THTE 11

Not long ago, the Dayamor family had cleaned out an empty annex.

Nivellia had also been sent to the site to work off her debt.

She checked how overgrown the weeds around the annex were and, together with the maids, tore down the dust-covered curtains.

It was said that her grandparents and a guest would be staying in that annex.

“Are you going to keep living there?”

Soles couldn’t hide his disappointment.

It was only a move to the building right next door, but for some reason it still felt lonely.

Muniel and Ardorez looked at their grandson with affectionate eyes.

“Once we get tired of it, we might move back to the main house. For now, we just plan to stay there until the child gets used to the estate.”

“Sorry we didn’t explain it in advance.”

Celetina smiled awkwardly.

“I know you must’ve been surprised. Actually, we had been looking for that child for a long time. Then, by chance, we found out where he was staying. And since Duke Daygladis happened to be passing nearby, we asked him to bring the child to us.”

The one most surprised by her explanation was the boy.

They were looking for me?

He was no different from the other orphans.

He didn’t know his parents’ faces, and even his oldest memory was of himself sitting alone in a corner of the orphanage garden, blankly staring up at the sky.

Overwhelmed by one shocking moment after another, the boy couldn’t gather his thoughts.

“You probably don’t remember…”

Kaleo spoke in a gentle voice.

“Our family owes you a great debt.”

“……”

“You truly helped us a great deal. And shamefully, we’ve only just learned that now. I’m sorry we found you so late.”

It wasn’t just Kaleo.

The elders of the Dayamor family looked at the boy with sincere gratitude.

Ardorez raised his glass.

Following him, the rest of the family lifted theirs as well. Soles and Nivellia held small children’s cups. Nivellia gripped hers with both hands.

“Wolves do it like this.”

“……”

“Do it!”

At Nivellia’s gentle but forceful urging, the boy awkwardly raised his cup as well.

All their cups were lifted high.

Ardorez led the toast.

“To welcoming you into the family.”

“Welcome!”

After dinner—

“Grandma!”

“Hm? What is it?”

As Muniel was about to head back to the annex, Nivellia called out to her.

“Should Nini try sleeping with the wolf too?”

With her tiny chin lifted proudly, she looked both adorable and a little cheeky—so Muniel readily refused.

“No.”

A sulky Nivellia flopped onto the floor.

“I’m going to sleep with the wolf! I’m going to sleep with the wolf!”

“If you act like a whining, stubborn kitten like this, do you think the wolf would like it?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“…Maybe just a little not?”

Nivellia slowly got up, fidgeting her fingers clasped in front of her chest. A hint of sadness appeared on her face.

“Grandma…”

She waved her small hand like a hummingbird’s wings, asking her to lean in. Suppressing a smile, Muniel bent down.

Nivellia whispered,

“I think… the wolf doesn’t know Nini…”

“……”

“That’s why I’m sad. But not everyone is as smart as Nini, so they can’t remember the past, right? The wolf is like that too, right?”

“That’s right.”

Muniel gently stroked Nivellia’s head.

Nivellia closed her eyes, savoring the warmth of the touch.

“Were you crying this morning because the wolf doesn’t remember you? Because it hurt too much?”

“Yes.”

Nivellia nodded.

She had been waiting her whole life for the moment she would meet the wolf again. But when it finally happened, he remembered nothing.

Those red eyes that guarded against a stranger.

Even to young Nivellia, that distance felt frightening, disappointing—and heartbreakingly sad.

Muniel pulled the dejected Nivellia into an embrace.

“Then what should Nini do now? Do you know?”

“Yes.”

Nivellia nodded.

“I have to teach him again!”

Her voice rang out with renewed energy.

“From one to ten! I’ll roll him around and train him again and again! That thing, that thing inside here…”

“…Do you mean his organs?”

“Yes, that! I’ll train him until they come out! And if they come out, I’ll put them back in, and if they come out again, I’ll put them back in again!”

“…I shouldn’t have taken you to the battlefield.”

Muttering as if it were her greatest regret, Muniel hugged Nivellia tightly once more as she pumped her fists enthusiastically.

In truth, there was a secret about Nivellia that everyone knew.

She had been a cat in her previous life.

A white long-haired cat raised by Saint Muniel in her younger days.

That cat had fur as white and soft as snow, and was called Nini. The name came from the old word for snow, “Nix.”

“Nini was actually a cat.”

“I see.”

That morning, Dether was brushing Nivellia’s silver-white hair.

Reflected in the mirror, Nivellia poked at her chubby cheeks and once again shared her secret.

“Everyone was scared of Nini. It couldn’t be helped. Nini was a very dangerous and strong cat.”

“How were they scared?”

“Whenever they saw me, they would shake like this, like this.”

“Like people who can’t contain themselves because a cat is too cute?”

Nivellia’s past life was already well known among the Dayamor family.

They listened to her stories without prejudice.

They simply regarded it as a child’s innocent and quirky imagination. It was entertaining, so they listened attentively.

Though perhaps some among them might actually believe her.

“If someone tried to touch me, I’d go like this—swipe! Back then, this was my paw, you know? Isn’t that interesting?”

“I really like cat paws. The little pads—what are they called? Those soft pink squishy things are so cute.”

“They’re not cute! Nini was a very scary beast!”

Having finished getting ready, Nivellia hopped down from the dressing table chair.

Her hair was tied into two buns like cat ears, she wore a warm red dress, and despite insisting she was a cat, she had a gentle appearance more like a puppy.

She waved her small fists in the air.

“I swiped like this, like this! But now I’m human, so if I hit people carelessly, there’s that… law thing…”

Nini, the white cat who had gone to war alongside the saint, was a ruthless beast.

She hunted the rats that consumed military supplies and bit into the scalps of enemies torn apart by the saint and holy knights.

Though she often coughed up hairballs from swallowing too much fur.

But Nivellia, now human, was learning to adapt to human common sense.

“The law is a bit scary.”

“To realize something so difficult—young lady, you’ve truly become human.”

“Well… I do have experience, you know…”

“Because you’ve lived twice, you’re experienced.”

Nivellia hurried to the dining hall.

Just then, Kaleo and Celetina were finishing their meal and coming out.

“Mom, Dad!”

Nivellia ran up and spun around them.

“You’re full of energy this morning. Did Nini sleep well?”

“Let me see, has your fever gone down?”

As Celetina placed a cool hand on her forehead, Nivellia smiled brightly and answered confidently.

“I’m not sick at all! I think I’m all better!”

“That’s a relief. Then Mom will go to the department store.”

“Dad’s heading to work too.”

“Nini will work today too!”

The three parted ways, cheering each other on.

Soles was still in the dining hall, finishing his meal. Unfortunately, the wolf wasn’t there.

“Did Nini sleep well?”

“Good morning! Starting today, Nini will work!”

“Selling things again?”

“I’m going to teach the wolf. And I only have one debt left to pay now. Isn’t that amazing?”

“Then after breakfast, want to go to the annex with me?”

“Yes!”

After finishing their meal, Nivellia took Soles’ hand and headed toward the annex.

The red-brick building gradually came into view.

“Nini cleaned that place, you know? Amazing, right?”

“Nini is very diligent.”

“If you’re lazy, you can’t earn money. Mom said money you earn by working hard is real money.”

“That’s right. Earning money through lies is bad.”

“If you do bad things, you go to prison, get tortured, have your skin peeled off, and get hanged with a rope. Nini knows that well.”

“…Where did you learn that?”

Looking worried at his younger sister proudly sharing knowledge she shouldn’t have, Soles turned his head.

There stood a large tree.

Under its lush green canopy, Muniel and Ardorez were with the boy. The three of them were burying something at the base of the tree.

Nivellia took a deep breath.

Sensing what was coming, Soles quickly covered his ears with both hands.

“Wooooolf!”

At the loud shout, the boy dropped the small shovel he was holding.

Before he could even fully turn around in surprise, Nivellia rushed up and hugged him tightly.

Then she stretched out her arm and patted his blond hair.

“Mm!”

Satisfied, Nivellia nodded.

“Wolf, did you sleep well?”

“…Yes.”

“Did you eat? Did Grandma and Grandpa starve you?”

“This child, honestly.”

Muniel, who had approached, lightly pressed Nivellia’s temples. Nivellia burst into laughter, exaggerating that it hurt.

“Ahaha, it hurts!”

“You should greet properly first—say, ‘Did you sleep well?’”

“Good morning! Good morning!”

Barely escaping, Nivellia rubbed her temples.

“I feel a bit smarter now.”

“Then will you co-sign for your grandfather?”

Ardorez asked as he watched, holding a small shovel in his large hand.

“No! You should never co-sign, even for family!”

“You really have gotten smarter.”

Ardorez pointed to the ground beneath the tree.

There was a small mound of soil.

“What did you plant?”

Soles asked.

“We planted nutrients. This tree is quite old, so sometimes we bury fertilizer near its roots like this.”

Ardorez placed a hand on the large tree. The children naturally followed his gaze upward.

“By the way, what brings you here?”

Muniel asked, fixing Nivellia’s crooked ribbon.

Nivellia pointed at the boy and declared:

“Training!”