Ok ok ok so this is my second reread and I think I finally understand it maybe. So at first I was confused on like what exactly Edwin was and like how it was possible and why he’s crazy sometimes but on the second reading I think I understand now that the snake is like a snake monster creature abomination thing that can crawl into the skin of another being and use it as its own and has the power to like reattach their body parts if they ever get cut off. Being a monster tho, he doesn’t really understand human feelings or emotions he just understands liking Leira, possession, and loneliness. He doesn’t understand what love is and comes to the realization later when he’s grown up. But he basically loved Leira so much that he inhabited the empty body of a boy who died and took on his life and even tho Leira finds out he’s not really “Edwin” he still thinks it’s ok for the Edwin snake to be himself since that’s the Edwin that Leira loves and has known for this entire time. As for the crazy parts, I think Edwin is partially into some freaky shit and partially his like monster nature takes over and influences his thinking like you can see it gets triggered when he thinks Leira is about to leave his grasp and he will be lonely again since that’s the only basic feelings the monster understood. I don’t think he wants to hurt Leira, I just don’t think he has the capacity to understand certain feelings or situations so like his instincts tell him one thing but since he grew up as a human he battles with knowing that his actions are wrong but wanting to do them anyway. I think he shows Leira that he’s at a constant internal battle within himself and finds his true nature disgusting and shameful since he’s not human like Leira and all he wants to do is be like Leira. He even admits to at one point in the narration of forgetting that he’s a monster and truly believing he was human too. He has to slowly grow and accept himself even tho he’s still a monster and can do fucked up things sometimes but I think Leira will always forgive him because he now knows his true nature and how much Edwin loves him
Ok ok ok so this is my second reread and I think I finally understand it maybe. So at first I was confused on like what exactly Edwin was and like how it was possible and why he’s crazy sometimes but on the second reading I think I understand now that the snake is like a snake monster creature abomination thing that can crawl into the skin of another being and use it as its own and has the power to like reattach their body parts if they ever get cut off. Being a monster tho, he doesn’t really understand human feelings or emotions he just understands liking Leira, possession, and loneliness. He doesn’t understand what love is and comes to the realization later when he’s grown up. But he basically loved Leira so much that he inhabited the empty body of a boy who died and took on his life and even tho Leira finds out he’s not really “Edwin” he still thinks it’s ok for the Edwin snake to be himself since that’s the Edwin that Leira loves and has known for this entire time. As for the crazy parts, I think Edwin is partially into some freaky shit and partially his like monster nature takes over and influences his thinking like you can see it gets triggered when he thinks Leira is about to leave his grasp and he will be lonely again since that’s the only basic feelings the monster understood. I don’t think he wants to hurt Leira, I just don’t think he has the capacity to understand certain feelings or situations so like his instincts tell him one thing but since he grew up as a human he battles with knowing that his actions are wrong but wanting to do them anyway. I think he shows Leira that he’s at a constant internal battle within himself and finds his true nature disgusting and shameful since he’s not human like Leira and all he wants to do is be like Leira. He even admits to at one point in the narration of forgetting that he’s a monster and truly believing he was human too. He has to slowly grow and accept himself even tho he’s still a monster and can do fucked up things sometimes but I think Leira will always forgive him because he now knows his true nature and how much Edwin loves him