I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain [EN]: Chapter 121

Even with Father and Johan glaring daggers at anyone who approached, the mages from the frontier kept trying to talk to me.

If it were just young men hitting on me, I could come up with excuses to avoid them, but the problem was that people of all ages and genders were subtly trying to strike up conversations.

“Wow, isn’t she amazing?”

Watching this, the nobles from the central social circles were clicking their tongues.

“She really is something. Duke Oscar Medest seems completely smitten. Well, he’s been away from home for so long, after all…”

“Or maybe he’s just playing along with the Duchess. He was terrible to his own family, wasn’t he?”

“Look at her social skills… Since she’s infamous in the capital, she must have decided to gain popularity in the frontier?”

I didn’t particularly need to gain popularity, so it was really frustrating.

There was one group in particular that was quickly stirring up public opinion.

‘Here we go again…’

It was Young Lady Yella’s group. They seemed to think this was their chance and were working hard to put me down.

They still seemed to be harboring a grudge about the time I got one over on them at the victory banquet.

‘Seriously, they never learn.’

I sighed once and crossed my arms.

‘They got burned last time, too…’

I wasn’t too upset back then because I thought I could use them, but now I was a little annoyed.

“Anyway, she’s not just pretending to be real for nothing. But aren’t the Medest people being way too gullible? If they cherish her that much, they’ll start thinking the fake is real?”

Yella, in particular, was very excited and chattering away.

“I heard from a former servant who quit that she really acts like a real princess. I mean, after turning the family upside down with the fake princess incident, how can she be so shameless…? I heard she’s even claiming she’s the real one these days?”

“Yes, Lady Meriel said so. That Yurica seems real. I mean, how did she manage to win them over?”

Hey, is it my fault that family was turned upside down…? Besides, why don’t you believe Meriel and suspect she’s been won over?

I bit my lower lip slightly. It seemed like I couldn’t stand by and watch any longer.

“What’s wrong, Yurica?”

Johan whispered softly beside me.

“Want to slap someone? I’ll cheer you on.”

He must have noticed my unusual expression.

“What are you talking about? There’s no need to play the troublemaker anymore.”

I chuckled and replied.

“Starting today, I need to make sure they can’t have those useless conversations again.”

Just then, the bell at the top of the temple rang softly. The nobles who had been chatting in groups of twos and threes fell silent all at once.

In the distance, the thirteen-year-old boy who would be appointed as the new High Priest was walking in.

Everyone’s eyes were on the small boy.

Even though he was to become the High Priest, he was accompanied by imperial knights, not holy knights, on both sides. The mages from the frontier, who didn’t properly understand the situation in the capital, were murmuring.

“It looks like they’re going to start with the High Priest’s appointment ceremony.”

I muttered cautiously. The boy who would soon become the High Priest looked intimidated.

Father chuckled and replied.

“I see you know the Emperor is using a rather petty trick.”

Mages and high-ranking nobles were all gathered in one place.

Since the imperial family was in charge of this event held in the temple, I knew what they were aiming for.

Of course, we were planning to use their scheme in reverse.

“Well, then, first of all.”

Father said slowly.

“Once that kid is appointed as the High Priest, we need to get the Holy Water.”

The Holy Water wasn’t anything special, just water blessed by the High Priest.

However, there was a spatial constraint that the place had to be a temple, and now all the conditions were met.

A few words of congratulation from the Emperor followed, and the boy stood on the altar.

After a somewhat humiliating declaration that he was the first High Priest recognized not by the temple but by the Emperor, light poured down on the boy standing on the altar.

Gasps of admiration erupted from the nobles who were seeing the temple’s secret ceremony for the first time.

It was the birth of a new High Priest and the first major event decorating the day.

* * *

Libena was swirling her champagne glass next to Theodore, taking deep breaths. She had bet everything on today.

Coming back to the temple made her feel strange.

Libena had always liked the quiet and neat atmosphere of the temple. For her, research ethics and everything else didn’t matter; what was important was creating an environment where she could focus on her research.

She also liked Patr, who had always supported and believed in her.

She knew that Patr was using her, but they already had a sense of camaraderie as partners on the same boat.

It was different from Theodore, who was only thinking about other things next to her now.

But now, the once serene temple was filled with nobles chattering and socializing.

A child with the heavy influence of the imperial family was sitting in the High Priest’s seat, trembling.

From Libena’s point of view, it felt like her livelihood had been trampled on.

‘So I have to succeed… no matter what.’

Libena glanced at Yurica, who was surrounded by mages from the frontier, and thought.

‘I have to turn back time somehow. I have to brainwash her not to humanize under any circumstances.’

It was Libena’s scheme to gather all the mages.

At this moment, the person who knew the most about the Divine Beast in the world was Libena.

Any mage with a considerable amount of mana would instinctively be drawn to Yurica.

However, Yurica wouldn’t know because there weren’t many such mages in the capital. Neither would Johan Hairad.

‘So, how is it?’

As expected, Johan’s expression wasn’t good as he watched people constantly sticking to Yurica.

‘It’s hard to bear, isn’t it? With that possessiveness of yours.’

Johan’s father, the late Duke Hairad, had imprisoned his mother and eventually killed her just because she had tea with other men once.

Johan’s mother wasn’t even a Divine Beast.

So Johan must be rotting inside, even if he doesn’t show it. There were plenty of young men blatantly glancing at Yurica in the temple.

‘You must have felt uneasy about attending this sudden event…’

While Libena was lost in thought, the High Priest’s appointment ended.

The position of High Priest was given to that small boy named Ian.

In accordance with due process, the divine power of the crescent-shaped statue, which could be said to be the symbol of the temple, was bestowed upon the child. Cheers followed.

‘He had no choice but to come.’

Libena glanced at Oscar.

He was another Medest she had studied for a long time.

Meanwhile, the Emperor said softly.

“Now, as the next order, I will officially declare the return of Duke Medest.”

Putting Oscar’s return as the second order was clearly the Emperor’s intention.

He wanted to place it after the first event that attracted the most attention and then bury it quickly with the next event.

The Emperor watched Oscar slowly walk onto the platform and smiled benevolently.

“Well, I heard you don’t remember the battlefield, but I’m glad you came back to our side safely.”

The congratulations were quite short. Still, Oscar didn’t show much disappointment and answered cheerfully.

“Thank you for welcoming me, Your Majesty.”

Many nobles offered congratulatory applause for Oscar’s return. So did his family, whom Oscar had brought with him.

Meriel, who was next to Roymond, even dabbed away tears once again.

“But one thing needs to be corrected.”

Oscar said calmly.

“My memories of the battlefield are slowly coming back.”

He immediately turned his gaze to Libena. Libena flinched for a moment and trembled.

‘There’s no way he can remember…? He must have been unconscious when he was a beast…’

Then, she quickly calmed herself and managed her expression.

‘There’s no way he can remember. He’s just bluffing after hearing something from Yurica.’

While Libena was anxiously looking at Oscar, the Emperor continued the conversation smoothly.

“Oh, is that so? That’s something to celebrate. Your family must have been worried sick. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. It seems to be a war aftermath, so the imperial family will help as much as possible.”

“Yes, thank you very much. That’s why…”

Oscar looked straight at the Emperor and said.

“I was wondering if I could ask the High Priest for Holy Water.”

Libena swallowed hard. People who didn’t know the situation wouldn’t understand, but Oscar was declaring a head-on collision.

But at this moment, without any particular evidence?

Libena held her breath as Oscar continued.

“It seems that my disappearance, my wife’s madness, and my second daughter’s disappearance are all related to the temple.”