It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 9

I placed the unopened chrysanthemum buds Deon had brought me into the vase alongside the three large chrysanthemums.

Next, I was trying to figure out how to arrange the small candles, but thankfully, Theo handed me a small piece of sponge.

I stuck three cake candles into the sponge and turned around.

The two exhausted young masters were sitting on the carpet, resting, and Karis was leaning her face on her husband’s shoulder, watching me with a pleased expression.

“I’m all done.”

As I spoke, Jackal took out a match from his pocket and struck it. The flame, igniting with a ‘chick’ sound, was transferred to the six candles in turn.

The six candles and six chrysanthemums were arranged side by side, decorating both sides of the picture I had drawn.

Mrs. Gridwolf said to me carefully.

“Kitty, would you like to close the cabinet door yourself? It’s designed to allow air to circulate, so the candles won’t go out.”

“Yes. I will do that.”

I said my goodbyes in my heart and closed the cabinet door.

‘Please be happy in heaven. Kitty will do her best to be happy too.’

‘And I love you very, very much. Always.’

Turning around, I saw Jackal moving the four-person sofa in front of the cabinet.

A small exclamation escaped me as I watched him move something that looked incredibly heavy without batting an eye.

Theo and Deon sat on the sofa and patted the space between them. I jumped and sat there.

I was right in the very center. Theo and Deon each took a side, and Karis and Jackal ended up sitting at the ends.

In the glass of the cabinet, the five temporary family members were sitting side by side on the four-person sofa.

…I’m a little too small, though.

Anyway, looking at that scene, I no longer felt sad. My heart felt so warm, like it was going to melt.

Having a new family is really wonderful.

“Thank you so much for helping me hold the funeral, Gridwolfs.”

As I expressed my gratitude clearly, the wolves on both sides smiled. Jackal still had a blank expression, but he wasn’t as prickly as before.

Theo covered me with a fluffy blanket and said.

“Kitty, we’ll all stay here until the candles burn out.”

“But it will take a long time for the candles to burn out. You’ll get sleepy, won’t you?”

“Becoming a family means waiting together for anything.”

Deon, who was listening to the conversation next to me, said. Karis smiled, thinking, ‘I raised my sons well.’

“Thank you, brothers.”

“……!”

“What, what did you just say?”

I felt a little embarrassed after speaking, so I just giggled.

“Ugh… that’s unfair, Soft Paw.”

I held their fidgeting hands tightly and looked at the flickering candlelight. The chrysanthemums were absorbing water and gradually becoming more vibrant.

How long had it been?

Theo tapped my shoulder. I opened my eyes in surprise. The sunset was gone, and the morning sunlight was dimly shining through.

I must have fallen asleep without even realizing it. Everyone except me was awake, and Deon stroked my hair and pointed to the cabinet.

“Look at that, Soft Paw.”

“Oh my!”

I jumped off the sofa and approached the cabinet. My gaze was fixed on the vase next to the candles that had burned down to wax.

The chrysanthemum buds, which had been diligently drinking water all night, had bloomed delicately. Three chrysanthemums the size of my thumb!

“It looks like the little ones were safely born in heaven!”

“Yes, it seems so.”

“I’m glad, Kitty.”

The Gridwolf wolves came one by one and hugged me tightly.

Before it was completely light, we scraped off the candle wax and cleaned up. The funeral ended with burying a small jar containing the candle wax in the backyard of the Gridwolf mansion.

Jackal brought a small pendulum and placed it where the candles had been. He said it was a magical tool to preserve the chrysanthemums and paintings in the cabinet permanently, just as they were now.

‘He seems indifferent but is actually kind.’

With the help of my new family, I finished the funeral. Karis stroked me warmly and said.

“You don’t have to rush, so call us whatever you feel comfortable with.”

I smiled at Karis and nodded. Will I ever be able to call Karis ‘Mom’? My heart tickled at the warm thought.

* * *

We had a simple meal and gathered in Jackal’s office. The office was truly chilling. All the furniture was either painted black wood or made of black marble.

Weapons, including swords, were hanging in the cabinet, and there were three doors in the room leading to somewhere.

Theo picked me up, who was diligently looking around, and sat me in front of the desk. The cushioned chair made me feel like I was being treated like a tiny thing, which hurt my pride, but it was very comfortable.

“This is Father’s office. That door leads to the study, that door leads to the Hall of Fame, and that door leads to the conference room.”

“It’s a wonderful place. The cushions are super fluffy too!”

“Military matters are mainly dealt with in Father’s office. Mother is in charge of political matters. Mother’s office is on the opposite side of Father’s office.”

Deon looked excited, saying he would show me around the mansion later. I didn’t fully understand because the words were difficult, but it seemed like they both worked hard.

‘They said they left the mansion last time because of a meeting.’

I’m too small to follow, but it’s a relief that Theo and Deon are in the castle. I won’t be bored.

The Gridwolf couple was bringing the ‘family register’ [a formal record of family members] in question. I looked around the desk in the meantime.

There was a family portrait on Jackal’s desk. Theo and Deon looked similar to how they look now, as if it hadn’t been drawn long ago.

Theo, noticing that I was looking at the frame, said in a proud voice.

“All male wolves consider loving their family as their greatest pride. In that sense, our father is a really cool wolf. He looks a little blunt, though.”

“You two are cool brothers too, though?”

They both suddenly froze. Seeing them react so strongly to an ordinary title, they must both be shy, unlike what they look like.

“Do you really think so, Kitty?”

“Are we cool brothers?”

I felt embarrassed for some reason, so I smiled shyly and nodded. Their faces melted like they had eaten sweet cream.

After a while, the Gridwolf couple arrived. A scroll with shiny gold silk was spread out on the large desk I was looking at.

“This is the family register, Kitty. Only the head of the Gridwolf family can engrave a name here with magic.”

Karis explained. So this is the family register. It didn’t remind me of a grill at all.

The names of my temporary family were all written there, and there was a small empty space next to Theo and Deon’s names.

‘Is there someone else besides Theo and Deon?’

My name was written next to the empty space. Only then did I really feel like I had become a family.

“Now, let’s fill out the adoption papers.”

Karis placed well-organized documents in front of me. She said that the adoption process would be completed legally by signing here.

I wanted to sign quickly, so I held the pen tightly, and Karis stroked my hair and whispered softly.

“I appreciate your eagerness to become a family quickly, but all documents must be read carefully before signing.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I calmly put down the pen and moved my eyes along the letters. If I read the documents well, I would look like an adult, so I wanted to review them 멋지게 [meotjige – stylishly/coolly].

Let’s see, words I can read……

“Kittyia. It’s my name.”

“That’s right.”

Um, the ones in the next paragraph are all difficult letters.

“Oh, my name is here again!”

“Yes. It’s our Kitty’s name.”

This is a big problem. Except for my name, there were no letters I could read.

Thanks to the nameplate on the desk, I could read ‘Jackal Gridwolf’ with a guess, but that was it.

When I glanced at them, the Gridwolf couple hurriedly took the documents away.

“Baby, I’m sorry. Now that I see it, the documents are made up of very difficult words. It’s natural that baby wolves can’t read them.”

“Theo and Deon wouldn’t be able to read this much either.”

“I’ll quickly find a suitable teacher to teach you what you need.”

The two of them explained each sentence of the document to me in simple terms. In summary, it was about whether I agreed to legally become Kittyia Gridwolf until I became an adult.

“If there are any concerning clauses, tell us. We can revise them together. Or is there anything you want from us?”

“Um, the wolf doorknob in my new room is too scary. I think it will bite my hand every time I open the door…… I wish you could make the teeth a little smaller.”

Karis turned her head and covered her mouth. Karis’s ears, which were slightly exposed, were tinged with peach color. Jackal answered instead.

“I’ll round the wolf’s teeth.”

“Thank you! I don’t want anything else besides that. I’m so happy to have a new family.”

I smiled happily as I felt. Theo and Deon brought red ink and a pen.

“Will you sign with a pen? Or a handprint?”

“I’ll do it with a handprint. I’m going to make a 멋진 [meotjin – cool/stylish] signature when I become an adult.”

Theo held out the red ink to me. Everyone was silent even after seeing my true form, so that must mean I look like a wolf that much, right?

Judging that way, I transformed into a cat and stretched out my right hand to Theo.

T톡톡― [Ttokttok – tapping sound]

“Brother. Is the red ink on my right hand okay?”

“I’m not sure. Do you want to try 찍어 볼래? [jjigeo bollae – want to try stamping it?]”

Theo took out a handkerchief from his pocket and placed it on the desk. It looked a little expensive, but I couldn’t ignore his sincerity, so I pressed my paw on it and lifted it.

말랑― [Mallang – soft/squishy sound]

“I’m glad. It 찍히는걸요 [jjikhineungeolyo – it stamps] very well?”

“I know. It 찍히는걸 [jjikhineungeol – it stamps] very 귀엽게 [gwiyeopge – cutely].”

“Hyung [older brother], that’s too much. You’re taking Soft Paw’s handprint all by yourself!”

Whether Deon was grumbling or not, Theo wrapped the handkerchief in paper and put it in his pocket.