TYDS 4

Chapter 4

I Thought the Youngest Daughter of the Sichuan Tang Family Was Hated

“Uh…”

Why, indeed?

For a moment, I couldn’t answer.

…Is that not allowed?

Come to think of it, I didn’t really know where the servants’ duties ended and mine began.

Not that the servants had ever done much for me in the first place.

“There was no one else around.”

“…What?”

Tang Rim’s expression froze.

“What do you mean there was no one?”

“Well. There just… never was.”

Very few maids ever entered my room.

At least, that’s how I remembered it—and it was probably true.

Because of the Hallucination Grass, my room had been dangerous.

“What… do you mean by that…?”

Tang Rim looked completely shaken.

It seemed he truly hadn’t known I’d been neglected by the servants.

But how could he not know?

He would’ve realized it the moment he entered my room.

Which probably just meant he’d never cared enough to notice.

“……”

Suddenly, Tang Rim ground his teeth together.

Starting from his neck, his entire face gradually turned red.

W-Wait…?

Something felt strange.

I thought he’d either apologize awkwardly or sneer that it wasn’t his problem.

But instead—

“L-Let’s go now!”

Grab.

A bad feeling told me this situation was about to escalate, so I quickly grabbed his hand.

“……!”

Like heat escaping from steam, Tang Rim suddenly snapped back to his senses.

I still need to find the Hallucination Grass!

It’d be troublesome if he started making a scene before then.

I quickly pulled him forward with all my strength.

Whether he was simply going along with me or distracted by something else, Tang Rim followed meekly.

I could feel his gaze repeatedly flicking between our joined hands and my face, but I deliberately ignored it as I led him inside.

***

“Why are you personally coming to a place like this…?”

Even while muttering in confusion, Tang Rim rolled up his sleeves and willingly entered the storage room.

Thanks to him, getting here was easy.

I’d worried the guards might stop me because it was dangerous, but with Tang Rim beside me, everyone stepped aside with a single glance.

And besides—

“Oh my gosh, this is my first time seeing her in person!”

“Look at those chubby cheeks! They’re going to spill over!”

Judging from the way the servants whispered every time we passed by, Tang Rim seemed surprisingly popular.

Tang Rim’s cheeks aren’t even that chubby though. The Tang Family really is strict…

“Ah! Don’t come in.”

Just as I tilted my head and tried to walk deeper inside, Tang Rim stretched out an arm to block me.

“There’s too much dust! Just stay there and talk.”

“Ah… okay.”

“What kind of incense is it?”

Tang Rim asked with his arms crossed.

“Mmm…”

I recalled what I’d once heard about the Silent Guest.

“It smells like dried peach blossoms mixed with cnidium. And it even looks like peach tree branches, so it’s easy to mistake it.”

“Dried peach blossoms and cnidium?”

When I repeated the description, Tang Rim sniffed thoughtfully as though imagining the scent.

“Let’s see… dried peach blossoms…”

Then, uncannily fast, he began pulling hidden boxes out from the corners.

Every single one contained herbs with a faint peach fragrance.

From dried peaches to peach tree resin, he identified them instantly.

I couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.

“Woooow.”

“So it’s not this one either.”

Tang Rim tried to act indifferent, but his shoulders puffed up proudly.

I stared blankly at him while he became completely absorbed in searching for the “Silent Guest,” not even noticing the dust coating him.

I really would’ve been doomed without him.

There were dozens—no, hundreds—of boxes stacked throughout the warehouse.

A six-year-old could never have searched through all this alone.

Just as I was thinking I’d made the right decision bringing Tang Rim—

“What about that?”

Tang Rim tilted his head upward and pointed.

Following his finger, I spotted a small box resting atop a support beam.

Tang Rim leapt up effortlessly and tapped it.

The box lost balance and fell, but he casually caught it one-handed.

“Wooooow.”

I clapped enthusiastically.

Tang Rim scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Here.”

“Thank you.”

I accepted the box and carefully lifted the lid.

Found it.

Baekjicho, Gakpyeon, Ohondeung—

The box was overflowing with them.

There was enough here to last at least a year.

“But what kind of incense is this? I’ve never seen it before.”

Tang Rim casually asked while scratching his chin.

So he really didn’t know.

Well, it probably didn’t help with poison arts, so it made sense.

“Hm? I asked what it is.”

Tang Rim leaned closer curiously.

His eyes were full of interest.

He really is acting friendly.

The way he got angry earlier over the servants neglecting me too…

Maybe I should toss out a little bait.

I smiled brightly at Tang Rim as his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Mmm. I don’t know. They just told me it was good for my health.”

Picking up a piece of Gakpyeon, I continued cheerfully.

“It feels nice. My heart doesn’t pound anymore, and it feels like I’m dreaming.”

In other words: It makes my mind hazy and slows my heartbeat.

I deliberately phrased it vaguely, hoping he’d understand.

“…And then?”

As if he’d noticed something wrong, Tang Rim’s gaze grew serious.

“And then… I start seeing things I miss. Before, it showed me Mother— huh?”

Before I could finish speaking, Tang Rim snatched everything from my hands.

I immediately stretched both palms toward him with a pitiful expression.

“Give it back! I need to see Mother.”

“…No.”

Tang Rim muttered blankly, looking stunned.

Looks like he’d realized something was wrong after all.

Even a child would understand how strange it was to say I was seeing our deceased mother.

“You just go back. Right now. Understand?”

“Uuuugh! But I can’t!”

Actually, I absolutely could.

I stomped my feet dramatically while staring longingly at the box.

Tang Rim completely pushed me outside before locking the warehouse door behind him.

Then, after looking down at me with a conflicted expression—

“W-Wait, Brother!”

—he vanished, leaving only deep footprints behind.

Watching the rapidly disappearing trail, I swallowed a smile.

Now that he’d realized something suspicious was going on, it wouldn’t take long for him to uncover the incense’s true identity if he investigated.

And once that happened, finding the culprit would only be a matter of time.

For the first time, it felt like I was gradually approaching the truth.

Leaving the herb warehouse, thick with mixed medicinal scents, I caught a faint sugary fragrance.

I looked down at the pouch of sweets Tang Rim had given me.

Today’s Tang Rim was completely different from the one in my memories.

He wasn’t the Tang Rim who constantly insulted me.

He grumbled sometimes and could be awkward, but…

He was kind.

“I can’t believe I share blood with something like her!”

And yet the voice in my memories still sounded so clear—

Hm?

I inhaled sharply.

Clear?

No. It wasn’t.

When I carefully retraced the memory, it felt far blurrier and more uncertain than I’d thought.

I couldn’t even clearly remember Tang Rim’s voice saying those words.

It was like another voice was mixed in with it.

“Ugh…”

A headache throbbed through my skull, and I grabbed my hair tightly.

Squatting down, I tried hard to steady my breathing.

Was this also the Hallucination Grass’s doing?

If those things had never happened, then why did I remember Tang Rim this way?

“Young Miss! Slow down! You’ll trip!”

“Stop getting in my way! If I lose Brother because of you, you’re dead!”

A familiar voice rang out from the distance.

“……Gyogyo.”

The headache gradually faded.

I slowly raised my head and stood.

“I have to make up for things before I fall out of favor. Otherwise that bitch will take my place again—!”

Tang Gyogyo burst through the doorway—

—and our eyes met.

The voice tangled together with my memories.

It had definitely belonged to Tang Gyogyo.

“Huiyeon-ah!”

Gyogyo instantly switched back to her usual sorrowful expression and hurried toward me.

“Did you come out for a walk?”

“Yes.”

“You came all the way here? How admirable.”

Smiling sweetly, Gyogyo openly glanced around the area.

“Then where is Brother Tang Rim?”

“He’s not here.”

The moment I shook my head and answered, Gyogyo’s expression vanished completely.

Even her eyes changed instantly as she clicked her tongue in annoyance.

“You should’ve said that sooner.”

So this was Gyogyo’s real personality.

Honestly, I wasn’t surprised.

“Haaah. Where did he go?”

Even with me standing right in front of her, Gyogyo kept searching for signs of Tang Rim.

“Hm?”

Then her gaze suddenly locked onto something behind me.

The medicinal herb warehouse.

I saw her brow crease sharply.

“But why are you here?”

She looked openly displeased.

Maybe even startled.

Almost like she knew exactly what was inside.

Something about her reaction smelled suspicious.

I should test her a little.