I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain [EN]: Chapter 70

Became a Squirrel to Save the Villain 70

3. Temple Explosion

“Although it’s a celebratory event, we will proceed with procedures similar to previous years.”

Before their departure, the key personnel attending the celebratory event gathered in front of the Imperial Palace’s main gate.

Patr, the High Priest, said with a seemingly amiable smile.

“Duke Hierrad should also accompany us for the first part.”

The ‘first part’ Patr was referring to was as follows:

A slight detour from the path leading from the Imperial Palace to the temple would take them to ‘Daisy Village’ on the outskirts.

‘Daisy Village’ was a small village where patients suffering from Lev disease [a highly contagious disease affecting those with poor nutrition, especially children] lived together.

Because Lev disease was highly contagious, patients were isolated from society.

Their movements were restricted, and they usually lived communally inside designated buildings, cared for by dedicated medical staff.

Patr looked at Johan’s slender frame and joked amiably.

“I don’t think you’re likely to catch Lev disease.”

Before heading to the temple, the imperial family would visit ‘Daisy Village’ to encourage the patients and participate in volunteer work for a short time – the first part of the event.

Of course, these esteemed individuals did not volunteer for long.

The volunteer work was light; it mainly involved holding hands and listening to the patients’ stories.

However, it was considered a meaningful event where the imperial family directly visited the most vulnerable members of the empire and bestowed their grace.

So, the imperial family’s procession, accompanied by numerous guards, made its way to ‘Daisy Village’.

“Wow, it’s Duke Hierrad!”

“He’s a jerk, but an amazing wizard!”

“He’s more handsome than I thought. I expected him to look like a real scoundrel!”

As they moved to the outskirts of the capital, the children who saw them for the first time whispered their thoughts.

“Um… but, doesn’t the Duke’s jacket pocket look very big?”

“Is that the latest fashion in the capital?”

“I don’t know, it looks cool because a handsome person is wearing it.”

Among them, a particularly observant child noticed something others missed.

“Eek! It looked like something was wriggling!”

“R, really?”

“M, m, m, maybe a squirrel peeked out?”

However, even after the children blinked and looked again, Johan’s large pocket remained still.

So, the child who claimed to have seen a squirrel was quickly dismissed as imagining things.

After all, would the war hero Duke Hierrad really be carrying a squirrel in his pocket?

A cold-looking, handsome man with a chilling aura and a small, cute squirrel seemed like an unlikely combination.

Of course, the children’s whispers didn’t reach the ears of the imperial family and Johan in the procession.

They were engaged in polite conversation within the protective layers of guards.

“Ahaha, Duke.”

The Emperor laughed heartily and said.

“Actually, I thought we wouldn’t even need guards since the best wizard on the continent is with us.”

His two sons rode beside him with calm expressions.

The Emperor looked at Johan and continued, as if joking.

“Why are you riding so strangely? Is it because you’re a wizard and not good at riding?”

Johan was indeed riding with a very stiff posture.

To be precise, he was trying to minimize the shaking of his right jacket pocket.

“No, I am very skilled.”

Roymond, who was listening to the conversation, thought, ‘If you’re going to say that, at least fix your posture,’ but decided against saying it.

‘Johan Hierrad might be a bit strange today… but just ignore it.’

He had already been warned by Meriel.

“I can’t tell you everything right now, but the planned event will be resolved well.”

Meriel hadn’t shared all the details, even though she had involved the Crown Prince in the plan.

But Roymond was fine. He was completely smitten.

He was so in love that he would do anything Meriel asked, so there was no reason not to participate in a risk-free task.

‘Especially if things go well, the reward will be…’

So, Roymond turned his head, ignoring Johan’s strange posture.

In any case, while rumors circulated that Johan Hierrad was a strange person in many ways, they arrived at ‘Daisy Village’ as scheduled.

“Now, let’s begin.”

Guards lined every alley in Daisy Village.

The imperial family, paired with high-ranking priests, entered the wards where the patients stayed, offering words of blessing and changing the water towels.

Johan did not volunteer directly.

“Regardless of my attendance here, I am not a member of the imperial family, so I will simply guard the path with the guards.”

He declared as soon as he entered the entrance of Daisy Village, blending in with the guards.

“It wouldn’t look good for me to join in a traditional event that only the imperial family and high-ranking priests have participated in.”

Of course, no one cared whether Johan directly participated in such a helpful volunteer activity or not.

So, everyone just nodded insincerely and soon forgot about Johan’s existence.

Only the guards beside him whispered cautiously.

“Is it because he’s a wizard? Doesn’t he walk a bit strangely?”

“He’s physically strong, but he doesn’t seem to be of much help as a guard. His basic walking is a mess.”

“But he’s a wizard. If he wanted to, he could blow up this whole village.”

In fact, Johan was walking while stiffening his right side as much as possible.

So, Yurika, who was in Johan’s right jacket pocket, could feel a very comfortable ride.

‘It was a long distance, but it’s not as hard as I thought.’

Yurika rubbed her eyes leisurely.

However, apart from the plan going well, she was not entirely comfortable.

During the three days of staying at the Hierrad Duke’s residence, Yurika had become quite concerned about Johan in a different way.

Every night, she calmed Johan down in the form of a squirrel, but strangely, the atmosphere was different from before.

‘Clearly, the place, time, person, everything is the same as before…’

Johan’s touch, stroking her in the narrow tower, was still the same, but she felt subtly strange.

The persistent emotions flickering in his purple eyes felt new.

The sweet whispers were confusing.

‘It was fine to pretend to be fake lovers outside, but why is the atmosphere strange even when we’re alone?’

In the meantime, she had also received a secret note from Lean of the Hisri Information Guild.

It was a warning to be careful, very careful of the wizard.

Well, it was true in a way since Theodore was after her.

And through Theodore, Yurika realized something.

Wizards have a considerable obsession with divine beasts, and once they’re hooked, they don’t want to let go.

If Theodore is so obsessed with her after just one calming, how would Johan, who has calmed her down several times, think of her?

Yurika was not oblivious.

She knew that Johan was treating her specially, and she also noticed that he was subtly seducing her.

Whether she was falling for it was another matter…

‘Does Johan want me that much too?’

Until now, Yurika had treated Johan with the vague expectation that they were just childhood friends and could help each other.

She was also a little proud that he hadn’t grown up to be the villain described in the original story.

‘Was my guess wrong that the obsession with divine beasts would disappear with the development of the calming potion…’

But living in the Hierrad Duke’s residence as before, there was definitely something different between them than when they were children.

When she was lying in bed with him in the form of a squirrel at night, she felt a little ticklish to the tips of her toes, and even when she met him in the Duke’s residence in human form during the day, it felt awkward.

‘He acts so gentle and gentlemanly during the day, but he’s subtly decadent at night. It’s nerve-wracking.’

When Johan rubbed his eyes and laughed softly, or when he stared at her without saying anything.

Every time, Yurika’s heart would beat strangely.

And she was even more confused because she thought that the obsession of wizards was really terrible after experiencing Theodore.

But anyway, the days to feel that sense of incongruity were not far off.

Things would be resolved one by one as planned, and she would soon return to the Medest Duke’s residence.

If she distanced herself from him a little, would she be able to see the situation objectively?

‘First of all, today is the beginning.’

Yurika crossed her arms in Johan’s pocket and nodded.

Johan is Johan, and today is today.

‘Today the temple is doomed! Just you wait!’

And even while she was resolutely determined to take revenge, time outside was flowing.