1 — A Feisty Squirrel

Yohan found me and slowly approached the window. It was so tightly closed that there was no way to get in.

“Kyung.” I knocked on the window once more.

“What kind of squirrel would come up here…” perplexed, Yohan slowly opened the window and…

‘Wow, it’s no joke.’

As soon as the window opened, I was struck by immense magical power. Startled, I almost dropped the acorn I was holding. The enormous amount of mana couldn’t be compared with Tezen’s. Furthermore, such a large amount of mana was running wild inside his small body causing him several injuries.

‘Oh gosh… it must be very painful.’

Without realizing it, I lifted my front paw and placed it on Yohan’s forehead in front of me. Naturally, the only way to deal with such a massive amount of mana was only direct contact. Sometimes treatment works better than a hundred words. And that moment was right now. 

Yohan’s eyes widened, then dropped languidly. He must feel calm and comfortable for the first time in his life.

“You…” After a while, Yohan’s lips twitched and whispered as if he had just realized something,

“…a Shinsu.”

Apparently, since he was also a wizard, he knew the existence of Shinsus. Blessed creatures of the temple that can calm rampant massive mana. A legendary squirrel that could turn into a human if received an enormous amount of mana. I, too, could feel Yohan’s mana flowing into me. It was really a very strange feeling.

‘At this rate, wouldn’t I be able to turn into a human with this kind of thing?’ I thought, conscious of his magical power that began to ripple through my body.

‘It feels really strange though.’

The roar inside me was incomparable to the sensation I felt while absorbing a little of Tezen’s mana. But either way, there was a limit to the mana I could absorb. At some point, I instinctively felt my body saying ‘no more.’ 

I absorbed the runaway mana and then took off my front paw. Yohan’s purple eyes opened slowly. He looked at the black rose on my chest and said with a frown,

“Seeing Hyrad’s pattern… are you perhaps Tezen’s Shinsu?”

‘As expected, our villainous boy is quick-witted and good at reasoning.’ After all, even the best villain in the world couldn’t do it if they were stupid or ignorant. Unable to say anything, I had no choice but to nod my head. Looking at me with eyes filled in confusion, he muttered,  

“But here, why to me…”

Seeing that he wasn’t a complete villain just yet, his intelligence seemed to be lacking a bit. I shrugged and answered. 

“Kyung.”

If I could properly answer your question, would I be a Shinsu?

“Ah. Right, you can’t speak.” Yohan added shyly. I nodded again to agree with him.

Unfortunately, I didn’t even know this world’s alphabet, so I couldn’t communicate by writing either. Yohan stared at me for a moment and asked with a slight smile.

“Anyway, thank you, really. May I pat your head?”

No harm in it. I nodded openly; he raised his index finger and carefully touched my forehead.

‘Your personality is quite good.’ It was a lot better compared to Tezen’s rough hand stabbing me in the back earlier.

‘His face even evokes protective instincts…’ The dark hair like the night sky and the mysteriously shining purple eyes were pretty. The aura surrounding him was completely different from Tezen, even though they had the same black hair. His handsome, sculpture-like face and fair skin were truly that of a Young Duke.

Yohan spoke again, bashfully smiling.

“Thanks to you, I don’t feel pain for the first time. It was a moment but… it was really good.” 

“Kyuuuuung.” I looked at him with a sad face.

‘Dammit, even if I calmed him down for a while, it’s obvious that the effect won’t last long because his magical power is enormous.’ At first, I came here intending to absorb his exorbitant mana somehow and then turn into a human. But when I met Yohan, sympathy arose inside me.

‘Ugh, I’m so uselessly kind…’ The young boy, confined at the top of a tower, alone, and struggling with pain, looked so pitiful all of a sudden. He was so gentle and soft that it was hard for me to imagine that he would become a villain who later became obsessed with the female lead and plotted all kinds of evil deeds.

“Thanks so much. Truly.” Yohan smiled pitifully as he gently stroked my back. “Actually, it’s the first time I’ve ever been with someone for so long when I’m in pain…”

‘It’s not even been ten minutes since I came here, but is this the most time you’ve spent with someone? Why are you so pitiful?’

Right now it wouldn’t have the same calming effect, but I still sighed and put my front paw on his forehead. 

‘Having to endure the pain alone like this, the child who used to be kind and pure ends up crooked and becomes a villain.’

Well, it’s like I’m a stepping stone. But as soon as my eyes reached Yohan’s face I justified myself. 

‘What if it’s me or him? It’s true that I need his magic power. In a way, we’re essential for each other.’

“Maybe… Can you come again?” Yohan looked straight into my eyes as he whispered. “You don’t have to calm me down. You can give me your paw like this… No, it’s okay if you just come to see me.”

His eyes were so clear and pure, that I nodded as if possessed by something. 

‘Oh gosh, only a bastard would be able to refuse such a pitiful child…’ 

Of course, I also wanted to fulfill my goal of absorbing his mana somehow and becoming a human but… I easily felt sympathy for this boy who spent his whole life alone and quickly latched onto a simple squirrel that appeared from nowhere.

‘Alright. I’ll do my best.’

This was how I came to a resolution ten minutes after meeting Yohan.

‘Let’s protect this pure and tender heart. If even one person gives him love and attention, this child won’t grow twisted!’ If so, he won’t be overly obsessed with the female lead, And wouldn’t this world be more livable by getting rid of the villain’s antics?

Yohan spoke cautiously again with trembling eyes. 

“Of course, I don’t want you to be in danger, so be careful not to get caught…”

I patted my chest as if telling him not to worry. The black rose on my chest was very annoying, but it was something that Yohan could get rid of because he was also a Hyrad. 

‘Later, before Yohan’s driven to war, I should ask him to take it off.’

It would be better if I could turn into a human before that, but if I couldn’t, I planned to ask him to get rid of the pattern and then follow him to war. There was no chance of meeting a person with such a huge amount of mana again. 

‘And no matter what, I’ll become a human.’

Because I’m originally a human being!! 

I pointed out the window, indicating that I had to go soon, in case Tezen got up in the middle and looked for me. It was only my first day here, so I had to move carefully because I didn’t know Tezen’s sleeping habits. 

“Okay.” Yohan patted my cheek and smiled as if he understood my intention to leave. “From tomorrow night, I’ll always leave the window open.” 

“Kyung?”

“It means I’ll be waiting.”

‘This brat– you’re so cute.’

I lifted my front paw and patted him on the cheek just like Yohan did. And then, I held out an acorn. It was a meeting gift in its own way.

“Isn’t this… yours? Are you giving this to me?”

Actually, acorns were the most delicious of my prey, so I brought them with me, but anyway, I nodded my head curiously.

Actually, acorns were the best of my tasteless food, so I brought them with me, but anyway, I nodded pompously.

I quickly slipped out the window and headed back to Tezen’s room.

I promised myself that I would absolutely come back to this poor villainous boy tomorrow night as well.