It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 149

Kitty and her group remained in the cat territory, discussing the fallout from Jerian’s actions.

The broad plan was set: to send him to the frigid bear territory for an extended period of punishment. Devising the detailed plan was quick.

“We need to thoroughly investigate all the schemes he’s been plotting and then send him to the bear territory.”

Kitty noted that down and set down her pen. Dealing with something she had waited so long for, she didn’t even feel the ache from her tail moving incessantly with the pen.

“And, it would be wise to send a letter to Grandpa, informing him of Jerian’s disposal and getting his opinion. The rabbits suffered because of Jerian, too.”

“Yes, Kitty. Grandpa will be pleased.”

“He’s been grinding his teeth at Jerian all this time.”

Theo and Deon chimed in. Kitty glanced at the calendar, briefly organized her schedule, and then stretched.

Jerian had managed to grab a few incriminating items while hastily fleeing to his hideout. He only took things that would cause significant problems for others if discovered.

“Once we thoroughly investigate Jerian’s belongings, we’ll clearly know what he’s been up to and what evil deeds he was planning to commit.”

“Leave that to our foxes, Miss.”

Cleed slightly lifted the baby foxes he was holding, wrapped snugly in soft cloth.

“Thanks to you, Miss, we were able to rescue these children, so we must repay this favor on a racial level.”

“Will you really, Cleed?”

Kitty smiled gently and stroked the baby foxes’ cheeks.

After being rescued by Cleed, the baby foxes ate their fill of warm, soft food and quickly fell asleep. They seemed to decide it was safe to rest and relax in the arms of none other than the Vokstain family head.

“Then―.”

Eden quickly interjected, cutting off the exchange of glances between Cleed and Kitty, and continued.

“The position of the cat leader will be vacant.”

“Ah, I think we need to consider that a bit.”

Kitty said.

The cats originally didn’t have a distinct leader. They had Jerian, who evacuated everyone during the leopard attacks, as a representative, but it wasn’t a system where they obeyed the head of the family like other races.

‘The only reason we had to bow down to Jerian was because of food.’

There was no implicit agreement like the wolves, leopards, or foxes, where the head of the family protects the race, and the race serves the head of the family.

‘But I don’t know if it’ll be okay in the current situation.’

Kitty made a ‘hmm’ sound and looked at the map.

Even though Hogwood and the Wyvis knights were guarding it, the adjacent leopard territory was still chaotic.

It would be troublesome if the leopards, unable to adapt to the situation that had changed in just a few months, invaded the cat territory.

‘But I don’t think the cats would suddenly accept a head of the family.’

They had only just removed the pollutant called Jerian, so there were more things to worry about than she thought.

“I think we need to approach the leader issue carefully. Even if it’s just a temporary position until the territory stabilizes, we can’t make the cats feel resistant, right?”

Kitty voiced her thoughts to the group. However, they raised their eyebrows to different heights, looking puzzled.

“Kitty, we know that cats don’t usually have a head of the family, but….”

“Wouldn’t they consider it depending on the situation? Malangson [referring to Kitty] is different.”

“There’s no way they could refuse the mistress of Wyvis.”

“If you have three relics of the goddess, you could even be the head of the fox family, Miss.”

“Hey, cats love to be independent.”

Kitty didn’t take it seriously, thinking that the others were just praising her.

However, the four of them, except for her, were thinking similarly.

‘She’s practically the reincarnation of a goddess, who would rebel?’

* * *

A few days after the initial investigation into Jerian was completed.

“Then, please take care of him until he gets to the bear territory, Mr. Welsh.”

“Of course, Miss. And please consider our company’s shares favorably.”

“Yes, I will. Please send my regards and letters to Haska and Katrina.”

Kitty shook Malanson [a type of handshake] diligently at Welsh, who was slowly moving away.

Jerian was being transported in a cage in the middle of the procession.

…Kitty was a little surprised that his fingernails, which had been there until yesterday, had been completely pulled out by someone.

The cats, who had learned of his misdeeds, were waiting on the road, throwing pebbles and cursing at Jerian when he appeared.

‘Everyone must be angry because they’ve been deceived by Jerian for so long.’

Last night, Kitty wrote letters to Katrina and Haska.

The letter to Katrina detailed how to torture Jerian, and the letter to Haska asked her to quickly deliver news about Jerian.

For the time being, Kitty wanted to hear often that Jerian was steadily suffering. What would it feel like to suffer in the place where he killed her dad and brother, of all places?

‘Nasty and vicious cat.’

Next, Kitty selected the people to be punished in the cat territory itself. Through several days of investigation, she found out how much they had helped Jerian and how much they had participated in his evil deeds.

“Line up.”

When Kitty appeared before the procession of criminals, Eden lowered his voice and growled. Jerian’s henchmen flinched at the threat.

Kitty scanned them all, stopping for a moment when she found a familiar face.

“……Mister, right?”

Kitty didn’t say a name or a specific incident, but the man in front of her hesitated and nodded. Eden stared at the other person with cold eyes and asked Kitty.

“Kitty, what’s your relationship?”

“……He’s the one who threw Mom and me under the wall of the food storage.”

The thought that her mom and kittens had lost their lives because this man had followed Jerian’s orders made Kitty’s blood boil.

Everyone knows that you shouldn’t treat a six-year-old baby cat and a pregnant mother cat carelessly.

This person may have just been following orders, but because of that, Kitty had a really hard time.

As Kitty stared at the man without saying a word, Eden received a document from the adjutant and read it.

“He has a family. A wife and daughter of the same age.”

“Daughter?”

“Yes. It says she’s the same age as you.”

Kitty looked at the man’s face again in detail. If her mother were alive, she would be about the same age.

So, this man had a daughter her age and a wife her mother’s age, but he threw them under the wall.

“……Just, just once.”

The man met Kitty’s eyes and pleaded.

“Kitty, I’m sorry. Forgive me just once… I was the one who did wrong.”

“But my innocent siblings all died because of you, mister. You knew my mom was pregnant.”

“That’s……”

The pleading eyes slipped away from her. He probably knew best that it was an impudent request.

Kitty took a deep breath and then said to him.

“I’ll give you some time to visit, so explain to your family what crimes you’ve committed.”

“……”

“If you do that, I won’t touch your wife and child. Because I’m different from Jerian.”

Eden, hearing her answer, smiled lightly as if he knew she would say this.

Kitty hated saying this more than dying, as she was the one who had to lose all of her remaining family because of him. But once she said it, she felt relieved.

‘If he doesn’t explain properly during the visit or if his family tries to take revenge on me, I can take action then.’

Kitty knew well from Eden that people don’t have to be benevolent in every aspect.

It took a whole day to look at and punish those who helped Jerian.

After dinner, Kitty came out of the barracks. She didn’t forget to take a bunch of dandelions that she had asked someone to get.

Nero smiled as if he knew where she was going.

“Have a good trip. You’ll need some time alone now, so let’s visit tomorrow morning.”

“Yes. I won’t be late.”

The moon was covered by clouds, and it was quite dark, but Kitty couldn’t get lost. Just as Caris found the place where he buried Deel in one go, Kitty was able to arrive at the place where her mother was buried without hesitation.

To be exact, it was the place where she had to bury her mother and kittens with her own hands.

A bunch of dandelions was placed on the tomb, which was almost worn out and no different from flat ground. Kitty could feel Eden’s magic and Blue Moon’s energy, as if he had been there.

She felt her heart swell and put the bunch of dandelions she had prepared next to it.

“……Mom, it took a really long time.”

Her eyes grew hot every time her lips moved.

When Kitty buried her mother with her small hands, she couldn’t be sure even though she kept telling herself that she would come here someday after taking revenge.

She remembered telling herself the words her mother had said to her at the last moment whenever she was scared, unfamiliar, and wanted to stop.

“Our Ki… tty is… as brave as the wolves, so she’ll be fine on her own….”

A cat as brave as the wolves.

Those words were so powerful.

“Mom.”

Kitty smiled, trying to pull out the weeds on the tomb.

“I’m now a cat braver than a wolf.”

No answer came back.

“Are you happy in heaven too, Mom? With Dad, my brother, the kittens that were born… and Deel.”

But as if responding to her words, the clouds covering the moon slowly cleared, and the surroundings brightened.

“Everyone, be happy. I’ll do my best to be happy too.”

Kitty added in a small voice, feeling somehow embarrassed, and then stayed in her place. Even the slightly chilly air felt good.

“Then I’ll come again next time.”

Kitty finally got up after a long time.

As she turned around, poking her slightly numb legs with her tail, she saw someone unexpected.

“Agah.”

It was Caris, waiting for her as always. He was holding a soft blanket in his hand, worried that she would be cold.

Kitty approached Caris at a pace that was neither slow nor fast.

There was a time when she thought that she would call Caris by another title someday when she was ready.

She wondered if that day would ever come, but when she faced his kind golden eyes looking at her, she was able to be sure.

Since the first time she was accepted into the Gridwolf mansion, these kind and warm eyes that watched over her had never changed.

It took a long time because of each other’s wounds, but it seemed like the time had finally come.

“Agah, aren’t you very cold?”

“I’m okay.”

Kitty approached Caris and hugged him in his cozy arms.

“Mom.”

She finally pronounced the two words that she had been holding in her heart for a while.