If The Villain Catches Me Alive

Chapter 7

'Mommy's bad.'

'Ehh~? That's too much!'

'Malnourished? Are we broke? Why aren't you eating?'

He remembered the look on his mother's face, it was a complicated one.

Sitting helplessly on the bed, she gestured toward Theodore. Like she was asking him to come closer. Even with his mouth hanging open, Theodore obediently followed her command.

'Actually, Mom loves to eat.'

She whispered it in his ear as if she were telling him a huge secret. Then, he might have said, "Don't lie to me," or something back to her. Plainly.

Then, she replied, 'It's true!~' in her trademark mischievous voice.

'Mommy, did you used to be very, very fat?'

'......I think so.'

'Right? But Mommy wanted to look good for Daddy more than anything, so she lost weight like crazy!'

'Daddy would've been happy with just mommy...'

'Oh, it's not what you think! I want to look good for him because I like him.'

Arya Renan sat the little boy on her lap and wrapped her arms around him.

'Is Theodore worried? I'm happy! I'll try to eat as regularly as possible, too!'

She died without tasting many of the delicious things she loved so much. His thoughts trailed off there. Theodore turned to Dante, who stood bewildered in front of him.

"You're... not eating dinner?"

"Uh... I will. Eat first, Theodore."

......I will.

The thought occurred to him. That is the most pathetically ridiculous thought of all.

To see a reflection of his mother in him...

It's impossible to think that without going insane. Even as he smiled, Theodore's eyes searched for similarities to those he was missing: a unique kindness, a willingness to help others as if it were second nature, and yet neglect to take care of himself...

At the same time, a vague sense of fear gripped him.

A single assumption: that, just as she had died, he might be headed for a similar end... It was a silly assumption.

Wanting to deny the thought, Theodore suddenly began to list the differences between Dante and his mother.

'They're different in gender, they're much different in age, they're from different backgrounds, they're different.... in the way they treat me...'

But that wasn't enough. It was at that point that words came out of his mouth unconsciously.

"......eat with me now."

Theodore turned on his heel, seemingly more annoyed at himself than at the person who had uttered those words. His face was livid.

Rattle-. A loud crash came from behind him, which made him turn quickly to see a figure slumped over his desk, looking even more out of sorts than he did. Then he said,

"Uh! Yeah! Let's go!"

"......."

He jumped out of his seat at the same time.

Theodore was both pleased and uneasy at the same time. What if he was rejected, he thought, and he didn't even know if he wanted him to reject the idea.

The more he watched, the more he saw similarities, Theodore continued following Dante as he trotted toward the dining hall.

'Will you......'