It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 120

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“Katrina, are you sure you’re alright in such thin clothes?”

“For me, a bear beastkin, today’s weather is quite mild. But I doubt it’s the same for a cat beastkin?”

At Katrina’s words, I looked down at my clothes. I had chosen something as easy to move in as possible in preparation for battle, but it still felt thick.

“If you get too cold to move, turn into your cat form and come to me. I’ll turn back into my bear form and hold you.”

Katrina made a very tempting offer. I briefly considered the cozy embrace of a bear beastkin before shaking my head.

“That sounds nice, but I’d rather quickly find Polly’s Mirror and then come back to take a warm bath.”

“I’ll do my best to help Kittia enjoy a pleasant bubble bath.”

Katrina used her magic to draw a small emblem on the back of her hand. It was the Polly family crest.

“I mentioned that Sigma captured a few of the panthers, right?”

“Yes. You said that the panther beastkins committed suicide with poison they had prepared in advance, so you couldn’t get any confessions.”

“Unfortunately, that’s what happened. But I did figure out why Sigma was lurking around the lake.”

Katrina showed the back of her hand with the emblem to me and the three wolves who were closely guarding me.

“Perhaps it’s because they’ve been close to the sacred relic for a long time, but the magic of Polly’s heirs reacts to the sacred relic.”

As Katrina stretched her arm towards the lake, a faint light emanated from the emblem.

“See? It’s faint, but it’s reacting, right? The problem is that even when we get near the lake, we don’t get any more reaction than this.”

This was a huge problem, considering the bear paw print on the map.

“It seems the panthers are also searching using the emblem on their hands, empowered by my magic, so they’re just circling around the lake.”

“Katrina’s magic?”

“Remember when Sigma and Delta pretended to kidnap me and stole a lock of my hair? It seems they extracted magic from the hair they stole then.”

I had heard Hogwood, Jackal, and Karis discussing the story.

‘So Sigma came all the way here because he had something to rely on.’

If so, the situation was a bit difficult.

If the panthers could detect Katrina’s magic reaction, they would all be gathered near the lake.

“Can I, who am not a Polly heir, really find the sacred relic that Katrina couldn’t find?”

“Kittia, unlike me, you have the Goddess’s magic. You’re also the only beastkin who moved Gridwolf’s bow, which was deeply embedded in the ground.”

“Besides, our Softpaw is good at shooting the bow now.”

Deon, who had been listening silently, chimed in. I gently touched my mother’s keepsake hanging around my neck.

“If the panthers are gathered near the lake, the moment I find Polly’s Mirror, they’ll rush at me from all directions to snatch it away.”

“Kitty, don’t worry. The wolf knights and your brothers will definitely protect you.”

As Theo said, there were many wolf knights who came with us, and each one was strong. It was clear that only the elite knights of Wyvis had been selected.

I recalled the advice I had heard when I first learned chess from Ethan.

“First, picture it in your head. Look several moves ahead, and then move your piece when you’re sure.”

Even after hearing those words, I never beat Ethan at chess, but in situations like this, I was able to calmly think.

‘If cornered, Sigma might use a Mock Blue Moon [a magical artifact that can induce madness] as a last resort.’

That was fine.

Although it was slow, I could purify the madness of the Blue Moon, and my brothers and Ethan had so much magic that they wouldn’t be affected by the Mock Blue Moon.

The knights who came with us had been poked with arrows I made before leaving Gridwolf, receiving the Goddess’s blessing.

‘Then…….’

I opened my mouth to Katrina and the three wolves. Their expressions were not good after hearing my words.

“Kitty, when did you get so tough?”

“No, Softpaw. Your brother is against it.”

“But I think it’s most efficient to do as I say.”

I glanced at Ethan.

“…….”

Ethan was clearly showing that he didn’t like my plan, but he couldn’t come up with any objections.

* * *

The lake in the west of the bear territory was much larger than the group had imagined.

The frozen surface stretched to the horizon, giving the impression of a sea rather than a lake.

It was so large, and the ice was so thick and smooth, that it looked perfect for sledding.

‘If I walked on this barefoot, my jelly toes would freeze and stick.’

Kitty wiggled her toes inside her boots to avoid frostbite.

“Bear beastkins call this lake the Aurora Lake. The sky is reflected on it at night.”

Katrina explained as the group reached the surface of the lake.

“Recently, we issued a no-entry order because of the panthers, but before that, everyone used to come here to ride sleds and make snow bear cubs.”

Kitty looked around. There was nothing on the lake, but the visibility was not very good due to the wind mixed with fine snow.

‘Trees four times larger than the bear beastkins surround the lake. Sigma must be hiding in there.’

In fact, the wolf knights had been frowning slightly since they approached the lake, smelling the scent of panthers.

Kitty couldn’t detect the scent of the panther beastkins, but she could feel the energy of the sacred relic emanating from various places.

“As Katrina said, I can feel the magic of the sacred relic. I’ll investigate this way.”

Kitty gripped Gridwolf’s bow tightly and began to walk in one direction. She looked as if she was holding a compass rather than a bow.

Sigma and her group, who were crouching and hiding in the middle of a large tree, couldn’t take their eyes off Kitty’s movements.

‘As expected, Softpaw can sense the energy of the sacred relic better than the Polly heir.’

The synthesized magic that Sigma had brought included Kittia’s, but it wasn’t of much help.

Unlike Katrina’s magic, which shone brighter as she got closer to Polly’s Mirror, Kitty’s magic seemed to only have the function of providing immunity to the Blue Moon.

‘But now that the real thing has appeared, it’s less work.’

Sigma’s eyes relentlessly followed Kitty. She walked with a cat-like gait straight towards a large tree.

It was a particularly large and majestic tree among the trees surrounding the lake.

Kitty held the bow and roamed around the tree as if there was no need to investigate anywhere else.

The cat paw prints engraved on the soles of her boots gradually increased on the snow piled up near the tree.

Soon, Kitty took out her tail, grabbed the bow, and began to climb the tree with her arms and legs. Her emerald eyes were looking at one spot on the tree.

‘So, it’s that tree…….’

What a terrible place to hide the sacred relic.

Sigma’s lips curled up as if they would tear. Her eyes shone sharply with murderous intent.

There were quite a few wolf knights following Kitty to guard her at the bottom of the huge tree.

‘But if they can’t even handle that many, the reputation of the elite panthers will be ruined.’

Sigma flicked her hand to signal the surrounding panthers. No one opened their mouths, but the panthers moved as nimbly as if they were one body.

They moved from tree to tree without stepping on the ground to avoid leaving footprints.

The snow piled up on the trees fluttered without falling to the ground. The wind was also favorable to the panthers. The fiercely blowing wind spread the panthers’ scent in all directions, making it difficult to guess their location.

“I’ll climb the tree and go to Kittia, so you guys wait.”

Sigma said with her mouth. There was no answer if she went down and made a fuss, and the wolf knights flocked to her.

‘At least Gridwolf’s brothers and Wyvis’s head of the family are coming.’

Fortunately, the three were searching in a completely different direction from Kittia.

Sigma held her breath and began to climb the tree right next to the tree that Kitty had climbed.

It was much easier to climb with sharp panther claws.

When she reached a height where she could no longer see the ground, Sigma was able to smile.

“Sigma?”

Kitty, who was holding something precious in her arms, opened her eyes wide in surprise. Sigma’s gaze naturally turned to something she had.

Holy magic was blooming from Kitty’s arms.

“Hello, Softpaw. I’m sorry to meet you after a long time, but can you give that to me?”

Sigma said so, measuring the speed of the wind and the distance she could rush.

Whoosh!

She jumped to the tree where Kitty was in an instant. Kitty’s cheeks, which were slightly reddish due to the cold, were right in front of her nose.

Sigma growled, holding her sharp claws to Kitty’s neck.

“I want to bite you because you’re so cute, but I don’t have time today. I’d appreciate it if you could quickly hand over the sacred relic, Softpaw.”

When Kitty didn’t show any particular reaction, Sigma strangled Kitty’s neck.

But something was wrong.

The emblem engraved on the back of her hand with synthesized magic was still shining faintly.

‘I thought it would shine more brightly as I got closer to Polly’s Mirror. Could it be…….’

Sigma felt the hair on her body stand on end and took her hand off Kitty.

But this time, Kitty grabbed her by the collar.

“Long time no see, Sigma.”

“……!”

“Is Delta Leophide doing well?”

Kitty knew that by now, wolves, including Hogwood, had surrounded Delta and the panthers’ mansion.

The wolves had a lot of resentment towards the panthers, so they would continue to threaten them.

So she couldn’t just let Sigma go.

“Thanks for being fooled. I want to give you a gift of appreciation, will you accept it?”

Sigma’s eyes widened as she saw what Kitty was throwing.