It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 52

My head couldn’t make sense of the situation at all.

Last time, when I cried my eyes and nose out in Eden’s arms, it was nothing like this.

This feeling wasn’t like the excitement of eating my favorite food or the strong pounding of my heart after running around.

It was as if someone was rubbing a violin bow against my heart, a simple, short vibration spreading through my blood vessels.

The tingling sensation in my chest soon disappeared.

“Kitty.”

“Ah… Yes.”

“If you’re done, give it to me.”

Eden, as if he had no interest in the vibration that had occurred within me for a brief moment, simply took the paper.

I had just been thinking how peaceful he looked while sleeping, so Eden’s actions now felt even more indifferent.

Knock, knock—

Just then, Lena and Anne arrived in the study with snacks. Eden got up from his seat without a moment’s hesitation.

“I’m tired, so I’ll read this in my room. Good work.”

At those words, I peeked my face out as usual, but for some reason, Eden didn’t pat me.

His footsteps, faster than usual, seemed to be avoiding me. He passed Lena and Anne, who had brought snacks for us, with an indifferent air.

“Miss, Young Master Eden…”

Lena asked. I straightened my posture and made a sulky face.

“He said he’s tired. Let’s eat the snacks ourselves.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve had tea time with you, Miss. Anne, go guard the door.”

Lena, who spoke coolly, poured a generous amount of warm milk into my teacup and said in a worried voice.

“Somehow, Young Master’s face was red all the way to his ears. He’s been overdoing it, going back and forth between Wibis and Gridwolf, so he must be getting sick.”

“Ah…”

Could it be that Eden fell asleep so quickly because he was tired?

I felt grateful and sorry that he was taking the time to finish my lessons.

“Lena, please ask Paul to deliver medicine to Eden. Let’s eat snacks together first.”

“Yes, I will.”

For some reason, Eden’s face, which had been right in front of me, kept lingering in my mind.

I quickly shook my head to clear my thoughts and bit into a sweet cookie.

* * *

Time flew by quickly, even while leaking different information to Anne and Marie. Before I knew it, it was just a few days before my birthday.

Marie, who was in charge of serving me in the morning, meticulously styled my hair under Lena’s supervision. It seemed like a lot of effort to put into each strand.

‘Her arms must be hurting.’

But it’s a hundred times better for the spy sent by Jerian to have sore arms than for Lena to have sore arms.

Lena looked at my fluffy hair with satisfaction and explained today’s schedule.

“The Weila couple, who will be fitting your dress, have just arrived at the mansion. The young masters must be very disappointed that they can’t see your fashion show.”

“When will my brothers arrive at the mansion?”

“They will arrive in a few days. Since their vacation is long, they will have to take care of things at the training grounds thoroughly.”

Well, until last year, they could only stay for about a week on my birthday.

Perhaps because there wasn’t much left in the training course, they took a three-week vacation to coincide with my birthday. It seemed they were planning to return in time for the memorial service at the central training ground.

‘We can all make snow kitties together.’

Thinking about the harmonious future gave me strength. After finishing my hair, I got up from my seat and headed to the dressing room where the Weila couple was waiting.

I was used to welcoming the Weila couple, as I always had new clothes made around this time.

‘I wonder what kind of pretty clothes they’ll show me this year?’

I walked lightly with anticipation, and soon I was in the dressing room. Sir Elliot and Cleed were guarding the entrance.

Since outsiders had visited Gridwolf with a lot of luggage, considerable security was mobilized.

“Marie, please take care of the outside with Cleed.”

“…Yes, Miss.”

Flora would have already brought Anne inside, so I entrusted the outside to Marie, also to keep an eye on her. Cleed showed a hint of regret and opened the door.

Sir Elliot guided me to the Weila couple and chuckled.

“Cleed secretly asked me to let him be in charge of guarding the inside of the dressing room, but I kicked him out.”

“I feel a little sorry. It must be a bit cold in the hallway in winter, right?”

“Um… No. Please forget what I said.”

Sir Elliot added that Cleed was a fox with fluffy fur, so he would be resistant to the cold, and went further inside.

The Weila couple, who had been spreading out the colorful fabrics and jewels, noticed me and approached me in an instant.

“Oh, Miss! You’ve grown so much since I last saw you!”

“Oh, really?”

The always bright and kind Mrs. Weila always made me feel good.

“Yes. You’ve grown taller than when I saw you last time, haven’t you? You’re a proper lady now. Your waist is as slender as a mannequin, so any clothes I recommend will look good on you.”

Light flickered in Mrs. Weila’s eyes.

“I’m just waiting for you to become an adult. You must visit my atelier [a workshop or studio, especially one used by an artist or designer].”

“Of course. I always have my clothes made by you, don’t I?”

“When you become an adult, I can show you more diverse clothes. Clothes aren’t just for keeping warm…”

Mrs. Weila wore a sly smile. Sir Elliot coughed and subtly pushed her back.

“Lady Caris and Jackal are coming, so let’s get started. Mrs. Weila, as I said before, please refrain from making loud exclamations when you see the Miss changing clothes. It interferes with the master and mistress’s appreciation.”

“I’ll try, but I don’t know if it will work.”

Thus began my annual clothing fitting, which had become an annual event.

* * *

“The boots are comfortable because the tops aren’t too long and the soles are soft.”

“Oh, Miss…”

Caris sighed contentedly as she looked at Kitty wearing the combat dress and boots. Seeing Kitty’s bright smile, she thought, ‘This is what money is for.’

Kitty was very satisfied with the outfits that the Weila couple had presented this year as well. Seeing Kitty touching the hem of her skirt and looking happy made her smile.

“Mrs. Weila, can I buy those boots and dresses in different colors?”

“Of course, Madam. If you want, we can add fur decorations.”

“Oh… Did you hear that, Jackal? It would be really cute if we added wolf fur decorations.”

“…”

Caris patted Jackal’s stiff shoulders and waved her hand slightly. It was a signal to try on the next outfit.

Since Theo and Deon weren’t here this year, Caris and Jackal looked at Kitty’s outfits even more carefully.

Jackal smiled wryly as he watched Kitty disappear back behind the curtain.

“It feels like it was just yesterday when she was a baby, but she’s already grown so much.”

“I know. Kitty’s clothes have changed a lot too, haven’t they?”

When she was a baby kitten, Kitty used to look for dresses and hats with lots of frills to hide her popping tail.

But now, as a young lady about to turn seventeen, she mainly buys elegant and sophisticated dresses.

She still couldn’t completely control her tail and cat ears, so it meant that Kitty’s tastes and preferences had changed.

“Jackal, children seem to grow up so fast.”

“Theo and Deon went through such intense puberty that I wished they would grow up quickly.”

The couple frowned as they recalled Theo and Deon, who had reached the peak of their rebellious phase at the age of fifteen.

“Father! I’m going to be the best black magician on the continent! Kua ha ha ha!”

“…I understand, but stop wearing an eye patch on your perfectly fine eyes.”

“Mother, music is my life. I will be a dove of peace conveying love through melodies.”

“Deon, wolves can’t be doves. Take off that flashy gold necklace.”

Even thinking about it again, their puberty was terrifying. It was to the point where I thought Kitty might have skipped puberty altogether after seeing Theo and Deon only saying cringe-worthy things 24 hours a day.

“Tada, look at this!”

“Pink suits you very well.”

“Oh… You’re so pretty.”

Kitty came out wearing a light pink coat and smiled like sunshine, so the couple was able to erase the pubescent Theo and Deon from their minds.

Anyway, because Kitty had grown up quietly without any major emotional upheavals, the fact that so much time had passed felt even more unfamiliar.

“…There’s really not much time left until adulthood.”

Caris forced a smile and muttered. Soon Kitty would be turning seventeen. Becoming an adult didn’t mean turning nineteen, but the first day of the year she turned nineteen.

Jackal, who had counted the remaining temporary adoption period, thought for a moment and then said.

“Let’s change the law so that it’s based on the day she turns nineteen.”

“I guess that would be better, right?”

Jackal and Caris could change the laws within Gridwolf territory as they pleased.

It would require calling in the mansion’s clerks and going through some troublesome procedures, but if it meant keeping Kitty around a little longer, it was nothing.

While Kitty exclaimed and tried on new clothes, Caris gently leaned her head on Jackal’s shoulder.

“Our Kitty is so lovely.”

The child who came to us one day was so lovely that we couldn’t help but embrace her.

In the early days of adoption, Caris thought of Diel every time she saw Kitty, but as time went on, she only saw Kitty as Kitty.

From her pink nose and jelly [toe] paws to her fluffy fur, there was nothing that wasn’t lovely about her.

“…If Diel had been alive, she would have been a good friend to Kitty.”

My heart ached, and my voice trembled slightly.

If her daughter, Diel, had been alive, they would have picked out pretty clothes together every time the seasons changed.

They would have eaten delicious food together and gone on picnics to the fields and streams every sunny day.

Thanks to Kitty, she was able to get out of the deep pit in the middle of her heart, but she still felt sorry for her daughter, who couldn’t enjoy all these things and let out a faint breath.

Because it was none other than herself who had buried that child deep in the frozen ground.

“…Caris.”

Jackal slowly stroked his wife’s shoulder.

“There’s still a lot of time left, so you don’t have to think too deeply yet.”

Caris smiled at the gentle voice.

“I wish time would pass slowly. So I can see all her 모습 [Korean word for appearance or figure]. The way she rejoices, grieves, and falls in love…”

Jackal, who had been listening quietly, interjected firmly.

“Take out love.”

“Okay, let’s take it out.”

Just as the Gridwolf couple was about to fall into a subtle emotional moment again, the door opened, and someone dressed in outerwear came in. It was Eden.