chapter 2
“Ah!”
Kittia suddenly remembered something and hurriedly held out her hands toward the wolves. She had heard somewhere that wolves greeted each other with a handshake.
Who shakes hands with both hands at once? Theo and Deon were dumbfounded, but they still humored her and shook hands with their future “toy.”
But then—
“…!”
“Brother, her hands…!”
Soft—
The moment they touched Kittia’s soft, jelly-like hands, the wolves’ eyes sparkled with delight.
What? She’s skin and bones, so why are her palms this soft?
Are all cat beastmen like this?
Theo and Deon couldn’t let go of her squishy hands. As heirs of the wolf family, it was their first time seeing a cat.
Perhaps because of the difference in species, she was much smaller than wolves her age. Yet her bright, sparkling eyes made her look both adorable and pitiful.
Unaware of their thoughts, Kittia couldn’t hide her proud smile.
I must look exactly like a wolf!
Inside, she was cheering both for her success and for not being exposed.
After days of rain and starvation, her fur had become stiff and gray like a wolf’s—that likely helped a lot. Being so thin that only her ribs showed probably helped too.
Washing in that freezing stream was worth it.
Kittia also thought the wolves of the Gridwolf estate were very kind.
Two handsome wolves with sleek gray hair and golden eyes were holding both her hands and guiding her along.
Without realizing it, Kittia gently squished their hands as she observed them.
They were only a couple of heads taller than her, but clearly wolves—their physiques were on another level, as if their entire bodies were made of muscle.
Ten? Twelve years old?
She guessed their ages. Even at most, they couldn’t be older than fourteen. Even wealthy cats in the cat territory only wore such fine black suits and shoes at that age.
“Did you say your name is Kittia?”
“Yes!”
“Kittia, this is the main building of the Gridwolf estate.”
“Wow…”
Still holding both their hands tightly, Kittia craned her neck to look up at the towering spires. They were so tall she almost toppled backward.
Once inside, her jaw dropped, and her eyes widened even more.
It was ten—no, a hundred times more magnificent than Jerian’s food warehouse, which she had once thought was the grandest place.
The leather sofas gleamed with polish, and well-dressed servants moved gracefully through the halls.
From the chandeliers to the servants’ shoes, everything sparkled.
Kittia lowered her head and looked at her own worn shoes. After days of trudging through mud, they were filthy black, with the toes so worn her big toe peeked through.
Realizing she was the most shabby thing in such a place, she felt discouraged.
Everyone here is big and impressive… they all fit this grand mansion…
Worried, Kittia made sure her drooping tail or ears wouldn’t pop out. Not just for appearances—most of the servants were wolves.
In fact, judging by her feline instincts, she was probably the only small animal in the entire estate.
Everyone else had muscular bodies, sharp fangs, and didn’t bother to hide their footsteps.
Cat shoes are soft so they don’t make noise when walking…
It seemed she was the only one who had to stay quiet and cautious here.
“Kittia, are you uncomfortable?”
“No!”
At Deon’s question, she answered reflexively and straightened her back, determined to act mature.
If she ran away now, she’d be questioned—or worse, chased out. That would mean losing her chance at a job.
No. Mom said I’m as brave as a wolf. Maybe things will work out. They’re still holding my hands, after all.
Kittia squeezed their hands even tighter. As her soft palms pressed deeper, the two boys almost let out blissful sighs.
Just then—
Grrr—
Both wolves looked toward the source of the sound. Kittia blushed and lowered her head.
“I haven’t eaten for days…”
“You haven’t eaten?”
“But it’s okay! I usually only eat once a day anyway.”
She said it bravely, meaning she wouldn’t consume much food—but Theo and Deon were taken aback.
They thought she was small because she was a cat. But only eating once a day?
Even if she’s a cat, she’s still a child. She should be eating properly…
A sense of pity began to grow in their hearts.
“Why only once a day?”
“Like I said… I don’t have family anymore. My mom, dad, and brother… they all passed away.”
“What?”
“So I came to find work… If I don’t earn money soon, I’ll have to drink spring water for dinner again tonight…”
So please…
Kittia clasped their hands tightly, her large eyes shimmering with tears.
The two wolves, flustered, couldn’t help but ask:
“Kittia… how did you end up all the way at the wolves’ estate?”
A little later, Kittia sat at a large dining table.
She was too small for the chair, so Theo and Deon brought her cushions. They even draped a soft blanket over her lap.
“…You’re so young. You must have suffered a lot.”
Sniff—!
After hearing her story, the wolves dabbed their eyes with handkerchiefs, their eyes red from crying.
“You must be tired from traveling so far. Eat and rest today. The food will be ready soon.”
“You’re both so kind.”
Her brave reply made their eyes well up again.
At first, they had found it ridiculous that a cat was pretending to be a wolf. But now, after hearing her story, they felt nothing but admiration.
“To think she lost her mother and still came all this way to find work…”
“Before that, let’s introduce ourselves. Kittia, what’s your full name?”
“Umm…”
That was a difficult question. Kittia avoided their gaze.
Cats didn’t form family clans, so they didn’t have surnames. Even Jerian, who claimed to lead them, had none.
Seeing her hesitation, the wolves rephrased the question.
“What do people usually call you?”
Oh, that I can answer!
“Squishy-paws Kittia! My hands are really soft.”
“…Pfft!”
“Don’t laugh, Deon. That’s rude to a lady.”
Even Theo’s lips twitched as he tried not to laugh.
“So your nickname is Squishy-paws?”
“Yes! But I can work really well. I’ve been working since I was very little.”
“…I see.”
What kind of work had she done at an age when she should have been playing? Their pity deepened.
“I’m Theo Gridwolf, and this is my younger brother, Deon Gridwolf. He likes to joke around, so please understand.”
“Gridwolf…?”
“Yes. The Lord Gridwolf you’re looking for is our father. He’s out at the moment but will return soon.”
“Eek!”
Kittia couldn’t hide her shock.
The ones whose hands she’d been holding all along… were the sons of Lord Gridwolf?!
Now that she thought about it, their golden eyes were the most striking among all the wolves she had seen.
Their hair was sleek and well-groomed, unlike the rough fur of others.
And their clothes look the most expensive… are those gold ornaments?
The tension that had eased at the smell of food tightened again.
“Th-that’s why you seemed so kind!”
“Kittia, are you surprised?”
“We’re both wolves. Nothing surprising, right?”
“O-of course not!”
“Then what about this…?”
Their golden eyes shifted toward her hands.
Oh no! My claws came out!
Had they realized she was a cat?
As she trembled nervously, the two suddenly looked away toward the kitchen and began speaking loudly, as if for her to hear.
“Wow, the food’s taking forever.”
“Yeah, I’m so hungry I can’t think straight.”
“…”
Kittia quickly tapped her fingertips against the table, retracting her claws.
Right on cue, the food began arriving.
“Wow…”
Though she had never seen these dishes before, they all smelled delicious. After days of starvation, her eyes sparkled.
“Squishy-paws, this is a welcome feast. Wolves serve food like this to guests they want to stay a long time. What will you eat first?”
“Um… then…”
Timidly, Kittia pointed to a large salmon steak.
Theo and Deon smiled in satisfaction.
“See, Deon? I told you—kitten… I mean, wolf pups always choose fish first.”
“Tch.”
“Chew slowly, Kittia.”
She nodded eagerly and picked up a fork. It felt like forever before the thick piece of salmon reached her mouth.
“Mm!”
“Squishy-paws, is it so good you want to eat it forever?”
“Pretty good, right? You want more, don’t you?”
The moment it touched her tongue, her eyes lit up. The rich flavor melted in her mouth, easing all her tension.
She chewed carefully, trying not to drop a single bite.
It was so delicious that her ears perked up—and her tail began to sway.
Oh no! I got too excited!
Only then did she realize her ears and tail had popped out.
The brothers’ golden eyes watched her with amusement.
Am I caught?
But though they had clearly seen, they said nothing.
Kittia came to a surprising conclusion.
I see… wolves must also have their ears and tails pop out when they make mistakes.
Her mother had always said her ears looked like a wolf’s.
So—
She quickly curled her tail and tucked it under her skirt. The two wolves’ expressions twitched slightly.
Her tail was something she really wanted to hide.
It was fluffy, unlike a wolf’s elegant tail—and worse, it was damaged.
If only the tip hadn’t been bitten off…
Just thinking about it made her shiver.
During a mass escape from leopard attacks, one leopard had bitten her tail. It had hurt terribly—but at least it wasn’t her face.
Theo and Deon silently spoke with their lips so she wouldn’t notice.
“She’s obviously a cat, right?”
“She reeks of cat. Everyone probably knows—but they’re leaving her alone because she’s with us.”
“How do we stop the servants from bothering her? And we don’t need more staff…”
They paused—then their eyes lit up.
“There may not be space on the staff list, but there might be space in the family registry.”
“Right. Let’s add her to the registry.”
Their voices rose slightly with excitement.
Registry?
Kittia tilted her head.
Add me…? That doesn’t mean cooking me, right…?
