Episode 20: I Remembered About Yanderes.
Ilias Lysander Theodorakis
A Capture Target from the Otome Game.
The legitimate son of Prime Minister Theodorakis, slightly older than the game’s protagonist and Eric.
A mastermind and strategist said to be reliable as an ally but a nightmare as an enemy.
In the game, he wasn’t exactly the most likeable type, but when I wondered why he seemed so close to Eric…
I see. He was Eric’s caretaker.
Looking ahead to a future connection with the Duke Andreou’s family.
If I remember correctly, he’s seven years older than Eric, so eleven years old.
Judging by his demeanor, he seemed older than that, though.
Crap. I’m not good with this guy…
If Eric is a shallow do-gooder, then this guy is a cage of poison. A so-called—Yandere.
Each character in the otome game has various bad endings, happy endings, and true endings, but in his case, it’s special. In almost all of his endings, the protagonist is confined or imprisoned. What the heck?
Well? It seems he was popular with a niche group of otome fans who enjoyed having that kind of possessiveness displayed, but I wasn’t one of them.
I tried to avoid him as much as possible, except for the mandatory events.
I didn’t realize it because he had such a childlike, innocent face, unlike in the otome game!
To think such innocence could turn into a snake-like face, you just can’t understand people…
What is it?
From the moment I realized that this innocent boy was that psycho, a certain part of my brain has been blaring a Danger Alarm!
Calm down, me. This boy hasn’t become a psycho yet.
He hasn’t awakened to any strange fetishes yet. Surely. Probably. Perhaps. Or maybe he has??
In the first place, psycho tendencies are there from birth, so you can’t change them midway. It’s scary to keep such a dangerous guy near Ati and Eric.
But there’s nothing I can do about it.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that behind that smiling, innocent face he showed me, he was hiding a terrifying side.
It’s just my imagination, just my imagination. I know it’s just my imagination.
But I can’t help this “unease.”
“Selene-sama?”
The tutor, Samuel, called out to me, noticing that I had stopped speaking.
“Mama, face, weird,” Ati pointed out so bluntly.
“Dancho?”
Even Eric was looking up at me with an incredibly worried expression.
“Selene-sama, your face is pale. What’s wrong?”
The boy, Ilias, tilted his head in confusion and asked.
“Ah… it’s nothing. I seem to be feeling a little unwell today. I’m sorry, but I’d like to skip today’s training…”
Somehow, I couldn’t even move my mouth properly.
As soon as I said that, Samuel stood up and rang the bell near the door.
Immediately, a housefolk entered the Lounge.
“It seems Madam is not feeling well. Please see Eric-sama and the others off.”
After giving the instructions efficiently, the housefolk had Eric and the boy, Ilias, stand up and led them to the entrance. At the same time, Samuel pushed Ati’s back, sending her off to see them off as well.
“Mama.”
“Dancho…”
As they passed by me, both of them turned worried faces towards me.
“I’m just feeling a little unwell. I’ll be better tomorrow.
I’m sorry for making you worry. I’m fine.”
I made a smile as best as I could and directed it towards them.
＊＊＊
I, though I say so myself, was unusually holed up in my room, just thinking.
I didn’t even have dinner. I had no appetite at all.
I felt bad for Ati, but when I asked the Head Nanny, Maggie, she happily accepted as if she had been waiting for this.
My whole body has been covered in goosebumps, and I can’t calm down. I know my brain is blaring a Danger Alarm, but I don’t know why.
What’s wrong with me?
Did I catch a cold from Ati or something?
I’d gladly accept a cold from Ati, but I think this is different.
It’s Eric’s caretaker, Ilias. It’s because of that child.
There’s something about that child.
But I don’t know what it is.
Actually, I’ve played through the otome game many times, but I only did Ilias’s route for the sake of completing the ending event stills.
So, I don’t really remember the details or events about him.
That’s how much I really didn’t like him.
Just a dislike?
No, that’s not it. Because nothing has happened yet. There are no plans for anything to happen.
In the otome game, there’s no connection between the Villainess Stepmother and Ilias.
—Right?
The moment I thought that, the alarm in my brain grew even louder.
I couldn’t stay still.
I couldn’t sit still, so I paced back and forth in the room.
I’m forgetting something.
Surely, something very important.
But I can’t remember.
I can’t stay still.
What’s wrong with me?
“That’s not like you.”
That voice came from behind me.
Surprised, I turned around to see the tutor, Samuel, standing at the door.
“Could you at least knock?”
When did he get here? Don’t open it without permission.
“I did. Many times. You didn’t seem to notice, so I thought it was rude, but I opened it without permission.”
He didn’t seem to think he did anything wrong as he closed the door behind him and entered the room.
Don’t come in. I didn’t give you permission.
“…You’re supposed to be a commuter. Why are you here at this hour?”
I directed that question at someone who shouldn’t be in this mansion at this time.
“I had something I was concerned about, so I decided to stay here tonight. I have the master’s permission.”
Something he was concerned about?
I don’t care about that right now.
More than that, I want to get rid of this unbearable feeling as soon as possible.
“Maggie is taking care of Ati right now. I think she’ll be fine if she’s by her side. Probably, though.”
Ah, is that it? Did he come to point out that I was neglecting her after being asked to protect Ati?
Certainly. It’s not a good idea to leave her side when I don’t know who the enemy is right now.
But, honestly, I feel like that’s not the point right now.
Why?
There shouldn’t be anything more important than Ati to me.
Samuel crossed his arms in front of the door, leaned his back against it, and lightly crossed his legs.
After watching me pace around for a while, he said,
“What are you so afraid of?”
“Afraid?”
Me?
Of what?
“You’ve been acting strange since you talked to Ilias-sama.”
Since I talked to Ilias?
Ilias…
“Am I… afraid of Ilias-sama?”
No way.
He’s just a boy, right? He shouldn’t be a Yandere yet.
There’s no reason to be afraid…
There isn’t, right?
Huh.
Ah, this feeling.
I remembered.
It’s similar to when I faced the Bear alone.
I’m scared.
I’m afraid.
Of that innocent boy, Ilias.
I’m sensing something like a danger to my life.
That’s why my survival instinct was sounding the alarm in my head.
”Run.”
But, why?
The moment I realized that I was afraid, my body trembled involuntarily.
The vibration started from my toes, and I couldn’t stop it myself.
I hugged my body, trying to stop the trembling somehow.
“Really, that’s not like you.”
That voice came from right next to me.
The light from the gas lamp in the room was blocked by something, casting a shadow on me.
The scent of Winter Daphne wafted through the air.