Living as the Villain’s Stepmother - Chapter 143

Chapter 143 – The Perfect Father (2)

“…and then what did you do?”

An energetic voice replied as he stretched his arms high up in the air.

“With my wooden sword, I went whoosh, whoosh! Ahh!”

Lila and Hir were lying together on a cozy bed as the child animatedly narrated all the things he did during the time she was gone. Naturally, most of their topic of the conversation was about Hir’s swordsmanship class.

“Is that true?” Lila praised, “Your skills have already improved by leaps and bounds. My Hir is so great!”

A bit embarrassed by his own boasting, he responded shyly. “N-no. Hizette told me I still have a long way to go.”

“Oh, did he now?” Of course, Lila silently agreed with Hizette. Not to mention how Hizette’s standard was already too high, so it was only natural he would see Hir as lacking.

In the original novel, Hizette stuck to his strict standards of teaching even when Hir’s skills improved exponentially in just a short span of time. It went without saying that Hir truly had a gift for swordsmanship.

Lila grinned. Her son was so talented!

“I want you to show it to me too.”

“Uhh…” Hir stammered, “When I practice enough! Then, uh, I’ll invite you to the training hall!”

“All right.” She agreed. Secretly hoping that it wouldn’t take too long before that happened.

Lila thought for a moment while stroking his hair. At the beginning of her transmigration into this body, The Hir who was in a state of malnutrition, was currently nowhere to be found. As a result, even his hair had a lustrous shine to them.

Touching his cheek this time, gone was its gaunt and hollow appearance. Right now, it was replaced with softness and baby fats. Back then, Jane was worried that Hir had gained too much weight, but in Lila’s eyes, he simply looked perfect!

No matter how much I look at him, Hir is just too adorably cute and lovely.

“My baby is so pretty, ah!” she muttered to herself, “Is this the blind worship created by motherly love?”

Even if I were to put all the modifiers in the world, I would not be able to adequately express my feelings.

These bubbly and lovable sides of him will disappear when her precious baby grows up and loses his bun-face. He would gain muscles that would then become unsightly to her eyes.

Gone was her adorable baby boy then, ah! Lila felt unreconciled.

But still, thinking that she would witness him growing up and she would be able to see a different side of Hir in the future, her heart raced with anticipation. She still wanted him to succeed in life.

“Um, mother… why are you touching me like that?” Hir didn’t know the reason, but why was his mother looking at him a little mournfully? Did someone go to heaven?

“Hm? Oh!”

Lila recollected herself, “Did I make you uncomfortable? I’m so sorry.”

Hir’s widened and he quickly shook his head. “Nooo! Never! It wasn’t uncomfortable at all!” He quickly responded and grabbed the back of Lila’s hand. Then, he pressed her palm against his cheek and started moving her hand.

She giggled, “What are you doing, Hir?”

“…because it is regretful.”

“Hm? What is regretful?” Lila, whose hand was currently stroking Hir’s cheek without using any of her strength as she let him do as he wished, was full of smiles despite their ridiculous appearance.

“I like it when you t-t-touch me, mother! Since you’re not doing it for me,” he pouted sadly, “I guess I have to do it myself.”

Hir responded with droopy eyes. He looked like a disappointed little animal that it made Lila want to stomp her feet on the ground. Even his aggrieved expression made Lila want to crumple her blanket and hit the pillow multiple times.

Simply too cute!

However, her expression remained calm despite her disorderly thoughts. She really shouldn’t show such madness in front of Hir, therefore she let herself be content in hugging the precious baby instead.

“Hir, about the story I told you earlier.”

“Yes, mother?”

Lacias explained things to the Knights of Wipere, while Lila explained to Hir about the hole addiction. Hir only tilted his head every once in a while, but he understood it well.

“You don’t need to worry too much. If you are truly sick, your father will surely heal you.”

“Mn. I believe you.” Hir buried his head in Lila’s chest and nodded.  “I think he is a really nice person. I can feel it.”

“Oh? I thought you didn’t like him, dear.”

“No, why would I? I really like him. He is beautiful and strong—oh! I heard that he’s even stronger than Hizette! He’s really cool an–and… and perfect…” his voice suddenly lowered in volume.

Lila patted his head slowly, waiting for him to finish speaking. After a moment of silence, she asked, “So, why are you still not calling him father?”

“…it’s just awkward.”

“Awkward?”

“Yes.” Hir bit his lip.

What does he mean, ‘awkward’?

Before Lila fell into her thoughts, the boy added in a small voice, “Because he’s so different from my previous father.”

Why would that matter to him?

Viscount Marshmell neglected his own family and was, consequently, not interested in parenting in the slightest. He was so cold to his child that it was impossible to see him as a real father figure. He fell in love with womanhood and remarried with a young woman, and even after remarriage, he was sensual enough to get the sexually transmitted disease from outside.

For his biological mother, it was a bit more difficult to say since she wasn’t described in detail in the original novel.

Compared to his deceased father, Lacias was the epitome of brilliance.

“I just can’t believe that a… that a person as perfect as him is my… father.” his meek voice resounded.