Sloth Origin

"How is the food, dear? Do you like it?" Isadora asked with a gentle smile.

Eren looked up at her with a bright, happy expression.

"Yes! It tastes really good, Mom," he replied cheerfully.

Isadora chuckled softly, reaching out to pat her son's head.

"If you like it, then I'll ask the chef to prepare it for you every day," his father said with a smile as he took another bite of his meal.

Eren kept smiling, looking at his warm and gentle parents.

But in his mind, he was only acting.

'They're really spoiling me to much'.

It didn't take long for him to figure it out.

Based on everything he had learned so far—his body's weak condition, his illness, and his parents' overly doting attitude—it was obvious.

It wasn't hard to figure out—Eren, the owner of this body, was the most loved and spoiled child in the family.

Connecting the dots between his body's weak condition, his so-called "illness," and his parents' reactions, the conclusion was simple..

Favoritism and Resentment

It wasn't hard to figure out—Eren, the owner of this body, was the most loved and spoiled child in the family.

Connecting the dots between his body's weak condition, his so-called "illness," and his parents' reactions, the conclusion was simple.

Eren had some kind of illness, making his parents worry about him excessively. Because of that, they smothered him with love, gave him whatever he wanted, and ultimately spoiled him rotten.

Then, there was his older brother, Cedric. The only member of the family who was the complete opposite of their parents.

Cedric hated him.

And Eren could already guess why.

It was obvious—his older brother must have been bitter about the one-sided attention their parents gave to the youngest child.

'I mean, come on. This is such a typical family situation. The youngest kid gets all the attention while the eldest is left behind,' Eren thought as he lazily chewed his food, his gaze drifting to Cedric, who was still frowning at him while eating.

The more he observed, the more he understood Cedric's personality.

To be ignored by your own parents while watching your younger sibling be showered with love—what else would you feel other than jealousy?

But of course, Cedric wasn't some immature child who let his emotions get the best of him. He wasn't so petty that he'd hate his own brother just because their parents favored him.

No, what made Cedric truly hate Eren was something else.

It was because Eren was useless.

Unlike their parents, Cedric wasn't blind. He knew the truth—Eren wasn't actually sick or weak. He was just lazy.

There was no such thing as "Sloth" illness.

He had found that out after questioning Useless. The whole thing was a lie. A fake illness that the previous Eren had made up to make their parents pity him and make him not work hard.

And it had worked.

The Marquis had immediately called for a doctor and even forced him to acknowledge the illness.

Of course, the doctor was a professional. He knew that the so-called illness was nothing but pure laziness.

But when a pile of gold was shoved in his face… Well, even the most skilled doctor could turn into an idiot.

And so, thanks to the Marquis's wealth, the doctor conveniently "confirmed" the illness was real. to the point he began convince himself. He even went so far as to officially register it in his medical report.

Just like that, "Sloth" illness became a real, recognized condition.

A completely fake illness, believed by everyone in the mansion, from the butler Oswald to the servants. Maybe even the some people in the kingdom too.

'No wonder they all ignored me when I called them fat, believe they really misheard,' he thought with a sigh.

His gaze flickered back to Cedric, who was still glaring at him while eating.

Yeah, it made perfect sense why Cedric hated him so much.

If Eren ever did something wrong and lied about it, their parents would instantly believe him, no questions asked. If he apologized, they would accept it without hesitation.

But if Cedric did the same?

'Yeah… He would definitely get scolded'.

After all, he was the eldest. The responsible one. The one expected to act like an adult.

It was unfair.

But that was how things worked in this household.

And the worst part?

Eren, the previous owner of this body, knew that.

He took advantage of it.

The boy had truly lived life on easy mode.

No responsibilities. No expectations. No consequences. Just endless spoiling and free passes for everything.

Even now, Eren could feel Cedric's burning gaze.

'If looks could kill, I'd be buried six feet under,' Eren thought, taking another bite of his meal.

...

While they ate, the Marquis turned to Cedric with a serious expression. They began discussing his upcoming trip to a neighboring country. The conversation soon shifted to business and trade.

Eren immediately tuned them out. He wasn't the least bit interested in boring merchant talks.

Something about supply routes. Negotiations. Trade tariffs.

'Yeah, no thanks'

Isadora, on the other hand, joined the discussion, leaving Eren to quietly enjoy his meal, happily savoring every bite.

But just as he was enjoying his peaceful meal, his mother suddenly spoke.

"That reminds me. Honey, have you decided what birthday gift you want?"

Isadora turned to look at Eren beside her, her golden eyes soft with warmth as she smiled.

"Gift?"

Eren's hand, which had been steadily moving food to his mouth, came to an abrupt stop. He frowned slightly, trying to recall what she was talking about.

[Master, she's referring to your birthday three days ago,] Useless reminded him in a monotone voice.

'Oh, that.'

Eren finally remembered.

Three days ago, his personal butler had knocked on his door, asking whether he wanted to hold a grand party for his fifteenth birthday.

Without hesitation, he had rejected the idea.

Not because of some deep reason—he just didn't feel like dealing with the hassle of a large noble gathering.

And, apparently, this wasn't the first time.

The previous Eren had refused birthday parties for the past five years whenever his parents brought it up.

The reason?

He didn't like them.

Too much noise. Too many people. Too much effort.

'Lazy in past life, lazy for past owner, and now lazy me. Guess some things never change,' Eren thought, amused at how consistent his behavior had been with the previous Eren.

He scratched his cheek and replied casually,

"Um… I don't know. I haven't decided yet."

"Alright then, just let us know when you do," his father, Edric, said with a smile.

"Tch."

A sharp clicking sound came from across the table.

His older brother's displeased reaction was obvious.

Eren, having grown somewhat used to his brother's constant irritation, merely ignored him and continued eating at his own pace.

"Now that you're fifteen years old..."

Edric trailed off, glancing at his wife.

Eren, who had been focused on his meal, noticed something odd—their expressions shifted slightly.

There was a trace of hesitation, almost as if they were worried about something.

His parents were usually composed, but right now, their expressions held uncertainty.

Eren narrowed his eyes slightly.

Before he could ask what was wrong, Edric finally spoke again.

"Son, do you want to go to school?"

Eren blinked in dumbfounded.

"...What?"

...

...