I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain [EN]: Chapter 68

“Soon?”

Jayden looked at me with a worried face and spoke cautiously.

“Soon, as in when?”

He seemed concerned about Lizzie and me being together.

Well, Lizzie and I had spent the last two days in what felt like a war.

Of course, Lizzie was mostly the victim, but she was literally pinning everything on me.

And since I was being blamed anyway, I just tormented her a little more.

“Uncle.”

I looked at Jayden calmly and asked.

“Have you ever considered that Lizzie… that Lizzie might be a fake?”

“That’s….”

Jayden looked troubled and ran a hand over his face.

“…The baby clothes.”

Those baby clothes that Siena had testified were definitely embroidered by her own hand.

So, of course, he couldn’t help but be concerned.

And in this situation, without any real evidence, saying something like, ‘I’m the real Yurika! I actually turned into a squirrel and eavesdropped,’ would just sound like another act of tyranny from a fake who hates the real one.

Of course, Jayden would say, ‘Of course, Yurika, you could do that,’ but that was separate from whether he believed me or not.

If Lizzie hadn’t appeared, I could have said, ‘I’m the real Yurika,’ but now the timing was too awkward.

‘Uncle is different from Meriel, though.’

Originally, I didn’t plan to tell Meriel the truth either.

But Meriel knew other information that I didn’t.

So, we had a conversation, but Jayden was a different story.

“But if she is a fake,”

Jayden swallowed hard and said coldly.

“I’ll find out where those baby clothes came from and track it down to the end.”

I nodded slowly.

Because that day was not far off.

“Then, Yurika, even if you stay here, you must never bow your head to Johan Hাইলard!”

Jayden said resolutely.

“I’ll pay several times over for your living expenses… Ah, I should make that clear now. How long are you planning to stay, anyway?”

I smiled slightly and replied.

“Probably… until the day of Johan’s triumphal ceremony held by the temple?”

That was three days away.

“Hmm.”

Jayden looked at me with a pitiful expression and asked.

“Come to think of it, Duke Hাইলard will be attending the triumphal ceremony then. Since he’s the person involved.”

No other nobles were attending this temple’s triumphal ceremony.

The triumphal ceremony that Johan had requested from the temple was not on a grand scale.

No, to be precise, it was almost minimal.

It was just that he wanted to accompany the imperial family when they periodically visited the temple to offer prayers.

From the host’s point of view, they would have to create a suitable place for Johan.

Of course, accompanying the imperial family to events was efficient and justified in its own way.

Anyway, it would be strange for only Johan to attend the triumphal ceremony, and holding the event with the imperial family would save face for both sides.

“His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, and Their Highnesses Crown Prince Roymond and Prince Theodore… and Duke Johan Hাইলard will be joining them?”

What was publicly known was as Jayden said.

“Well….”

I nodded once and smiled.

“That’s right.”

“It must be boring. You’ll be staying alone in this Hাইলard mansion that day. It’s good that that beastly guy isn’t here, but….”

Strictly speaking, I was the beast, but….

“Should I come over then? Won’t you be bored?”

“No, it’s really okay.”

I waved my hand at Jayden’s worried words.

“I’m not going to be bored at all on the day of the triumphal ceremony. Really.”

That was true.

I wasn’t on the list of attendees either, but I was planning to attend secretly.

Of course… to do that, I would have to use Renat’s drugs again.

“No, what are you even doing?”

“Just… I have to get rid of a troublesome enemy….”

“Really? Who’s been talking about you behind your back again?”

Jayden seemed to think of the ‘enemy’ as some young lady or gentleman of my age who was gossiping about me in social circles.

“Make sure they can’t even set foot in society.”

Yes, I’m actually trying to make sure they can’t even set foot in the empire.

“If it’s a difficult target, you can carry out a large-scale operation. I’ll take care of it.”

There’s nothing for my uncle to take care of… but it is a bit large in scale.

To get rid of someone in such a high position, there has to be a big incident.

Just in time, a fake came along, and I was able to plan events that were perfect for the triumphal ceremony.

“Anyway, I’m looking forward to it.”

Jayden said with a smile.

“To see what ingenious way you’ll use to get rid of that target.”

I swallowed the words I couldn’t bring myself to say and smiled.

* * *

“You endured well.”

While Yurika was in the drawing room with Jayden, Johan sat in his room with his long legs crossed.

His aide continued to speak diligently beside him.

“Really… it’s a relief. I really thought the mansion might collapse.”

Johan, leaning languidly on his chin and looking out the window, was certainly beautiful.

Long eyelashes cast shadows on his white face, and every movement of his slowly moving fingers was sensual.

“Your magic power was so unstable, it was amazing that you managed.”

Despite Johan’s indifferent reaction, the aide was impressed and continued to talk to himself.

“If Yurika-nim had been hurt even a little, Count Jayden Aberte wouldn’t have stood still….”

“That wouldn’t happen.”

Johan said calmly.

“There’s no way I would hurt Yurika.”

“Then it would have been a disaster if even the prince had been hurt.”

The aide sighed and said.

“Magicians aren’t supposed to use magic on the imperial family, but they could have broken something and hurt them.”

“Was there a need for that?”

Johan smirked, but his eyes didn’t crinkle at all, making him look even more intimidating.

“It would have been enough to just slam them down and throw them out the window.”

“My goodness, Duke!”

The aide trembled because he knew that wasn’t a joke or a bluff at all. Johan was the type to do it.

Thinking about how all three of them managed to escape unscathed in that situation, it was truly a stroke of luck.

‘But what on earth happened?’

Johan even seemed to be in a pretty good mood.

The aide stopped speculating and changed the subject.

“Well, anyway… after the princess escorts the guest out, shall I bring her here right away? I think she wants to see you.”

Considering how Yurika looked apologetic to Johan earlier, it seemed like she had something she wanted to say.

“Ah, no.”

“Yes?”

But Johan, who had been following Yurika as soon as she burst into the Hাইলard mansion, gave a very unexpected answer.

He stroked his chin slowly and muttered.

“If I see her now, I don’t think I can hold back.”

Hold back what?

The aide quietly rolled his eyes, and Johan smiled as if recalling something.

Then he opened his eyes seductively and said.

“If Yurika looks for me tonight, tell her to meet me at the top of the tower.”

That gloomy and remote tower was a place Johan had often frequented from the start. An eerie voice followed.

“Don’t let anyone come near.”

“Yes.”

The aide nodded immediately.

It was a day when I felt sorry for Yurika, who didn’t know Johan’s true nature.

* * *

After seeing Jayden off, I immediately looked for Johan, but the aide told me, ‘He said to meet him at the tower later tonight.’

“Ah, okay.”

Even though he’s a duke, he must have something busy to do.

Moreover, Johan had suddenly inherited the dukedom, so he hadn’t even received a proper handover.

Of course, every day must be busy, and this was such a nuisance. It seemed like I would have to apologize for the sudden kiss at night.

I nodded to the aide right away.

“I’ve been a nuisance in many ways. Johan must have had a lot to deal with, so it must have been hectic since morning.”

“Ah… um. Well… it probably wasn’t a nuisance.”

The aide flinched for a moment, looked at me, and then sighed once.

“Anyway.”

I said softly and smiled.

“I have a lot of things to be sorry for to Johan. As his aide, you must be very worried that Johan is being too soft, right? I’ll definitely repay the favor somehow later, so you don’t have to worry too much that your lord is a pushover. Of course, you don’t believe me, but….”

Even though I said it kindly, the aide’s expression became even more rigid.

It seemed like he was even more distressed, so I ended the conversation there.

“Then tell Johan that I’ll go to the agreed place at the appropriate time.”

“Yes.”

The aide answered right away, but his expression was very strange.

It seemed like he felt sorry for me… and like he was even more apologetic.

Anyway, that night, I headed to the tower.