Tired of translating interview I wanna talk about Norman

I'll summarize my take from a conversation I had some other day, it's about Norman but I want to start with something else: Norman and Isabella.

I'm glad Shirai said this sketch shows the children's relationship with mom really well and Norman has such a peaceful face here Pretty sure Posuka knew that he's a weak and sickly kid when she drew it, because her extra sketch about opening a jar was drawn quite early.

Isabella and Norman are, imannerism-wise, similar characters. Both are elegant and caring person, steady and extremely smart, and they can also be intimidating. Very efficiently so.

Many others pointed it out already, his expression and sarcastic greeting was the same as what Isabella's, and the situation was similar too: having a one-on-one talk with an opponent before checkmate.

I think Norman subconsciously took some gestures from Isabella, like the way he's used to seeing Mom caress the face to show love and care (which in truth was to establish control because Isabella checked the trackers. Doesn't make him any less used to this gesture though),

And the way he presented himself in front of everyone as the guardian in the tree shelter.

Since Isabella is the authoritative figure Norman is very familiar to, maybe he took those manners when he's a "housemaster" himself.

But the nicest thing is how much Norman prioritizes staying in good health.

-Telling Emma to have her meals properly and not to injure herself, before his own "death"

-departing words to others: "genki de ne", stay well/healthy (ch. 30)

- "eat well, there's a lot of food available so eat as much as you want" (ch. 121)

-telling lambda kids to sleep because sleep is a medicine too (ch. 145)

-Cries after meeting Emma because the first thing he noticed is she's having good meals, living with a smile (ch. 181)

I think this was also something that came from Isabella's care he was exposed to as a child. Being a weak boy who had to stay careful about not falling ill. Staying in good health is important to him.
Unfortunate that he was sick in most times of his life

(And may still be under medication. The last chapter doesn't say he's completely recovered, he's "feeling better")

Looking back at the oneshot, Ray wasn't in his best health in the House due to his trauma. Norman was physically weak.

And then there's Emma.

Happy, energetic, doing reckless things but still durable and good.

Emma was different from him, she had things he didn't and he admired her for it. Maybe this was one of the reasons he really started liking her.

Like Kei Toda's book points it out,

Norman yearned for strength. Shirai says in the artbook interview that, Norman's development is showing his weakness in front of Emma. Implying that it is something he tried to hide especially from his "favorite person." Norman disliked being weak.

It's a nice development, and a nice character consistency maintained throughout the series. I'm grateful that Shirai wrote Norman so well in a story driven manga where he's not the main character.