I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain [EN]: Chapter 101

At that moment, Paul was gazing at Trevor, who was eating mushroom soup with a troubled expression.

Trevor was diligently eating his soup when he suddenly felt his son’s gaze. He pulled the soup bowl closer and said,

“I’m not sharing.”

“……I’m not trying to take it.”

Paul sighed and shook his head.

“And what if your son takes a little? The Medest Duchy gives out mushroom soup by the chest whenever you want it.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Trevor grinned.

“This is heaven. Let’s never leave.”

Then, studying Paul’s face, he added,

“I like your face a bit more today. It’s nice to see you so full of worries.”

“……What on earth are you talking about?”

He likes seeing his son’s face full of worries?

Paul retorted with dissatisfaction but still carefully covered Trevor’s knees with the blanket again.

Trevor said nonchalantly,

“Before, you had a completely determined look on your face.”

“What determination?”

“The determination to leave this place no matter what, as soon as you meet Duke Johan Hairad or whatever that crazy guy is. So, your relaxed expression was making me very anxious…….”

Paul flinched and cleared his throat.

It was true that he had planned to leave right after meeting Johan Hairad, just as Trevor said.

Trevor smirked and asked,

“Now you’re conflicted, aren’t you? You want to stay here longer, don’t you?”

“…….”

“Did seeing that Hairad duke or whatever change your mind a bit?”

Paul lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment.

Then, he quietly muttered,

“Actually, besides Duke Hairad…… seeing Lady Medest has made me think a bit.”

“Ah, she is incredibly pretty, isn’t she? Her golden hair sparkles in the sunlight!”

“No, there’s someone else too.”

Paul re-buttoned Trevor’s loosened indoor clothes and slowly continued,

“I originally hated the Medest family. I thought they were the kind of irresponsible family that didn’t know anything and didn’t even uphold old loyalties, well…… I admit they’re kind, but still irresponsible.”

His eyes sank deeply.

“But somehow, I want to trust the young Lady Medest.”

The image of Yurika politely bowing and formally apologizing kept coming to his mind.

Even though he had been acting high and mighty, which could have been unpleasant, she sincerely apologized after getting everything she wanted.

Besides, she said she was trying to fix everything, even if it was late.

“……I’m even considering whether it would be okay to give ‘that’ to her……. Anyway, both my father and I are old, and the Olteba barony will end with me.”

“What are you talking about? Of course, you should give it to her. It originally belongs to Medest!”

“They wouldn’t even know how to use it there. And once we have it, it’s ours.”

Paul retorted with a surge of emotion, then muttered again gloomily,

“But…… somehow, I feel like that lady would find the place where it’s needed and use it well…….”

“Good thinking. You weren’t even born in that era, yet you’re unfairly resentful about the old days. Don’t be greedy with unnecessary resentment. You’ll go bald.”

“……I don’t have much hair left anyway, Father. That’s too much.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Trevor looked at Paul anew and smiled brightly.

“I didn’t realize because you’re always such a cute son to me.”

At those words, Paul sighed softly and stroked Trevor’s hand.

Johan Hairad didn’t seem like a very good person…… no, he seemed like a woman-crazy fool who only knew how to show off…….

Still, he was glad he could spend the remaining time with his father thanks to him.

“Anyway…… I’ll think about the matter of giving that item to Lady Yurika.”

“So, until you finish thinking, we can stay here? In this mushroom soup heaven?”

“Yes. We don’t really have anywhere else to go, so let’s stay a bit longer.”

In fact, he was secretly planning to observe Yurika a bit more.

Paul smiled contentedly as he watched Trevor laugh gleefully, saying it was great.

“Thank you for always thinking I’m cute, Father.”

At those words, Trevor tapped Paul’s head with a spoon and shouted,

“No matter how cute you are, I’m not giving you any mushroom soup, you rascal!”

* * *

That night, I received a letter from Leahn.

She had sent a letter in a hurry, worried that I had finally become a real lover with Johan.

Of course, knowing that I would be annoyed, she included other business as well.

[There was an intruder in the temple just now, but they were discovered by the Imperial Knights and ran away.]

The first thing I did after rescuing the tiger from the temple was to deploy the Imperial Knights to the temple.

The justification was sufficient. None other than the High Priest had tried to assassinate the Crown Prince.

The reason why I had deployed Hairad Knights, who were less skilled than the Imperial Knights, was to track down the person sent by Rivena.

And now, it was necessary to prevent Rivena’s henchmen from even setting foot in the temple.

‘They probably don’t even know that we’re protecting Father.’

In any case, with Roymond’s direct Imperial Knights deployed, they won’t be able to attempt infiltration easily now.

‘At the same time, it will become more urgent to get Theodore out.’

It was a good method in many ways.

At the bottom of Leahn’s letter, there was a lot of worry.

[People hate being given something and then having it taken away the most. If you make Duke Hairad happy like this and then change your mind even a little (including putting yourself in danger), do you think the Duke will stand still?]

Would I be crazy enough to put myself in danger?

I sighed and skimmed through the letter.

[Wizards are terrible beings. If they think you’re out of their control, they’ll probably break all common sense and laws and imprison you forever. They won’t think about your feelings or intentions at all.]

What is she talking about? Johan wouldn’t do that…….

I was about to chuckle when I frowned at the sense of unease I suddenly felt.

Isn’t this…… exactly like the original story if you just replace ‘Lady’ with ‘Meriel’?

In the original story, Meriel was too kind and gave Johan too many openings. In fact, Johan thought he had lost Meriel.

‘And this…… also…….’

Also, if you just replace ‘Johan’ with ‘Theodore,’ it’s exactly the same as the current situation.

Theodore also thought he had lost me, even though it didn’t make sense, and he’s clinging to me just like that.

‘Anyway, Johan isn’t like that.’

I folded the letter again and brushed away the unpleasant feeling.

The moment I decided to date Johan, in other words, I decided to trust him. Not as a wizard, but as a man.

So, I was going to trust my lover to the end.

* * *

It was about a month before Rivena found Theodore again.

She had to bribe him with quite a bit of gold this time as well, but it was still easier to get in than last time.

“Ah.”

Theodore smiled at Rivena.

“You’ve finally come.”

Theodore, who had been confined to the palace due to the travel ban, was exuding an even more precarious aura.

And without even asking Rivena how she had been, he asked,

“How is the experiment going?”

Rivena sighed inwardly as she looked at Theodore.

He must have been thinking only about wanting Yurika while locked up all this time.

His inner thoughts were too obvious when he brought up the experiment as soon as he saw her.

Still, she had no choice but to continue cooperating because he was the only powerful person she could work with.

“It’s going moderately well. It will take some time, but we have secured quite a few materials.”

She hadn’t been able to enter the temple since then. After the temple’s dedication ceremony, Roymond had directly deployed his knights there.

She had sent her subordinates in several times, but they continued to fail to enter. Fortunately, they managed to escape.

“If the research goes well and we can adjust other conditions, kill Roymond early too.”

Theodore said arrogantly.

“So I can become the Crown Prince faster.”

‘Wow.’

Rivena was newly impressed.

‘Did I leave it in his care?’

She was so dumbfounded that she almost burst out laughing.

‘Those wizards are really…….’

Her distrust of wizards deepened the more she experienced Theodore.

Still, she had to work with that villain. There were many opportunities to use him.

Rivena calmed her hateful feelings and said calmly,

“The Emperor’s birthday hunting competition will be held soon for the first time in a long time. The travel ban will be lifted then, won’t it?”

“It’s just for that one day.”

“I will try to have the travel ban lifted altogether at that time.”

“Oh?”

Theodore knew that Rivena was not one to make empty promises. When he raised his eyebrows as if he was interested, Rivena continued with a blank expression.

“And from that day on, there is something I need the Prince to help with.”

“What is it?”

It was obvious from his brazen tone that he wouldn’t do it if he didn’t want to.

However, Theodore’s eyes immediately lit up when he heard Rivena’s next words.

“Constantly get involved with Yurika Medest and provoke Johan Hairad.”