I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain [EN]: Chapter 125

It wasn’t the first time I had come to the temple with Johan. I had been here with him when rescuing my father, albeit in the body of a squirrel.

Back then, Johan used much more magic than he does now.

So, I had never considered this situation. Using magic and then acting strangely?

Moreover, not only Johan but also the other wizards were acting abnormally.

Logically, does it make sense that they would flock to my side in this situation, claiming they want to be soothed?

Even if the wizards were desperate for tranquility, it was odd that they were drawn to me by instinct, as I am not a sacred beast now.

“Let’s go quickly.”

Johan said, gripping my wrist again.

His voice was much more subdued than usual.

“Now that things have turned out this way, it’s best to proceed as quickly as possible.”

Everything was within the realm of possibility, but I didn’t expect the wizards to act like this.

‘But one of those rampaging wizards is Johan.’

Just by looking at him, Johan seemed unstable.

“Johan.”

I asked quietly.

“Are you okay? Can you really do it?”

“Of course.”

Johan said in a low voice, warily watching the wizards who were slowly approaching me again.

“Let’s go.”

As if unable to bear it any longer, Johan lightly kissed my forehead and then unleashed a large amount of magic at the other wizards once more.

And he grabbed my hand and started running.

* * *

Libena looked down at the collapsing temple from the railing.

This secret device was taught to her alone by Patr.

Patr told Libena about the secret device passed down only to the successive high priests, saying:

“Don’t you love the temple more than anyone else? So, if you use this, it must mean a truly great crisis has befallen the temple.”

That was right. Libena loved the temple.

The temple supported her in whatever experiments she conducted, as long as they were profitable.

When she needed children from the Medest family, they were immediately provided, and when she wanted to research Duke Medest’s blood along the way, they even kidnapped Oscar for her.

Thanks to that, Libena learned many things.

She created things that she would never have been able to create without the temple.

With each surprising result, Libena felt like she was proving the genius of the Artear baronial family.

She hated the Medest family for immediately disowning Artear, saying he was bad and conducting unethical experiments.

This temple, where she was born and raised, was collapsing before her eyes.

‘It’s okay.’

Libena thought, catching her breath.

‘I can turn it back.’

Her last experiment was incomplete, but she had to believe that it still had potential.

Libena had recently invented more than just that.

She had also created a scent that stimulated wizards.

Although there were spatial constraints due to the temple, it was the perfect drug to use today.

It was good to distract Johan, but it was also useful to make the other wizards approach Yurika.

Either way, that fact would only further stimulate Johan.

Watching Johan use magic uncontrollably, Libena smirked as if things were going according to plan. And she began to move towards them.

Around that time, Theodore was not with Libena.

His mission was elsewhere.

‘Meriell was taken away by that fool Roymond… and Jayden is locked up.’

Theodore’s goals were just two: Meriell and Jayden.

To be precise, it was to hinder Siena’s blood relatives, except for Yurika, so that Yurika would inevitably have to go to the central garden.

As planned, he dropped a chandelier on Meriell’s head and dropped a wall in front of Jayden, who was wandering around with others, trapping him.

Moreover, with the central garden on fire, Yurika and Johan would have no choice but to rush to get Siena’s cure.

Meriell had fainted and been taken away, and Jayden’s whereabouts were unknown as he was swept away by the crowd. Yurika was the only one of Siena’s blood relatives who could collect Alit 풀 [Alit herb/grass – likely a medicinal herb].

Even if Duke Medest took care of everything, Yurika had to solve that one thing.

He had also secretly seen Oscar handing Johan a potion bottle from behind.

From their perspective, it might be the last holy water, so they must have thought they should split it up and take it.

“Now, start putting out the fire. It’s starting to get hard to breathe.”

Theodore leisurely waited in front of the central garden, gulping down calming potions.

“Everyone must have noticed the fire by now.”

Behind him were a bunch of escort knights he had brought. All of them were armed.

Since no one can bring private soldiers into the temple, Johan would obviously come with Yurika alone.

“Come quickly.”

While the temple was in chaos, Theodore’s face was all smiles.

“I’ll deal with Johan Hyrrad.”

To be precise, his escort knights would deal with him.

Theodore vividly remembered being beaten by Johan back then.

He was so happy to finally get revenge on Johan.

Roymond, who could smooth things over like back then, was no longer there.

He had already thought about how to explain this situation.

Johan would have definitely attacked the wizards who rushed at Yurika on the way.

Using that, Theodore planned to order his escort knights, ‘Duke Hyrrad has gone mad and is attacking wizards for no reason! He looks like he’s about to attack me now, so catch him immediately!’

‘Then it’s a dilemma.’

Attacking the imperial knights would also be treason.

‘If it weren’t for Johan Hyrrad, Yurika would be… easy to catch.’

Libena said she would join after seeing the situation from above.

Either way, Libena’s plan required a wizard. It meant she had to use him. She couldn’t betray him.

That’s when Theodore’s escort knights were diligently putting out the fire.

Most of the Alit 풀 densely planted in the garden had burned and disappeared.

Except for a small space to use as bait.

“Remember, Your Highness. To complete the experiment, Princess Yurika Medest must be in squirrel form.”

Libena had instructed him that way.

“When you meet Yurika, pour this drug on her. Then she will probably turn into a squirrel. There is a time limit, but once she turns into an animal, I can take care of the rest. As you know, I am good at handling animals.”

That was easy. All he had to do was pour the drug on Yurika when she came to get the 풀.

He deliberately left the 풀 only at his feet. What a great environment to lure Yurika.

Yurika probably didn’t know what they were plotting. Who would imagine that an experiment to distort time would be conducted?

After telling the knights to hold Johan, he should demand Yurika to ‘walk over on her own feet’ as if to show off.

That’s when Theodore was waiting for Yurika and Johan triumphantly, fiddling with the vial in his arms.

With a swoosh―, his feet were instantly wet.

“Wh, what?”

Theodore jumped up in surprise at the unexpected situation.

It happened in an instant.

Theodore was so surprised that he almost fainted because he hadn’t felt any sign until the holy water was poured on his feet.

At the same time, he reflexively took out the vial from his arms and poured it out.

After all, he vaguely thought that Yurika was the only one who would pour holy water on the Alit 풀 at his feet.

Besides, strangely… he felt a strange aura similar to Yurika’s.

It all happened in the blink of an eye, so his escort knights didn’t seem to grasp the situation.

And only after all that happened….

“D, Duke Medest?”

Theodore blinked as he looked at the man standing in front of him.

“Yes, it’s me, Your Highness.”

Oscar said in a cold voice. His voice already had a beastly growl mixed in.

“No way……”

Theodore took a step back in an instant.

Oscar was very famous on the battlefield for being as fast as a beast and skilled in stealth. All of this happened because he had made up his mind to hide his presence and come like lightning.

Oscar raised his eyebrows and said.

“You didn’t think we would fall for such an obvious trick, did you?”

One thing was certain. Theodore was panting and rolling his eyes.

Something was not going according to their plan.

And… if he poured the drug that turns Yurika into a squirrel on Oscar, Oscar would be…….

“L, Libena? Wh, when is she coming? Huh?”

Theodore’s face turned pale.