Chapter 23

The good thing about talking to someone who’s deeply immersed in something is that you can just nod along and agree without much effort.

You don’t need to rack your brains to come up with conversation topics. Even if you stay silent, the conversation won’t die out.

For someone who likes to take the lead in conversations, this might be annoying, but having one person keep talking is much better than letting the atmosphere turn awkward and sticky.

And today is Yeonghwa’s welcome party. It’s nice to see the main character excitedly chattering away.

“Hmm~ Baehwa Church (Fire Worship). Since the name has the character for ‘fire,’ I thought they’d naturally cremate the dead. But it turns out to be taboo.”

“Yes, that’s right. Earth, fire, water, and mind are creations of Ahura Mazda, so they must not be defiled.”

“That’s interesting. So, what kind of funeral rites do they perform?”

“It varies slightly by sect, but usually, they practice Sky Burial.”

Sky Burial~ A funeral method where birds handle the corpse. Fascinating.

Gaining new knowledge is always a joy. At first, I planned to just nod along, but before I knew it, I found myself genuinely enjoying the conversation with Yeonghwa.

Good thoughts, good words, good deeds.

These are the most important tenets of Zoroastrianism. And Yeonghwa, being a devout follower, adhered to these three rules exceptionally well.

Her every gesture was elegant, and her attitude toward the servants was so polite that you wouldn’t think she was a rich family’s daughter.

Moreover-

“Actually, I was worried about how I’d fare in the Central Plains, far from my hometown. But I’m glad to have such a kind and wonderful older brother now.”

Hehe~ She speaks so sweetly. She’s just too cute. Is it even allowed to be this adorable?

Her cheeks flushed red with shyness as she smiled bashfully, making me grin from ear to ear.

…Well, it might just be a polite smile, but even flattery feels good. Good things are good.

I calm myself by sipping the now-cold tea after the long conversation.

I noticed during the conversation that she’s quite skilled in speech. Her lovely voice and captivating red eyes naturally guide the conversation.

She reads the atmosphere and the other person’s mood, bringing up the necessary topics. It seems easy when you say it, but it’s actually a subtle and difficult conversational skill.

It’s a tiring way to talk, not something a fifteen-year-old would easily manage.

Personally, I’d like to tell her to relax and not be so formal, but hearing that would probably make her even more uncomfortable.

If I were suddenly orphaned and had to live with relatives I’d never met, I’d feel like I was sitting on pins and needles, and my manners would grow like weeds.

If I were kicked out here, I’d have nowhere to go. Such thoughts would fill my head, and I’d try my best to please the new family members.

Time will likely solve most of these problems, but it’s still bittersweet.

I thought about slathering her with a whole roasted piglet to cheer her up, but it might just add unnecessary pressure, and it felt like overdoing it, so I stopped.

…I laughed because it felt a bit silly.

While I thought Yeonghwa was being overly polite, looking back, I was also nervous and formal, unsure how to treat this suddenly appearing cute younger sister.

When I laughed, Yeonghwa tilted her head and smiled softly. Even if it was a practiced smile, it was still a cute one.

Anyway, the welcome party for Sima Yeonghwa, which only I attended among the Sima family members, ended with a lively atmosphere where the conversation never stopped.

Or so I thought.

As the sun set and the moon rose, after escorting Yeonghwa to her room and turning to leave, a trembling voice called out from behind.

“Older brother… did Father… mention anything about me?”

“Huh?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, I rolled my head around.

Had Father ever mentioned Yeonghwa? Not that I recall.

In fact, until I heard about my uncle’s passing, I didn’t even know Yeonghwa existed. I only knew that my uncle lived in the Western Regions.

…Thinking about it, something’s off. When I was young, Father would occasionally go to the Western Regions for business consultations with my uncle.

If he had seen Yeonghwa then, he would have told us about his brother’s beautiful daughter. But he never mentioned her.

Red eyes, porcelain-like white skin, a pretty face. Not the kind of appearance you’d easily forget.

Father, who spares no effort in sharing trivial stories to keep family conversations lively during dinner, had no reason not to talk about his niece with such unique red eyes.

But he didn’t. He hid Yeonghwa’s existence from the family.

…Why would he hide Yeonghwa’s existence? Was there a reason to hide her?

It’s strange. I don’t understand.

“…I see. He didn’t mention it.”

I thought about this for too long. Before I could say anything, the prolonged silence became the answer, sinking into Yeonghwa’s heart.

“No! That’s not it. I just forgot…”

Wait. For a brief moment, I saw Yeonghwa’s true face for the first time. It was a lonely, wistful smile.

“Older brother is so kind.”

It’s still chilly early spring. The cold night breeze, remnants of winter, brushed past us, creating an invisible wall.

“Today was really fun, thanks to you. You must be tired from preparing everything alone. Don’t worry about me and go rest.”

With those words, Yeonghwa didn’t wait for my reply. She smiled brightly, bid farewell, and gracefully entered her room.

Every movement exuded elegance and grace. The same graceful steps I saw during the day.

But for some reason, to my eyes now, it looked like she was running away in tears.

I frowned and rubbed the back of my neck as I looked at the spot where Yeonghwa had stood. My usually sharp mind wasn’t working well.

Frustrated, I looked up at the sky. The unnecessarily beautiful moon was shining.

***

I spent the night pondering why Father had hidden Yeonghwa’s existence, but no suitable, convincing reason came to mind.

Could Yeonghwa be Father’s secret love child, not my uncle’s daughter? – I even entertained such wild thoughts, but it felt…微妙.

Unlike modern times, having concubines wasn’t taboo in this society. If you were capable and wealthy, having multiple wives and concubines was the norm.

There was no need to go far to have a concubine and raise a secret child. Moreover, disguising her as a relative’s child was an unnecessarily complicated method.

…No clear answer came, so maybe I should just ask Father directly?

Rather than racking my brains alone and reaching strange conclusions, it might be better to ask the person involved directly.

If he answers honestly, that’s good. If he lies, it’s bittersweet, but at least I’ll have an answer.

Father returned home this morning after resolving urgent matters. I just need to go and ask… but it feels complicated.

Is it right to go to Father, who’s just returned from hard work, and say, “Hey! Did you have a secret child outside? If not, just tell me straight!!”?

Probably not. Wouldn’t I get slapped? Honestly, if it ends with a slap, I’d be lucky.

Clomp- clomp-

Despite my tangled thoughts, my legs honestly moved forward.

Asking outright if he had a secret child is one thing, but staying silent is suffocating too.

Since he just returned from work, I’ll greet him first and see how things go before quietly bringing it up.

I stayed up all night and overslept, so it was already past lunchtime. At this hour, Father would probably be having tea with Mother or my older brother and his wife.

As I moved toward the dining room, I heard cheerful voices. It wasn’t just one or two people.

Peeking into the dining room, I saw the entire Sima family gathered, except for me.

From my older brother, whose complexion had improved since his fever broke last night, to my sister-in-law, niece, Father, Mother, and even Yeonghwa, all were enjoying tea and lively conversation.

“Sorry I couldn’t attend yesterday. Was the food and accommodation alright?”

“Yes! Older brother Mantian took care of everything so meticulously, it was great.”

Father asked warmly, and Yeonghwa answered with a bright smile. The scene looked so harmonious and perfect that my worries from last night felt foolish.

It’s a bit unfair, but it’s better than the family fighting and me being the only fool. So, I’ll gracefully step back as the nosy Sima Mantian.

Honestly, I’m too sleepy after staying up all night.

Leaving the cheerful laughter of my family behind, I yawned and headed toward my cozy room, leaning on my cane.