MTLNOVEL Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Trait – Big Eater
The next morning at Kisaki Eri's apartment.
Just like she would in her own home, Ran woke up early to prepare breakfast and lunch.
In fact, she got up even earlier than usual today.
Not because she wanted to, but because her appetite had increased dramatically, meaning she had to prepare much more food.
Which also meant she needed extra time to cook.
Her new morning routine left her busy in the kitchen for nearly three hours.
Outside, the sky gradually brightened as dawn approached.
Click!
Yawning, Kisaki Eri stumbled out of her bedroom, still in her pajamas.
Sniff—
A delicious aroma filled the apartment, making her eyes open slightly.
She followed the scent to the kitchen.
There, she saw her daughter, dressed in pajamas and an apron, hard at work.
Just as she was about to greet her, her gaze fell on the dining table.
She froze.
"…That's a lot of food."
The table was already packed with neatly prepared meals.
Eri recognized her own lunchbox.
But next to it was another lunchbox—four times its size.
Frowning, she stepped closer to compare.
"This is four times bigger than mine…"
"This is at least two or three times more than what an adult man would eat."
She opened the oversized box, revealing a bottom layer of white rice.
Next to it, four more equally large containers were packed with various side dishes, fried chicken, pork cutlets, broccoli, bamboo shoots, hamburger steaks…
The variety was excellent. The nutritional balance was also solid.
But the portion size was absurd.
"Are you having lunch with Sonoko today?"
"Even if you are, this is way too much."
"Or… are you still feeling emotional?"
Yesterday, Eri had stayed home with Ran all day.
She hadn't noticed any extreme sadness or strange behavior.
Still, she leaned against the kitchen doorway, watching her daughter with concern.
"Ran, you're up early."
"Yes, I had a few extra things to prepare today."
"…Did you agree to eat lunch with Sonoko?"
"No."
That single word completely shattered Eri's assumption.
"I didn't make any plans with Sonoko."
"Then… you made all of this for yourself?"
"…Yes. It's for me."
Eri nearly collapsed on the spot.
She glanced back at the massive amount of food on the table.
This was far more than Ran's usual intake, it was almost enough for several full-grown men.
"…Is this stress eating?"
Her breath hitched slightly.
She carefully approached her daughter, paying close attention to her mood.
"Ran, you can't eat this much all by yourself."
"Talk to me. Is this… about that child?"
"…"
Hearing her mother's concern, Ran sighed internally.
She was completely off the mark.
"Why would I do this because of Shinichi?"
"He's not even dead!"
"I'm eating this much because of the title I got from the diary lottery."
"Big Eater" and "Digestion Monster." If I don't eat enough, my stomach will protest.
But she couldn't tell her mother that.
If she did, Eri would probably think she was having hallucinations from grief.
She might even drag her to see a psychiatrist.
To avoid that fate, she had to come up with an excuse.
"That's not it, Mom."
"It's just that karate club practice has gotten way more intense recently. A few times, I was so hungry after training that I could barely stand."
"So, I decided to prepare a little extra."
"…Really?"
"Of course. I'm still growing, so it's fine if I eat more."
"If anything, I used to eat too little."
Ran paused for a moment, then added,
"Besides, it's Dad's fault."
"…Your father?"
Eri blinked, momentarily thrown off.
"Sorry, Dad. I have to use you as an excuse to keep Mom from sending me to therapy."
Eri frowned, thinking it over.
"That unreliable man… don't tell me he spent all your food money on alcohol again?"
As ridiculous as it sounded, she could actually picture Kogoro doing something like that.
She looked back at the ridiculous amount of food Ran had prepared, then considered the karate club at her school.
With such intense physical training, if her daily calorie intake had been too low, it made sense that she would be starving afterward.
Thinking about it logically, Eri realized this wasn't necessarily a psychological issue.
She had been closely observing Ran's mood since yesterday.
Her emotional state didn't seem as unstable as she had feared.
"…I'll keep an eye on it for now."
She made up her mind.
And then, she clicked her tongue.
"That damn Kogoro."
"He barely makes enough money, and now he's cutting back on food expenses too? I need to have a serious talk with him."
She sighed.
"Ran, are you done preparing everything?"
"Yes, it's all ready."
"Then let's eat."
The mother and daughter sat across from each other and started breakfast.
Eri took one bite—and then just stared.
Because in front of her, Ran quickly devoured a meal that could have fed three full-grown men.
Bolognese pasta, fried chicken nuggets, vegetable salad, and three bowls of rice.
"…This… this…"
Did Ran always eat this much?!
Eri hadn't even touched her food.
Just watching her daughter's eating habits made her feel full.
Ran's table manners were still polite but where was she putting all this food?!
Eri tilted her head, glancing at her daughter's stomach.
Flat.
No sign of bloating.
Exactly the same as before she started eating.
"…So this isn't forced?"
"And it's not psychological?"
Eri rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on.
This wasn't just a "growth spurt."
If Kogoro had to pay for this level of food intake, he'd go bankrupt instantly.
After a few minutes, Ran casually wiped her mouth with a napkin.
"…Hmm? Mom, aren't you going to eat?"
"…I'll eat later."
"Ran, you really don't feel sick after eating all that?"
"Nope."
Ran patted her stomach. No discomfort at all.
It was perfectly within her body's tolerance.
Still, seeing her mother's bewildered expression, she knew her eating habits had definitely shocked her.
She couldn't explain it, though.
She had no choice but to leave before her mother started asking more questions.
"Well then, Mom, I'm heading to school."
***
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