Guest

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Alice greeted me.

"Good morning," I yawned.

I accidentally took a non-tactical nap. It was supposed to be a 2-hours nap but I ended up sleeping like God slept through Holocaust.

In hindsight, I should have developed an alarm clock before doing all those bandit genocide.

"Get ready your father will be dining with us today."

"I will explain it later, Just make sure you be there." Without waiting for my reply. she left with the door wide open

"Mmm." I nodded.

'It seems like she was rushing on preparing the house. Maybe it was a surprise visit. Nevertheless, I got some annoying feeling that today will be a long day. Damn It !'

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Currently, I was in the dining room. From most left My mother, Alice was seated. Then me, and a girl were seated on the front side. She was the late concubine daughter but her mother died after giving birth, So now she is in my mother's care. My seated place is not that far from the window, I can feel like the back of the neck burning a bit. But I can just endure that much.

The so-called father and his daughter were seated on the other side.

Everyone was waiting for the head of the house to speak as it was the tradition of the empire.

"Since everyone has present here. Let's start first with the introduction." The man said while looking at me, "My name is Stephen Brown, I am married to your mother, Alice Brown."

He had black hair and black eyes. He was wearing a black suit and white gloves. I can assume that he was a merchant noble with his small body build.

We locked eyes for a second as I keep my poker face. He starts talking again.

"And this is is my daughter, Sophie Brown."

"I am Sophie Brown, Daughter of Stephen Brown and Julie Brown." Said Sophie while bowing with manner and respect.

She had long black hair that match the color of her eyes and wearing a normal White dress with an artifact necklace hanging on her neck.

"My name is Alice Hype- Alice Brown, This is my son, Bel, and my stepdaughter, Mira." She was startled a bit because of her new name.

as I look at the other side, the man was looking at my mother. He smiled after hearing my mother's introduction.

I think I can guess the reason for this situation and what the cause of it. This is something similar to a noble family intricacy. And I don't want to be part of this dysfunctional family.

'Let's just finish this and go back to my room.'

"I am Belenus Hyperion, The son of Altair Hyperion and Alice Hyperion." I didn't bow nor showed any kind of respect.

"I am Mira Hyperion, The illegitimate Daughter. of Altair Hyperion and Anna Hyperion." She bowed the same way as Sophie did but her hand and leg were trembling.

'She was anxious just like my mother.'

She was young. A 7-year-old to be precise. She doesn't have the same golden eyes as me and my mother but instead, she had Brown eyes and chocolate color hair.

as we finished our introduction. Stephen was looking at us up and down like he was trying to inspect us. The man showed some dissatisfied face after that.

'look at this wanker, blatantly judging someone else child.'

fuck you, you're lucky I had no interest in this family matter (yet). If not, I already pull that eye socket out and make it as a tea bag for my chocolate shake.

"Let's start our breakfast shall we," Stephen said as he picked up the spoon and fork.

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After breakfast, I left and had a private conversation with my mother. She explained what had happened when I was unconscious.

It seems that she had not received any inheritance after my father died. And I who unconscious like a sleeping beauty isn't helping her either.

So she takes her family's recommendations by becoming a concubine of the Brown household to keep living. They gave my mother some child support and small mansions to live in.

Stephen had no interest in Alice because this is more like a political marriage than a love marriage and he already had a wife and a daughter.

The Brown family needs someone from a noble society to strengthen their political ground so they accept Alice's proposal of contract marriage.

'Not much of a shock as this is an often occurrence.'

As I was walking through the corridor I see my step little sister in the kitchen. She was doing the dishes. My mother is having a conversation with Stephen right now so there is no one doing the cleaning.

'Like I was saying our family is tight on the budget so we had no maid for the house chores.'

I slowly approach her.

"Mira do you need any help?" I ask.

"N-, No thank you, Young master but I can do it."

As I was looking at the child in front of me with a gentle smile. But she seem scared by my presence.

'She was trembling again.'

I see, this past owner had abused his power at his stepsister just because she is an illegitimate daughter.

In the past, the Hyperion household is a duke-class Noble. So this owner's body is one and only heirs of the household must have been pampered by the family making him arrogant and prideful. Making him mocked and bullied her with his authority.

'This is the normal setting of a trash noble.'

But because of some internal factors, their status and power declined and after the death of his father, the entire household fell to the ground leaving nothing but named in the historical record of the empire.

The family Elder split the inheritance money between them and leave some to me as I was the youngest and only heir of the Household while my mother had not received any of it. And because of the past owner's sudden sleep. The inheritance was still in the hand of the elders.

So my mother and this little girl had to put up with their short budget to keep living. I can at least understand what she had been through.

"Hmm, Mira you're the one who took care of me right? when I was unconscious."

"No, it was moth- Lady Alice. I was just helping her." she was stuttering while trying to avoid eye contact with me

"But when mother is out. you the one taking care of me."

She looked down and stare at the floor like she had done something wrong. Her eyes was welled up with tears. It's like she can burst at any moment.

"Thank you, Mira, you did great."

"Ehhh-"

She raised her head and look at me with disbelief.

"Thank you for always helping mother and me. I was grateful that I had a very kind little sister." I keep my smile while keeping the eye contact.

Her eyes start to burst when she hear my words. she was already scared that I came to talk to her. But she didn't expect being appreciated out of nowhere.

"No-" *Sniff "I had not done anything ye-" *Sniff

as I see her crying I stroke her hair gently.

She started to cry even more. She was 7 years old so it was understandable.

I can see her leg was shaking her hand is wiping the tears. In the past, she was scared and sad that she will be thrown because she had no family. So she thinks that she needs to have a good relationship with me and my mother. So she tried her best to not be a nuisance and help everyone. She never asks for anything. But the past owner treats her like an illegitimate daughter while mother is busy trying to make money.

'she is the same as my mother who hides her feelings.'

"I'm very sorry for my past behavior to you, Mira"

'Let's just finish this performance with some sprinkle.'

I wiped the tears that she had and hug her.

"It's okay. Just talk to your big brother when you feel down okay. I will be there."

"Ok-" *Sniff *Sniff

"And don't call me Young master. alright?"

"Than-" "Can I call Young master, Broth-"

"Yes, Mira call me big brother or anything you want."

"Alright, Big Brother." She smiled like her only dream has come through.

She was hoping to have this kind of family relationship when she comes to be in my mother's care. But never once did she have the chance to do so.

'I feel like shit doing this kind of thing now.'

But damn my little sister is cute as fuck. Not in a wrong way like romance or incest but she was like a cute little sister that you will love to pamper.

'How can the past owner mistreat her?'

"Take this" I hand her a jar of cookies.

When we were at the dining table. She was staring at the cookies like it was her life on the line. So I take all of it and put it in the jar. That Stephen's daughter or something was staring at me like crazy when I did that. Actually, It was not just her. Everyone was staring at me when I did that.

'f#ck them, who cares about some sweaty wanker.'

Her eyes glow when she looks at the cookie jar that I gave her.

'She was 7, So a small bribe like this will work just fine.'

"Waaah, Thank you Big Brother!"

She smiled at me while holding the jar with her small hands.

"Yes, You're welcome."

I patted her head and start heading back to my room.