Chapter 4
“……?”
The woman’s face was instantly filled with bewilderment.
From what she’d heard, this person must be the duke’s daughter—the one who had essentially adopted Neya.
That single thought was enough for Neya to call her that.
The mom she had dreamed of for so long was this beautiful! The disappointment she’d felt upon first entering the mansion vanished completely, and her heart began to race.
Of course, for the woman who had suddenly become “mom” on their first meeting, it was nothing but absurd.
“I’m not Mom—I’m Adjuah.”
“Adjuah Mom?”
“…Fine, call me whatever you want.”
Adjuah gave up immediately. She already felt a headache coming on.
“…”
She stared at Neya, who had come closer, then reached out and tugged one cheek.
“But are you really a cat? You just look like a human.”
“Kyaaah—”
“What’s ‘kyaaah’?”
Her cheek was being pulled, so the sound came out slurred.
Neya took a step back, freeing herself from Adjuah’s hand, then rubbed the tugged cheek and shouted,
“I’m not just a cat—I’m a Catsha!”
“Hah.”
Adjuah let out a hollow laugh at the proud declaration.
“How old are you?”
“Seven!”
“If a cat is seven, isn’t that full middle age?”
“I told you, I’m a Catsha!”
Neya pouted sulkily. Catsha lifespan matched humans, so a seven-year-old Catsha had the appearance and intelligence of a seven-year-old human child.
“…”
Looking at Neya, Adjuah felt overwhelmed.
“Gary alone is already a pain… Now there’s one more hassle…”
Why on earth had the duke suddenly sent something like this as a gift? She could only feel annoyed.
“If you’re done greeting each other, please come out. I’ll prepare a simple lunch.”
At that moment, Shane’s voice came from outside.
As soon as Neya stepped out of the room, she came face-to-face with Shane standing in the kitchen.
“It’ll be ready soon, so please sit for a bit.”
Shane said this, but Neya couldn’t resist her curiosity and approached him.
She struggled onto a nearby stool and stood proudly beside Shane.
Shane, trimming cabbage, glanced at Neya beside him and scolded lightly.
“It’s dangerous.”
“I’ve never fallen once!”
Neya declared confidently.
‘Well, she is a Catsha.’
Her sense of balance would far surpass a human’s. Shane didn’t bother stopping her further and continued cooking.
Holding two eggs in one hand, Shane cracked the shells against the counter edge and dropped them into the frying pan. The eggs sizzled alongside bacon.
While the bacon and eggs cooked, Shane took out bread wrapped in paper. The whole process was remarkably skilled.
Neya watched with sparkling eyes.
“I want to help!”
“…Pardon?”
Shane looked at Neya dubiously. Neya’s face was full of anticipation.
“…”
It would be much faster to do it alone, but seeing those eyes, he couldn’t refuse.
“Then could you unwrap the packaged cheese and put it on the plate?”
“Yes!”
Neya answered energetically and picked up the cheese nearby.
Her small hands fidgeted busily as she earnestly peeled off the wrapping. It was a simple task, but Neya was completely absorbed.
Behind the two diligently cooking, Adjuah passed by.
She opened the chilled cabinet enchanted with cold magic, took out a large bottle of milk, and drank straight from it.
“Don’t drink from the bottle.”
“Mm.”
Despite her reply, Adjuah boldly chugged the milk and left the kitchen.
“…”
Neya paused mid-unwrapping and stared at Adjuah’s retreating back.
Then she swallowed hard.
“I want milk too…”
Hearing the murmur, Shane smiled briefly and handed Neya a glass from beside him.
“Go ask Lady Adjuah to pour some for you. But only one cup.”
“Got it!”
Neya shouted brightly, grabbed the glass, and headed to the living room.
Adjuah was sitting at the dining table drinking milk. Neya climbed onto the chair opposite her.
“Milk, please!”
Neya held the glass with both hands and smiled radiantly.
“…”
Adjuah looked at her, then turned her gaze away—and began gulping down the milk.
“…!”
As the milk rapidly disappeared, Neya grew restless.
But Adjuah paid no mind and emptied the bottle in seconds.
Lowering the now-empty bottle, Adjuah wiped her mouth and grimaced.
“Ugh, feels bloated.”
“My milk…”
It was just one glass she didn’t get, yet Neya plunged into deep despair and began to tear up.
“I knew this would happen…”
Shane, emerging from the kitchen, sighed at the scene.
“Neya, there’s another milk in the chilled cabinet—I’ll get it for you later.”
“There’s more…?”
“But only after the meal.”
“Okay, great!”
Neya beamed as if she’d never been about to cry.
Soon after, though it was late afternoon, the three sat down for a belated lunch.
The menu was vegetable-packed sandwiches.
Adjuah glanced curiously at the sandwich in front of Neya.
“She’s a cat, right? Shouldn’t we feed her cat food?”
“…”
Shane shot Adjuah a disapproving look.
“You’re cursing with your eyes?”
“Neya, don’t mind her and eat.”
“Thank you for the meal!”
Neya greeted cheerfully and picked up her sandwich.
For something made quickly, it showed considerable care.
Neya’s face lit up after taking a big bite.
“It’s delicious!”
“Is it? I’m glad.”
Shane’s lips curved into a smile at the reaction—so different from Adjuah, who always ate silently no matter what he made.
“Do you always cook, Shane?”
“You can just call me Shane.”
“Do you always cook, Shane?”
At Shane’s words, Neya immediately dropped the honorific.
He chuckled softly and answered.
“Only breakfast or simple lunches. Usually, a maid prepares and leaves it.”
“But earlier, I saw you cleaning too…”
Shane had introduced himself as a butler.
Since Catshas in the Catsha shop studied a bit about nobility before adoption, Neya knew the difference between a butler and a maid.
“Butlers don’t usually clean, right?”
“Haha, true.”
Shane smiled wryly, his expression clearly displeased.
“I was hired thinking that too, but when I came to, I’d become a general handyman.”
“You should’ve been prepared for this when you followed me.”
Adjuah casually retorted while eating her sandwich.
‘I heard Mom was definitely kicked out…’
Then did Shane follow Mom all the way to this rundown mansion voluntarily?
Neya’s face filled with questions as she looked back and forth between them.
“Are Shane and Mom in love?”
“…”
Both immediately turned serious.
“What a horrifying thing to say.”
“Neya, you shouldn’t say things like that carelessly.”
“…?”
Question marks popped over Neya’s head.
She’d only asked if they liked each other—why did they hate the idea so much? Neya couldn’t understand.
The meal soon ended, and Shane began clearing the empty plates.
Adjuah spoke to him.
“Shane, coffee for me.”
“…”
Shane gave her a pitiful glance, then asked Neya,
“Neya, shall I bring your milk?”
“…!”
Neya nodded vigorously.
Shane said he’d get it soon and headed to the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Adjuah was reading a book on the table. She looked utterly bored.
The once-bright sun had tilted, and the sky turned to sunset hues.
Orange light filtering through the large window enveloped the rural mansion’s interior.
Golden hair swept to one side, eyelashes cast in sunset glow as Adjuah read with downcast eyes.
‘She looks like a princess…’
Neya stared blankly at her.
If the princesses from fairy tales existed in real life, wouldn’t they look like Adjuah?
She was that breathtakingly beautiful.
Then, suddenly, a knock sounded from the front door.
“Shane, get the door!”
Adjuah called out without lifting her eyes from the book.
But Shane didn’t emerge from the kitchen.
“Ugh, guess he didn’t hear.”
“I’ll get it!”
Neya hopped down from her chair.
She liked the princess-like Adjuah so much that she wanted to earn her favor.
Neya trotted over and opened the front door.
Since it was a small house, the living room and entrance were only a few steps apart.
As the door opened, a scent hit her nose, making Neya wrinkle it.
‘Alcohol smell…’
Similar to what had wafted from Adjuah’s room earlier.
Neya’s gaze slowly traveled upward.
Only after craning her neck for a while did she see the face of the person standing there.
A man was at the door.
