Tia’s Smooth Life After Regression - Chapter 91

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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 91

Valentina asked the librarian accusingly.

“I heard that Basement Level 1 is a safe zone?”

She was definitely told that access to Basement Level 1 was possible regardless of a mage’s rank.

That’s why she had followed along even knowing that Seolpyo was actually a low-level 5-star mage!

Fortunately, the Elite Librarian nodded at Valentina’s words.

“Within the fully explored Zone 148, there are no major threats as long as you follow the rules. Basement Level 1 in particular is classified as a safe zone.”

“Then saying our lives could be in danger is an exaggeration, right?”

“Yes. On Basement Level 1, even if you break the rules, at most you’ll just go a bit insane, lose some body parts, or have your soul stolen by demons.”

“…”

Valentina was speechless at the attitude that there was no problem since your life would still be attached.

Tiya, who had been quietly listening the whole time, comforted Valentina.

“Just trust me, Baby.”

Wink.

Unable to wink properly, she squeezed both eyes shut tightly, making Valentina seriously wonder if it was okay to start this journey.

But looking back, there was only one answer.

It was dangerous, but this was an opportunity that would never come again.

“If it gets dangerous, I’ll use you as a meat shield, so keep that in mind.”

“Heh, a sturdy shield with bones too.”

【Get it together, you’re a mage. What are you going to do, leaving magic aside?】

“Ah, right. A bone and meat shield that uses magic.”

【Good grief, good grief!】

Soon the Elite Librarian lightly tapped the stone door behind them with the tip of her magic staff.

Rumble. The ground vibrated as the center of the stone door split open like a giant beast opening its mouth.

From the stairs leading underground came the smell of old paper instead of damp mold.

“I hope you have a beneficial reading time.”

The Elite Librarian stepped aside and spoke cheerfully.

As soon as Tiya’s group entered, the stone door began to slowly close.

“Oh, by the way, there have been frequent Missing Persons occurring on Basement Level 1 lately, so please be careful.”

“What? You should have said that earlier—!”

Thud. The stone door closed completely, swallowing Valentina’s shout.

* * *

As soon as they came down all the basement stairs, another world unfolded.

High ceilings and magic lanterns hanging at the ends of bookshelves. The paths laid between the orderly arranged shelves like a chessboard were perfectly straight without any obstacles.

It was overwhelmingly vast, but the dangers warned about by the Elite Librarian or guidebook didn’t seem to lurk anywhere.

Moreover, there were ‘safe zones’ between each area where magic couldn’t be used, but you could be completely free from the threat of Arcane Tomes.

‘Zone 1 extending from the first bookshelf to the fiftieth bookshelf.’

Valentina, who had roughly memorized the structure in her head, looked at the rules for Zone 1.

Zone 1: Do not step on the floor.

A giant alligator, Grashi, that escaped from the Arcane Tome 【Predator of the Swamplands】 is inhabiting Zone 1.

It has excellent stealth skills and possesses powerful jaws that can sever your body in one bite.

If you wish to keep your body intact, we strongly recommend not setting foot in Grashi’s territory.

Wrinkles appeared on Valentina’s delicately furrowed brow.

“What kind of nonsense is this.”

An alligator in a library maintained at perfect humidity and temperature to prevent book damage?

Valentina suspected there might be some trap hidden in these rules and analyzed the sentences word by word, combining them and looking for hidden metaphorical expressions, but the puzzle remained unsolved.

On the other hand, Tiya provided a simple and clear solution.

“Since it says not to step on the floor, we can cross Zone 1 using the bookshelves as stepping stones.”

【Or we could use levitation magic.】

Right. That method exists too.

“How about it, Baby? I could climb on top of the bookshelves and move you to Zone 2 with levitation magic.”

“…Never mind. I’ll handle it myself.”

She felt foolish for trying to understand the content of the rules.

Following Tiya’s suggestion, Valentina climbed on top of the bookshelves using a mobile ladder.

Even when looking from below, she thought the bookshelves were quite high, but seeing from above made it even more dizzying.

Moreover, the gaps between bookshelves were quite wide, so she didn’t have the courage to jump across boldly.

In contrast, Tiya used her long legs to hop lightly across the bookshelves.

If she just kept hesitating like this, she would never escape Zone 1.

Taking a deep breath, Valentina took a few running steps on the narrow bookshelf top, then leaped toward the next bookshelf.

The first time was scary, but once she succeeded, the rest wasn’t difficult.

Valentina jumped across the bookshelves in rhythm.

After a two-step running start, she kicked off with her right foot and landed on her left.

Again, after a two-step running start, she kicked off with her right foot and landed on her left.

Again, after a three-step running start, she kicked off with her left foot and…

“Huh?”

By the time she felt something was wrong, her body had already been thrown into the air. Her right foot, which received less propulsion, flailed uselessly in the air.

“Baby!”

The bookshelf barely touched Valentina’s desperately outstretched fingertips.

She barely grabbed the edge of the bookshelf and hung there like dangling from a cliff. As she struggled to find a foothold, several books fell from the shelf.

But strangely, she didn’t hear the sound of books hitting the floor.

“…?”

What was with that damned curiosity. Without realizing it, Valentina looked down at the floor and rough profanity burst from her mouth.

“Crazy!”

There had definitely been nothing there just moments ago.

On the red carpet covering the library floor, a giant alligator’s snout was half protruding, mouth wide open.

As if waiting for delicious and good-looking prey to fall into its mouth.

Valentina struggled desperately to climb up onto the bookshelf, but her body only kept slipping down.

She shoved her toes into the book spines in the tightly packed bookshelf and kicked off the floor in a last desperate attempt.

Thud.

The books she was standing on spilled outward and Valentina’s body was also thrown down.

“…!”

Along with the sensation of her body floating, some premonition struck the top of her head hard.

‘I’m going to die.’

“Spinning-“

‘I couldn’t even get revenge on that damn father-‘

“Tiny Whirlwind!”

“-yet!”

The next moment, a desperate scream burst from Valentina’s mouth.

Her body shot up into the air and spun in circles as it streaked across Zone 1.

Valentina was thrown straight into the safe zone between Zone 1 and Zone 2.

She had escaped the situation of diving into Grashi’s mouth, but her stomach felt terrible, as if she had been put in a barrel and rolled down a hill.

While she was retching, Tiya dropped down from the last bookshelf of Zone 1.

“Baby! Are you okay! You almost became meat scraps stuck between the alligator’s teeth!”

“Even when you speak, you say such things, ugh.”

Tiya patted Valentina’s back as she dry heaved and continued speaking triumphantly.

“Didn’t I tell you to just trust me?”

【It serves her right, but what was the point of spinning the kid around in circles while moving?】

Oh, now that I think about it… that’s right?

Out of habit, she wildly swung her staff using her wrist snap.

“….”

‘Good. This will be a lifelong secret from Valen.’

* * *

Following the rules of Basement Level 1 didn’t require advanced magic.

Thanks to that, Tiya and Valentina passed through Zone 2 without much trouble and reached Zone 3, Zone 4, and Zone 5.

The incident occurred in the safe zone between Zone 5 and Zone 6, before crossing into Zone 6.

“Didn’t you just hear some sound?”

“I didn’t hear anything.”

【I didn’t hear anything.】

Though Valentina and Winter spoke simultaneously, Tiya definitely heard it. A thin voice asking for help, as if it would fade away at any moment.

Tiya cupped her hand beside her ear and sharpened her senses even more.

“…help, save me….”

Tiya turned toward the direction of the sound without hesitation. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say her body moved before she could even think.

“Where are you going!”

“I definitely heard someone calling for rescue over there.”

“Don’t you remember the warning? If you encounter a person, that thing!”

【I recommend ignoring it.】

“They said it might not be human!”

【If you break the rule, your life could be in danger.】

Though they couldn’t understand each other’s conversation, Valentina and Winter took turns trying to stop Tiya.

Of course, it wasn’t that Tiya didn’t know the rules.

However….

“That means it could also be human. Maybe it’s one of the Missing Persons.”

She simply couldn’t shake the one-in-a-million possibility from her mind.

And when they finally reached the source of the sound, Valentina rubbed her face with her hands.

“Ugh… p-please save me. I haven’t had a drop of water for two days….”

Shabby clothes and a gaunt face, as if he hadn’t taken care of himself for days.

The person appeared to be a human desperately in need of help.

At least on the surface.

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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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