Tia’s Smooth Life After Regression - Chapter 92

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Tiya’s Smooth Regression Life

Chapter 92

Since it’s in the Safe Zone, it’s probably not a trap created by the Arcane Library.

So maybe it really is one of the missing people like Seolpyo said, but…

“Don’t go near him.”

Valentina didn’t lower her guard. Whether it was a trap from the Arcane Library or a human, it was all the same to her.

Equally untrustworthy bastards.

“But he looks like he needs help…”

“Hah.”

Yeah, I knew she’d say that.

Unable to stop Seolpyo from coming this far, Valentina decided to act before she could make a move.

She quickly snatched the beginner’s exploration kit from Seolpyo’s waist. Then she pulled out a bottle of water, a bundle of biscuits, and a rescue flare.

Not forgetting to be spiteful, she deliberately crushed the biscuits into pieces before throwing them in front of the castaway.

“Food and water to eat. A rescue flare to signal your location to the Elite Librarian. There, satisfied?”

“…He looks injured.”

“Yes, well I wasn’t asking for your opinion.”

Thud. Valentina grabbed Seolpyo’s empty hand and took the lead.

While being dragged away with confused sounds, Tiya looked back at the castaway.

The man didn’t even touch the relief supplies Valentina had thrown, just hung his head low as if exhausted.

As Tiya’s steps naturally began to slow, Valentina pulled her along while grumbling.

“Why are you so desperate to help others? Just now was lucky it was a person, but if it had been the Arcane Library’s doing, you would’ve fallen right into the trap.”

【Right, that’s exactly what I’m saying!】

“But didn’t he ask for help?”

“Ha, are you going to help everyone who asks for help? Even if they’re criminals?”

【That is what I’m saying, but…】

“But maybe there are circumstances…”

“When do you have time to look into everyone’s circumstances one by one! And what if they’re lying? Do you have a way to tell the difference?”

【She’s making valid points, but…】

Tiya’s lips began to pout more and more. Even so, Valentina’s nagging didn’t stop.

“Stop being so wishy-washy and extending your hand to others. Can’t you be more suspicious, more cautious, more selfish? At this rate you’ll just get used by people later!”

【…Why is she so angry?】

Tiya and Winter glanced at each other’s faces.

Tiya pondered Valentina’s words.

Is she angry because I’m not suspicious, cautious, and selfish enough?

But Grandmother Bear had said:

“The world runs on small acts of kindness that go unnoticed. So if possible, become a great person who moves this world, Astiya.”

Following those words, Tiya wanted to become the protagonist.

The training method Grandmother had taught her for that was—

“Most problems can be solved with muscle.”

Building muscle!

Recalling Grandmother Bear’s teachings, Tiya answered without hesitation.

“That’s why muscle is necessary!”

“Hah. What are you talking about now.”

Valentina sighed loudly enough for everyone to hear, but Tiya continued regardless.

“The heart has muscles too. You train them in advance so your heart muscles don’t shrink. It’s called heart training! That’s how you change the world, Baby kitten.”

Before long, Valentina’s steps gradually slowed.

Feeling proud that she’d said something quite reasonable, Tiya lightly swept her hair back.

“Heart training, my ass.”

Valentina started striding forward again, grumbling.

“I thought something was suspicious, but you were approaching me to recruit me into some weird religion.”

“What! That’s not… Ahem, hmm. It’s not like that.”

Tiya, who was about to respond in her usual tone, quickly corrected her speech.

Though her expression wasn’t visible, Valentina’s following voice was dried and withered like a leaf about to crumble.

“There’s no such thing as kindness without a price in this world. You’re just helping others for your own satisfaction anyway.”

I can’t argue with that, but…

“So what if that’s true? If others are happy, I’m happy too, and I’m happy, and others are happy.”

Stop.

Valentina’s steps halted.

Following her lead, Tiya also stopped and spoke to Valentina’s back.

“And you know what. Whatever the purpose, good deeds eventually come back as good deeds. It’s just incredibly hard to recognize them.”

Valentina’s head slowly turned toward Tiya.

I thought she’d have a displeased expression.

But Valentina had a strange look on her face.

An expression full of rebelliousness as if she wanted to argue back immediately, yet somehow looking very tired.

“Are you perhaps…”

The next moment, Valentina’s eyes narrowed as she looked Seolpyo up and down from head to toe.

When her gaze touched their hands that were still tightly clasped together.

Valentina startled as if burned and shook off the hand.

“Ah, how long were you going to keep holding on!”

I wasn’t the one holding on.

Not satisfied with that, Valentina spitefully rubbed her hand clean on her clothes.

“This is really ridiculous.”

It sounded more like words directed at herself rather than at Tiya.

Then, after rubbing her face dry, she looked straight up at Tiya and said.

“Fine. From now on, let’s try that training you love so much.”

Training? Though she didn’t know what it was, Tiya confidently nodded.

“Good. What is it?”

“It’s simple. From now on, answer ‘No’ to every question I ask.”

“Alright—”

“Wrong.”

Ah, so it starts now.

“Try saying ‘No’ again.”

“No.”

“If that castaway from earlier chased after us saying he’s scared and wants us to stay with him, what would you say?”

“No.”

“If a new castaway appeared and begged you to please help them?”

“Uh… N-No!”

Tiya squeezed her eyes shut and said with difficulty.

Only then did Valentina nod as if satisfied.

Then she suddenly smiled bitterly and tilted her head halfway.

“Well done. Actually, my family is a mess. I’ve been living getting beaten by my family members, and I couldn’t stand it anymore so I ran away from home, but now I don’t know how to live… Could you lend me some money?”

Gasp, Valentina had such circumstances?

Without time to think, Tiya shouted.

“I have tons of gold coins I can’t use!”

“Would you now.”

【wouldn’t you say?】

Ah. Tiya made a frustrated expression as she belatedly realized that her training wasn’t over yet.

* * *

Their destination, District 7, was now truly just around the corner.

Tiya scrutinized the guidebook intensely, which was as good as a lifeline in the Forbidden Zone.

Zone 6: Do not make any vocal sounds.

The Demon of Knowledge ‘Paimon’ who has nested in the arcane tome 【Book of Silence】 that rules District 7 targets your soul.

Human souls and brains are an incomparable delicacy to demons.

The particularly cunning ‘Paimon’ will subjugate your soul through words.

Do not answer any question he asks.

Words contain souls within them.

Even screams that contain no intention whatsoever, Paimon will use as prey to ensnare your soul.

*However, all answers given by the demon are truth.

【The demon’s words are truth? I can’t tell if this is telling us to be careful or not to be careful.】

As Winter said, it would have been better without that last warning.

It just makes people’s hearts waver unnecessarily.

Valentina, who had examined the rules together, suggested a surefire strategy before Zone 6.

“Let’s run straight through without wasting time.”

“Good idea. If the baby kitten takes the lead…”

“No. This time I’ll follow behind, so you run first.”

Valentina, who had been putting Seolpyo in front first since there might be unknown dangers, unusually stepped back this time.

Winter looked at Valentina once, then once toward where the Castaway had been, and nodded.

【This time it would be better to do as she says.】

If Winter thought so too.

Tiya looked back at Valentina once with a worried heart, then immediately stepped into Zone 6.

It was the moment she increased her speed to traverse it in one go as they had discussed beforehand.

-Aren’t you curious about what lies beyond death?

Some man’s voice echoed in her head.

Tiya barely managed to hold back from screaming “Wah!”

She covered her mouth and looked at Winter beside her and Valentina following behind.

Since both of them seemed completely unaffected, it seemed like only she could hear it…

-If you could meet again a precious person who is painted over with memories and gradually forgotten in recollection?

A bewitching voice that seemed to gently tickle each nerve cell in her brain.

She couldn’t pinpoint exactly where, but it felt like somewhere deep inside her brain was being tickled.

Tiya kept her mouth firmly covered and increased her speed a bit more.

-Well, well, what an impoverished brain that knows nothing of base desires.

Impoverished…? Did he say impoverished?!

-Oh ho, so you’re not without curiosity after all.

-For instance, how about a way to save your family, or a shortcut to restore your father’s emotions? As I mentioned before, I could tell you how to revive the dead. Or if not that…

They were all questions that made her eyes light up and want to shout ‘Me, me! Please tell me!’

Truly demonic temptation!

Even so, when Tiya was concentrating solely on running without even breathing.

-How about whether that being called Winter Vladijef is truly honest with you?

What?

Tiya’s gaze unconsciously turned toward Winter.

Winter’s face was veiled as usual, but the demon’s voice subtly stirred Tiya’s curiosity and suspicion as if describing her face hidden beneath the veil.

-This body that dwells in forbidden books cannot fabricate lies. The questions I ask are the very doubts and questions you harbor.

-So just ask this body. I shall whisper to you all the secrets of the universe.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————