It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 150

Caris didn’t say anything for a while, just held me close. Her warm hand stroking my back conveyed everything.

I realized once again that becoming family wasn’t just about stamping a formal adoption paper.

“I’m always grateful, Caris.”

From the moment I first stepped into Gridwolf Manor until now, we had cherished and cared for each other.

So, Caris was my family even before I called her Mom, and she still is now.

There was a time when I was afraid that using such a title would betray my cat family, that I was trying to steal Diel’s place.

But now I know that’s not the case.

Because anyone who truly loves me would want me to be happy.

Like Mom, who gave me her power at the moment of her death and told me to go to the wolf territory.

Like Dad and Oppa [term of endearment used by younger females to address older brothers or male friends in Korean], who didn’t give up their lives for me until their last moments.

And like Ethan, who offered me the hilt of the sword, telling me to stab him to avoid hurting me.

“…Kitty, thank you for calling me that.”

After a while, Caris gently stroked my fluffy head. Her voice trembled faintly, as if she was holding back tears.

I tilted my head slightly and met Caris’s eyes—my new mom’s eyes. Caris’s tears fell on my cheek.

“Baby, thank you so much for being my daughter. Really…”

“I can’t even express how happy I am that Caris is my new mom.”

Caris hugged me tightly once more. I could feel her wolf ears and tail popping out.

As I basked in the warm embrace, I could smell the distinct scent of wolves nearby. It was Theo, Deon, and Jackal.

I glanced at the source of the wolf scent, and the three of them hid behind a tree as if to say they had no intention of interrupting Caris and my hug.

But their shoulders were not narrow enough to be completely hidden by the tree. I waved my soft paw and said,

“You three, come here too.”

“Ah, is it okay?”

“If Soft Paw calls, we have to go.”

“Let’s go.”

The three of them hugged Caris and me as if they had been waiting for it. Even though I had eaten so much milk and salmon jerky and never skipped my stretching exercises, I was still the smallest.

Thanks to that, being nestled in the arms of the cuddly wolves was truly a happy thing. The spreading warmth was so comforting that tears welled up in my eyes.

“Kitty is still a crybaby.”

“Here, it’s a Soft Paw handkerchief. It’s from my collection, but I’ll let you use it specially.”

Theo and Deon continued to comfort me. I dabbed away my tears with a handkerchief stamped with a small cat paw print and smiled.

“Thank you, Oppas.”

As soon as I said that, Theo and Deon’s wolf ears perked up.

“Ugh, Kitty…!”

“Oh my gosh. ‘Older brother’ was good enough.”

The two hugged me so tightly that I felt like I would explode. I barely squeezed out a voice and said to Jackal,

“Dad, too.”

Jackal, no, Dad, still wore a solemn and serious expression, but like Theo and Deon, his wolf ears popped out.

“Thank you for calling me that.”

A hand that looked like it could easily crush a cat skull with one hand gently brushed my cheek.

Being loved by my family as the youngest was always a joy. I snuggled deeper into Mom’s arms.

At that moment, Dad spoke in a low voice.

“Nero.”

I turned my gaze to where Dad was looking. Nero was indeed there.

Nero glanced at me nestled among the wolves and tried to turn away.

“You seem to be having a good time, so I don’t want to disturb you. Kittyah doesn’t seem cold either.”

Looking closely, Nero was holding a large blanket in her hand. It was as if she had trusted me and sent me off, but was belatedly worried about the cold.

Seeing that thoughtful gesture, a question suddenly came to mind.

“Nero. Now that I think about it, you said you would tell me exactly what our relationship is when I returned safely, right?”

“I did. Are you curious?”

Nero spoke as if my curiosity wasn’t that important. I knew very well that Nero truly cared for me, whatever our relationship was.

It must have been a difficult request, but she even hid her identity for a long time to keep me away from Mom’s belongings.

“Yes, I’m curious.”

As I spoke cautiously, Nero wore a gentle smile. Her face still overlapped with my biological father’s.

“You are my granddaughter, Kittyah. I am your father’s mother.”

“Then… are you my grandmother?”

“Yes.”

Nero answered simply. I couldn’t hide my surprised and sulky expression in the slightest.

‘This is really too much!’

To try to gloss over it with the word ‘relative’ when she was my biological grandmother, of all people!

“Ah, Kitty is angry.”

“I know. The kitty has turned into a pufferfish again.”

As I puffed out my cheeks, Theo and Deon giggled and let go of me. I stepped out of the wolves’ arms and went to Nero.

I had often thought that her quietly supporting me resembled my biological father or older brother, but I was a little taken aback when I actually heard that she was my grandmother.

‘Well. Mom wouldn’t have made an unreasonable request to a distant relative in the first place.’

It must take some strength to have a necklace imbued with the goddess’s magic and stay far away.

If Nero was the cat who gave birth to our dad, who had immunity, she might have special powers as well.

Even if not, as the leader of the night cats, she would have stronger magic than ordinary beastmen.

When I think about it, there were many points that I could have anticipated.

Still, still!

“Grandma, that’s too much!”

“But the word ‘relative’ isn’t a lie, is it? It would seem too presumptuous if I suddenly appeared and said I was your grandmother.”

“If that’s the reason…”

I looked at Nero, no, Grandma, without hiding my sulkiness in the slightest.

“You should have told me sooner! You were worried about me the whole time I was away from you.”

“…I was.”

“That’s too much, really.”

Soft—

I hugged her. Even my grandmother, who seemed as taciturn as Jackal, was helpless against my Soft Paw attack.

“This paw is getting softer and softer. It doesn’t seem like it was this soft when you were born.”

Grandma showed with her hands how small I was when I was born. The wolf family’s eyes lit up at her explanation, as if she knew my babyhood well.

“Nero.”

Jackal spoke in a stern voice.

“I’m planning to hold a party soon to celebrate Kitty’s adoption. If you have time, please pass the word on to our wolves.”

“Oh my. You’re going to commemorate your granddaughter’s adoption according to my schedule? How kind.”

Theo and Deon started flattering her, not wanting to be outdone.

“There’s a chef at Gridwolf Manor who has been researching salmon jerky for over ten years.”

“We have a lot of good alcohol, so please drink it and tell us stories about Soft Paw’s childhood.”

“I will.”

Grandma stroked me in her arms and then gently let me go. It seemed like she was being considerate so that I could return to the wolf family.

“Kittyah. I’m happy if you’re happy.”

“Grandma…”

“Come visit me often instead.”

The smiling faces of my cat family overlapped with Grandma’s smiling face. I hugged her once more and whispered.

“Of course I will. Grandma is my precious family too.”

Just then, the wind blew and the dandelions blooming near Mom’s grave swayed gently. Surrounded by the warmth of my family, it wasn’t a cold night at all.

* * *

A week after Jerian was dragged to the bear territory.

With the help of Clyde and the fox beastmen, a temporary magic circle was installed that allowed us to quickly travel between Gridwolf Manor and the cat territory.

Nero remained in the cat territory and worked with the night cats to restore the territory. With the support of the wolves and foxes, things were going quite smoothly.

“Still, we’ll need a representative with legitimacy for the time being. Small animals are easy targets to be underestimated.”

Banyel, a rabbit beastman, also worried about the cat beastmen in a similar situation and dressed up Kitty.

Tonight’s event was a celebration of Kitty’s formal adoption, so she had to do her best.

“Grandma said the same thing. I think there will be a meeting soon regarding that matter.”

“I wish the rabbit beastmen had such a representative too. Grandpa seems worried about his age. He’s at an age where administrative difficulties could arise at any time.”

“Grandma said that too.”

“What people want is young blood. Got it?”

Banyel hinted to Kitty and braided her abundant silver hair into pigtails. The weather was getting warmer, but somehow her silver hair seemed even more abundant.

“It’s done, Miss. You’ll be painting a family portrait and then stamping the adoption papers in front of everyone, so I made the hair accessories as colorful as possible.”

“Thank you, Banyel.”

Banyel hurriedly grabbed Kitty, who was about to head out of the room.

“Miss, this!”

“Ah.”

Kitty quickly slipped the ring Banyel offered onto her left ring finger. It was a large gemstone ring engraved with the Wibis crest [family crest of the Wibis family].

“Thank you, Banyel!”

Kitty left the room with light steps.

The work in the cat territory wasn’t completely resolved yet, but she wasn’t too worried because she had received a reply from Katrina that she would properly torture Jerian.

It seemed that the ‘Gray Sleigh Merchant Group Soft Paw Branch’ that Hashka was creating was also progressing very smoothly.

“Miss, this way.”

Elliot guided Kitty, who was walking along unconsciously, alone. Already more than twenty painters were setting up their easels and waiting.

“You will paint a family portrait and then have a meal, and you will stamp the formal adoption papers during the banquet. This document will not have an adoption period.”

“Thank you, Sir Elliot.”

Elliot chuckled and bowed slightly.

“I am more grateful. You have grown up so wonderfully.”

“It’s all thanks to my teacher’s excellent teaching.”

“Flattery has now reached its peak.”

Kitty winked and headed to the prepared location. Caris, Jackal, Theo, and Deon, all well-dressed, were already sitting in their chairs.

“Kitty, this way!”

Kitty’s eyes widened as she looked at someone sitting next to Theo, who was gesturing.

“Grandma?”

“The Gridwolf family head called me. He asked if I would like to join.”

Jackal raised one eyebrow. Kitty ran over and kissed him on the cheek.

“Thank you, Dad.”

“…”

This time, Jackal’s wolf ears revealed themselves too easily.

Just as they were about to start sketching the family portrait, the entrance suddenly became noisy.

The five people, except for Kitty, who had been distracted for a moment, stiffened as they identified who had appeared wearing well-tailored black uniforms.

“I heard you were drawing a family portrait.”

Ethan, with a somewhat brazen face, entered while ostentatiously fiddling with his couple ring with Kitty.