Tia’s Smooth Life After Regression - Chapter 59
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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 59
“…I don’t want to see any more.”
Only Tiya’s tearful voice echoed through the empty corridor.
She felt like she was rummaging through her brother’s memories without permission, and couldn’t bring herself to open any more doors.
At the same time, thinking that Rodion was probably wandering through the same kind of nightmare made it impossible for her to just stand still.
“Rodion! Where are you!”
She shouted with all her might in the corridor, but naturally only an echo returned with no answer.
Even now, her brother must be having terrible nightmares. She had to wake him up.
She couldn’t even determine which direction he was in, leaving her feeling helpless.
“If only there was a compass to find him….”
That’s when it happened.
“A compass….”
Winter, who had been exploring Rodion’s memories together with Tiya all along, spoke up.
She seemed to be pondering something, then continued speaking.
“The Countess gave Rodion a firefly gemstone.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“If Rodion still has it with him… and if what the Countess gave him really is a firefly gemstone, there might be a way.”
Tiya just blinked at Winter’s words.
“What’s a gemstone?”
“Try summoning starlight.”
It would be better to show her rather than explain.
Tiya, gripping her magic wand, began drawing a magic circle for sacred light magic once again.
“Memories without their owner dwelling in them couldn’t perceive us. It means memories without substance don’t react to external stimuli.”
Soon, a small starlight formed at the tip of Tiya’s wand as she completed the sacred light magic.
“Firefly gemstones have the property of drawing in the brightest starlight from their surroundings. If Rodion has the gemstone with him, it will pull the starlight toward it and guide us to him.”
She couldn’t quite understand the principle, but she felt like she understood one thing.
To find her brother, she needed to summon the brightest star in this world.
For the first time, Tiya poured out all the mana she possessed with all her might.
The starlight that had been the size of Tiya’s fingernail grew to the size of a plump peach, then became as large as a watermelon and began expanding further.
The starlight, which had instantly grown enormous like a planet, illuminated all the way to the far end of the dark corridor.
Soon, the edges of the bright starlight began crumbling like grains of sand and flowing in a certain direction.
“Over there!”
Tiya immediately ran toward the direction the starlight was pointing.
* * *
Eleven-year-old Rodion was running away.
From himself, from the world, and from everything.
Rodion hid in his room, drew his knees together, and buried his head on top of them.
“Calm down. Please, Noir. Please….”
Despite his desperate prayer, Rodion’s shadow stretched out in all directions, covering everything.
A place where only swamp-like darkness existed, without floor or ceiling.
The door to that place opened and faint light seeped in.
“Rodion.”
At Grandmother’s voice, Rodion hid his face even more and screamed frantically.
“Don’t come! I, I’m in a terrible state right now.”
However, his voice couldn’t dare stop the Iron Blood Duke’s steps.
Crack. With each step the Duke took, white lightning flashed and flickered.
In the room filled only with darkness, that was the only source of light.
“Astiya has awakened.”
Flinch.
Rodion, who had trembled, slowly raised his head.
His fine platinum hair had been dyed black, and black stains like traces of illness had spread across his face and the skin exposed outside his clothes.
Rodion said half-sobbing.
“I, my Noir attacked Tiya.”
Originally, Rodion’s spirit had never liked Tiya. Even so, it usually listened to him well.
But after Mother left, everything became a mess.
“Noir doesn’t listen to me anymore. Tiya was bitten by Noir… and I couldn’t do anything….”
He didn’t have the courage to stay by Tiya’s side as she suffered from nightmares.
Rodion, who had been biting his lips, suddenly looked up at the Duke. The spirit’s rampage had even dyed his tears black.
“Grandmother. Please take Tiya to the North.”
“….”
“In this place, Tiya will wither away and die. I can’t remember the last time I saw my sister laugh freely. She’s only four years old. Always watching Father’s mood….”
The Duke lowered her posture to meet her grandson’s eyes.
“I can’t leave young ones like you beside my worthless son. I’ll raise you as my successor. Come with me.”
Rodion shook his head.
“Lev won’t be able to endure the northern climate. Besides, the only place where he can receive divine power from high priests is the Temple in The Dominion. I have to stay by Lev’s side.”
“…You foolish child.”
Rodion remembered that she had said the same thing to his father. Deep resentment and defiance appeared in his eyes.
“I’m not foolish like Father.”
Ironically, his anger toward his father gave him courage. He looked straight up at the Duke and said firmly.
“Grandmother. Please let at least Tiya grow up in the North. I want her to laugh, cry, and live as a child who doesn’t have to watch anyone’s mood.”
This place would never become a proper home for Tiya.
Tiya would endlessly crave their father’s affection that she had never received, and he would only bring nightmares to that small child.
If that was the case, then rather….
“Please let her live at Frost Castle so happily that she won’t even think of people like us, running around freely and growing up as the happiest child in the world.”
“That’s not for Astiya’s sake. I can’t take family away from that child.”
“We’re family that’s worse than nothing. I won’t write a single letter. I’ll endure missing her.”
He had always been a mature eldest child, but in the end, he was still just a young child. Just looking one step ahead would be difficult enough.
The Duke fingered the family ring she had retrieved from her son.
What would be the right choice?
She couldn’t leave the North for long, and as Rodion said, Lev couldn’t leave The Dominion where the Temple was, if only for his health.
In the end, there was only one answer the Duke could give.
“I promise.”
Only then did Rodion seem relieved as he let his shoulders drop.
The Duke stood up and looked around the space that was like perfect void.
Originally, shadows could only exist when there was light.
The shadow spirits she knew couldn’t create such flawless darkness without light.
“Rodion. It doesn’t seem to me that your spirit is simply a shadow spirit. It would be good for you to think about your spirit’s true nature. That would help you handle your spirit as well.”
With those final words, the Duke left.
Left alone, Rodion curled up again.
Hair dyed black spilled into his vision.
“Hideous.”
Evidence that he had failed.
Too disgusting to look at, Rodion rested his forehead on his knees.
How long had he waited like that for Noir to calm down?
Creak. The door opened again and a stream of light flowed into the room.
‘Could it be that Grandmother changed her mind?’
Rodion, who had been too frightened to lift his head, tilted his head at the warm sensation he felt against his chest.
When he touched where the warmth was coming from, he felt the necklace his mother had given him.
As he pulled at his collar and drew it out, the gemstone that had always been dead black was now glowing with a soft golden light.
‘It’s never been like this before….’
As if absorbing light from somewhere, he could see a stream of light flowing into the gemstone.
Rodion frowned as he unconsciously followed that flow with his gaze.
Someone was standing majestically against the backlight.
The moment he thought that silhouette looked strangely familiar.
“Brother, I found you!”
A cheerful voice dropped down from above his head.
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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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