I Became A Squirrel Seeking For The Villain

Just a few minutes ago. 

Yohan barged into Mariel’s office with a terrifying look on his face.

 

Mariel muttered to herself.

 

‘The real deal, the real deal…I’ll buy time by annoying him as much as possible.’ 

 

Everything went well whenever she did as Yurika instructed.

 

So this time too, Mariel trusted her.

 

But as soon as she saw Yohan’s cold face, her body froze slightly in instinctive fear.

 

Was that five years ago? The skinny boy she met at the Duke of Hyrad’s house was completely different now.

 

First of all, he had grown a lot taller than before, and his clothes and hairstyle had completely changed.

 

He now looked like a handsome war hero, someone who was terrifying, with such a cold and indifferent expression that anyone would feel intimidated.

 

“Ahem, I…I was a little surprised.”

 

Mariel said, trying to take control of the situation by saying the meanest thing she could think of.

 

She even added direct criticism, something she would never normally do.

 

“You don’t even respond to my letters, and now you show up without any notice. How rude of you.”

 

“That’s a very accurate assessment, Lady Medes.”

 

Yohan stood in front of her as if he had no intention of sitting down and spoke coldly.

 

His strategy, too, was to act unpleasantly.

 

Yohan had judged that, to break off the engagement, he should do everything to make Mariel feel no warmth toward him, and he continued with an even colder tone.

 

“Of course, I was a little surprised when I saw your letter. Did you really want to finalize this marriage so quickly?” 

 

“What…?”

 

“I understand that you don’t want to lose the war hero and the heir of the prestigious Hyrad family….”

 

Mariel just blinked in bewilderment.

 

“But I don’t think I’m obligated to fulfill that desire.”

 

Of course, Yohan was now a man in a great position.

 

He was a great wizard who had ended the war in an instant, young, handsome, and from a good family.

 

For Mariel, who had been prepared to marry an older man or even a lowly slave as long as they were the ones to end the war, Yohan’s words were not entirely wrong.

 

But, even though that was true, Mariel thought she was just too unlucky.

 

Even now, Mariel’s lover is the crown prince.

 

Mariel narrowed her eyes and cautiously lifted her voice.

 

“That means….”

 

“I don’t want to talk at length. I’m breaking off the engagement.”

 

The words that came out of Yohan’s mouth were firm and short.

 

Mariel was so shocked she froze with her mouth wide open.

 

Even Yurika had analyzed that Yohan had no reason to break off the engagement with her.

 

Because it was not a promise between families, but an edict issued directly by the emperor in exchange for a previous war.

 

“Before His Majesty the Emperor says anything nonsensical, let’s quickly put this in writing. It’ll be hard to force anything once we agree on it.”

 

Yohan’s cool words continued.

 

“That’s why I came to see you so quickly, even before I entered the palace. I just want to deal with this unpleasant marriage as quickly as possible.”

 

“Uh, um… Wait a moment. Actually… um, we….”

 

Meriel panicked for a moment. 

 

‘Could things really be resolved that easily?’

 

‘Could it be that there is something I did not calculate?’

 

‘The marriage that had been a burden on my mind for a long time was resolved in an instant like this?’

 

‘Was life ever this easy?’

 

Since Yurika wasn’t by her side, Mar

iel felt a little unsure. 

So, with her kind and gentle heart, she finally chose to reveal the truth in that situation.

 

“Actually, we thought… maybe there’s another way to fulfill the decree without marrying me…”

 

As a kind person, she thought that the more complicated the situation, the more she should be honest with the other person so that she would not have regrets later.

 

“Since the Lady of Medes not only me, but also my younger sister, Yurika…”

 

Mariel tried her best to explain to Yohan, who did not know much about the capital.

 

“Oh, of course, she’s an adopted daughter who joined the family five years ago, but she’s still a proper member of our family… If you feel burdened about violating the decree, you could maintain an engagement with my sister instead…”

 

“I’m not interested in Medes’s detailed family history. I don’t really want to hear a long story. I just arrived in the capital and I’m busy.”

 

At those words, even Mariel’s patience snapped.

 

“Long story, you say?”

 

Of course, Yohan misunderstood Mariel’s intentions.

 

Yohan thought Mariel’s intentions were ‘If you don’t like me, then what about my younger sister?

’ 

Having spent a long time at war and just now arriving in the capital, Yohan knew almost nothing about Yurika Medes.

 

All he could recall was something his adjutant had offhandedly mentioned—that she was adopted from an orphanage because she resembled Sienna’s lost second daughter.

 

So he snapped back coldly.

 

“In any case, I absolutely do not want to get involved with any lady with the surname Medes, whether she is you or your younger sister with a lot of stories.”

 

“You haven’t even met Yurika, and yet—”

 

“There’s no need to meet her. It’s obvious that she’d be a worthless woman to me.”

 

Yohan began to speak extremely thoughtlessly, determined to somehow finalize the breakup of the engagement right here and there.

 

In truth, Yohan wasn’t that cruel of a person, but his desperation to end the engagement made him ruthless.

 

“Hah… Okay, I got it.”

 

Whether his strategy of appearing as the worst possible man had worked or not, Mariel pulled out some papers, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation.

 

“I’m breaking off the engagement. In fact, that’s what I really wanted. We both had the same goals.”

 

It was almost amusing how, despite being so aligned in their intentions, the entire process felt deeply unpleasant.

 

Mariel and Yohan proceeded to draft a formal document for their annulment.

 

No matter what His Majesty the Emperor’s position, Lady Medes and Yohan Hyrad would never marry.

 

“Write it exactly as per the original decree—

‘Lady Medest’

.”

 

Yohan speaks firmly, not wanting to be tricked by the scheme Mariel had done earlier.

 

He did not want to get involved with Mariel or her younger sister.

 

“Anyway, I have no intention of marrying either of you.”

 

“I have no intention of marrying Yurika to you, not even a little.”

 

Mariel spoke about it in a very straight voice, which was unusual for her.

 

“Yurika deserves someone kind and gentle. She is attracted to such a man.”

 

“I told you I don’t care about your sister. I don’t know why you insist on telling me useless information.”

 

Since neither of them trusted the other, they meticulously included a clause stating

“No reversals under any circumstances.”

 

“You really are… such a rude and mean person, but…”

 

Mariel spoke slowly as they stamped the document and exchanged copies.

 

“I hope you are a person who takes responsibility for your words and does not lie. You better not say anything different later.”

 

Mariel’s heart was filled with nothing but joy at the thought of sharing this wonderful news with the Crown Prince immediately.

 

All she hoped for was that Yohan wouldn’t change his mind later.

 

Even Mariel, who lacked political insight, knew that Yohan gained nothing from this annulment.

 

“I admit that I have many faces,….”

 

Yohan said coldly.

 

“But I won’t go back on my word. So, believe me.”

 

And so, the engagement between war hero Yohan Hyrad and Lady Medes was concluded.

 

“I’ll be meeting His Majesty soon. I’ll inform him about this annulment.”

 

That was the end of it.

 

Both Mariel and Yohan were satisfied with how easily the engagement had been broken off.

 

“Well then, goodbye.”

 

Yohan, who had not even sat down once since arriving at Duke Medes’ house, left with a brief goodbye and opened the office door.

 

And…

 

“Momo…?”

 

For a moment, Yohan thought he was dreaming or hallucinating.

 

The girl he had long dreamed of stood before him, now a beautiful woman.

 

Pale brown hair that falls to her shoulders, and warm, beautiful pink eyes.

 

But next to Momo, there was a young man with a kind and gentle appearance, holding her shoulder.

 

Yohan, who had faced countless life-threatening situations during the war, felt his heart drop harder than in any of those moments.

 

“Ah, Yurika!”

 

Mariel, spotting Yurika from inside the office, called out brightly with a wide smile.

 

“You can just go have tea time with Viscount Runart. Everything’s been settled perfectly.”

 

For the first time in his life, Yohan felt a chill run down his spine.

 

‘Why is she calling Momo ‘Yurika’? Wasn’t Yurika the name of her younger sister?’

 

‘So, if I was piecing this together correctly, the second daughter adopted into the Medes family five years ago… was Momo?’

 

‘And why was she clinging to that pale, soft-looking guy who resembled a water jug?’

 

“You don’t need to marry him—or even stay engaged! We wrote in the document that there’s no going back!”

 

Mariel added excitedly.

 

“Don’t worry, his personality’s trash, but he swore he wouldn’t go back on his word!”

 

‘Do the most outrageous thing you can to make the opponent panic.’

 

Of course, Yurika had been behind Mariel, but their strategies were the same regardless.

 

So far, Yohan is definitely more annoying than Mariel.

 

However, when it comes to making people panic, Mariel wins hands down.

 * * *