<Chapter 34>
Nobody said a word while I munched on a couple pieces of salmon jerky. It was Theo who broke the long silence.
“Kitty, you know that temporary adoption ends when you become an adult, right?”
Why is Theo saying this? Oh, no, does it sound like I'm 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 trailed off, his voice losing strength as if that wasn't the answer he wanted. Deon placed both hands on my shoulders and asked in a pleading voice.
"You're so heartless, you little fluffball."
“……?”
“To say such things when it hasn't even been a month since you gave your brothers kisses.”
"But Mommy said I gotta stick to what's written in the papers!"
When I tilted my head, Deon sighed, poking at my cheeks.
“That’s true, but…”
For some reason, I patted Deon's drooping shoulders with my little paw.
“Don't worry. I might be small now, but by the time I leave, I'll be a totally awesome and responsible adult.”
The more I talked, the paler Deon got.
“Do you really want knitting supplies or sewing supplies for your birthday? Clothes or jewelry would be nice too…”
“Clothes and jewelry won't really help me when I'm on my own, will they?”
“You can save them and sell them later. You're not planning on leaving all your stuff behind, are you?!”
"But that's the Gridwolfs' money. Clothes and shoes will get worn out, so that's that, but I figure I can sell jewelry for a good price later on."
Theo and Deon just stared, looking like their whole world had just collapsed.
Eden, who had been watching the whole conversation, chuckled.
“I didn’t teach you how to play hard to get, but you’re good at it.”
“……?”
Eden had this little smirk, looking totally pleased that Theo and Deon were freaking out because of me.
“So, besides stuff you want, what do you want to do?”
“What I want to do?”
I rolled my eyes, thinking about the things I wanted to do at the wolf mansion.
I’ve slid down Jackal's back when he turned into a big wolf, and I've sat with Theo and Deon and brushed their fur...
“I wanna go to the market! It looked so cool when we checked it out from a distance last time with my brothers.”
Plus, if I go to the market, I can see what kind of clothes the other animals are wearing and what colors are popular.
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 becoming an adult.
‘It'd be good to just snoop around a bit.’
I need to figure out what I'm gonna do after I get revenge on Jerian for Mom.
When I got all excited thinking about the market, Theo and Deon exchanged these knowing looks.
“Kitty, you want to see the market?”
“Yes. I’ve already looked around the mansion.”
“Ah, that’s right. If you see this and that, you’ll think of a lot of things you want to have…”
The two huddled up in a corner and started whispering to each other.
No way could I, a cat, hear what those wolves were whispering about.
While I was curious about their conversation, Eden tucked his book under his arm and stood up.
“I'll drop what you told me to Jackal, so don't worry.”
“Thank you, Teacher.”
“And if you're planning on eavesdropping on Theo and Deon, you better hide those cat ears.”
“Ah……”
Without even realizing it, I smoothed down my cat ears that were sticking straight up. Eden looked at me and chuckled.
“If you need anything besides what your brothers are getting you, you better tell me. I'll be pissed if you go to someone else first.”
I gave my brothers pleading cat eyes.
‘Help! A tiny kitten is being threatened by a big, bad wolf right here...!’
But my brothers didn’t notice at all and were enthusiastically discussing my birthday present.
“……”
Giving up on any help, I quickly waved goodbye to the grumpy wolf with my little paw.
Eden went to his room for a moment to organize his thoughts and then headed straight to Jackal’s office.
He'd sent his attendant, Kale, ahead to set up a meeting, so Jackal greeted Eden all calm and collected.
“Eden. How is life at Gridwolf?”
“Thanks to your consideration, I am doing well.”
Ordinary greetings were exchanged. Eden sat down on the chair in the office as Jackal suggested and began to speak.
“Kitty told me about Jerian, the leader of the cat people.”
Jackal’s pupils trembled for a moment as he looked at Eden, seemingly a little shocked.
“Kitty…”
“You already know she’s a cat, don’t you?”
Eden was firm.
But Jackal stared at Eden as if that wasn’t important.
“She hid it from her family but told you she was a cat.”
“Yeah, well.”
The night Kitty was adopted, Jackal and Caris called all the employees and said that they would punish anyone who didn’t treat Kitty as a baby wolf.
The same was true for everyone who visited Gridwolf.
But Eden, the only son of the Weaver family, was not timid enough to flinch at the threats of the Gridwolf couple.
That was why he was able to tell Kitty, ‘I know you’re a cat.’
‘But I’m in their care, so it’s better not to say anything annoying.’
Like how Kitty is afraid of me because her cat identity might be revealed.
He didn’t dislike the way she glanced at him with her big emerald eyes whenever they were alone.
It was also fun watching her butter him up, rubbing her paws together and trying to get on his good side.
Of course, the thing he liked most about what the cat did was that even though she was afraid of him, she openly liked it when he stroked her.
“Eumm―!”
When he gently stroked her hair to the point of drowsiness, her perked-up cat ears drooped down.
When the touch was particularly pleasing, Kitty would stretch her arms out on the desk and do a cat stretch.
“……”
Eden’s heart rate quickened as he recalled Kitty’s soft and warm cheeks that sometimes rubbed against his hand.
The cat was gradually letting her guard down, calling him ‘Teacher’ with flattery, and even revealed a secret today.
A small smile appeared on his lips as he recalled the strange feeling that welled up in his chest when Kitty whispered.
Jackal did not miss Eden’s small change in expression.
“You’re suddenly smiling.”
“……”
“So Kitty really told you she was a cat.”
“I am her teacher, after all.”
“Elliot is the same.”
“……”
A subtle war of nerves continued for a moment. Jackal did not let his guard down and got to the point.
“So what did Kitty tell you about Jerian?”
“She said she heard a cat named Jerian talking about Blue Moon.”
“……The leader of the cats?”
“Yes. I think we need to consider the connection with the cats in how and where the leopards got the imitation Blue Moon.”
Eden spoke his thoughts without adding or subtracting anything. Jackal frowned slightly and pondered Eden’s words.
“But the only ones likely to be immune to Blue Moon are Kitty’s father and brothers, who have the name Icarus.”
“Are other cats not immune to the madness of Blue Moon?”
“Yes. But Kitty seemed a little different.”
Many assumptions swirled in Jackal’s head.
Kitty, who did not inherit the name 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, let’s find out if the cat named Jerian is immune to madness.”
“Yes, Jackal.”
Eden stood up. His role was only to convey to Jackal the matters that Kitty had not revealed while pretending to be a wolf.
Jackal would take care of the rest. Eden trusted Jackal’s judgment.
“If Kitty mentions any related matters in the future, please report them.”
Eden, who was about to leave, paused. It was because he remembered Kitty’s happy face when she was caught by Theo and Deon during shedding season.
She lost her family at a young age and was living while hiding her identity as a wolf, so she must be very lonely.
Eden let out information he wanted to monopolize. It wasn’t something he particularly wanted to do.
“I think her birthday is in a week.”
“Kitty’s birthday, you say.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
After finishing the conversation, Eden simply bowed his head and left. Jackal’s expression grew darker as he wrote something down on the paper.
It was Elliot who fully bore the ominous atmosphere that Jackal was emitting about an hour later when he came to report.
‘What on earth did Eden talk about with him?’
Elliot swallowed hard. It is said that Madam Weaver devised a formation that drastically improved the combat efficiency of wolves when she was only ten years old.
Just a moment ago, some knights were dispatched to the cat territory under Jackal’s orders.
If the atmosphere turned dark after Eden, who inherited both his mother’s brain and his father’s boldness, had visited…
‘Did something related to those leopard bastards come up?’
Weaver and Gridwolf both lost loved ones to leopards, so Jackal’s murderous aura was understandable.
Soon, Jackal, who was exuding a terrifying atmosphere, stood up. In his hand was a luxurious notebook.
“Elliot. I have something urgent to discuss, so we’re going to Caris’s office.”
“Yes, sir.”
So, they were having a strategic discussion. Elliot tensed up and followed Jackal.
The Gridwolf knights who came with Elliot also moved with disciplined movements.
Caris, who was reviewing documents, sensed an unusual atmosphere even before her employee announced him and stopped what she was doing.
“What’s wrong, Jackal?”
“Caris. Something urgent has come up to discuss.”
Caris stood up as soon as the door opened. Jackal approached her with a dignified stride and unfolded the notebook to show her.
Caris’s face also became serious as she checked the contents. The wolf knights, including Elliot, were on pins and needles.
A moment later. Jackal, who had finished discussing with Caris, commanded in a low voice.
“From now on, the remaining knights in Gridwolf will be assigned to prepare for next week's schedule.”
“Next week’s schedule, you mean…”
Elliot asked back with a visibly tense face.
Jackal closed the notebook filled with ribbons, balloons, and garlands and said sternly.
“Our youngest daughter’s birthday party.”
