I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain [EN]: Chapter 31

The second piece of news was that the head physician, who had served the Medest family for a long time, had finally retired.

The head physician, skilled but old and always wanting to retire, submitted his resignation with joy as soon as a new successor was appointed.

The new head physician of the Medest family was none other than Baron Renat.

“Renat! That’s amazing, really.”

Renat was an orphan boy Yurika had previously sponsored. He not only graduated at the top of his class from the Medical Academy but also achieved remarkable research results, earning him the title of Baron. He was a genius doctor.

When Renat graduated, the Medical Academy pleaded with him to take on research and professorial positions, but he refused at once, saying he had a place to go to repay his gratitude.

Naturally, the place Renat headed was the Medest family.

As promised, Renat became the Medest family’s head physician, offering to care for Sienna. He had grown into a fine young man.

Yurika knew he was a genius, but she didn’t realize he had the potential to earn a baronetcy on his own. She greeted him happily.

“Thank you for keeping your promise. I’m sorry to ask, but please take care of my mother.”

“There’s no need to apologize. I studied hard to keep my promise to you, Princess. I’ll accept your thanks after I’ve completely cured the Madam.”

Renat, with his silver hair tied back short and round glasses, still had the same gentle and kind impression he had as a child.

Yurika took Renat’s hands and nodded deeply.

“Please do. And now that we’re no longer in the position of sponsor and sponsored, let’s be friends as people. Don’t be too formal.”

Renat was naturally kind and amiable, so he adapted easily to the Medest estate.

Moreover, with his baronetcy, there were no social barriers to building friendships.

Soon, he became close not only to Yurika but also to Meriel.

As he began to care for Sienna with all his heart, Sienna’s condition began to improve significantly.

‘Am I changing the original story well?’

Yurika thought, watching Sienna, who, unlike in the original story, did not pass away after the war.

‘Everything… will be alright, right?’

At first, everyone who saw Yurika, who had suddenly appeared one day, agreed that she was incredibly lucky.

Some even suggested that the seemingly shrewd girl might take Meriel’s place and hasten the downfall of the Medest family.

Many now believed that the Medest family was finally doomed.

There was even an opinion that the orphan girl must have a backer and would run away after making a big score.

However, from the moment that girl became Yurika Medest, the slowly declining fortunes of the Medest ducal family began to recover little by little.

Taxes began to be collected efficiently in the Medest territory, and corrupt middle managers were fired one by one.

Even Sienna’s younger brother, Jayden, learned the truth about the family of his goddaughter who had deceived him for a long time and escaped the risk of poisoning.

“Isn’t the Medest ducal family really lucky?”

“I caught a glimpse of her then, and she was very cute and smart.”

“She’s different from Meriel. She’s not easy to deal with.”

“Rumor has it that she’s already known in social circles for being extraordinary.”

“Count Jayden says she’s quite clever. He seems to be obsessed with his new niece these days.”

Yurika had always been on good terms with Meriel and was very close to her uncle, Count Jayden.

So it didn’t take long for everyone to call her Yurika Medest.

That alone meant Yurika had changed the original story quite a bit.

On Meriel’s first birthday after being adopted, Yurika gave Meriel a truly special birthday present.

“Sister, this is a birthday present. I went to the Estan region myself and bought it.”

“Oh, my goodness…”

“There’s a legend that if you have a music box from the Estan region, love will come true.”

At that moment, Meriel’s face turned bright red.

Yurika, noticing that she was currently building a friendship with the male lead, the Crown Prince, smiled and added.

“Everything will be alright.”

“But I’m… destined to be given to a war hero…”

Meriel muttered, fiddling with the music box Yurika had given her.

That fact was a huge obstacle for her.

“That war hero might be a very good person. Someone who respects the Princess’s wishes and doesn’t force her to do anything.”

Yurika felt a bit bitter as she spoke. The personality of the war hero she described was the complete opposite of Johan in the original story.

However, Meriel smiled brightly and replied.

“Yes, I hope so… Thank you, Yurika, it feels like the gift I needed most.”

Yurika nodded, watching Meriel’s smile.

And when he appeared as a war hero five years later, as in the original story, Yurika once again hoped that she had changed the original story well enough to move Johan.

“The war is over…”

Meriel’s pupils trembled as she received the letter announcing the end of the war.

Meriel, who had come of age last year, was now the head of the Medest family.

She forced a smile and barely managed to speak. “It’s a good thing… It’s a really good thing. Finally, many sacrifices can disappear.”

But I knew why Meriel’s lips were trembling.

The reason Meriel couldn’t avoid enlisting was the negotiation with the Imperial Family that ‘the war hero should marry the Medest Princess.’

However, in the meantime, Meriel was already deeply in love with the male lead, the Crown Prince…

Therefore, there was only one thing that Meriel and the Crown Prince wanted right now.

That the war hero is a very generous woman with no men in her family, or a faithful man who already has a family and doesn’t want Meriel.

But Johan Hairad was now a young man of twenty-one, and he had long been deprived of his family by his half-brother and stepmother.

Even if his family was good, he had no base of support in the capital, so there was no reason to refuse marriage with the Medest ducal family.

Everyone expected Johan Hairad to marry Meriel, of course.

“I don’t know how fortunate we are… Right? The war is over, it’s a really good thing… Everyone is happy.”

Meriel continued to mutter as if comforting herself.

Of course, muttering such obvious words meant she was forcibly brainwashing herself.

“Be honest.”

I sat across from Meriel and slowly put down my teacup.

“You don’t want to marry Johan Hairad, do you?”

“Yurika…”

In the meantime, I had become the perfect Yurika Medest.

Sienna still cherished me, calling me Yurika as if I were her lost daughter, so the people in the mansion all called me the Second Young Lady.

Since my origins were known to be from an orphanage, I kept my social life to a minimum, but everyone knew that there was a fake Second Princess in the Medest family.

And Meriel, in the meantime…

“Yes, that’s right.”

…Kept me close as if I were her real younger sister. Even when the servants below gradually consulted me first on serious matters, or when Sienna and Jayden treated me like the real Yurika and cherished me.

Meriel, who was so kind, was consistently warm to me from beginning to end, without any jealousy or wariness.

Ah, really annoying….

If you open up to me and discuss everything with such a pure heart, I really…

“But there’s nothing I can do. Wouldn’t anyone hate marrying a man they’ve never had a proper conversation with? Except for one family dinner a few years ago, we’ve never even met.”

…I want to protect you no matter what.

Meriel was really kind and pure, but she had no political sense at all.

Therefore, she didn’t know how to use various tricks.

So, various dangers had befallen the Medest ducal family in the meantime. But thanks to my excellent defense each time, we were able to overcome the crisis.

Firmly stepping on the vassals who tried to climb up with various excuses.

Reasonably compromising when the Empire demanded excessive taxes.

Well assisting from the side when there were attempts to tarnish Meriel in social circles.

Honestly, I can be the second daughter here. Really. At this point.’

Perhaps the wealth of the Medest ducal family that I have protected is more than my inheritance.

‘Well, I’m just saying. If the real Yurika ever comes back, I’ll have to step down, of course.’

I carefully gathered my thoughts whenever I felt proud of myself, but still.

“And…”

Without knowing what I was thinking, Meriel continued to whisper in a tearful voice.

“I like the Crown Prince… But these feelings will only be a nuisance to each other. The Crown Prince, of all people, can’t break the Empire’s promise. Isn’t that right?”

Before I knew it, the forced smile had disappeared, and the corners of her lips were drooping gloomily.

“Since I didn’t fulfill my military duty… I have to fulfill all other duties.”

Hmm.

In the end, do I have to step in again?

“You want to marry the Crown Prince instead of Johan Hairad, don’t you?”

“H-Huh?”

“…I’ll make that happen.”

Ugh, it’s come to this after all.