I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain [EN]: Chapter 8

“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll continue my meal here.”

I clicked my tongue inwardly at Johan’s resolute words. A strange fire burned in his purple eyes.

Moreover, it was all too clear where that gaze was directed.

Instead of looking at Meryel, the empire’s greatest beauty, his eyes were fixed solely on me…

‘Well, I guess it could happen.’

Whether it was throwing acorns to save him or baring my belly for him to pet, I had been exceptionally kind to him.

Besides, it was said that the sensation of a Divine Beast calming magic power was incredibly ecstatic.

Since it alleviated the pain of being torn apart, how wonderful must it be?

To Johan, who had been isolated and lonely until now, my appearance must have been like a blessing.

In his current state of mind, I must be an indispensable and precious existence.

‘But… Johan won’t need me forever anyway.’

Looking briefly at the rest of the original story, it goes like this:

The Duke of Hাইল란드 [Highland] went to war himself 14 years ago, but after he went missing, an order was issued for Hাইল란드 to send someone else to the battlefield.

‘Of course, Ella gladly sends Johan away. That’s why she’s kept Johan alive until now.’

But when Johan, whose body is a mess, goes to the battlefield, a groundbreaking event occurs.

A ‘Tranquility Potion’ is developed in the temple a few years later.

It was a potion that, as the name suggests, calmed magic power just by drinking it.

Unlike the Divine Beasts, which were few in number and sold at exorbitant prices, the ‘Tranquility Potion’ could be mass-produced and sold cheaply.

‘In other words, my usefulness will end in a few years….’

Johan’s fate, which was originally expected to be short-lived due to his uncontrollable magic power, changes like that.

He drinks several boxes of ‘Tranquility Potion’ provided on the battlefield and quickly awakens as a great mage.

And with that immense magical power, he leads the war to victory and returns as a war hero.

He rightfully becomes the Duke of Hাইল란드 and brutally punishes Tezen and Ella.

Then, he sees Meryel for the first time in the capital and falls in love at first sight, developing an otherworldly obsession……

Well, who knows how that will turn out now, seeing how he doesn’t seem particularly moved even after seeing Meryel for the first time.

‘Yeah, just not paying attention is what makes everyone peaceful.’

I wagged my tail, trying not to imagine Johan’s future, where he would be active as a terrible villain.

“Um….”

As I was reminiscing about the original story, Meryel cautiously spoke.

“What is the Divine Beast’s name? It’s so cute…….”

Tezen wasn’t so unintelligent as to say, ‘It’s called Slave’.

He even had the qualities of a con artist who could overcome this crisis without batting an eye.

“I was worried because I couldn’t think of a good name. Would you like to name it, Princess?”

“R-Really? Is that okay?”

Meryel blushed, looking like she was about to die of happiness.

‘Indeed.’

I crossed my arms and carefully observed Meryel, tapping my foot once.

Meryel was dazzlingly beautiful, befitting the female lead.

Moreover, true to the setting of having a kind and gentle nature like her mother, even her voice was clear and soft.

‘I should look forward to seeing what kind of good name the perfect female lead will give.’

It would be different from Johan, who only rattled off names I didn’t like, like Paul or Tom.

Meryel looked me up and down, lost in thought.

“Hmm… your chubby tail is so cute, and your jet-black eyes are so pretty, so…….”

How good of a name was she going to give me that she was worrying so much?

The deeper her agony became, the more my expectations swelled like a balloon.

After a long time, Meryel blinked and said with a bright smile.

“Blackie! How about Blackie?”

No way.

What am I, a pet?

Is the name Blackie even appropriate for my dignified and solemn self right now?

I tried to shake my head violently but barely managed to hold back after seeing Meryel’s radiant face.

Unlike Johan, I couldn’t easily reveal my feelings to Meryel.

Because… Meryel was, after all, the heir to the Medest Duchy, and I am a realistic squirrel who is weak to power…….

“Blackie, what an excellent naming sense you have.”

Ella must have been just as weak to power, as she clapped her hands with a bright smile even after hearing that terrible name.

“Thank you, Princess. Blackie is also very grateful for the name.”

What, no way.

“Right, Blackie?”

I puffed out my cheeks in dissatisfaction, then rolled my eyes once and nodded.

Because the Hাইল란드 [Highland] crest was engraved on my chest, and if I acted picky, I might be refunded to the temple.

‘Then humanization is really over……. As soon as the Tranquility Potion is developed, the magicians who can absorb my magic power won’t need me anymore. I have to quickly complete humanization through Johan before that happens.’

So, I had to quietly stick to the Hাইল란드 [Highland] Duchy while secretly calming Johan.

“T-Then… um… can I… try to pet it once?”

Meryel spoke earnestly, as if she was making a big request, and Tezen casually pushed me forward as if he was doing a great favor.

“Of course.”

I obediently crossed the table and stood in front of Meryel.

“Blackie.”

It was when Meryel carefully lifted and shook my front paw with a moved expression.

“You’re, you’re so cute… really. And you understand everything I say.”

“Kyung!”

At that moment, I was so surprised that I almost jumped.

‘W-What is it?’

It was because as soon as I came into contact with Meryel, I could feel the magic power sleeping inside her.

In terms of quantity alone, it was an enormous scale not much different from Johan’s.

‘Strange… how can she have so much magic power even though she’s not a magician?’

Moreover, that magic power was perfectly organized and didn’t affect Meryel in the slightest.

Normally, uncalmed magic power would be rampaging through the body, causing pain.

Furthermore, there was no mention of Meryel using magic anywhere in the original story.

Just now, Meryel had said as if magicians and Divine Beasts had nothing to do with her, hadn’t she?

‘Something’s strange…….’

I tried absorbing her magic power as a test. The calm magic power rushed into me.

“Kyung?”

“What’s wrong, Blackie?”

Quite a bit of Meryel’s magic power came into my body and sloshed around, but Meryel didn’t feel any calming effect at all.

‘Something… something’s wrong.’

Was there something I missed? Was there anything like this in the original story? But no matter how much I searched my mind, this important setting had never been explained.

Meryel stared at me as if she was dying of cuteness, then suddenly pulled out a gold thread from her hair ornament.

“This ribbon around your neck looks so uncomfortable… I guess it would be hard to wear it usually, right? You dressed up like this for us to see, right?”

Even amidst my confusion, I nodded for the time being.

She, who had been staring at that appearance as if possessed, quickly tied a light gold thread around my ankle.

“This is my gift, Blackie. It’s so nice to meet you.”

It was definitely much more comfortable than the annoying ribbon. And the important thing: it was gold, even if it was thin.

“Kyuoong!”

Thank you. Gold is the best.

As I was tapping my short ankle towards Meryel, as if I liked it, Tezen said proudly.

“Okay, now come back. Princess Medest also needs to start her meal.”

It was an order that clearly stated that he had the ownership anyway.

I sighed inwardly, but the Hাইল란드 [Highland] crest was engraved on my chest, not the Medest crest.

In other words, it meant that I had to follow Tezen’s orders in the end.

Meryel would go back as soon as the meal was over, and Tezen was my master anyway.

“Kyung.”

It was when I waved my hand at Meryel as if I was sad and was about to cross the table again to return to Tezen.

Whether there was water that Johan had spilled on the table, I slipped momentarily.

“Kyu…!”

N-N-No, I’m falling! What a disgrace for a squirrel!

“……?”

But I was able to avoid the unsightly misfortune of falling backwards in front of everyone.

I felt a cozy warmth behind my back and in front of my belly.

And looking at this overflowing magic power… I could tell whose hand it was just by touching it.

“You have to be careful.”

Johan, who had already gotten up and supported me, was even covering my belly with his other hand.

“You almost fell.”

He stared at me intently, then slowly moved both hands that were holding me towards his chest.

The warm body temperature filled with magic power tightly wrapped around me.

Looking at my still flustered face, Johan whispered to me.

“You almost showed your belly to others. You shouldn’t show such precious things to just anyone.”

“Kyung?”

W-What. Why is he talking so decadently?

For a moment, I made eye contact with Johan, as if we were the only two in this restaurant.

“Johan.”

The one who broke the silence was Tezen.

“Thank you for preventing Blackie from falling.”

Johan slowly raised his eyes and looked at Tezen.

Tezen looked at Johan, who didn’t answer, and continued.

“Then, can you give him back now?”

He confidently held out his hand to Johan. “My squirrel.”