It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 71

A wolf would never talk back to Jackal’s threats. But Clliod was the head of the Foxstein family and the de facto leader of the foxes.

He made a groaning voice, like a patient who was about to die in five minutes.

“Jackal, sir… If you hold a patient like that… Ugh.”

Clliod’s entire body, except for the nape of his neck that Jackal was holding, went limp. Kitty’s eyes widened in surprise at the reaction, which was believable even if he were dead.

“Jackal, sir! Clliod is a patient; you can’t hold him like that.”

Kitty was always sincere when taking care of sick people. She snatched the limp Clliod and held him in her arms.

Clliod wagged his fluffy tail to distract Kitty, then whispered in a subtle voice.

“Thank you. Being with you stabilizes my magic. It doesn’t seem enough to return to human form, but…”

“Still, it’s good that you woke up.”

Jackal’s forehead creased as he watched the scene.

‘That fox bastard,’ he thought.

For wolves, wagging their tails to seduce the opposite sex was very embarrassing.

A great wolf would use only his face, body, and voice in a straightforward way to seduce the opposite sex. If that didn’t work, a little alcohol might be added.

No wolf would fall for a wagging tail. But Kitty was a cat who was easily distracted by something fluffy moving.

‘This is a problem.’

Even Jackal could feel that Clliod’s magic was more stable when he was close to Kitty.

It was only natural since Kitty had calmed the madness raging inside Clliod’s body with her paws and soft hands.

But he didn’t want to see Clliod and Kitty together at all. He firmly believed that Kitty was still at an age where she valued her family more.

‘At seventeen, she’s at the age where she thinks her mom and dad are the best.’

Jackal had automatically deleted the memory of Kitty being conscious of Ethan. Anyway, if they were physically apart, their hearts would grow apart too.

“Clliod Foxstein, how long do you think it will take for your magic to stabilize?”

“If I want to transform into a human and use Mana Record [a technique to access stored magical knowledge], I’ll have to spend at least half a day with you, miss.”

Clliod didn’t bother to explain about the mana core [the center of a mage’s magical power]. Even if he told Jackal about it, it would only sound like a request to let him stay by Kitty’s side.

If he spent about half a day with Kitty, he would be able to complete the mana core within a year.

Clliod’s heart pounded at the thought of kneeling the leopards and saving his comrades.

“…”

Jackal wanted to hit Clliod, who shamelessly said he would spend half the day with his precious soft hands, but he endured it like an adult.

“Then I’ll allow you to sleep by Kitty’s side tonight, on the condition that you use Mana Record tomorrow.”

* * *

“…Is this what it means to sleep by your side, miss?”

“I don’t know what you wanted, but you better not try anything.”

Jackal, who had turned into a large wolf, and Clliod, a small fox, were growling at each other in Kitty’s room.

But Kitty, who had finished her bath and was being held in Caris’s arms, was simply happy, unaware of what was going on.

‘I missed Theo and Deon, but it’s nice to sleep together like this after a long time.’

It was always nice to fall asleep in the fluffy wolf fur. Caris transformed into a wolf and took her place in Jackal’s arms, then held Kitty.

Kitty, who had already become drowsy from Caris’s foot massage and brushing before entering the bedroom, fell asleep in an instant.

Clliod, who had to sleep between Jackal’s threatening forepaws, couldn’t even see a single strand of Kitty’s cat whiskers.

“Would I ever wag my tail at you in fox form, miss?”

“You foxes wag your tails as if it’s as natural as breathing.”

“…”

“You’ll keep wagging it out of my sight like a rat.”

Jackal growled and threatened Clliod. Kitty mumbled in her sleep, hearing a word she liked.

“Rat…”

Caris chuckled and rubbed her cheek against Kitty’s fur. A lullaby flowed naturally from her lips.

[The goddess’s hair sways.

A bow in her left hand, a mirror in her right.

The cat diligently pulls the carriage.

A clear sky like a blue necklace.]

Even though the fur on her face was floating due to static electricity, Kitty was able to have a cozy night.

And the next morning.

Neither Jackal nor Clliod had slept properly because they were fighting each other.

Despite his poor condition, Clliod’s magic was quite stable. It was the moment when it was proven that being close to Kitty stabilized his magic.

After breakfast, the Gridwolf family and Clliod gathered in Caris’s office.

“Then Clliod, please use Mana Record to get information about Gridwolf’s bow.”

Caris said. Clliod returned to his human form as promised, closed his eyes, and focused his magic.

Soon, the vast amount of information that the previous foxes had engraved in the air appeared. This information was only visible to him, the head of the Fox family.

Clliod examined the information in detail for a long time and then withdrew his magic. His mana core had not yet fully settled, so his efficiency was lower than before.

“The goddess’s three items—the mirror, the bow, and the necklace—the bow that you have, miss, has the strongest magic.”

“Not Blue Moon?”

Jackal retorted reflexively. He thought that Blue Moon, which had caused great damage to the beastmen, was the most dangerous item.

“The bow, which is a weapon, seems to be stronger than the mirror or the necklace. Of course, that’s only when you can fully use the bow…”

Kitty looked at the bow that she carried around like a part of her body. She could see the bowstring, but she couldn’t see the arrow yet.

Even if she hung all kinds of arrows in the training hall on the bowstring, they would bounce off.

‘But if I practice, it’s the strongest, so I have to work harder.’

Clliod continued to speak.

“You can move the bow because you have the goddess’s magic. According to this theory, you can use other holy objects like your own.”

“All three?”

“Yes. Then I’ll take a break. I have a headache.”

Clliod turned back into a fox and slumped down. It was clear that his magic efficiency was lower than before.

Kitty got him some water and pondered for a moment.

‘I thought I could only handle Blue Moon freely.’

The goddess’s magic that allows her to possess not only Gridwolf’s bow but also the bears’ mirror, which has never been revealed to the world.

She wondered why such a thing had taken root in her body. But finding the answer to that question was not the first thing she had to do.

‘If it’s Jerian, he must know by now that Anne and Marie’s information is fake and is preparing a new plan.’

Kitty clenched her fist tightly. She still vividly remembered the moment her mother and siblings passed away.

If it were Jerian, he would not regret or reflect on what happened at that time but would only think about using others to kidnap her.

Kitty could not forgive Jerian at all. If he was going to spend all his resources to take her, she wanted to bet everything to stop him.

“Then my magic will be a threat to the bears too, right?”

Caris nodded at Kitty’s question.

“That’s right. The head of the bear family has traditionally used the goddess’s mirror as the basis for their rule. Only the bloodline chosen by the mirror can rule the bears.”

In order to minimize the damage to the wolves and subdue the leopards, and Jerian behind them, the cooperation of the bears was essential.

Even if the bears didn’t take the lead in the fight, it was important that they broke their long silence and declared that they would join forces with the wolf forces.

Then there was no choice but to break the silence of the bears.

“It would be good to spread the story of my magic and the bow to the bears. If possible, to other beastmen too.”

“But, baby, that will put you in danger.”

“I think it’s the same now.”

When she was young, she was the weakest being in Gridwolf. As she grew older, she was the target of kidnapping and attacks because of her Blue Moon immunity and special magic.

Kitty had always had to hold her breath and be protected, but now that she had moved Gridwolf’s bow, it was different.

She smiled, holding the hands of the Gridwolf couple, who couldn’t come to a decision.

“Sir Elliot said so. A great Gridwolf is not afraid.”

“…”

“I’m still a Gridwolf, even if it’s temporary, right?”

Caris and Jackal stopped breathing for a moment.

How had the child, who had been sobbing and asking for a job while dragging her body that seemed to break at any moment, grown up so much?

“Mom said I’m a cat as brave as a wolf. So I’m going to cheer up!”

Kitty’s image of smiling with missing teeth flashed through her mind.

She grew up wise and brave as much as she was weak, soft hands.

Jackal and Caris were thinking the same thing.

Kitty did not miss the two people’s agitation and listed a plan to take revenge on Jerian as quickly as possible.

“Please invite beastmen from all over to the New Year’s festival that will be held in a month so that I can show the bow in front of everyone.”

Ethan taught that bears also do minimal trade. This was because it was difficult to secure grain in the cold bear land.

“Please be sure to invite merchants heading to bear territory to the festival.”

The goal was to have them leak news about the bow and the goddess’s magic within the bear territory.

Jackal and Caris, who had been silent for a while, eventually nodded.

“…Family always supports you.”

“I’ll follow your will, baby.”

“Thank you!”

Kitty jumped into the arms of the two. A brief exchange of opinions took place on how to proceed with the New Year’s festival, which was about a month away.

Finally, Kitty wrote something on a note and handed it to Clliod.

“Clliod, you said you learned Anne and Marie’s handwriting before, right?”

“Yeah. I thought you wanted it.”

“Then, would you write a letter like this and send it to Jerian?”

Clliod accepted the note as if he was possessed by Kitty’s smile.

[Come if you dare.]

[―Soft hands.]

It was an invitation that could not be more arrogant.