I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain [EN]: Chapter 24

“Alright, let’s cross-reference these documents.”

Before coming here, I had Meriell retrieve the subsidy documents. Sure enough, the headmaster’s office had meticulously organized accounting records.

“Wow, 200 Elso [currency] for a tray of eggs… Did they plate these with silver?”

The most obvious fraud was in the inflated food expenses.

“They claim they bought 1000 Elso worth of rice yesterday. Shall we inspect the kitchen?”

Predictably, the kitchen held a dwindling supply of old, sticky rice.

I clicked my tongue in disapproval. Emboldened, the children, who had initially been intimidated, gradually gathered around and began to speak up.

“It’s been ages since we had a decent meal!”

“The last time we had meat stew was two years ago! When Lady Meriell visited.”

“Actually, we barely even get hot water…”

Seeing the headmaster being led away, they sensed an opportunity to voice their grievances.

“Okay.”

I rolled up my sleeves and declared, “This is blatant embezzlement, bordering on child abuse. I won’t stand for it. I promise you.”

Actually, it stung a little.

Meriell genuinely cared for her territory.

She even dipped into her personal funds to allocate a significant budget to institutions like orphanages and nursing homes… The problem was, it was only lining the pockets of the corrupt.

‘She has a kind heart, but her sheltered life in the mansion has left her naive to the realities of how these places operate.’

I promptly drafted a formal accusation and entrusted it to the administrative staff accompanying me. Then, I turned to Renat.

“Besides the headmaster, are the other teachers also like this?”

“Almost all of them…”

Renat, glancing around nervously, whispered, “But Teacher Lisa is kind! She secretly shares bread with us at night.”

“I see. I understand.”

I discreetly questioned a few children individually and discovered that a young teacher named ‘Lisa’ showed genuine care for them.

“You will serve as the acting headmaster for the time being. I grant you full authority to hire an entirely new staff.”

Looking around at the now-disrupted orphanage, a woman named Lisa nodded in agreement.

The children’s faces brightened, suggesting it was a wise decision.

I raised my chin and instructed the knight assigned to me.

“Thoroughly inform all orphanages within the Medest territory of the headmaster’s fate here.”

This also served as a warning to Lisa.

It was a clear message that I would be watching to ensure such abuses never recurred in the Medest territory.

“Tell them that similar actions will be met with similar consequences.”

“Yes, Miss!”

It wasn’t a difficult task. The disorganized records themselves revealed their complacency.

‘This is just the beginning…’

If the orphanage I randomly selected was in this state, it seemed I would need to invest considerable effort in rebuilding the Medest family’s reputation and infrastructure.

“Th-thank you.”

As I surveyed the scene with a heavy heart, Renat bowed his head in gratitude.

“I’m truly, sincerely grateful.”

“Grateful? Sister Meriell deeply cares about the people of this territory. It’s just that corrupt individuals were exploiting her generosity. So…”

I raised my hand, gently stroked Renat’s head, and smiled.

“Don’t resent Medest.”

“How could I!”

Renat exclaimed resolutely, his eyes shining.

“I will become an exceptional doctor and serve as the Medest family’s personal physician! I will dedicate myself to my studies so that everyone can live long and healthy lives!”

Then, blushing slightly, he added in a hushed tone, “Of course, Lady Yurika too…”

“Wow, thank you.”

While I was more concerned about Sienna’s health than my own, I smiled warmly at Renat and patted him on the shoulder.

“I noticed you squinting at the book earlier, suggesting your eyesight isn’t great. Let’s get you fitted for glasses on the way to the academy.”

“Th-thank you!”

It seemed matters were largely resolved.

Now, if I simply escorted Renat to the medical academy, I would have achieved my immediate goal.

‘Renat Cardin, who became the empire’s most skilled doctor through self-study… With proper education, he’s sure to become a renowned physician capable of saving Sienna.’

I sighed softly, thinking of Sienna, who always greeted me with a cheerful “Yurika!”.

The sun was already beginning to set.

It would take Renat several years to complete his studies and become Medest’s personal physician, so I could only hope her condition wouldn’t deteriorate too much in the meantime.

‘I’ve addressed one issue… And it’s true that becoming the Medest heiress opens up many possibilities.’

If I were merely an ordinary commoner, I could never have intervened in the orphanage’s affairs so decisively.

In that sense, the Medest family was also indebted to me, but there were numerous actions I could now take in the name of the Medest family.

‘For example, discreetly investigating the temple.’

Ever since the temple came to retrieve me, I had remained vigilant.

‘I must exercise caution in the future. If they discover I’ve humanized [transformed from an animal to a human], the situation could become dire.’

I gazed at the crimson sunset for a moment.

I recalled the sunsets I had witnessed at the Hyrard mansion.

Each time the sun dipped below the horizon and darkness descended, I felt closer to seeing Johan again.

Although I initially embarked on this mutual aid endeavor to regain my human form, I had, at some point, begun climbing the tower with the anticipation of reuniting with a dear friend.

‘Did Johan manage to resolve everything? I need to ask him why he told me not to worry when we meet again.’

I smiled faintly, picturing Johan on the battlefield.

Evening, in a rear area of the battlefield. “Young master, what are you doing? Aren’t you going to eat?”

A cook approached the boy and widened his eyes in surprise.

“Shh!”

A boy with black hair and purple eyes put his finger to his lips, signaling for quiet.

He was cutting bread into small pieces and placing them on a rock, and a wary squirrel was lingering behind a tree.

After a little time, the squirrel, whose wariness had eased slightly, scurried over and picked up the piece of bread the boy had placed.

The boy’s face lit up with a slight smile as he watched the squirrel stuff the bread into its cheeks.

The sight was so beautiful that the cook caught his breath for a moment.

This boy, remarkably handsome even for a man, was Johan Hyrard, a nobleman deployed in place of the recently deceased Duke Hyrard.

However, Johan Hyrard, deployed after the Duke’s death, was only sixteen years old and in poor health. Therefore, he was temporarily stationed in the rear.

Johan’s eyes were so warm as he looked at the little squirrel that the cook sighed softly and stepped back slightly.

This boy, who generally had cold eyes, sometimes showed a kind expression, and it seemed like it was one of those times again.

‘Momo, I wonder how you’re doing?’

Johan was lost in thought as he looked at the squirrel.

He was currently in the rear, not playing a significant role and only causing trouble, but according to Momo, the temple would release a magic suppressant in a few years.

If so, he would be able to control his magic well enough even without the sacred beast, so he would be able to use magic to end the war.

After the war is over, he will go find Momo right away.

‘I hope you’re living well somewhere…’

The squirrel he was watching scurried into the forest.

The sunset was setting behind the squirrel hiding its body.

Soldiers said that they felt sad for no reason when the sunset came down, but Johan liked the sunset time.

The memory of eagerly waiting for the squirrel running with the darkness and night on its back was vivid.

‘I miss you.’

Other soldiers besides him often wrote letters to their families.

But of course, Johan did not send a single letter to the Hyrard mansion.

To him, family was only Momo, so he had no other wish than to find Momo again and live together after the war was over.

‘Momo, I’ll give you everything I can give you. You just have to stay by my side and enjoy all those things together.’

As Momo said, once he becomes a war hero, he will have everything.

Starting with the Hyrard dukedom, all wealth and honor.

He will gift her everything that cannot be compared to the gold thread that Meriell wrapped around her or the acorns that Tezen gave her.

‘Momo will have nowhere to go and no family after she humanizes… So, I’ll be the only one to live with.’

Johan thought as he watched the squirrel finish eating the bread and run away.

‘That way, we… become each other’s only family. If we just meet again.’

His face quietly broke into a smile as he thought of the cute girl who seemed to be his age, with light brown hair and warm, kind pink eyes.