I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain [EN]: Chapter 21

I faced Meriel again about an hour later. “I’m sorry.”

Meriel sat in front of me and apologized right away. She must have been very surprised herself, but she was so kind.

“My mother misses my sister a lot… My sister also had light brown hair and pink eyes.”

“Oh my.”

“So, she seems to be a bit… confused. She’s asleep now.”

“I see…”

I knew that Siena’s lost second daughter’s name was Yurika.

That was something you could find out just by spending a little time in the Medest Estate.

So, when she called me ‘Yurika,’ I could somewhat predict this situation.

It was just bad luck that my transformation into a human happened at that moment.

Moreover, recently, Siena’s mental state has become very unstable as her body has weakened, and everyone is worried about her.

I had no intention of shocking Siena at all, and I didn’t mean to surprise Meriel like this several times…

“Were you very… surprised?”

I took a cup of cocoa that the maid brought and sat down, speaking cautiously.

I was planning to leave quietly, but I had already turned the mansion upside down, so I felt bad.

Thanks to Meriel’s arrangements, I was also wearing quite luxurious clothes.

The maid had quickly attended to me. It seemed to be clothes that Meriel wore when she was young.

For the first time, I could see my human form in the mirror.

With light brown hair and pink eyes, I was a pretty lovely girl.

Considering my shrewd and cool-headed personality, I thought I would have a slightly more fierce impression, but honestly, I was surprised that I looked so cute.

‘There’s a bit of a gap between my personality and appearance.’

The innocent-looking features with round eyes were not the impression I had imagined.

If I resembled anyone, I had imagined I would look like the spiteful Ella, but it was unexpected.

“It’s okay. You must have been very surprised too.”

Meriel, who looked truly innocent and was even kind, replied gently. I gave a slightly subdued smile.

And… even in this situation…

‘I can talk, amazing. Humans are the best.’

Besides…

‘I can even drink cocoa from a cup. It tastes a hundred times better than sunflower seeds.’

Everything I enjoyed as a human was so wonderful.

In fact, living as a beast meant giving up many dignities as a human and simply being seen as cute, which didn’t quite suit my personality.

Meriel looked at me curiously and asked.

“You transformed into a human?”

She must have read a lot of books about divine beasts since she took me in, and she seemed to grasp the situation quickly.

“But where did you absorb the magic from? I heard you need to absorb a huge amount of magic for more than 50 days…”

“Lady Meriel has a lot of magic.”

I wiggled my fingers as I answered.

I didn’t feel the need to hide this fact here.

Rather, I thought Meriel should know the secret about her body.

“So, I absorbed it a bit… steadily. Enough to transform into a human.”

“I have magic? I can’t use any magic at all.”

Meriel asked in surprise, as if she had never imagined it, and I replied awkwardly.

“I don’t know the details either. But you just had a lot of magic. I knew it the day you came to the Hাইল라드 Duke’s residence for dinner.”

In fact, there was no need to discuss this issue in detail.

Because neither Meriel nor I knew.

“After escaping from the Hাইল라드 Duke’s residence… I wanted to transform into a human, so I came to find you. Young Master Johann erased the seal for me.”

I confessed honestly, twirling the mug.

Of course, I wanted to tell Meriel as much as possible, but I had to protect my safety at least, so I told her to keep it a secret.

“Please don’t tell the temple or the Hাইল라드 Duke’s family. I don’t have good memories of them… Besides, Young Master Johann, who erased my seal, will be in trouble too.”

“Okay.”

Kind Meriel nodded right away.

“It’s a complicated situation, so I’ll keep it a secret. Anyway… you wanted to become human, right? Then it’s something to celebrate.”

She smiled brightly and applauded.

“I don’t know why, but I’m really happy that I was helpful. It’s not easy to have a positive impact on someone.”

“Yes… thank you.”

It was a very kind remark, typical of Meriel.

To be so purely happy that she helped a complete stranger, she truly had the personality of a female protagonist in a story.

I felt my heart being purified and offered my sincere thanks.

Well, while I’m at it, I was about to ask for these clothes when…

“But do you have a place to go?”

Meriel asked worriedly.

“Not really, but… since I’m in human form, I can go anywhere.”

I replied with a slightly dejected face. I was hoping that Meriel might arrange a job for me.

“Of course, I suddenly became human, so I don’t have any relatives to take care of me, and I don’t have any private property…”

Maybe she could sponsor me as a student at the academy that commoners often attend.

Meriel often paid the tuition for smart children from the orphanage.

Looking in the mirror, I was a small girl who looked to be in her early teens, and although it was a bit late, it was a good age to enter the academy.

Of course, I don’t know how to read yet, but if I study basic knowledge for a few days, I seem to have a bit of innate intelligence, so I think I’ll be able to enter the academy…

‘That’s why you shouldn’t be too kind. I’m already thinking about how to freeload.’

Honestly, I felt so shameless that I was almost sorry just thinking about it.

At the same time, it was a moment when I understood the letters of request that poured in for Meriel every day.

“Oh, really?”

However, Meriel seemed to brighten up at my pitiful words.

She grabbed my hand and said.

“Then why don’t you stay here?”

“Here…?”

I blinked for a moment at the unexpected words. Was she going to make me a maid or something?

“Yeah! And help me… you’re smart. You give me a lot of solutions.”

Ah, is she asking me to stay here on the condition that I give Meriel advice on high society and estate management…?

I’ve been quite helpful in the body of a squirrel. Of course, it’s also because Meriel understood me perfectly.

However, I sighed inwardly at Meriel’s suggestion.

No, why are you making it so obvious that you’re going to tell all your information to someone you’ve just met for the first time?

Besides, I was still a young girl with a youthful appearance.

Just because I gave you a few solutions, you trust this young, tiny girl who is clearly younger than you?

“Actually, I really don’t have a place to ask for advice comfortably… Uncle Jayden only scolds me every day for being weak, and yet he absolutely doesn’t allow me to seek advice from others. He says it will reveal the family’s weaknesses.”

Meriel’s voice trailed off as she mentioned Jayden’s name.

‘He’s only saying what’s right.’

Earl Jayden was mentioned as Meriel’s only helper, but he was a man with a rather prickly personality.

He later dies from poisoning, leaving Meriel’s side.

“But you’re not connected to anywhere, you’re a perfect ally who suddenly fell from the sky. So, I think I can trust you.”

Just because I’m not connected to anywhere doesn’t mean I’ll be isolated in the future. She’s really kind, but she’s too soft and has no sense of caution. I clicked my tongue inwardly.

And seeing that, I felt even more that I should take care of this poor and kind soul.

If this is the female lead’s buff [an advantage or boost], that attracts talents, I have nothing to say.

But anyway, it was true that I had nowhere to go.

“Well, I don’t have anywhere to go anyway, so it’s a welcome offer.”

Being in a position like Meriel’s advisor was very good.

Meriel didn’t have political sense, but she had a very big advantage.

That was that she listened to me very well.

The Medest Estate was slowly going to collapse. There were countless misfortunes ahead.

Isn’t it natural for trials to be piled up in front of a kind female protagonist?

However, if I give her good advice from the side, she can prosper greatly. I even know the future well.

So, I smiled and nodded.

“I’m fine with it.”

“Wow, thank you!”

Meriel smiled brightly and held my hand tightly.

Her already pretty face smiled so brightly that even my eyes felt pampered.

“First of all, you transforming into a human is something only my mother and I have seen, so I’ll just say that you’re a commoner I brought from the orphanage. I was lonely anyway, and you seemed smart, so I decided to keep you as a friend!”

But my plan to become Meriel’s advisor immediately collapsed.

Because Siena, who had regained her senses, would shout ‘Yurika, you’re back!’ whenever she saw me.