It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 24

“For the time being, let’s focus on collecting and researching as much of the imitation Blue Moon being used by the panthers as possible.”

“Haha, it seems we’re stuck with that method again.”

Hogwood laughed heartily, responding to Caris’s words. With that, the heavy conversation that didn’t quite fit the bright glass greenhouse came to an end.

Jackal and Caris’s eyes subtly shifted to the next table, watching Kittia, who was sitting upright like a doll.

The wolves at the table and Hogwood couldn’t help but stifle their laughter at their behavior.

‘They said she was only a temporary adopted daughter until she becomes an adult.’

The Gridwolf couple was paying more attention to Kittia, who had been in the mansion for less than a month, than to Theo and Deon.

Everyone thought that the two, having experienced the stillbirth of their daughter, might have had a significant change of heart when they adopted a small cat girl.

But the Gridwolf couple’s love for their adopted daughter was already bordering on obsession.

“Hogwood, Eden keeps talking to Kitty.”

Jackal said in a stern voice. “Talking? Of course, he can,” Hogwood shrugged and joked.

“Talking to someone you’re interested in is a wolf’s instinct……”

Hogwood couldn’t finish his sentence because the Gridwolf couple was glaring at him with trembling eyes. Jackal retorted as if such a thing could never happen.

“Interested?”

“No, well… Kitty is cute, after all.”

“That’s right.”

He was just stating a fact, but Jackal looked somewhat proud. Caris, who always added the explanation ‘temporary adoption’ whenever mentioning Kitty, was the same.

‘If that’s the case, why even say ‘temporary’?’

Hogwood was speechless, not knowing if there was a problem with the Gridwolf couple or if the little cat was just being charming.

“……”

Just then, Kitty sent a desperate distress signal towards the Gridwolf couple. Jackal stood up and approached Eden as if he had been waiting for it.

“Eden.”

Jackal ruffled Eden’s hair haphazardly with his large hand. Eden’s relatively neat hair instantly became a bird’s nest.

Hogwood could only laugh.

“Haha, this is something……”

He knew that blocking males who were interested in their daughter was one of the instincts of father wolves, but he never expected Jackal, who had only temporarily adopted her for less than a month, to act like this.

Marriage would happen after she became an adult when the temporary adoption ended, but Jackal was serious about blocking males.

‘I don’t know which poor guy will become Kittia’s husband, but he’s in for a rough ride.’

Hogwood chuckled.

Soon, Jackal returned to the adult wolves’ table, holding Kitty in his arms.

Hogwood shook his head once again, seeing him holding his adopted daughter instead of bringing a chair for her to sit on.

“I’d like to introduce our adopted daughter, who will be living in the wolf mansion until she becomes an adult.”

Caris said with an indifferent face. However, the wolves could tell that Caris’s voice was filled with the same joy as when she had announced her pregnancy long ago.

‘Just how much did she want a daughter?’

Hogwood stared intently at Kitty. Jackal lightly held the child and showed her off to everyone as if 자랑하고 있었다 [showing off].

Kitty smiled brightly, grabbed the hem of her skirt, and bowed her head.

“Hello? I’m Kittia, a baby wolf temporarily adopted into the Gridwolf family.”

She spoke clearly to avoid showing that she was missing a tooth, which was adorable. Every time her small lips moved, her cat ears twitched, causing her hat to bob up and down.

Some of the wolf ladies groaned as they watched Kitty introduce herself bravely.

“Kittia, we received the invitation you sent to our mansion. It even had your cute handprint on it, you know?”

“Ah!”

Kitty smiled brightly as if she was happy to be recognized. She smiled so brightly that you could count the number of all her teeth, including her small canines.

“I’m glad you like my soft paw print!”

Watching the cat rejoice so innocently, the corners of the wolves’ mouths unconsciously turned upwards. Jackal added briefly in a solemn voice.

“They say her nickname is Soft Paw.”

Kitty nodded and showed her palm. A wolf lady nearby shook hands with Kitty and pressed her lips together.

“Oh my… You wrote such pretty letters with this hand?”

“Yes! I learned diligently from Theo and Deon 오라버니 [older brothers]. Caris 님 [esteemed] wrote the letters in large print for me to copy.”

“Oh my goodness… Even the heart 그림 [drawing] next to it?”

“Ah, I did that too!”

The wolves continued to praise Kitty, watching her wag her tail in pride. Kitty was lost in bliss, unaware that her tail had popped out.

Hogwood had no choice but to change his mind as he watched the scene.

‘I thought the Gridwolf couple was crazy, but the cat is just irresistibly cute.’

Hogwood, who thought so, was also wearing the proud smile of a father wolf.

* * *

“아가씨 [Miss/Young Lady], you worked hard. The guests praised 아가씨 [Miss/Young Lady] until the very end, you know?”

Lena said in a kind voice as she dried my hair. The wolf guests finished all the schedules that started with the tea party and returned this afternoon.

We danced waltzes and stomps to our heart’s content at the small-scale ball. Caris 님 [esteemed] and Jackal 님 [esteemed] called a painter in the middle to have Theo, Deon, and me painted.

‘I couldn’t push for the cat dance, but holding their hands and jumping around was really fun.’

Eden, who had temporarily returned to the Weebis mansion to pack his luggage, didn’t reveal that I was a cat until the very end. I guess my efforts to look good paid off.

The thought of having to flatter Eden throughout the 수업 [lessons] made me feel tired.

Lena, who lifted me up and laid me on the bed, tilted her head.

“아가씨 [Miss/Young Lady], is something bothering you?”

“Well… I was wondering when my size would get bigger.”

If I were big or strong, Eden wouldn’t be scared and wouldn’t reveal my secret. I wouldn’t need the survival strategy of a small animal.

“I eat lots and lots of 연어 포 [salmon jerky] and milk, but I’m still tiny.”

“You’ll start growing taller after you gain muscle and fat. 아가씨 [Miss/Young Lady] is still skinny, so take it easy.”

“But……”

“If you want to grow faster, shall I teach you 쭉쭉 [stretching] gymnastics?”

“쭉쭉 [stretching] gymnastics?”

“Yes. Our children do this gymnastics every day and became big wolves like Jackal 님 [esteemed].”

“Ah, then 조아요 [good/I like it]!”

Lena lightly stomped her feet and transformed into a wolf. I was a little surprised by the sudden appearance of a large wolf, but I also transformed into an animal as Lena instructed.

“Stretch your front paws like this—.”

“Streeetch……”

I stretched out my soft paws, following Lena’s words and actions. I stretched my belly towards the ceiling, then stretched out my tail and ears as well.

It felt like my body, which had been stiff from being still all day, was loosening up.

Stretch!

“Oh my, 아가씨 [Miss/Young Lady] stretches like cheese?”

“Ah, maybe it’s because I’m a baby wolf and flexible.”

“Lift your hips higher and straighten your tail.”

I diligently followed the 쭉쭉 [stretching] gymnastics that Lena taught me. After memorizing the movements carefully, I covered myself with a blanket and thought for a while with my eyes closed.

Even if it wasn’t just because of Eden, I needed to become stronger and scarier. To avenge my mother against Jerian, simply becoming an adult wouldn’t be enough.

‘Jerian’s subordinates also have incredibly thick forepaws.’

It seemed like a good idea to start learning how to fight little by little from now on. Theo said that moving my body would help me gain muscle faster.

Come to think of it, I heard that Theo and Deon train martial arts every day in the mansion’s training ground.

‘It’s a bit much for a temporarily adopted kid to ask for a martial arts teacher……’

I already have Eden as my teacher, so I felt guilty asking for someone to teach me how to fight.

The Gridwolfs were already spending too much money on me.

As I was thinking about a good way, I decided to wake up early tomorrow morning and follow Theo and Deon’s 수업 [lessons].

Hiding in the bushes and secretly following their 수업 [lessons] would be a win-win situation since it wouldn’t cost extra money and my skills would improve.

“I have to wake up early tomorrow.”

I said it three times to the pillow and then went to sleep.

* * *

The next morning.

After waking up early, I did 쭉쭉 [stretching] gymnastics and then immediately got dressed. Thanks to my mom, who taught me step by step in the past, I could dress myself well alone.

Lena heard me moving and brought in breakfast.

“아가씨 [Miss/Young Lady], you buttoned the first button wrong.”

“Ah.”

How embarrassing.

I munched on toast while Lena re-buttoned my buttons. Lena narrowed her eyes, noticing that I was acting hastily today.

“Do you have a morning appointment?”

“It’s not that. I was thinking of going for a walk for a bit.”

“Where are you going?”

“I heard there’s fancy foxtail in the training ground.”

“You must come back in time for lunch, okay?”

Lena repeatedly emphasized and tied my hair. I nodded and quickly headed towards the training ground.

The hill was steep, but I didn’t feel tired at all because I thought I could learn how to become stronger.

I hid in the bushes where I could see Theo and Deon well and squatted down, secretly watching the 수업 [lessons].

As expected, Theo and Deon, who had arrived first, were being taught by Sir Elliott. Jackal 님 [esteemed] was watching them with an unwavering expression.

“Then, prepare for sparring.”

When Sir Elliott said that, Theo and Deon raised their wooden swords and shouted.

Awoo-!

It was a loud wolf howl. When the two howled, the wolves around them added their voices one by one.

The howling spread wide and loud like an echo. Following the flow, I also imitated the wolf’s howl very quietly.

“Nyawooong―”

Then, the wolves in the training ground stopped howling and turned their heads towards me.