It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 34

No one spoke while I ate two pieces of salmon jerky. It was Theo who broke the long silence.

“Kitty, you know the temporary adoption ends when you become an adult, right?”

Why was Theo saying this? Oh, no. Did it sound like I was subtly pressuring them to extend the adoption period?

“Of course! I’m going to prepare thoroughly from now on and leave the mansion as soon as I become an adult, so don’t worry.”

“Ah…”

Theo sounded dejected, as if that wasn’t the answer he wanted. Deon put his hands on my shoulders and asked in a desperate voice.

“Heartless soft paws.”

“…?”

“To say such a thing less than a month after giving your brothers kisses.”

“But Mom said I have to keep the promise she wrote on the papers.”

When I tilted my head, Deon squished my cheeks and sighed.

“That’s true, but…”

For some reason, I patted Deon’s drooping shoulders diligently with my soft paws.

“Don’t worry. Even though I’m small now, I’ll become a reliable and wonderful adult by the time I leave the mansion.”

The more clearly I spoke, the more ashen Deon’s face became.

“Do you really want knitting supplies or sewing supplies for your birthday? Clothes or jewelry would be nice too…”

“Clothes or jewelry aren’t very helpful for becoming independent, are they?”

“You can save them and sell them later. You’re not thinking of leaving all your things behind, are you?”

“But it’s Gridwolf’s money. Clothes and shoes will wear out when I wear them, but I think I can sell jewelry for a good price later.”

Theo and Deon looked like the sky had fallen and froze for a moment.

Eden, who had been watching the whole conversation, chuckled.

“I didn’t teach you how to play hard to get, but you’re doing well.”

“…?”

Eden seemed very pleased that Theo and Deon were on edge because of me and wore a subtle smile.

“Is that all you want for your birthday? Besides what you want to have, what do you want to do?”

“What I want to do?”

I rolled my eyes and thought about the things I wanted to do at the wolf mansion.

I rode down Jackal’s back after he turned into a big wolf, and I sat next to Theo and Deon and got brushed…

“I want to go to the shopping district! I thought it was a really wonderful place when I looked around from afar with my brothers last time.”

Besides, if I went to the shopping district, I could find out what kind of clothes the animals living nearby wore and what colors they liked.

I was planning to leave the mansion when I became an adult, but it would be even better if I could learn to knit and raise funds before I became an adult.

‘It would be good to snoop around.’

I should think about how I’m going to live after I get revenge for my mom from Jerian.

When I sparkled my eyes thinking about the wonderful shopping district, Theo and Deon gave meaningful smiles.

“Kitty, you want to go sightseeing in the shopping district?”

“Yes. I’ve already looked around the mansion.”

“Ah, that’s right. You’ll probably think of a lot of things you want to have if you see this and that…”

The two went to the corner for a moment and started a two-person meeting. There was no way I, a cat, could hear the wolves whispering quietly.

While I was curious about their conversation, Eden put a book under his arm and got up from his seat.

“I’ll make sure to mention what we talked about to Jackal, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you, Teacher.”

“If you’re thinking of eavesdropping on what Theo and Deon are saying, put your cat ears that are sticking out away.”

“Ah…”

Without even realizing it, I gently rubbed and put down my cat ears that I had perked up. Eden looked at me and chuckled.

“If you need anything other than what your brothers are going to buy you, tell me. I’ll get annoyed if you tell someone else first.”

I gave my brothers pleading cat eyes.

‘A little cat is being threatened by a wolf right next to you…’

But my brothers didn’t notice at all and were enthusiastically discussing my birthday present.

“…”

Giving up on getting help, I quickly waved my soft paws to see off the grumpy wolf.

* * *

Eden went to his room for a while to sort out his thoughts and then headed straight to Jackal’s office.

Since he had sent his servant Cale in advance to make an appointment, Jackal also greeted Eden with an impeccable posture.

“Eden. How is life at Gridwolf?”

“Thanks to your concern, I’m doing well.”

There were ordinary greetings. Eden sat in the chair in the office as Jackal suggested and opened his mouth.

“Kitty told me about the leader of the cat beastkins, Jerian.”

Jackal’s eyes trembled for a moment as he looked at Eden as if he was a little shocked.

“Kitty…”

“You already know she’s a cat.”

Eden was firm.

But Jackal stared at Eden as if that wasn’t important.

“She hid it from her family and told you she was a cat.”

“Yes, well.”

On the night Kitty was adopted, Jackal and Caris called all the employees and said that if they didn’t treat Kitty like a baby wolf, they would be punished.

The same was true for everyone who visited Gridwolf.

But Eden, the only son of the Weebis family, wasn’t so timid that he would flinch at the Gridwolf couple’s threats.

That’s why he was able to say to Kitty, ‘I know you’re a cat.’

‘But since I’m being taken care of, I shouldn’t say anything that bothers me.’

For example, Kitty is afraid of me because she’s afraid of being caught as a cat.

I didn’t feel bad that she glanced at me with her big emerald eyes every time we were alone.

It was also fun to watch her rub her palms together and flatter me whenever she had a chance.

Of course, the thing I liked most about what the cat did was that she liked it when I stroked her, even though she was afraid of me.

“Eum―!”

When I gently stroked her hair so that she felt lazy, her perky cat ears drooped.

When she especially liked the touch, Kitty slid her arms across the desk and stretched like a cat.

“…”

Eden’s heart beat faster when he recalled Kitty’s soft and warm cheeks that were sometimes rubbed against his hand.

The cat was gradually letting her guard down, calling me by the flattering title of teacher, and today she even revealed a secret.

When I recalled the strange feeling that rose in my chest when Kitty whispered, a small smile appeared on my lips.

Jackal didn’t miss Eden’s small change in expression.

“You’re smiling suddenly.”

“…”

“Did Kitty really tell you she was a cat?”

“I’m her teacher.”

“Elliot is the same.”

“…”

A strange war of nerves continued for a while. Jackal didn’t let his guard down and got to the point.

“So what did Kitty say about Jerian?”

“She said she heard a cat named Jerian talking about Blue Moon.”

“…The leader of the cats?”

“Yes. I think it’s necessary to think about how the leopards got the imitation Blue Moon in connection with the cats.”

Eden said what he thought without adding or subtracting. Jackal frowned slightly and pondered Eden’s words.

“But it is highly likely that Kitty’s father and brothers, named Icarus, are immune to Blue Moon.”

“Aren’t other cats immune to the madness of Blue Moon?”

“Yes. Kitty seemed a little different, though.”

Many assumptions swirled in Jackal’s head.

Kitty, who did not inherit the name of Icarus, described Blue Moon as a pleasant jewel. Moreover, according to Cleed’s mana record, Kitty clearly had a special power related to Blue Moon.

“First of all, let’s find out if the cat named Jerian is immune to madness.”

“Yes, Jackal.”

Eden got up from his seat. His role was only to convey to Jackal the things that Kitty had not revealed because she was pretending to be a wolf.

Jackal would take care of the rest. Eden trusted Jackal’s judgment.

“If Kitty says anything related in the future, let me know.”

Eden hesitated for a moment as he was about to leave. It was because he remembered Kitty being captured by Theo and Deon during shedding season and being happy.

She lost all her family at a young age and was living while hiding her identity as a wolf, so she must have been very lonely.

Eden leaked information that he wanted to monopolize. It was not a pleasant thing to do.

“I think her birthday is in a week.”

“Kitty’s birthday, you mean.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

After finishing the conversation, Eden simply bowed his head and left the room. Jackal’s expression darkened as he wrote something down on the paper.

* * *

It was about an hour later that Elliot, who had come to report, fully took on the ominous atmosphere that Jackal was exuding.

‘What on earth did you talk about with Young Master Eden?’

Elliot swallowed hard. It is said that Mrs. Weebis created a formation that drastically improved the combat efficiency of wolves when she was only ten years old.

Just now, some knights were dispatched to the cat’s territory under Jackal’s orders.

If the atmosphere darkened after Eden, who inherited both his mother’s brain and his father’s boldness, visited….

‘Did something come out related to the leopard bastards?’

Weebis and Gridwolf both lost loved ones to leopards, so Jackal’s murderous intent was understandable.

Soon, Jackal, who was exuding a terrifying atmosphere, got up from his seat. In his hand was a luxurious notebook.

“Elliot. I have something to discuss urgently, so I’m going to Caris’s office.”

“Yes.”

So, did they have a strategic discussion? Elliot tensed up and followed Jackal.

The Gridwolf knights who came with Elliot also moved with precise movements.

Caris, who was reviewing documents, felt an unusual atmosphere even before the employee announced it and stopped what she was doing.

“What’s wrong, Jackal?”

“Caris. Something urgent has come up to discuss.”

Caris got up from her seat as soon as the door opened. Jackal approached her with a dignified walk and showed her the notebook.

Caris’s face also became serious after checking the contents. The wolf knights, including Elliot, were on pins and needles.

After a while. Jackal, who had finished discussing with Caris, commanded in a low voice.

“From now on, the knights remaining in Gridwolf will be deployed to prepare for next week’s schedule.”

“Next week’s schedule is…”

Elliot asked back with a very nervous face.

Jackal covered the notebook filled with ribbons, balloons, and garlands and said sternly.

“Our youngest daughter’s birthday party.”