forever, she hoped never to wake from this dream.

 

However, from far away came the sound of the world closing.

 

Creeeeak.

 

In the last moment, she saw Rodion putting his hands like a megaphone to his heavily pregnant mother’s belly and whispering.

 

“I found Tiya too.”

 

Thump.

 

When she blinked once, Tiya was still standing in the middle of the endless corridor, in front of the red door.

 

Her mood was very strange.

 

It felt like having something stolen that she’d never even possessed.

 

Was this how it felt when you realized that something you hadn’t coveted because you thought it belonged to someone else was actually yours to begin with?

 

She couldn’t tell if what was churning beyond her throat was tears, laughter, or anger.

 

Winter spoke on behalf of such Tiya.

 

“The current Rodion wasn’t there. Look somewhere else.”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

Tiya, whose voice was choked with emotion, barely answered and stepped away from the red door into the corridor.

 

Tiya’s journey to find Rodion had only just begun.

 

* * *

 

Creak, the blue door with warm tones opened.

 

Mother’s room, vibrating with the smell of medicinal herbs.

 

Nine-year-old Rodion asked.

 

“Mom, did you secretly go out again?”

 

The Countess, who had been taking off the black coat wrapped around her body, hesitated.

 

Gaunt cheeks and a pale appearance with pigmentation that had faded as if drained of water.

 

Though her face was clearly marked by illness, her golden eyes that sparkled even in the darkness blazed intensely like embers that wouldn’t be extinguished even by a snowstorm.

 

“Come here, Rodi.”

 

Originally, Rodion had been a good son who obeyed his mother’s words well, but after she developed the hereditary albinism, he became a child who absolutely never defied her words.

 

She turned her approaching son around and rustled about for a while before hanging something around Rodion’s neck.

 

Following the leather cord with his gaze, he saw a black gemstone roughly carved into a hexagonal pillar.

 

“It’s called a firefly gemstone. Isn’t it pretty? They say it gathers starlight, but tonight the stars aren’t bright, so it’s dark.”

 

“….”

 

Just for something like this….

 

Even though her body wasn’t well.

 

Tiya and Lev had been looking for Mom so much.

 

But why does Mom keep leaving us and going outside?

 

Rodion, who had been fingering the gemstone of the necklace, hesitantly asked.

 

“…Do you hate Father?”

 

As soon as those words ended, the Countess turned her son around.

 

And with a stern yet desperate face, looking straight into the child’s eyes, she said.

 

“That’s not true. Why would Mommy hate Daddy? I just felt stuffy staying only at home, so I went out for some fresh air.”

 

A lie.

 

“Besides, Daddy loves the family so much. Even now he’s working hard every day for us.”

 

A lie. Daddy has changed.

 

At some point, Mother had begun living with lies.

 

But….

 

“I know. I was just saying that. Thank you for the necklace. It’s really pretty.”

 

He too ended up telling lies.

 

Thump. The door closed as if pushed by waves, and the mother and son’s figures scattered.

 

Swoosh, this time an antique wooden door opened.

 

Shurkha’s study. Eleven-year-old Rodion pleaded.

 

“Father. Please stay by Mother’s side just for today. Mom is really, really sick.”

 

Perhaps she might not make it through today.

 

However, the Duke said without even looking back at his son.

 

“It’s not as if your mother’s condition will improve just because I go. I can’t waste my time on something with no benefit.”

 

That’s not true. If Father comes, Mother will endure today.

 

If she endures today, she can live until tomorrow, and if she endures tomorrow, she can hope for the future—Father truly seemed unable to understand this expectation.

 

Rodion, who had been biting his lips curled inward, finally delivered an ultimatum.

 

“If you don’t go to Mother, I will consider that Father killed Mother.”

 

With this extreme threat, he was finally able to receive his father’s attention that he had so desperately wanted. However, it was worse than not receiving it at all.

 

With eyes like a wasteland where everything had withered and died, Shurkha answered.

 

“Think whatever you want. She’s a woman who’s going to die anyway, what does it matter who killed her.”

 

It felt like blood was boiling in his throat.

 

Just who is this man?

 

This person was not the father that Rodion knew.

 

He must be a monster wearing his father’s shell.

 

Otherwise, how could a person change so drastically overnight?

 

Rodion was afraid because he couldn’t understand his father, and because he was afraid, he felt hatred.

 

In the end, Rodion voiced the question that he had swallowed down his throat over and over, slowly suffocating himself.

 

“You don’t love Mother anymore, do you? That’s why you don’t care if Mother dies.”

 

The Duke looked directly into the eyes of his son who resembled him so closely and answered without hesitation.

 

“That’s right.”

 

Thud, the door closed like prison bars falling, and the father and son’s figures scattered.

 

Click, the steel door opened.

 

Rodion’s room.

 

Twelve-year-old Rodion no longer asked, pleaded, or threatened his father.

 

He simply repeated endlessly with his usual smiling face the duties he rightfully had to bear.

 

“I have to protect and care for my siblings in the Count’s place. So that Tiya can be happy and safe when she returns.”

 

Because of his father entering central politics, they had made many enemies.

 

Rodion decided to personally clean up the manor that had become infested with spies, one by one.

 

“Let’s find a way to save Lev. If I go to the Academy, I might be able to seek advice.”

 

He resolved to search the entire continent and find a way no matter what, to give Lev a tomorrow.

 

“Calm down, Noir. I can’t break down here. That man must not find out that I have flaws.”

 

If Shurkha found out that he was experiencing spirit rampage, he might use the danger as an excuse to kick him out of the manor.

 

He wasn’t afraid of being kicked out, but he couldn’t leave sick Lev, the place where Tiya would return to, or the house full of memories with Mother yet.

 

Rodion kissed the ornament on the necklace he received from his mother and said to himself.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Thud.

 

The door closed once again.

 

Tiya stopped short and couldn’t enter the next door.

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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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