Chapter 10
Tiya had always been persistent, but today her determination felt sharper than ever. After the morning’s minor ordeal with Lev, she was convinced more than ever that she needed allies beyond her father’s grudging cooperation.
“Winter,” she began thoughtfully, “I think I’ve realized something. We might need more people on our side besides Dad.”
(For example?) Winter’s calm voice carried a faint curiosity.
Tiya’s eyes sparkled as she answered without hesitation. “Lev oppa and Rodion oppa.”
Returning home had given her a perspective she hadn’t had before. Her mother’s death from illness and her father’s emotional withdrawal had left the family fractured. Lev, secluded in his room, barely emerged, and Rodion, extending his time at the academy, didn’t even show his face at home.
Our family is completely scattered.
“If we can bring Lev oppa and Rodion oppa to our side, we can face Vladijev’s crisis together!”
<Rodion seems reliable enough. Lev, though… not so much.>
“Why? You think I’ll fight Lev oppa? Is that why you think it’ll be hard to bring him to our side?”
A week ago, Mia, Tiya’s newly assigned personal maid, reported that Lev’s condition had improved. Excited, Tiya immediately rushed to Lev’s room, eager to see the brother she’d missed so dearly.
“Lev oppa!”
“Tiya…?”
His platinum hair curled like clusters of grapes, and his honey-coloured eyes were as angelic as ever. Everything about him mirrored the memory she had, almost unnervingly so.
“You… shrunk?” she blurted innocently. The words slipped out before she could stop herself.
Lev’s brows furrowed sharply, his voice crisp. “And you… are you that Tiya? You’ve gotten uglier.”
“I don’t speak to ugly people. Go away.”
And just like that, their reunion after four years ended abruptly. From then on, Tiya frequently visited Lev’s room, only to be repeatedly turned away.
“Oppa, could you show me your spirit?”
“Do you think a spirit master is a clown? Go bother someone else.”
Or:
“If we visit the North later, I’ll show you Sasha, my companion pet…”
“I hate animals. Go away.”
And again:
“Oppa!”
“Go away.”
“Wait! I haven’t even said anything yet…”
Being chased out became routine.
<Well, your relationship is rough, but that’s not the problem.> Winter’s voice remained detached, as always. The problem wasn’t their bickering—it was Lev himself. He rarely stepped outside his room, let alone his bed.
“So why, then?” Tiya knocked once more on Lev’s door, eager to bring him over to their side.
Winter simply observed, tilting her fingers as if weighing something unseen. Then, after a deliberate pause, she spoke:
<Because he won’t last much longer—
“Say that again. What did you just say about your little sister?”
The coldness in Lev’s voice silenced Winter instantly.
Tiya froze mid-step, hiding just behind the door. The atmosphere inside the room was heavy, almost suffocating. The house staff, unaware of her presence, stood quietly by the bed.
Tentatively, Tiya stepped inside to assess the situation. One of the maids fumbled an explanation.
“I-I remembered my younger brother… he also suffered from a long illness, but he recovered miraculously, so I thought… maybe the young master could too… ahhh!”
Crash!
In an instant, Lev threw a glass, which shattered as it glanced past the maid.
“Don’t cling to such things. Even if your little sister dies miraculously tomorrow, you won’t have a word to say.”
Something in Tiya snapped. Before she knew it, she leapt onto the bed like a hungry black bear, grabbing Lev by the collar and shaking him.
“You’re a boy, but how dare you treat a lady like that?! Even a Northman oppa shouldn’t act this way!”
Lev’s face twisted with increasing irritation.
“Don’t touch me. Don’t climb onto my bed wearing shoes! Barbarian!”
“You’re the barbarian! Throwing things is wrong! You have to treat people kindly!”
“Why should I?”
“Uh…?” Tiya was momentarily speechless.
“I’m going to die before I become an adult anyway. What’s the use of being kind to people?”
Tiya blinked in disbelief. Die?
“Why are you saying that?”
No one, not Lev nor any staff present, answered. Tiya sensed the tension thickening in the air, almost like dryness in the lungs. Half-frightened, she asked softly:
“Oppa… does it hurt a lot? ”
A flicker of helplessness crossed Lev’s face. He clicked his tongue and said without looking at her:
“Melody, send her out.”
“Oppa, wait!”
Tiya grabbed Lev’s sleeve, refusing to let go. Lev forcefully pushed her hand away.
“I said leave me alone!”
Wham!
“Ow!”
Tiya’s elbow had hit something. Only when she held her nose did Lev realize that it had been her face. Blood trickled between her fingers.
“Hey… your nose—”
But that wasn’t the real issue.
Tiya, blinking through tears, suddenly spat something into her palm. It was a small, snow-white kernel, like a shelled corn grain.
Lev’s face turned pale.
“You… that can’t be…”
“My baby tooth.”
<It’s a tooth.>
Tiya examined the gap left by the lost tooth.
“It came out.”
Her words were clipped due to her lisp, caused by the missing tooth. Blood welled slightly from the empty space.
“Mel… Melody! Call a doctor… no, a priest!”
Lev jumped from the bed, his face drained of colour.
“Oh, go ahead.”
“Ahhh.”
At the doctor’s request, Tiya opened her mouth wide. The doctor carefully inspected her teeth and finally nodded in relief.
“It’s a baby tooth. It came out cleanly.”
“Oppa, did you hear that? It came out cleanly! Looks like you’re talented at popping teeth.”
Tiya grinned at Lev, who looked nervously at her from the bed. The sight of the gap in her front teeth made her smile even brighter.
<The boy’s already a bit dense… now he can’t even smile properly.> Winter clicked her tongue.
Lev, on the other hand, gave a faint laugh before suddenly frowning.
“Now, leave.”
