I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain Chapter 96

Lean continued speaking, tapping her knee with her finger.

 

“Many great wizards have come from the Duke of Hyrad through the generations. Do you know what their special characteristics are?”

 

“How would I know? Just being from Hyrad doesn’t automatically make someone a skilled wizard…”

 

“They were too obsessed with their wife.”

 

He shook his head, as if the mere thought was horrifying.

 

“You don’t even have to go far—just think about the previous Duke….”

 

There are very few people who know much about the former Duke and Duchess of Hyrad.

 

Especially considering that Yohan’s biological mother had died at the hands of the previous Duke not long after giving birth to him.

 

And it wasn’t because she had done something terribly wrong.

 

At that time, she simply asked Duke Hyrad for a divorce.

 

Divorce was rare in the empire, but it was not illegal.

 

Yohan’s biological mother had the right to demand a separation, no matter how much her husband loved her.

 

But the Duke, who was a wizard, lost control of his rage and went berserk.

 

He wasn’t sane, no matter how you looked at it.

 

Everyone was gossiping that it was the madness of a wizard, but if they look at it that way, isn’t Yohan a greater wizard than his biological father?

 

“He’ll act kind. He’ll seem gentle. But that will only happen when Lady Yurika is by his side as he wishes.”

 

Intertwined with the events of the previous generation, the more she imagined the combination of Yurika and Yohan, the more it filled her with unease.

 

She had been the one to suggest that Yurika should travel with Yohan, so that only made the feeling worse.

 

“If he’d never had her, it’d be one thing. But once a wizard has had someone, how do you think he’ll react when she tries to leave?”

 

“uh… hmm… I really hope that doesn’t happen.”

 

“But somehow I have a feeling that something like that will definitely happen.”

 

“Come on. This is Lady Yurika we’re talking about. She’s not the kind of person to fall into emotions she can’t handle.”

 

“You’re not seeing the bigger picture. Do you think I’m just worried about Lady Yurika having a change of heart?”

 

Annoyed by his subordinate’s nonchalance, Lean clicked her tongue.

 

“Lady Yurika has an enemy… I’m worried that they’ll put Lady Yurika in danger and take her away from Duke Hyrad. It’ll be like the end of the world. Then we’ll have to worry about our safety too.”

 

“Hmm.”

Still, Lean’s subordinate just shrugged, as if he trusted Yurika completely.

 

“But would Lady Yurika even let herself be put in danger? She’s so smart.….”

 

“Yes. If it were only about her, it’d never happen.”

 

Lean answered with narrowed eyes.

 

“But if it’s about her family… that’s a different story.”

 

“Ah….”

 

“She truly cherishes her family.”

 

A short silence followed.

 

* * *

 

“Uh, um, ah.”

 

Jayden was speechless at the sight before his eyes.

 

“So, sister….”

 

He swallowed dryly as he looked at the majestic tiger occupying the garden.

 

“That tiger… is my brother-in-law?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Sienna spoke peacefully, stroking the tiger’s head.

 

“For certain reasons, he’s currently a tiger, but everyone insists he’s still the Duke.”

 

Jayden sighed and rubbed his forehead.

 

He had to fight back tears.

 

‘Runart’s presence had clearly helped her, but mentally… things seemed worse than ever.’

 

“Everyone says that?”

 

“Yeah. I was a bit taken aback at first, but as time went by, I became convinced that he was the Duke. In particular, whenever he saw me, I felt like he was feeling very sorry.”

 

Jayden looked at Sienna and the tiger with a complicated expression.

 

He had been away for a few days handling merchant guild affairs.

 

Yurika had promised to return once the temple’s boring celebration ended.

 

But then High Priest Patre committed suicide, and everything was thrown into chaos.

 

Even Lizzy, who had been caught at the Medes estate, just kept repeating, “The High Priest told me to.”

 

It was a well-known fact that Patre and Roymond were not on good terms.

 

So everyone simply thought of Lizzy as a spy sent to the Duke of Medes’s mansion to spy on the Crown Prince’s lover, Mariel.

 

The truth remained hidden beneath the official explanation

 

Jayden had just returned to the Medest estate after hearing the news and finishing his work.

 

He went to the garden to see Sienna first—and found her calmly petting a tiger the size of a house.

 

And talking to her made it clear: she had gone crazy!

 

While he was wondering whether he should match the rhythm or not, Mariel ran in.

 

“Uncle! You’re here!”

 

“This tiger….”

 

“Oh, Yurika brought him.”

 

The honorific “brought” sounded too respectful, but Jayden let it go and asked,

 

“Then what about Yurika?”

 

“She’s out to meet someone briefly. You’ve missed each other a few times lately, haven’t you?”

 

Mariel answered with a kind smile.

 

“But she’ll be back soon—it’s not far.”

 

Is it safe? Last time there was an assassination attempt….”

 

“Don’t worry. Duke Yohan Hyrad also went with her.”

 

“I hate how she keeps getting involved with that insane wizard.”

 

And at the mention of ‘Yohan Hyrad’, the tiger that had been peacefully sitting next to Siena growled and bared its teeth.

 

Meriel sighed and gently stroked the tiger’s back.

 

“Oh my, Father always reacts this way when he hears Duke Yohan Hyrad’s name.”

 

Jayden’s mouth fell open.

 

‘Did… Did Mariel just call that tiger “Father”?’

 

Then he approached Mariel and whispered quietly.

 

“Are you playing along with your Mother’s delusion? Like you did with Yurika? Did Runart tell you to? Is it helping somehow?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Mariel tilted her head and then burst out laughing.

 

Jayden, who had been staring at the sight like an idiot, frowned and asked again.

 

“Don’t tell me… You actually believe this tiger is my brother-in-law?”

 

“Oh, that’s not it.”

 

Meriel answered kindly and seriously.

 

“To be exact, there’s a high chance it’s my father.”

 

Jayden now looked at Mariel like she was completely crazy too.

 

“Uncle, you were right,”

 

Mariel continued cheerfully.

 

“He really does hate the idea of us girls having a man in our lives. And it’s not just Yohan Hyrad he dislikes.”

 

Then, looking playfully into the tiger’s eyes, she said clearly,

 

“His Highness Crown Prince Roymond.”

 

And at those words, the tiger bared its teeth and shouted angrily at the air.

 

Sienna muttered, “Quiet.” But the tiger didn’t calm down.

 

“See?”

 

Mariel chuckled and pointed at Jaden.

 

“Father, this is my uncle. You used to be close when you were human.”

 

The tiger stopped roaring at those words. Then he glanced at Jayden and extended his front paw.

 

Jayden now looked like he was about to cry as he questioned his own sanity.

 

That was when.

 

“Excuse me, my lady!”

 

Duke Medes’s butler came running in a hurry.

 

“Duke Hyrad’s carriage has arrived.”

 

“Oh? Really? Yurika’s back?”

 

Mariel smiled brightly.

 

Jayden also showed a happy expression, hoping that he could escape from the strange situation.

 

No, right now, he feels like he would rather meet normal people here than people who treat this tiger like the Duke of Medes.

 

“That, but… First of all, this is a letter from Duke Hyrad.”

 

Meriel accepted the letter from Yohan that the butler had handed her.

 

The message was simple: bring the carriage into the mansion, secretly greet the guests inside, and maintain security.

 

In some ways, it was similar to the content of the letter she suddenly received from the temple.

 

“Hmm… Looks like the Hyrad carriage is carrying more unexpected guests. Bring it to the garden.”

 

And so the carriage arrived at the garden.

 

Jayden could only stand there dumbfounded, wondering what on earth was going on.

 

After parking the carriage in the garden, the second-time coachman, clearly resigned, opened the door of the carriage.

 

“Hey, this place?”

 

As the carriage door opened, two old men, who were about to collapse, crawled out of the carriage in a messy state.

 

Meriel gasped when she recognized their faces.

 

She had visited them herself just days ago—and Yurika had brought Yohan along to see them.

 

“No, not Duke of Hyrad, but Duke of Medes….”

 

The younger-looking old man, Paul, stared at Mariel in disbelief and began to protest.

 

But before he could speak further—

 

“This can’t be happening!”

 

The 94-year-old Trevor, who had just managed to climb out of the carriage, shouted at the sight of the tiger.

 

“Isn’t it the Duke of Medes?”

 

* * *