I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain

“Uncle…”

 

“That soul didn’t find the body, right? There’s always a chance that soul might return someday.”

 

Mariel smiled faintly, as if clinging to the faintest hope was still comforting.

 

Watching her expression, Jayden muttered skeptically.

 

“There’s no way you came up with this yourself. Did you change teachers or something? No, this is not something a mere change of teachers could accomplish…”

 

It was the sort of remark that would offend most people, but kind-hearted Mariel simply chuckled softly and waved her hand.

 

“No, it’s not that… I just received some advice, that’s all.”

 

“Advice?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Mariel nodded vigorously.

 

“From Yurika. She’s been such a great help to me.

 

“The adopted daughter, you mean?”

 

Jayden had heard about the mysterious girl from the orphanage, whom Sienna had taken to calling “Yurika,” claiming her real daughter had returned. Everyone in the house played along for Sienna’s sake, given her fragile mental state.

 

“Yes. She’s currently out investigating conditions at the orphanage while supporting the children there. She’ll be back in a few days. I’m sure you’ll come to like her too, Uncle!”

 

“Huh! What are you talking about!”

 

Jayden snorted derisively, clearly unimpressed.

 

“Yurika will be back someday, and I won’t believe it until I see the body myself! Why would I like the girl who’s taking her place?”

 

Just then, there was a knock at the door. A knight entered the living room, bowing politely.

 

“Lady Mariel, a letter has arrived from Lady Yurika regarding the Verdian Orphanage. She also sent a report on embezzlement and had the director arrested on the spot.”

 

“Embezzlement?”

 

“Yes. Apparently, the funds you recently increased for the orphanage were being used for personal purposes, leaving the children with inadequate meals.”

 

Mariel accepted the report from the knight with astonishment, and Jayden sighed as they looked over it together.

 

Seeing Jayden’s narrowed gaze, Mariel couldn’t help but smile.

 

“See? Yurika is really smart, isn’t she?”

 

“How old is she?”

 

In truth, Mariel didn’t know how old Yurika was, but for all outward appearances, she was the same age as her sister, who was a year younger than her.

 

‘Isn’t she too young to be handling all this so well….’

 

But that didn’t mean Mariel couldn’t say she didn’t know, so she had no choice but to tell her outward age.

 

“Fifteen.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Jayden, surprisingly, didn’t scoff. Instead, he nodded with a look of acceptance.

 

“Your father overhauled land laws at that age too. So, she is not very young.”

 

That was only possible because the Duke of Medes was a genius, but Mariel merely nodded, swallowing back a laugh.

 

* * *

 

By the time I returned to the duke’s residence, having purchased a gift for Mariel, a maid rushed up to me as soon as I stepped out of the carriage.

 

“Lady Yurika, a guest has been waiting for you.”

 

“A guest?”

 

“Yes, Count Jayden Aivert is here.”

 

The maid lowered her voice.

 

“He’s been staying here for a week, insisting he must see you.”

 

“Ah…I see.”

 

He had arrived in advance of Mariel’s birthday, so it wasn’t surprising he had been here for some time.

 

Jayden often visited the duke’s estate out of concern for both Meriel and Sienna. Still, staying this long, it was probably because of me, as the maid said.

 

“Be cautious around him. Though he’s the Duchess’ younger brother, his temperament is entirely different from hers.”

 

The maid’s warning soon proved accurate.

 

Before I could respond, someone stepped out of the mansion.

 

“So, you’re the adopted daughter?”

 

The man standing before me had dazzling golden hair and striking blue eyes—a stunning young man. 

 

Though I’d heard there was a significant age gap between him and Sienna, he looked like he was in his mid-twenties.

 

I could understand why he avoided calling me by the name “Yurika.” It probably felt awkward to use the name given to his second niece.

 

“Greetings, Count Aivert. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

 

According to etiquette, I should have said my name, but I didn’t want to tell someone who didn’t want to hear it, so I omitted it.

 

He stared at me for a moment, then suddenly grew angry.

 

“Why are you dressed so lightly? Are you trying to catch a cold in this house?”

 

The truth was that I was dressed lightly because I had been to the South. 

 

And the capital city has suddenly gotten chilly in the last few days, so is that really something to be upset about?

 

While I blinked in confusion, he abruptly removed his coat.

 

“Put this on immediately! Kids get sick easily! And did you eat? Did you manage your meals properly while traveling?”

 

In no time, I found myself wrapped in his coat and scarf, utterly bewildered.

 

‘What kind of person is this man?’

 

“Yurika!”

 

At that moment, I heard Sienna’s warm voice calling out to me. She approached, leaning on Mariel for support, and enveloped me in a tight hug.

 

“Did you return safely, my dear? I was so worried about you.”

 

Sienna looked healthier than before, her complexion improving with the weight she had gained. Her doctor had said that believing she had found her lost daughter had brought her peace of mind and sped up her recovery.

 

“If this keeps up, she might even live to see Runart grow into a great doctor!”

 

I hugged her tightly in return.

 

“Are you feeling better, Mother? Thanks to my sister assigning plenty of knights to escort me, I wasn’t in any danger at all!”

 

As I spoke gently, Sienna stroked my hair and responded.

 

“Even so… I was afraid I might lose you a second time. If only I were healthier, I would’ve gone with you…”

 

Jayden sighed heavily, watching us from a distance.

 

Because Sienna was so affectionate with me, he couldn’t bring himself to call me a fraud outright.

 

But from his perspective, his wariness of me was entirely justified.

 

Mariel, the legitimate heir of the Medes family, was in a precarious position. The main complication lay in her arranged marriage to a war hero.

 

Depending on the outcome, the hero might completely take over the Medes family or take Mariel away to a foreign land.

 

If the latter were the case, the Duke of Medes’s family would be wiped out, and I would be the only one left in Medes’s direct line.

 

‘Not to mention, if I were truly devious or acting on someone else’s orders, I could easily harm Mariel with poison or manipulate her into handing over the inheritance before the marriage even happens…’

 

In this world, obtaining poison was notoriously difficult, as the temples strictly controlled medicinal substances, so it was very difficult for non-doctors to use them.

 

But if I wanted Medes, I didn’t have to use poison.

 

I could simply coax Mariel: “Give me your inheritance before the war is over. What if your husband takes everything?”

 

Come to think of it, it was fortunate I was such a virtuous person. If I had harbored ill intentions, the Medes estate would already be mine.

 

“Mother missed you so much. She loves to have tea with you, Yurika, so why don’t you spend some time with her first?”

 

Mariel smiled, her gaze signaling me to get away from Jayden for now.

 

Not that Jayden scared me, but I did want to spend time with Sienna.

 

Bundled up in Jayden’s coat and scarf, I nodded enthusiastically.

 

* * *

 

Sienna held my hand as she drifted off to sleep. The family doctor approached quietly.

 

“Her condition has improved significantly.

 

He explained that as her mind found peace, her body followed suit, especially after years of torment from guilt and longing.

 

“But…”

 

I sighed and asked carefully, “Will she make a full recovery?”

 

The doctor looked at me, then shook his head slowly.

 

“Most likely not. Without a clear diagnosis, there’s no definitive treatment.”

 

‘Runart was the one who cured all the incurable diseases in the original story… so maybe he can save Sienna.’

 

Even though she’s delusional and thinks of me as her real daughter, I liked her warm embrace.

 

It was strange, but being in her arms made me feel like I’d found something I’d strangely missed.

 

I brushed Sienna’s hand one last time as she slept. Logic couldn’t explain why I cared for her so deeply.

 

If Runart cured her of her insanity, and she looked at me with the same cold eyes as Jayden and said, “How dare you take Medes’s name?”

 

Well, that would undoubtedly hurt.

 

But for now, I only wished for her health to improve.

 * * *