In this case, it's a matter of being illiterate in this particular language.

[Kratos eyes him out of the corner of his vision while he leafs through to find the actual beginning of the book. Is Yuan staying upright because he wants to, or because it's too much trouble to get down? Hm.

[Better leave it for now. Kratos finds the first page to start reading, his voice customarily even, but with a lilt and intonation which has the suggestion of an understanding of mood.]