Tiya’s Smooth Regression Life Chapter 9

In truth, Tiya had heard quite a number of harsh words from Shurka during that time.

 

Each time, she smiled brightly as if nothing bothered her, but once she turned away she would awkwardly add, “Dad’s still a baby, after all.”

 

‘It’s so obvious she’s hurt. Yet she acts so tough.’

 

At that moment, Tiya, who seemed to be thinking something over carefully, asked,

 

“Winter, I was thinking. I think we need more allies besides Dad.”

 

What’s gotten into her to have such a proper thought?

 

As it happened, Winter had been considering a new ally herself.

 

<For example?>

 

As if she had been waiting for that, Tiya answered,

 

“Brother Lev and Brother Rodion.”

 

After coming home, Tiya realized something she had not noticed before.

 

A mother who died of illness, and a father who threw away his family to do nothing but work because he had lost his emotions.

 

Brother Lev, who refused to even step out of his room. 

 

And Brother Rodion, who didn’t show his face at home at all, claiming he had extended his stay at the Academy.

 

‘Our family is a complete mess.’

 

At a time when the family should be united to overcome the crisis of Vladizev, they didn’t even see each other.

 

“We have to make Brother Lev and Brother Rodion our allies too and prepare together!”

 

<Rodion would certainly be useful. But not Lev.>  

 

“Why? Because I fought with Brother Lev? So you think it’ll be hard to make him our ally?”

 

It had happened a week ago.

 

Mia, who had become Tiya’s new personal maid, informed her that Lev’s condition had improved.

 

Of course, Tiya had run straight to Lev’s room, and at last she saw the brother she had longed for so much.

 

“Brother Lev!”

 

“Tiya…?”

 

Platinum curls tangled like a cluster of grapes.

 

Honey-colored eyes and a face as lovely as the angel statues that adorned a temple entrance.

 

If there was anything strange, it was that everything was too identical to the brother in her memories.

 

To the point that she felt her brother, who used to look so big, had become smaller than her. 

 

“Brother, why did you shrink?”

 

The words slipped out without thought.

 

Was that a mistake?

 

Lev’s brow tightened at once, and he replied coldly.

 

“And what are you? You’re that Tiya? You’ve gotten uglier.”

 

“I don’t talk to ugly girls. Leave.”

 

Thus ended the reunion of the siblings after four years. After that, Tiya repeatedly visited Lev’s room—

 

“Brother, can you show me your spirit?”

 

“Do I look like a circus performer? Stop bothering me and leave.”

 

Driven out.

 

“You know, if you come to the North with me sometime, I’ll show you Sasha! Sasha is my companion animal—”

 

“I hate beasts. Their fur flies everywhere. Leave.”

 

Driven out again.

 

“Brother!”

 

“Leave.”

 

“I haven’t even said anything yet…”

 

It was rejection upon rejection.

 

<Well, the two of you don’t get along. But that isn’t the real issue.>

 

Because after being thrown out like that, Tiya would forget everything the very next day and knock on Lev’s door again.

 

“Ah! I see. It’s because my brother is mold growing in his room!”

 

<That’s also true, but…> 

 

Lev, who would not step outside his room—no, not even outside his bed—did not seem likely to be of much help.

 

But even that wasn’t the reason Winter was against it. 

 

“Then what is the reason?”

 

Tiya asked while knocking on the door to Lev’s room, where she had arrived before she knew it.

 

Instead of answering, Winter stared at her, arms folded, fingers twitching as though weighing something.

 

As if she had made up her mind, she opened her mouth.

 

<Because he’ll soon di—>

 

“Say that again. What did you say about your brother?”

 

A voice colder than Tiya had ever heard swallowed the rest of Winter’s words.

 

Tiya paused with her hand on the door and slipped behind it. She did not know what was happening, but the atmosphere inside the room felt ominous.

 

The maid and servants inside had not even noticed Tiya’s arrival; they were gathered around Lev’s bed.

 

Tiya quietly stepped in to look at the situation.

 

The maid standing before Lev stammered in explanation.

 

“I—I was reminded of my younger brother. He also suffered from a long illness, but he recovered miraculously, so surely, for the young master as well, a miracle— Ahh!”

 

Crash!

 

It happened in a flash.

 

The water glass Lev had thrown grazed the maid and shattered into pieces.

 

“To cling to that nonsense. If your brother were to die tomorrow by some ‘miracle,’ you’d have nothing to say, would you?”

 

At that moment, Tiya felt something snap inside her head.

 

Before she knew it, she had leapt onto the bed like a starving black bear and grabbed Lev by the collar.

 

She shook him vigorously and shouted,

 

“You call yourself a man and you do something so frightening to a lady?! If you’re a Northern man, you don’t behave like this!”

 

Irritation spread across Lev’s face.

 

“Let go. Don’t climb onto my bed with your shoes on! You barbarian!”

 

“You’re the barbarian! Throwing things is bad! You’re supposed to be kind to people!”

 

“Why should I?”

 

“Uh…?”

 

The shameless reply left her speechless.

 

“I’m going to die before I even become an adult. What use is being kind to people?”

 

Tiya blinked.

 

Die.

 

“Why would you say something like that?”

 

Lev, and everyone else in the room, said nothing.

 

Tiya recognized this atmosphere—the feeling of air drying up and cracking.

 

Now half frightened, she asked,

 

“Brother… are you very sick?”

 

For a moment, frustration crossed Lev’s face.

 

He clicked his tongue and said, without even looking at her,

 

“Melody. Take her out.”

 

“Brother, wait!”

 

Tiya grabbed his clothes and refused to let go. Lev forcefully shook her hand off.

 

“I said I’m annoyed, so just leave!”

 

Thud!

 

“Gah!”

 

His wildly flung elbow hit something.

 

Only when he saw Tiya clutch her nose did Lev realize his elbow had struck her face.

 

Soon, blood trickled between her fingers.

 

“Hey, you’re bleeding—”

 

But the real problem was not the nosebleed.

 

Sniffling, Tiya suddenly moved her mouth and spat something into her palm.

 

A small white thing, like a peeled kernel of corn.

 

Lev’s face went pale.

 

“Y-you, that’s not—”

 

“My toof…”

 

<It’s your tooth.>

 

Tiya stared at the fallen front tooth and finished,

 

“Fell out.”

 

She had meant to say it normally, but air slipped through the gap, and her words lisped.

 

Blood began to well up from the empty space.

 

“Mel—Melody! Call the doctor—no, a priest!”

 

Lev, pale as paper, jumped up from the bed and shouted.

 

* * *

 

“Say, ah.”

 

“Ahhh.”

 

At the doctor’s request, Tiya opened her mouth wide enough to show the back of her throat. After examining her carefully, the doctor finished with a relieved expression.

 

“It’s a baby tooth. It came out very cleanly.”

 

“Brother, did you hear? It came out cleanly. You must have talent for knocking teeth out.”

 

Tiya grinned at Lev, who had yielded his bed and stood there restless.

 

The gap where her front tooth had been made her look rather comical.

 

<She already seemed a bit slow. Now she even looks foolish when she smiles.>  

 

Winter clicked her tongue, and Lev let out a brief laugh.

 

Then Lev’s brow furrowed again, the smile disappearing as he said curtly,

 

“Now, get out.”