I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain [EN]: Chapter 88

Mariel and I exchanged somewhat awkward glances.

So, it’s true that all four family members are gathered… but both parents are, well, not quite normal…

I answered with a worried expression.

“According to Johann, they haven’t become divine beasts either. It seems the temple has taken some measures…”

“It’ll be hard to know for sure, right?”

I felt a bit helpless about that too. If it’s the temple, of all places, there was no way to get help.

I rolled my eyes and asked cautiously.

“We don’t know our family’s secrets either. Mariel, are you sure all the books in the estate are all there is? Maybe there’s something at a villa, or somewhere else?”

I had already searched through all the old books in the mansion. There was nothing more to be found at home.

“Or, we could read His Majesty’s book about the… curse.”

“Even if the Crown Prince requests it, they say access is forbidden.”

Mariel tapped the table nervously with her fingers and said,

“So, I’ve been looking into it in various ways.”

“Yes?”

“I can’t just let you suffer alone. It’s our family’s business. I’ve been asking around everywhere too…”

Of course, I’m better at asking around since I’m close to the information guild, but still, Mariel was the head of the Medest family.

So, she could use more reliable connections when it comes to the Medest family.

Mariel carefully stroked the forehead of the tiger that had come to her side and said,

“I sought advice from the last surviving member of our family’s Council of Elders.”

“Council of Elders…”

The Council of Elders was a system that all noble families used to have, but it disappeared about 100 years ago due to pressure from the Empire.

I only knew it as a procedure for seeking advice from the family’s distant relatives.

“Yes. The system disappeared in my great-grandfather’s generation. But anyway, one of the Council members from that time is still alive, so I went to meet him in person.”

Mariel tilted her head and continued.

“But he’s so old that his memory comes and goes. His son is taking care of him alone, so there wasn’t much reliable information. But he did say something strange.”

“Strange words?”

In my experience, the more ‘strange words’ like that, the higher the probability that they were very important.

When I sparkled my eyes, Mariel muttered in an unsure voice.

“It was a really good thing to kick out those Artear Baron scoundrels…”

“Yes?”

“Even if the idea of a family of brilliant geniuses is tempting, you shouldn’t have joined hands with such a vicious family from the start…”

“Artear?”

It was a name I had never heard before.

Moreover, considering she said ‘kicked out’ or ‘joined hands,’ it must be related to the Medest family, but I had never seen it in any historical records.

“I’ve never heard of it before.”

“Yeah. I went back and searched all the documents in the mansion, but there was no such name.”

Mariel sighed and continued.

Clearly, it’s a family related to us, right?

But the fact that it’s not in any historical records means it must have been deliberately erased.

“I should meet him. If I stay by his side, he might say more important things, right?”

It was when I said that with an enthusiastic voice. Mariel said with a dark face.

“But there’s a problem.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“That… I said his son was taking care of him, right? Because he’s not mentally sound.”

“Yes.”

“That son is stepping in to stop him from saying more. He seems to know the situation, but he doesn’t seem to want to tell us.”

So, the son of the Council of Elders member who knows the ‘important fact’ is stopping his father from telling us, right?

Of course, he must have a reason. From his point of view, we’re not someone he necessarily has to help.

“You’ve worked hard, Mariel.”

I smiled brightly, holding Mariel’s hand.

“Now I’ll find a way.”

Now that I’ve found a clue, it’s time to act.

I destroyed the temple, and I’ve finally returned to the Medest estate.

* * *

The next day.

I went out secretly. The destination was the Hisri Information Guild.

It was the most reliable and capable place.

As soon as I visited the information guild, the guild leader, Lean, greeted me in person.

“Ah, Princess. You’ve returned safely.”

What was reflected in Lean’s eyes was clear delight.

“Of course.”

I sat down and smiled brightly.

“I was with the most outstanding magician in the Empire, there’s no reason I couldn’t return safely.”

And in response to my answer, Lean muttered with a bitter face.

“That’s… I’m congratulating you on returning safely from the Hyland estate.”

“Yes?”

“Didn’t I secretly warn you last time?”

Lean said with a serious glint in his eyes, as if worried.

“A magician is never someone who lets go of what they like.”

“Hmm.”

Looking at Theodore, that warning seemed to fit very well.

“Anyway, it’s a miracle that you came back well. Personally…”

Lean continued with a cautious face.

“…It would be best if you didn’t get involved with magicians anymore.”

“Okay.”

I nodded lightly and tucked my hair behind my ear.

“I understand Lean’s opinion well.”

It meant that I would listen to it, but I wouldn’t forget that it was just a personal opinion.

When I didn’t say, ‘I definitely won’t get involved,’ Lean had a complicated face and let out a faint sigh.

“Surely, Princess… you haven’t failed to notice that Duke Hyland wants you, have you? I believe you’re not that much of a fool in that area.”

I lowered my eyes slightly and sighed.

As Lean said, I wasn’t a fool, so I knew that Johann was being kind to me.

It was too far to say that we were helping each other because we had a connection since we were young.

Of course, Lean didn’t know that I was a divine beast. So, naturally, he could only think of it as a romantic relationship.

‘But… I truly have abilities.’

On the day of the assassination attempt, I had first suggested a kiss in the carriage and was actually harassed like crazy.

When I recalled that persistent gaze and gesture, I naturally became embarrassed enough for my ears to heat up.

I had to admit what I had to admit.

No matter how nonchalantly I acted afterward, we had crossed the line between colleagues or friends that day.

If you ask me if I didn’t like it, the truth was that I didn’t dislike it.

Originally, I was positive about meeting Johann to the point that I thought I should marry him instead of Mariel.

But as the time I spent with Johann piled up, it became even more difficult.

To be exact, my heart was becoming more conflicted.

I fiddled with the hem of my dress and muttered.

“Johann likes me. He does everything to be with me. He’s someone who sincerely comforts me and worries about me.”

There was no doubt about that fact.

But when the relationship of ‘magician and divine beast’ was added to that, my thoughts became complicated again.

‘The fact that I’m a divine beast may have originated from our family’s curse. Then, if I break that curse, my divine power might disappear.’

And even if I can no longer calm him down… will Johann still cherish me as he does now?

Even if he still likes me after that, what if it’s not the same as now…

But I couldn’t not break the curse that was on our family.

‘Could it be that I’m worried about getting hurt now?’

My heart was conflicted. It seemed like I had been too close to Johann all this time.

We were helping each other and even became physically entangled, so it became even more complicated.

I think it was okay until we kissed, but after that, my heart was so fluttery…

I looked at Lean and slowly spoke my true feelings.

“But I think I need to be apart for a while. We’ve gotten too close.”

Johann doesn’t need to use magic, and I don’t have to keep calming him down because of the guilt that Johann used magic because of me…

If we could separate a little and meet as a woman and a man, not as a divine beast and a magician, wouldn’t my thoughts be more organized?

I also felt like I needed to look into my heart slowly.

Strangely, I seemed to have been swayed by Johann in this direction all along.

“I should gradually stop the fake relationship too. This situation is really not good for Johann.”

Honestly, it was an undeniable fact that Johann was helping me a lot with my work. I couldn’t be free from that sense of debt.

“I shouldn’t get involved for a while.”

I gave him a lot of calming energy last time, so Johann will be able to endure without me for a while.

“…Will he accept it? Isn’t he going to go crazy with his eyes turned? He’s a magician anyway. What if he tries to get involved somehow and rushes at you from that side? I feel like he’s going to do just that.”

Well… honestly, I don’t know.

“Anyway, that’s that.”

I cleared my throat and changed the subject.

“Did you find out what I asked you yesterday?”