His overly animated appearance seemed truly unjust. However, I knew that just for that reason, he couldn’t be excluded from the list of suspects.

In response to my answer, Jegalmun smiled gently and stroked my head.

“We’ve grown up a lot.”

“Yes, we’ve grown up enough to get married.”

“But you still can’t get married.”

“……. Why?”

“Why is my sister so twisted, even though she’s doing so well?!”

Expressing my dissatisfaction, Jegalmun added with a sidelong glance at Danmokbi.

“Especially not for a man with a weak foundation.”

Why is my older brother successful and yet so twisted? I protested with puffed-up cheeks, and Jegalmun, looking slightly annoyed, turned to Danmokbi.

“I think I have to poke his eyeballs.”

“But there’s only Danmok Soga as a man for my sister. Isn’t it a reasonable suspicion?”

“Shut up.”

Danmokbi seemed really annoyed. He reached out towards Jegalmun, realizing he might end up in a headlock, Jegalmun closed his mouth.
However, my response seemed strange. Jegalmun, and even Danmokbi, turned to look at me, startled.

“Why are you all like this?”

It was when I mumbled with a childish tone. Namgung Ryeo, with an exaggerated scream, grabbed me from behind, exclaiming,

“Oh, you’ve had sinister intentions since you were young. I see.”

Only then did I realize what these people heard from my response. With a reddened face, I raised both hands in defense.

“N-no! That’s not it! It doesn’t mean that!”

“Why be shy about it? Our Yeon is an adult. I should learn from that mindset.”

“I said it’s not!”

Namgung Ryeo annoyingly pressed her index finger into my cheek. With my face about to burst, I bit my lip, puffing up my cheeks.

“I really can’t talk about these things with these people!”

I never expected Jegalmun and Danmokbi to become so affectionate. How did they know about the stamina-boosting food in advance?

“I didn’t know the protagonist’s situation would be reversed like this.”

Suddenly, the image of Danmokchang in Shinsan came to mind.

“Even if we have to take a longer route back after Namgung Se-ga’s funeral, it seems like a good idea to stop by Shinsan.”

While I briefly thought about Danmokchang, Danmokbi and Jegalmun were having a serious conversation.

“But it’s suspicious. If it was chronic arsenic poisoning, he would have suffered and collapsed like an illness.”

“I don’t know. Arsenic poisoning could be someone else’s doing, and maybe Yongbihwan was just a decoration for the grand finale.”

“Hmm, that could be possible too.”

As is common with aphrodisiacs, disrupting the natural rhythm of the body might have been a significant burden on the weakened body.

“If it was chronic arsenic poisoning, the body wouldn’t have been smooth enough. Administering an aphrodisiac deliberately could be understood in Namgung’s wife’s perspective.”

Various stories seemed to fit together, but why did it feel so unsettling?

“This is because you had a light dinner. In that sense, if you go back, I’ll prepare the meal.”

When I said this boldly, Namgung Ryeo would usually applaud and join in, but today she remained silent.

“Ryeo?”

Turning around with a curious expression, I found Namgung Ryeo standing still, giving a faint smile.

“Normally, I would gladly follow, but I feel like I should avoid getting involved when they’re discussing family matters.”

“Even if you go, it seems like you’ll only hurt feelings. It seems like they’re talking about sons.”

“Even so.”

Namgung Ryeo shook hands with me and greeted Jegalmun and Danmokbi.

“Well then, good night, Yeon-ah. Enjoy your meal and rest well.”

Namgung Ryeo wasn’t an adopted child who would reject the evening meal I made. I tilted my head.

“I didn’t hint at anything, but is there someone who wants to push you as the head of the family?”

Even if Namgung Ryeo was a stepdaughter, it wouldn’t be strange with stepbrothers. In response to my question, Danmokbi, with a feminine tone, answered the harsh reality.
“Regardless of who becomes the head, it could be a fate to be sold in a strategic marriage. Aren’t they lining up in advance for that?”

In response to Danmokbi’s answer, Jegalmun was startled and intervened.

“Wait a moment, Danmoksohyeop. A strategic marriage?”

Danmokbi’s eyebrows slightly lifted, as if asking an obvious question. However, Danmokbi calmly explained.

“Isn’t Ryeo already of a mature age? In such a chaotic situation, anyone becoming the head of the family would likely consider entering into a strategic marriage to solidify their position. Especially since Ryeo is a child who hasn’t inherited the martial arts of the family, it wouldn’t be favorable to expose her outside the family.”

“Expose her outside the family! That’s too harsh.”

“Whether it’s harsh or not, I’m pointing out the reality.”

“In the world, there’s a place that uses their own siblings like that.”

Jegalmun was genuinely shocked, and he stammered, “It doesn’t make sense.” Watching Jegalmun, who seemed utterly shocked, Danmokbi, with a calm gaze, replied in a sigh-mixed voice.

“Jegal Se-ga seems to be quite fortunate. It’s fortunate for me that Yeon grew up there.”

“That’s right. They are all wonderful people.”

And Jegalsega was indeed a place where family members cherished each other.

I was not very shocked as I had already lightly heard what Namgung Ryeo was worried about in advance, but Jegalmun seemed truly taken aback.

‘Even my older brother is becoming so serious.’

Was Jegalmun’s emotion towards Namgung Ryeo sympathy, or was it curiosity about someone different from himself?

‘Even if we try to share such stories, we have to resolve Namgung Se-ga’s succession issue first.’

That way, whether Namgung Ryeo’s fate is decided or not, it will be done.

‘Even if Ryeo doesn’t show her feelings, it must be quite disturbing. Let’s make her share of the fist rice ball so that she can eat it when she comes back.’

Jegalmun and Danmokbi will probably bargain a lot, but simple rice ball soup should be enough.

‘I hope Ryeo recovers her energy.’

It was much better to see the current Ryeo, who might be rough but was lively, than the Ryeo in the novel who waited for the male protagonist to save her.

I silently wished that Ryeo could continue to live cheerfully.