Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil Chapter 3: Derriere

‘This is the perfect dream to have before my life ends. Back then, I was powerless to act, but within this dream, no one can get in my way.’

With those thoughts swirling in his mind, Eren lunged toward Aunt Nina.

The moment he laid eyes on her, he pulled her into a tight embrace, catching her completely off guard both mentally and physically. Since his growth spurt had not yet arrived, Eren stood at a mere 5.5 feet, looking every bit like a fourteen-year-old despite his actual age. Because of the height difference, his head was pressed right against Nina’s chest.

Holding Aunt Nina felt like being transported to the center of a rose garden in peak bloom. To Eren, she possessed a captivating natural scent that was entirely unique to her.

Driven by a self-imposed sense of urgency, Eren let his hands wander across Aunt Nina’s back for a moment. He quickly maneuvered them toward the softest area he could reach from his current position.

Assuming Eren was seeking comfort after a nightmare, Nina began to gently stroke his hair. However, she was stunned by the sudden, bold movement of his hands. When they drifted toward her derriere, she realized she had to end the encounter. Breaking free from the forced hug, Nina pinched Eren’s cheeks firmly until they were flushed red and scolded him:

“Little lad, you can’t just come down here acting like this, even if you’ve had a bad dream. This is a place of business. What if a customer saw you looking so disheveled? Go wash up immediately. After that, join me at the breakfast table. I’ve prepared your favorite pancakes. Once you join the academy, you won’t get to eat them very often, so I’ll make sure to spoil you with these treats throughout the month.”

Eren, however, was lost in his own world. He attempted to pull Nina back into his arms, thinking: ‘She’s playing hard to get even in my dreams. I can only imagine how she would have reacted if I had been this bold back in the day.’

But Nina was no ordinary woman; she was a C Rank healer. Her physical attributes were significantly higher than those of a typical person her age. Placing a palm against Eren’s forehead, she pushed him back and watched him struggle fruitlessly to close the distance.

Nina was baffled by his behavior today. Normally, he was a reserved child who only spoke when necessary, usually limiting himself to brief answers or silent nods.

Today’s Eren, however, seemed like a man possessed by a singular goal. He didn’t even bother to speak. Nina suspected he had suffered a traumatic nightmare regarding his parents, leaving him in an unstable emotional state.

She was almost ready to give in and grant him the hug he wanted out of pity, but Eren’s next words caused her attitude to shift instantly:

“What is wrong with you? My time is limited, yet you are still worried about propriety. For what purpose? Do not hide from your creator. In this realm, you belong to me. I am the one in control. I can make you vanish with a single thought. I can even make you turn ugly. Do you wish to be hideous?”

‘This isn’t a nightmare, it’s one of *those* dreams. He is a growing boy, after all,’ Nina thought, her cheeks puffing out. With a frustrated pout, she gave Eren’s cheeks another hard tug to snap him out of his trance.

The pain worked. As the stinging in his face brought him back to reality, Eren’s mind began to function rationally again. Rubbing his swollen, beet-red cheeks, he surveyed Aunt Nina and the room once more.

‘The sensory details are far too vivid for a simple dream.’

Eren began pacing the room, whispering to himself.

‘The air pressure, the textures of the surfaces, the way light reflects, the physics, and even the shadows...’

He scrutinized everything within his field of vision. He shifted his stance, touched various objects, and even jumped in place a few times to test the environment.

‘These aren't just dream-like projections. It’s even too sophisticated for an illusory spell. Such a feat would require a high-ranked mage specializing in illusions. No one of that caliber would bother trapping a dying man like me in such a spell.’

‘That means... could it be...?’

Eren stared at Aunt Nina with his jaw dropped, looking for confirmation of his wild suspicion.

“Is... is all of this actually real?”

“Hehehe. It seems you’re still half-asleep. Yes, you silly boy, this isn't a dream. And what on earth kind of dream were you having where you wanted me to look ugly?”

Eren let out a hollow smile at her response and countered with his own inquiry:

“Aunt Nina, what is today’s date? And why did you hide the fact that my mother didn't go looking for my father, but actually started a new life with a different family in another city?”

He asked the first question to establish his timeline, and the second to confirm his theory. Eren hadn't discovered the truth about his mother’s new family until he was much older. He had visited Aunt Nina back then, and she had finally confessed the truth to him.

By bringing it up now, he wanted to see Nina’s reaction. While powerful illusory spells can recreate the past, they are limited by the memories of the target. If the caster only knew Eren’s teenage memories, they wouldn't be able to account for information he learned later in life without creating a flaw that would break the illusion.

However, the illusion held firm.

Nina reacted exactly as the real Nina would have if confronted with that news at this point in time. She looked stunned, confused, and then flared with anger.

“How do you know about your mother? Who told you this?”

“A stranger told me. He vanished before I could ask anything else. But your face tells me it's the truth. Don't worry, Aunt Nina. I was just overwhelmed and confused when I woke up, thinking about what that man repeated to me.”

“I’m fine now. Truly. I have no intention of seeking her out. First, I was told she lives very far away. Second, what would I even say to her? Ask her why she abandoned me? Why she needed a new family?”

“I already understand the reasons. She left because my face was a constant reminder of my father. He’s missing—not dead, not a runaway, just gone. She must have loved him so much that the lack of closure was unbearable. She ran away from me to escape the memories of him.”

“She probably searched for him at first. Maybe she found a lead, or maybe she realized it was hopeless. Either way, to move on from her husband, she had to move on from me too. That’s why she never came back. As for the new family? Why shouldn't she? She’s still young. A new family is a fresh start—something that allowed her to forget my father in a way I never could.”

“Understanding that, how can I hold a grudge? I was simply the casualty in that situation. Luck wasn't on my side. Plenty of men have suffered far worse fates in this world; this is nothing by comparison. It’s best to just accept it and move forward.”

“Besides, I have you to look after me. I feel more cared for and protected than children who live with their actual parents. How can I call myself unlucky when I have a blessing like you? I don’t believe I am. Anyway, you still haven't answered my first question. What is the date?”

While speaking, Eren had closed the gap and embraced Aunt Nina again. His movements were fluid and his voice was steady, honeyed with the wisdom of experience, yet he allowed a hint of vulnerability to show through the hug.

Eren’s performance wasn't flawless. He seemed far too logical and detached for a boy his age dealing with parental abandonment. But that imperfection made the act believable. It was Wabi-sabi—perfection through imperfection.

Nina interpreted his cold logic as a defense mechanism, a way for him to numb his pain by blocking out his emotions.

‘That explains why he was so agitated upon waking. He must have been dwelling on this all night, feeling like his life was out of his hands. That dream was likely a subconscious attempt to reclaim control by imagining himself as a "creator" who rules over others.’

‘Still, it’s incredible that he reached such a mature conclusion on his own. I thought he was still just a child, but his mind is developing fast.’

Lost in these thoughts, Nina began to stroke Eren’s hair as they hugged. She was so preoccupied that she didn't notice his hands had very discreetly found their way back to their original targets!