It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 87

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“Did you perhaps teach me something strange?”

I asked with my arms crossed. Sir Elliot took a moment to compose himself before answering.

“Please forgive me, miss, as I am entirely dependent on my small, meager salary.”

“……?”

Sir Elliot kept changing the subject, mentioning how much money he needed for marriage funds and setting up a new home.

“But Sir Elliot doesn’t even have a girlfriend, does he?”

“Ugh……. Miss, pointing out such facts leaves a deep wound in the heart of a wolf who can’t even leave the mansion because he’s so busy.”

Sir Elliot continued with a crestfallen expression.

“The words I taught you are only used among wolves. It would be better for an innocent cat lady like yourself to ask directly rather than using wolf terminology from now on.”

But I felt like I would be even more hurt if I honestly asked if he liked me and Ethan answered with a firm no.

That ill-tempered wolf wasn’t the type to lie for my sake.

“I understand. I’m a cat, after all.”

“Yes, miss. And just in case, what did you answer to Ethan when he asked if he could just hold your hand while sleeping?”

Sir Elliot smiled with a hint of murderous intent, unlike before.

“Surely he didn’t readily answer ‘Yes, I’d like that’ to your question, did he?”

“No, Ethan didn’t…….”

He refused staunchly.

I couldn’t bring myself to repeat Ethan’s answer. Seeing me so dejected, Sir Elliot patted my shoulder.

“It seems he still has some sense in him.”

“Sir Elliot?”

“Ah, no. I mean the Lord of the Weavers. My apologies for the slip of the tongue.”

It seemed like he deliberately called Ethan ‘that guy’ just now.

It was a bit surprising that Sir Elliot, who valued hierarchy more than any other wolf, would call Ethan ‘that guy.’

“You won’t tell on me, will you, miss?”

“Of course not. Instead… please make sure no one finds out that Ethan kissed me on the cheek.”

I would be very embarrassed if such rumors spread. Sir Elliot hesitated for a moment at my request before asking.

“Miss, I thought you said it was just a simple greeting.”

“Well, that’s true, but…….”

As I trailed off, Sir Elliot relentlessly pressed on.

“Do you perhaps have feelings for Ethan?”

I retorted defensively.

“No! Ethan is just my teacher.”

* * *

And the next morning.

‘It’s really not like that…….’

Sir Elliot’s question of whether I had feelings for Ethan kept echoing in my head like a mantra.

I forgot to do my stretching exercises and got dressed. I had a lot to do from the morning.

Baneil came in with a few books and breakfast, looking a bit surprised.

“I’m sorry, I’m late. I thought you would still be doing your stretching exercises.”

“No, I skipped them.”

I couldn’t concentrate because Sir Elliot’s question kept bothering me. Thinking about Ethan kissing my cheek made my face flush again.

Baneil smiled knowingly at me and placed a few books on the table.

“As I mentioned before, I brought some romance novels. If you read all of these, any beastkin [humanoids with animalistic features] will become skilled in romance.”

“Really?”

“Yes. They contain stories that beastkins around your age would really enjoy.”

Thanks to skipping my stretching exercises, I had some time. I picked up one of the books.

I could tell what the story was about just from the title. I quickly flipped through the pages, skimming the content.

In the final scene, a dog beastkin and a cat beastkin who deeply loved each other kissed against the backdrop of the sunset.

The description mentioned that the tails of the two beastkins gently emerged and curved into a heart shape. It was a lovely scene that everyone had dreamed of at least once.

“How is it, miss? Romantic, isn’t it?”

“Why do all love stories end with tails making a heart?”

Seeing my sulky face, Baneil shrugged.

“Novels featuring rabbit couples don’t end like that.”

“Well…….”

Because rabbits have short, round tails that can’t make a heart.

“Instead, they curve their large ears into a heart shape. A common happy ending is important in romance, after all.”

It was enviable. In the real world, there was a man who coldly answered no when asked if he liked me.

‘Hmph.’

Let him make tail hearts with those tall wolf ladies.

“Thank you for lending me the books, Baneil.”

I organized the books on the bookshelf to read them slowly from the beginning when I had time, then got up from my seat.

The pocket watch Ethan had given me was on the desk. Naturally, I was reminded of the comfortable, box-like embrace I had felt on the balcony.

I made an effort to avert my gaze from the balcony.

“Let’s go quickly, Baneil.”

Now that the New Year’s Festival was over, it was time to return to daily life. A more busy and tense daily life than before the New Year’s Festival.

In a few days, the wolves would send a knight order led by Hogwood to the leopard’s territory.

I had to do my best to find out if my magic could help with that in the next few days.

‘But before that, I need to tell Lord Caris and Jackal about Hashuka.’

I headed to Lord Caris’s office. As I had confirmed yesterday, Jackal would also be in Lord Caris’s office for a meeting.

Knock, knock, knock—

“Lord Caris, it’s Kittia.”

“Oh, Kitty.”

I heard the sound of a chair being pushed back hastily, and Jackal opened the door himself.

“Kitty, isn’t it time for a meal now?”

“I skipped it today.”

“Skipped it, you say.”

Baneil, who was still not used to Jackal’s heavy voice, trembled slightly.

His cold, golden eyes turned to her.

“Baneil. Go and prepare brunch for three.”

“Yes, yes!”

Baneil hurried to the kitchen with two of Jackal’s subordinates. Jackal brought me into the office and sat me down.

“Kitty. Skipping meals is not good.”

……It seems like they treat me the same now as they did when I was six.

“Don’t you have an appetite, dear?”

“No. I just wanted to tell you two something about Hashuka before he and the Gray Sleigh Merchant Guild leave the mansion.”

“I won’t listen unless you eat your fill.”

Lord Caris lightly kissed my cheek. Instantly, the corners of my mouth unconsciously lifted.

Jackal, who had been watching my face intently, wore a rare, gentle smile.

“You still like being kissed just like when you were little.”

“Of course. Kitty was always so sincere that she would line up for kisses.”

“Ah…….”

A thought suddenly flashed through my mind.

‘Ethan, don’t tell me he thinks I’m an easy cat who likes it whenever I get kissed……?’

Of course, I was like that when I was little. My cheeks would tickle, and I felt loved, so I couldn’t help but exclaim.

Before I turned ten, my tail and ears would pop out whenever lips touched my cheek, and Theo and Deon would always tease me.

“Father, Mother, look at Kitty.”

Theo kissed my cheek.

“Kya―!”

“She becomes like this whenever she gets kissed. Isn’t she totally cute?”

“No, I’m not!”

Deon pressed his lips firmly against my cheek as I denied it.

“Hehe!”

“You are too. Ugh, overworked soft paws.”

My cheeks were burning, so I couldn’t help but clear my throat awkwardly. Fortunately, Baneil and the kitchen staff soon set up brunch for three.

I waited for the two of them to eat first, then devoured a sandwich with thick slices of salmon in an instant.

Jackal mixed strawberry jam into my milk and asked.

“Are you going to say something related to Hashuka?”

“Yes. Yesterday, I was talking to Hashuka and thought of a good way to isolate Jerian.”

I explained the existence of the guild that had obtained the catnip comb and Hashuka’s three conditions.

I also added that if we received their help, we could more easily prevent Jerian from supplying imitation Blue Moons to the leopards.

‘If Jerian is isolated, the rabbits will be able to live more peacefully.’

Lord Caris, who had listened to the story until the end, narrowed his eyes slightly, looking a bit surprised.

“Hashuka, that man made those conditions to you first?”

“Yes. But I hope you’ll consider it from Gridwolf’s perspective.”

“Dear. The Gray Sleigh Merchant Guild is very upright. As they wield strong influence throughout the continent, they always tailor the other party’s conditions to suit themselves. For them to lower their conditions first……”

The wolves were generally friendly with the dog beastkins, but they had never even considered that Hashuka would help attack the leopards.

Even though they knew that things would go well if they received help, they concluded that there was no possibility of it.

“But Lord Hashuka, whom I met, was very kind.”

When I said that, Jackal stroked my head as if he understood.

“He must be trying to win people over like a merchant. You have a very important power, after all. And you’re lovely.”

“Anyway, if we can cooperate with Hashuka as you said, that would be the best. We’ll talk about it.”

I was a little surprised that Hashuka, who seemed like a kind grandfather to me, was actually a guild leader who didn’t yield even to the heads of families.

As an influential guild leader, he would definitely be of great help in isolating Jerian.

“Because of you, we’ll even try to cooperate with the Gray Sleigh Merchant Guild.”

“Thank you for your efforts, dear.”

Jackal and Lord Caris were taking this story very seriously. It was natural since the safety of Hogwood and the wolf knights was at stake.

“Thank you for listening, you two.”

I bowed politely and then left so they could talk. I had to go to the training grounds to check on the rabbits who had escaped from the madness and then do my share of training for today.

‘It would be a great help to everyone if I could use the bow quickly.’

I didn’t know the power of the bow, but since it was something the goddess used, it must have a special power.

I took Gridwolf’s bow from my room and headed straight to the training grounds.

The atmosphere of the training grounds was incomparably heavier than before, as it was filled with those who were about to go to war.

And in the middle of it, there was a face I hadn’t seen in a while.

“It’s been a while, miss.”

Clyde greeted me with a slightly haggard face.