This House Has A Delicious Restaurant - Side Story 3: For You, Who Will Be Smiling in the Future

Side Story 3: For You, Who Will Be Smiling in the Future

What was it like when he first saw a resurrected corpse? Unlike the eyes of the living, those eyes were completely devoid of emotion.

“Father, please take me with you too…!”

In his childhood, before giving up everything, he clung to his father and cried, holding on to hope despite the hopelessness.

Of course, all he could do was hit the transparent glass with his small fist while being trapped alone.

Though they were siblings, he was treated differently from Obella and was even used in their parents’ plans. Zerdan had to stay alone in the empty room, trapped behind the transparent glass until other children arrived.

At that time, back then, he thought that if only he gained abilities, he would be able to return to his family. So, Zerdan earnestly wished for those abilities to come.

But how did it feel when he didn’t want the abilities anymore?

The death of the first friend he had become attached to. And the ability to resurrect such a friend, forced to live in a way that made their death uncomfortable. It was as if the friend was merely a puppet with only the appearance of their former self.

Seeing the resurrected Ding, Zerdan hurriedly turned and fled. Most of the children were injured or dead. Though he heard Liffree calling from behind, he didn’t stop and continued running.

With no exit, unable to leave properly.

“Ding… Ding is dead… But what is that monster I just brought back to life…?”

He looked down at his trembling hands. He couldn’t believe the death of his friend, who had died so helplessly, and the ability that couldn’t even let them rest peacefully. Zerdan sat down, shaking and holding his head in his hands.

Perhaps this was finally a chance to escape. But the friend he wanted to escape with was no longer in this world.

Maybe he too…

As Zerdan thought this, his eyes became cloudy. When his vision darkened, someone touched his shoulder from behind.

When Zerdan quickly turned around, it was a boy covered in blood from the recent accident.

“…Um, I know this might sound sudden, but we have to escape from here and survive.”

“What…?”

Who was this boy in front of him? There were so many kidnapped children now that he couldn’t remember exactly who he was or what abilities he had.

As Zerdan frowned, the boy picked him up. The boy, slightly larger than Zerdan, held him tightly and said.

It seemed like the boy was severely injured and had trouble speaking. His limbs were covered in wounds, and his face had burn marks.

But why is he trying to save him in the midst of all this?

“I saw you smiling in the future. It’s a relief… that there is a future where you smile.”

“What…?”

The boy, holding Zerdan, turned and walked away. They passed by the confused Liffree and Terisier. Then, the boy suddenly stopped and picked up Ding, who was standing still like a doll, with his other hand.

“Let’s get out of here.”

“Are you out of your mind? If you want to get out, you could go alone! Why are you being so needlessly kind?”

Zerdan shouted irritably. Unexplained kindness only made him uncomfortable.

He hurried to pull his arms free from captivity when the boy awkwardly smiled and pulled something from his pocket.

Zerdan flinched, thinking it might be a weapon, but then realized it was a boiled egg, which made him give a puzzled look.

“You were the first to show kindness. I wanted to repay that favor.”

Only then did Zerdan realize that the boy in front of him was the same one who had almost starved before. He had been brought in but had never developed any abilities, so he was neglected and didn’t receive proper food.

He had been the one who asked Liffree, who could move relatively freely outside, to bring him a boiled egg that had been his share.

Zerdan had forgotten about it, not paying any more attention after that…

The boy closed his eyes and smiled. There was no hint of deceit in his smile. Then, the boy threw the egg against the wall.

With a loud bang, an explosion occurred.

Children who were still alive nearby scrambled to escape through the sudden hole.

The boy, with Zerdan and Ding, managed to get out, followed closely by Terisier and Liffree.

After how long? The boy dropped Zerdan off at an alleyway. He also set Ding down, and Liffree quickly stood next to Zerdan with a vigilant expression.

“Be careful until we meet again. I can’t be by your side right now. I might seem like a burden for saving you, but one day, a day will come when you’ll smile. So just hang on a little longer.”

Then, the boy lifted Terisier. Terisier’s gaze fell on Ding, and he struggled to get away from him, reacting with a spasm of dislike.

“Let go! I want to go with her!”

“That woman is someone you killed. That corpse is no longer someone you knew, so wake up.”

The boy’s cruel words made Terisier’s eyes widen.

Shocked by the hard-to-believe words, Terisier initially rejected the truth. His gaze soon turned to Zerdan.

“Brother save me…”

Terisier’s eyes contained sadness, desperation, and resentment as he looked at Zerdan.

But Zerdan remained silent, and when Terisier turned his gaze back to Ding, he stared blankly ahead, unlike before. Terisier’s anger flared up again.

If the boy hadn’t hurried to stop him, the area would have been devastated once more.

Perhaps due to Terisier’s inability to accept reality, the events left Zerdan, Liffree, and Terisier with a collective forgetfulness of the past.

* * *

Zerdan stood in front of the building where he had been trapped in his childhood, now demolished and replaced with a new structure.

A man approached from behind Zerdan, who didn’t even turn to look but responded as if he knew who it was.

“You said that in the future, I am smiling… I used to think it was nonsense until recently.”

Zerdan turned his head to look behind him.

There stood a man, peculiarly wrapped in bandages, with his black eyes calmly fixed on Zerdan. Zerdan lifted the corners of his mouth.

“You haven’t lost your memories of the past like us, have you? Did you also know that the Ding from the past was Moa Ablon?”

“No. It’s just that… it’s rare to find someone who can make you smile comfortably in the future… I only guessed that I might not see them again. I didn’t know it was that woman, though.”

“Had you died there, you would have regretted it.”

Zerdan’s expression of gratitude made the man feel a bit emotional.

It had been a long time, but he was glad to repay the favor in this way.

Although it was just a small boiled egg, in a place where no one cared. And in the excruciating hunger, the person who showed concern was invaluable to him.

Mummy Man hesitated for a moment before asking Zerdan.

“Fortunately, the memories of the past have returned, but what are you going to do with the abilities that Terisier engraved in you as a child? Now that Terisier is grown up enough to accept everything, he should know that you did not make any mistakes back then. Although it seems he still doesn’t remember what he did to you.”

“Even if the past is recalled, I don’t think all memories of childhood will come back.”

When Terisier’s resentment was directed at Zerdan, he had used his abilities on Zerdan’s life.

If Terisier wanted it, Zerdan might die at any moment.

While he had not felt much threat during the period of forgetting the past, Zerdan wondered if he might still be killed if Terisier truly wished for it.

Mummy Man seemed concerned about this, but Zerdan lightly tapped him on the shoulder as if to say not to worry.

“You said I am smiling in the future. That’s enough. It’s something that will be resolved eventually, and it can be resolved slowly. I’m also curious about how Moa Ablon will react when she finds out.”

“…The leader and that woman look very similar.”

Recalling Moa Ablon’s comment about wanting to see Zerdan’s angry or flustered face from Obella’s house, Mummy Man spoke candidly. Zerdan laughed out loud.

Mummy Man was genuinely relieved that Moa Ablon hadn’t figured out that the ‘leader’ he had mentioned was Zerdan. She seemed to have a sharp intuition.

Zerdan didn’t seem to mind being compared. As Zerdan smiled comfortably, Mummy Man followed him.

As Zerdan lost his memories of the past, he naturally forgot about Mummy Man as well. During that time, even if he wanted to acknowledge him, he couldn’t do so properly and had only observed from afar…

He was simply grateful that he could acknowledge him so naturally after regaining his memory.

Honestly, even if he was blamed for saving him when he was a child, he wouldn’t have had a valid defense. Zerdan’s face at that time was resolved to death.

“By the way, you were called Mummy Man, but did you not have a name?”

“I was originally an orphan. Obella once asked if it bothered me and if he should give me a name, but I refused.”

“I see. Even if I offer to give you a name, would you refuse?”

When Zerdan’s gaze met his, the man closed his mouth.

When he quietly shook his head, Zerdan understood and muttered that he should think about a name slowly. His gaze briefly fell on the empty arm of Mummy Man. Noticing this, Mummy Man spoke calmly.

“It’s fine.”

It was the arm lost due to Zerdan’s attack.

It couldn’t be restored even with Sidon’s powers, but there was no resentment. There were probably people who had been hurt or died because of Zerdan. That doesn’t mean Zerdan is kind. But for Mummy Man, Zerdan was a grateful and benevolent presence.

They arrived at Obella’s house. The noise became even louder when they opened the front door.

Terisier was shouting at the sight of Sidon sleeping with Moa Ablon’s arms around his waist.

Obella just sighed at Moa Ablon’s attitude of treating Sidon like a puppy.

“If you only pamper him, he’ll become spoiled.”

As Zerdan entered, Moa Ablon gave him a wry smile. Her gaze was strangely warmer towards Zerdan than towards others.

Was it only Zerdan and Obella who noticed that gaze?

“It’s okay. Even a spoiled Sidon is fine. I think it’s okay if he develops bad habits.”

“…What’s on your mind?”

“Well, what’s certain is that I also have Terisier’s improved belongings in my mind, so don’t worry.”

“Who asked about that?!”

Terisier’s face turned red at Moa Ablon’s nonchalant reply.

When did Terisier’s belongings get seen again…?

Terisier, trying to change the topic, looked around and eventually turned his attention to Mummy Man, who was standing behind Zerdan.

“It’s surprising. Were you and Mummy Man close? Mummy Man has been so quiet that the only person he spent time with was Anise.”

“Indeed. Anise seems to be more comfortable with Mummy Man, but it looks like Mummy Man is more comfortable with Zerdan.”

Moa Ablon’s gaze shifted to Mummy Man and then muttered softly.

She has good instincts. Mummy Man didn’t have any negative feelings towards Moa Ablon but felt somewhat uncomfortable. It was as if she could see through him. Anise was pure and didn’t give that feeling, so he was more comfortable with her.

But seeing Zerdan looking at Moa Ablon with a smile, Mummy Man smiled. Although that smile was hidden under the bandages and no one could see it.

He was just glad that it was that woman who found Zerdan’s smile.

The first person Zerdan gave affection to would continue to be by his side from now on.

THE END OF THIS HOUSE HAS A DELICIOUS RESTAURANT, VOLUME 3