It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 33

Thanks to Theo and Deon’s diligent brushing, I made it through shedding season without a hitch. I settled back into my daily routine and continued my lessons with Ethan.

Even though I’d skipped class claiming my fur was flying everywhere, Ethan surprisingly didn’t scold me much.

‘I can never figure out what that wolf is thinking.’

After mastering the alphabet and learning the basics of composition, Ethan began teaching me about the challenges faced by Beastkins and the significance of the Blue Moon.

“The Beastkins haven’t yet figured out how the Blue Moon actually works. They’re only experimenting with imitation Blue Moons, so the results aren’t great.”

I scribbled the important details in my notebook, lost in thought.

Every time I learned something about the Blue Moon, something felt off.

‘Jerian definitely used the term Blue Moon a lot, too.’

Jerian always mentioned the Blue Moon when talking to the large cats who followed him or the mysterious guests who occasionally visited.

‘But Jackal and Ethan said the leopards control the Blue Moon.’

Is Jerian friends with the leopards?

No, that didn’t quite add up. The cats were driven from their homes during the leopards’ rampage four years ago, forced into harsher, less fertile lands.

That was the day the leopard bit off the end of my tail, and I wasn’t the only one who suffered at their paws. All the cats feared and hated the leopards.

‘Mom said Jerian was at the forefront, making sure the cats could evacuate safely back then.’

That’s how he became the leader of the cats.

If that’s the case, Jerian shouldn’t be on good terms with the leopards.

‘But Jerian talked about the Blue Moon, and the Blue Moon is controlled by the leopards…’

Lost in my thoughts, Ethan asked,

“What’s got you so curious?”

“How did you know I was curious about something?”

Maybe geniuses can sense these things?

“Your tail is curved like a question mark.”

“Ah…”

My tail, which I hadn’t even realized had appeared, was indeed curved like a question mark. I hopped off the chair and spun around, trying to catch it.

After spinning three times, I finally managed to grab my tail. I rubbed it gently, and it disappeared.

As I sat back down, Ethan was staring out the window for some reason.

“Teacher, what are you looking at?”

“…”

“Ethan?”

“Just tell me what you’re curious about.”

“Umm…”

I hesitated for a moment. Even though Ethan knew I was a cat, I wasn’t sure if I could fully open up to him.

But even during my shedding season, when my fur was flying everywhere, Ethan hadn’t told anyone I was a cat.

‘He seems genuinely kind. Even though I bit him, he didn’t hold a grudge.’

More than anything, if it was Ethan, who had lost his mother to the leopards, he might help me get revenge on my enemies.

I stared into Ethan’s blue eyes for a long time before speaking.

“Teacher, are the cats also involved with the Blue Moon?”

Ethan looked surprised when the word ‘cat’ came out of my mouth.

“Not entirely unrelated. The Blue Moon is a relic of the Goddess, and cats are the animals that pulled the Goddess’s chariot.”

“Relic?”

“That’s what we call the sacred objects left behind by the gods. You know, the things that appear in lullabies.”

“Ah, Teacher, did you also need lullabies to fall asleep when you were young?”

“Not really. It’s just a song based on the legend of the Goddess, so I memorized it.”

Indeed. A tender lullaby doesn’t quite fit Ethan’s image.

Ethan added a few words in an indifferent voice, as if he were listing facts he wasn’t particularly interested in.

“I once read in a book that some cats use the same name for generations while waiting for the Goddess to reappear.”

“…”

Was it my imagination, or did Ethan seem to be testing me? Suddenly, the fact that my dad and brother shared the same name came to mind.

“Cats touched by the Goddess are said to be immune to the Blue Moon.”

“Ethan… are you very interested in cats?”

“I just happened to find out while looking for ways to subdue the leopards.”

Now I understood why Ethan suspected me of being a spy during our first tea time.

‘The leopards are misusing the Blue Moon somehow, and the only animals known to be immune to the Blue Moon are cats… wait a minute.’

My tail popped out in the shape of an exclamation mark the moment I realized something.

‘Could it be that the special ability Mom mentioned is…?’

Even when I saw the imitation Blue Moon in Mr. Gridwolf’s office, I didn’t feel sick. Instead, I felt a warm energy.

I also woke up quickly from catnip that should have kept me intoxicated for a long time. Now that I think about it, Dad used to boast that he never got drunk, no matter how strong the alcohol he drank.

‘Are Dad and my brother special cats, and did I inherit that ability?’

According to Jackal, Dad was investigating the Blue Moon. That would have been possible because he was immune to its effects.

I looked down at my soft paws. My heart ached as I thought of my mother, who had passed away without explaining everything.

‘Did Mom tell me to go to the wolf territory because she knew about my ability?’

If I wasn’t affected by the madness, the wolves who wanted to defeat the leopards would recognize my ability and take care of me.

Of course, even if I had the ability to resist the Blue Moon, I couldn’t avenge Jerian with that alone.

‘If I’m just thinking about stabbing Jerian, it would be better to ask Sir Elliot to teach me how to wield a dagger.’

But if that bad cat was plotting something with the leopards, I could try to use the power of the wolves. That would be much more likely to succeed than me, a single cat, facing Jerian’s forces alone.

Having made up my mind, I clenched my fist and said to Ethan,

“Um, Ethan. Could you help me with something?”

Ethan leaned towards me with a slightly amused expression.

“Kittyia. Do you trust me?”

“Well… you’re my teacher, Ethan?”

Ethan smiled contentedly and straightened a strand of my hair.

“Keep thinking that way. Among the people you can trust, I’m the only one who can help you.”

The blue eyes, filled with satisfaction, curved softly.

“So, what kind of help do you want from me?”

“Jerian, um, the cat who’s acting as the leader of the cats, I saw him talking about the Blue Moon with mysterious guests.”

Ethan’s gaze deepened as he listened.

“Not the leopards, but the leader of the cats mentioned the Blue Moon. Did you overhear what they said?”

“I didn’t hear the details, but I’m sure he said ‘Blue Moon.'”

Ethan rolled his eyes for a moment, then seemed to understand what I was asking.

“This is important, so I’ll tell Jackal.”

“Um…”

“I’ll make sure they don’t find out you’re a cat, so don’t worry.”

I had been waiting for Ethan to say this, so I quickly nodded.

If I told Jackal that I overheard Jerian’s conversation, they would realize I was a cat.

As I smiled, Ethan ruffled my hair and closed the book we had been studying.

“Then let’s end the lesson here. It seems like we have visitors.”

As soon as Ethan finished speaking, someone knocked on the study door. Since Theo and Deon were the only ones who ever visited at this time, I didn’t bother asking who it was.

“Kitty, is class over?”

“Brothers who bring snacks right on time are the best, Soft Paw [term of endearment]?”

As expected, the visitors were Theo and Deon.

The two of them placed the snacks they had brought, one by one: salmon flakes, donuts, and finally, warm milk with strawberry jam.

I smiled and skipped over to them. Deon wrapped his hands around my face, which I was reaching out, and pressed down.

“Soft Paw, you can’t kiss us all the time. Your brothers’ hearts will stop.”

Deon was squishing my cheeks, so instead of answering, I just moved my lips like a goldfish.

Oh, the kiss failed.

I had been kissing Mom, Dad, and my brother whenever I had the chance, so I felt a little disappointed, but there was nothing I could do.

Deon released my face when I stopped moving my lips.

“Okay. It’ll be a problem if my brothers die.”

“Ah… saying it like that is a bit much.”

I poked Deon with my soft paw and sat down. Theo handed me some pretty tableware.

Ethan was looking at the three of us with a bored expression, and I noticed his outfit was slightly different.

“Ah, Ethan, now that I see it, you’re wearing a fancy fur ornament?”

“You noticed that quickly.”

Looking around, Theo and Deon also had fancy fur ornaments on their shoulders.

Wolves get fur ornaments when they grow a full winter coat in their human form.

Now that I think about it, all the wolves I’ve met for the past few days have been wearing fur ornaments. Suddenly, my shoulders, which didn’t have fur ornaments, felt bare.

Theo, realizing that my eyes were darting between the fur ornaments of the three wolves, said,

“Kitty, baby wolves don’t get fur ornaments, so don’t be too impatient.”

“Hmm…”

“And Kitty, your hair has gotten a lot thicker, too?”

Theo seemed pleased that my pigtails had become puffier. Um, wolves get thicker hair when they’re in their Beastkin form in the winter, instead of fur ornaments.

I could make excuses that it was because I was young, but once I became an adult, everyone would know I was a cat.

“But I made a Meow Ball [cat’s hairball], so I’m almost seven years old…”

“Meow Ball?”

Ah, wolves wouldn’t call a round ball of fur a ‘Meow Ball,’ would they?

“I meant a fur ball!”

“Oh, really? But seven years old… is it Kitty’s birthday?”

I nodded in a daze. I didn’t intend to ask them to celebrate it, but Theo and Deon persistently started asking for the date.

“That makes sense. It’s common for wolves born in winter to have fair and light fur.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“So, when exactly is it? Is it soon?”

“Um… it’s in a week.”

I checked the calendar and hesitated before speaking. Then Theo, Deon, and even Ethan looked a little surprised.

“A week later? It’s really soon? What do you want?”

“But I already have a lot?”

“Soft Paw, you sometimes talk like an adult. A baby wolf should always want something.”

Theo and Ethan didn’t say anything, as if they agreed with Deon.

I see. Baby wolves have to be greedy.

I wanted a cool wolf fur ornament like Theo, Deon, and Ethan, but that wasn’t something I could just ask for.

I thought about what I needed and answered.

“Then I guess knitting supplies would be good! If not, sewing supplies are also good.”

“Soft Paw, is there something you want to make?”

Deon asked. I smiled brightly and told him about my future plans.

“Not really, I’m trying to learn skills in advance for when my temporary adoption ends and I leave Gridwolf to live on my own. The knitting needles in the mansion are a little big for my hands…”

“…”

For some reason, the eyes of the three wolves widened.