It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 10

Karis lifted me up so I could stamp my paw print on the documents.

“Kitty, we need to make it pretty.”

“Yes! Ah, should we make sure the claws show too?”

“Oh my… that would be so cute.”

I clenched and unclenched my hands, extending and retracting my claws. Deon dabbed my soft paws on the inkpad he offered, and Karis lifted me and moved me over the documents.

Squish—

My soft paw was stamped beautifully and clearly on the temporary adoption papers. My claws were imprinted as well, so anyone could tell it was my paw.

“Soft paw, do you need something to wipe it with?”

“Thank you, Deon, big brother.”

Deon carefully wiped my paw with a handkerchief and, like Theo, wrapped the handkerchief in paper and tucked it into his pocket.

I transformed back into my human form and looked at the temporary adoption papers with satisfaction.

‘Now, until I become an adult, I’m really Kittyia Gridwolf.’

A sense of relief washed over me at the thought that my biggest worries—food and shelter—were solved.

Jackal carefully signed the document without touching my paw print, then called for someone to bring a frame.

The fancy framed adoption papers went into Karis’s arms. I slyly reached out and grabbed the frame.

“Can I keep this in my room? It’s my document!”

Deon shook his head and placed his hand on the frame.

“Father, shouldn’t Kitty’s eldest brother keep the documents in his room?”

“Hyung [older brother], what are you talking about? I’m a little better at fighting than you, right? A thief might covet the adoption papers with the soft paw print, so I should keep them in my room.”

Theo and Deon glared at each other and started arguing. Sparks seemed to fly from their eyes, so I quietly let go of the frame.

“Big brothers, don’t fight!”

It would be a disaster if the frame’s glass broke. I fidgeted, trying to stop them, but then the frame was lifted high up. It was Jackal.

“If the logic is that the strongest should manage this, then it should be in my office.”

“No, Father is the strongest among the wolves…”

“If you’re unhappy, get stronger.”

Karis looked at Jackal with a very dumbfounded expression.

Jackal seemed serious about hanging my adoption papers in his office. He rummaged through a drawer, took out a nail, and hammered it into the wall where it would be most visible when sitting in his office chair.

‘…Huh? He hammered the nail in with his bare hand? Is that even possible?’

Jerian, who acts as the leader of the cats as he pleases, always calls several people when hammering a nail into the wall or lifting something heavy.

I guess there’s a huge difference in strength between wolves and cats.

Karis, seemingly disappointed, smiled wryly as he looked at the adoption papers hanging on the wall.

When I stared at him, he muttered, ‘The real thing is cuter than the document,’ and hugged me.

“Then, Kitty, let me introduce you to the employees. Please understand if the schedule is a bit tight. I want to see Kitty settle in before I leave.”

“It’s okay, but…”

I grabbed Karis’s arm tightly with my soft paw.

“You said you wanted to see me settle in before you leave. What does that mean?”

“The Grand Assembly hasn’t finished yet, so I have to go back.”

“Hing [whining sound], where to…?”

Karis lifted me higher and pointed to a spot on the map on his desk.

The very center of the territory occupied by the wolves. Quite far from the Gridwolf mansion.

“The ten-day Wolf Grand Assembly isn’t over yet, so I have no choice. My immature sons sent people in such a hurry that I had to rush out midway. Jackal’s schedule is finished, but I have to go back.”

It seemed that valuing family wasn’t just for male wolves. He must have been quite surprised to receive calls from Theo and Deon.

“I’m happy to have gained a cute daughter, but attending the assembly is my duty.”

“Hmm, then I guess it can’t be helped. But it’s a relief.”

“Huh?”

“I thought you were leaving because I was a fish you’d already caught [a metaphor for losing interest after achieving a goal].”

My words made the other family members chuckle. Deon giggled, asking where I had learned such a thing.

‘Is that not a very famous saying among wolves?’

The saying that you don’t feed a fish you’ve already caught is one of the cats’ favorite proverbs. The neighbor who gave me her clothes used that saying at least five times a day.

‘I miss everyone. I can’t go back, though.’

Anyway, it was a relief that he would return to the mansion after the assembly.

“You have to come back after the assembly, okay?”

“Of course, of course. I’ll buy you a wonderful gift too. I’m leaving early tomorrow morning, so don’t be too surprised when I’m gone.”

“It’ll be hard, but I’ll try.”

Karis stroked my head and headed for the door. The waiting employee opened the door for him.

Hugging him a little longer, we reached the central staircase.

Below it, the lobby unfolded, and it seemed that all the employees in the mansion were gathered there.

The slightly intimidating sight of large beastmen lined up made me hug Karis tighter and shrink back.

“T-There are so many wolves!”

“…But aren’t you a wolf too, Kitty?”

“Ah.”

I forgot.

“There’s no need for wolves to be surprised by each other. Look, everyone is looking at Kitty with kind eyes.”

I turned my head to look at the people. On closer inspection, there were not only wolves but also dog and fox beastmen mixed in.

It seemed like they were all watching Jackal and my brothers, not me.

Following their gaze, I saw Theo holding the framed adoption papers like a talisman. Perhaps that’s why everyone’s eyes on me were so kind.

It was a little overwhelming to have so many people’s attention, but it didn’t seem like anyone was hostile.

‘Even though it’s temporary, I guess they consider me a member of the Gridwolf family since I have the adoption papers.’

I knew that wolves were sensitive to hierarchy, but seeing it like this was a bit fascinating.

“Kitty, the Gridwolf employees will try to help you. If they don’t, tell us anytime.”

Karis’s words in front of everyone made me feel strangely reassured.

Karis held me and gently walked down the stairs, introducing me to the employees.

The first to approach was the maid group. Karis stood in front of the person wearing the best maid uniform.

“These are the maids. If Kitty needs anything, ask them.”

“I am Flora, the head maid. It is an honor to serve you, young lady.”

Flora. What a pretty name. She was a wolf with bluish-gray hair and greenish-yellow eyes.

“Hello, Flora-nim [honorific suffix]. Please take good care of me in the future.”

“You must not use honorifics with me. You are a Gridwolf, young lady.”

She said it so sternly that it felt like something terrible would happen if I used honorifics. Since there was already such a rule, I shouldn’t change it as I pleased.

“I will, Flora.”

Flora bowed to me and introduced the maids next to her one by one. I was glad that I was good at remembering people’s names and faces.

Next was the butler group. They had an impression as neat as their impeccable uniforms.

“This is Paul Clinton, the head butler. A handsome dog beastman. Paul, this is my lovely youngest daughter, Kittyia Gridwolf.”

“It is an honor to serve such a wonderful wolf young lady. I am Paul, in charge of managing the mansion.”

“Please take good care of me, Paul.”

There were a few dog beastmen mixed in among the butlers. Just because it’s the Gridwolf mansion doesn’t mean there are only wolves.

‘I’m probably the only tiny cat pretending to be a wolf, though.’

Next was the chef group. The head chef said I was too thin and told me to come anytime and eat anything I wanted.

The head gardener of the gardener group gave me a flower. I felt happy to receive a red rose.

Next was the Knights. This time, Jackal, who had been silently following, didn’t explain… he just gestured, and the guards began to explain on their own.

“I am Elliot, the commander of the Knights. I assist Jackal-nim. Please call me Sir Elliot.”

“Nice to meet you, Sir Elliot.”

While receiving introductions from the knights one by one, a boy with a sulky face appeared.

‘A fox. It’s my first time seeing one up close.’

When Dad was home from his missions, he would tell me about the people he met while traveling.

The story of the fox beastmen was my favorite.

‘Foxes are sensitive to magic from birth, so most of them are wizards.’

Was I mistaken? When I narrowed my eyes, it seemed like golden currents were flowing around Clyde.

There’s no way I could see magic with my eyes, though.

Karis asked worriedly when I acted strangely.

“Kitty, are you perhaps afraid of Clyde?”

“Ah, no.”

So this person’s name is Clyde.

He looked a year or two younger than my brothers, and unlike the wolves, he had bright golden hair and strawberry jam-like red eyes.

He had the impression of a prince from the fairy tales my neighborhood friends used to read. But my thoughts were shattered as soon as the boy opened his mouth.

“I’m Clyde Foxtain. I’m the heir to the Fox family, but I’m currently staying with the Gridwolfs. By the way, you’re smaller than I thought, are you really a wolf?”

“……!”

I was startled and widened my eyes. I thought no one would ask me this question if I was with the Gridwolf family!

‘What do I do! My cat ears came out!’

I remembered Dad saying that foxes are much more sensitive and observant than other animals. The wolves seemed to have been completely fooled by my perked-up ears, but a fox might be different.

‘Besides, he’s the heir to the Fox family.’

I quickly smoothed my ears and tucked them in. But the knights had already seen my ears. My body slowly stiffened under the wolves’ heated gazes.

‘Am I going to get caught like this…?’

If people found out I was a cat, I would surely be kicked out. They probably adopted me because I looked like a cool wolf right now.

‘They might throw me out, saying I dared to deceive a wolf.’

I suddenly felt a throbbing pain in the tooth that was broken when Jerian threw me over the fence.

But wolves are originally stronger animals than foxes. If I trembled at Clyde’s words, I would look like a scared little kitten.

‘That won’t do. If I get kicked out of here, my mother’s revenge…’

After a brief moment of contemplation, I narrowed my eyes like a grumpy wolf and grabbed Clyde’s hand that was reaching towards me.

Chomp—!

Because my tooth was broken by Jerian, it didn’t make the ‘crunch!’ sound like when wolves bite. But.

“……!”

Clyde flinched and stepped back, as if he hadn’t expected me to come on so strong.