It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 122

The updraft rising from the lake’s surface pulsed with immense magic. It was dazzling, but Kitty steeled herself, focusing all her strength.

It was the same power she had felt when she first moved the Gridwolf’s bow and when Nero handed her the necklace her mother had left behind.

So, Kitty could be certain.

‘The lake itself was a giant mirror.’

The surface of the lake swallowed the arrow of light she had shot.

A moment later, hundreds of arrows were fired upwards from below.

It looked as if plants emitting their own light were growing rapidly.

Thwack!

The replicated arrows pierced the bodies of the bear shifters.

“Ugh, this is…….”

“Why are we here?”

Kitty’s blessing, carried by the arrows, touched them, and the light returned to their hazy eyes.

‘What on earth is this?’

Katrina watched as the bear shifters, who had been rampaging mindlessly, were instantly purified and tilted their heads in confusion.

She had only seen it briefly during the New Year’s festival, but now she was facing such transcendent power again.

‘She saved them. Instantly…….’

Moreover, it seemed she had even pinpointed the location of the sacred relic, which she, as the successor of the Polly family, had failed to discern.

The silver hair tied high in pigtails and her skin, every piece of clothing she wore, shone with light.

The goddess’s magic clearly revealed who was chosen.

Now, Kitty Gridwolf, wielding two sacred relics, looked like the goddess herself.

‘Thank goodness. Everyone seems to be okay now.’

Confirming that the bear shifters were alright, Kitty resisted the surging magic and reached her hand towards the surface.

Squish—

The moment her palm touched the lake’s surface, the lake’s magic gathered around her.

The vast mirror seemed to shrink to fit her hand, the magic contracting in concentric circles.

“Kitty, are you alright?”

Eden rushed to Kitty, who was kneeling with both hands on the ground. His face was uncharacteristically anxious.

Kitty nodded.

Soon, her fingertips touched something cold and metallic. The solid ice of the lake became as soft as jelly.

Kitty carefully lifted what she touched. As soon as she pulled her hand out, the lake froze solid again.

“Lady Katrina.”

Kitty approached Katrina and held out what she had obtained. A mirror as big as her face brilliantly reflected the sunlight.

“Is this the item you were looking for?”

Kitty wore a clear smile.

Even if someone else had found the sacred relic, would they have smiled and returned it like this?

Katrina accepted the mirror, feeling a strange sense of emotion.

“I haven’t heard about the Polly Mirror, but I can tell for sure since it’s reacting with the Gridwolf’s bow.”

The arrows of light that had erupted from the lake’s surface.

That bizarre yet beautiful scene was enough for everyone present to know that what she held in her hand was a sacred relic.

“I sincerely thank you for finding the sacred relic and for prioritizing the safety of the bear shifters.”

“It’s nothing. It’s all thanks to the previous Polly family head, who pointed it out with their bear paw.”

Kitty smiled, unaware that her protruding tail was wagging.

‘Everyone is safe.’

And she found the Polly Mirror, which was her goal in coming here.

As soon as she realized that she didn’t have to try any harder, the strength drained from her body. Her vision suddenly spun.

Thump!

“Kitty!”

Eden caught Kitty, who had staggered and reverted to her cat form.

* * *

“It seems she temporarily lost consciousness due to excessive use of magic.”

The physician, hired exclusively for the Polly family members, said after examining Kitty.

Theo and Deon were relieved only after hearing that Kitty was alright.

But not Eden.

“Specifically, how much rest does she need? What about tonics or meals? Is she in need of convalescence?”

Theo and Deon had been with Eden for over a decade, but they were taken aback by his urgent questioning.

The physician, sensing the impatience in his tone, added.

“There is no danger to her life, but she needs to rest well since she overexerted herself. With the young lady’s excellent recovery ability, she should be fine by tomorrow afternoon.”

Squish—

The physician gently pressed Kitty’s right soft paw with his large hand, typical of bear shifters.

“If you’re done taking her pulse, I’d appreciate it if you could remove your hand from her soft paw.”

“It’s a bit addictive, you see.”

Theo and Deon carefully tended to Kitty and dismissed the physician. They felt uneasy every time Kitty breathed softly.

“We should have stopped her when she proposed that plan.”

Theo sighed, recalling Kitty’s insistence.

“I’ll lure Sigma. The leopards are so focused on finding the sacred relics right now, it’ll be easier than ever to deceive them.”

“No, Kitty. We won’t use you as bait.”

“Brothers, this is something only I can do. I appreciate your concern, but please trust me.”

Her emerald eyes were so clear.

Theo and Deon knew it too.

If Kitty, who had inherited the goddess’s magic, acted as if she sensed something, Sigma would surely be fooled.

But to them, Kitty was still the youngest sibling, only slightly bigger than when they had decided to temporarily adopt her.

“We vehemently opposed it, fearing she would collapse from overexertion, but it ended up like this anyway.”

“She nonchalantly ignored my threat that I wouldn’t brush her soft paw anymore. She’s completely grown up.”

The two sighed, filled with frustration. They had no choice but to face the reality they had been trying to ignore.

In about a year, Kitty would no longer be a Gridwolf in name only. With two sacred relics already lending her their power, the word ‘fragile’ was no longer fitting.

And she was now a full-fledged shifter who knew how to move to find what she wanted.

Eden covered Kitty with a cozy blanket and said.

“My subordinate reported that Sigma has a suspicious vial.”

“Containing the Polly heiress’s magic?”

“It seems to be a combination of the Polly heiress’s magic and Kitty’s magic.”

“What on earth is he trying to do with the sacred relics…….”

It was a power that could be abused in many ways, depending on how it was used. It was fortunate that they had secured a sample, allowing for further research.

“Thanks to Kitty’s efforts, we captured quite a few leopards. We might be able to get some testimony.”

Though they had killed some on the spot.

Eden swallowed the rest of his words and stroked Kitty’s soft cheek. Kitty started to purr, as if she liked the skillful touch.

“…….”

Theo and Deon stared intently at his surprisingly tender touch.

‘Come to think of it, Eden was only looking at Kitty even in front of the leopards.’

Ever since Eden Weavers lost his mother to the leopards, he would grind his teeth at the mere scent of them.

Even fellow wolves found it terrifying how he would charge at any leopard that appeared before him without batting an eye.

Yet, he had only paid attention to Kitty, even with Sigma and the other leopards right in front of him.

Considering that the Weavers family’s anger towards the leopards was at the level of a crazed obsession, it was astonishing.

‘He’s still looking at Kitty with those eyes.’

Eden stroked Kitty with hands that treated the most fragile thing in the world.

Kitty didn’t seem to dislike it either, occasionally twitching her ears without waking up.

Theo and Deon knew very well how picky Kitty was about the touch of the person stroking her.

The Gridwolf brothers quickly began a conversation with their eyes.

‘Kitty is aware of Eden, and Eden is too…….’

‘Come to think of it, didn’t Kitty speak informally to Eden earlier?’

It didn’t seem likely that this timid cat would have spoken informally to Eden just because the situation was urgent.

That meant Eden had told her to speak comfortably.

‘If a wolf sensitive to hierarchy avoids honorifics…….’

‘……Doesn’t Eden already think of Kitty as his mate?’

Theo and Deon couldn’t help but recall a story they had heard from Elliot during their childhood training.

“The central training ground? It’s the most sensitive place to hierarchy. Especially if you make a mistake in addressing someone of the family head level, all the wolves will reprimand you together.”

“Then did Mother also use honorifics with Father?”

“Yes. I heard that Caris also used honorifics with Jackal at first. But soon, Jackal told her to speak comfortably.”

“Ah, from when?”

“Well, one night…… no, they must have decided on their own at a suitably wholesome time.”

Now that they were adults, they could understand what Elliot had mumbled back then.

‘Eden already thinks of Kitty as his mate.’

The conclusion they reached was too clear to ignore. Theo and Deon had no choice but to ask Eden.

“Eden. The way you feel about Kitty, is it serious?”

It was a voice so small that even Eden, who had exceptionally good hearing among wolves, could barely hear it.

Deon, who was holding Kitty, even slightly covered Kitty’s perked ears with his hand.

Eden looked at Kitty, who had her eyes tightly closed, and said in a low voice.

“Yeah. I like Kitty.”

With each syllable he uttered, the twin brothers’ eyes widened. It was because the usually stoic Eden was slightly raising the corners of his lips in a smile.

“Sinc-, since when?”

“Her soft paw wasn’t on good terms with me when she was young.”

“Since Kitty came to my room and comforted me.”

There was a subtle playfulness in his voice. His voice was also loud enough to be heard.

Only then did Deon examine Kitty in his arms.

“……Soft paw. It’s fine to pretend to be asleep and eavesdrop, but your tail is sticking up straight like an exclamation mark.”

“…….”

Kitty continued to pretend to be asleep and lowered her raised tail with a wag.