The Female Lead Takes Care of Everything - Chapter 11

Not long ago, House Deiamor had cleaned out the unused annex.

Nivellia had also been deployed to the site to pay off her debt.

She checked how wildly the weeds had grown around the building and helped the maids tear down dusty old curtains.

Now, that annex would become the home of her grandparents—and their new guest.

“Are they going to live there forever?”

Soles couldn’t hide the tinge of disappointment in his voice.

It was only a short move, practically next door—but still, it made him feel strangely lonely.

Muniel and Ardores gazed at their grandson with affectionate smiles.

“Maybe when we get bored, we’ll come back to the main house. For now, we just want the child to have a quieter space to get used to the mansion.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t explain earlier.”

Celletina offered an apologetic smile.

“We knew it would catch you off guard. The truth is, we’ve been looking for that child for a long time. We happened to find out where he was, and since the Duke of Deigladys was nearby, we asked him to bring the boy to us.”

The person most surprised by her explanation was the boy himself.

They were looking for me?

He’d always assumed he was no different from the other orphans.

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

Now, he could barely keep up with the flood of unexpected events.

“You probably don’t remember…”

Caleo spoke with gentle warmth.

“But our family owes you a great debt.”

“……”

“You helped us greatly. And it’s shameful that we only realized it now. I’m sorry it took so long to find you.”

And it wasn’t just Caleo.

Every adult of House Deiamor looked at the boy with genuine gratitude in their eyes.

Ardores lifted his glass.

The others followed suit, raising their glasses high. Even Soles and Nivellia picked up their special child-sized cups—Nivellia gripped hers with both hands.

“Wolf, do it like this.”

“……”

“Do it!”

Under Nivellia’s slightly aggressive encouragement, the boy awkwardly picked up his cup.

Glasses raised high, Ardores led the toast.

“To welcoming a new member of the family.”

Welcome!

After dinner.

“Grandma!”

“Hmm? What is it?”

As Muniel prepared to return to the annex, Nivellia ran up to her.

“Maybe Nini should sleep with the wolf tonight!”

Her tiny chin lifted in a proud, smug pose that was both adorable and infuriating. Muniel smiled—and refused without hesitation.

“No.”

Nivellia flopped to the floor in protest.

“I wanna sleep with the wolf! I wanna sleep with the wolf!”

“If you’re going to throw a fit like a stubborn little kitten… are you sure the wolf would even want to sleep with you?”

“…Yes.”

“Really?”

“…Maybe not that much?”

Rising slowly, Nivellia clasped her hands over her chest and fidgeted with her fingers. Her expression turned sad.

“Grandma…”

She frantically waved her small hands, like a hummingbird fluttering its wings, signaling Muniel to come closer. Suppressing a laugh, Muniel knelt down.

Nivellia whispered.

“I don’t think the wolf remembers Nini…”

“……”

“That makes me sad. But it’s okay, right? It’s not his fault. Not everyone is as smart as Nini. That’s why he can’t remember, right?”

“That’s right.”

Muniel gently stroked Nivellia’s hair.

Eyes closed, Nivellia leaned into the comforting touch.

“Did I cry this morning… because the wolf didn’t remember me? Because it made me so, so sad?”

“Yes.”

Nivellia nodded.

She had been waiting to meet the wolf again ever since she was born.
But when that moment finally came, the wolf didn’t remember a thing.

Those red eyes, filled with caution toward strangers.

Even a child as young as Nivellia could feel it—
The distance.
The loneliness.
The ache in her chest.

Muniel pulled the now-quiet Nivellia into a warm embrace.

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

Nivellia gave a firm nod.

“We need to train again!”

Her voice rang out with renewed energy.

“From beginning to end! Over and over again! That thing, the, uh, what’s inside here….”

“…You mean your intestines?”

“Yes, that! We’ll train until my intestines spill out! And if they do, we’ll stuff them back in and start again!”

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

Murmuring that it was her greatest regret, Muniel pulled Nivellia—who was now throwing enthusiastic punches—into an even tighter hug.

Truthfully, there was one not-so-secret secret about Nivellia.

In her past life, she had been a cat.

Specifically, a long-haired white cat raised by the young Saintess Muniel.

Her fur was as white and soft as snow, and she was called “Nini.” The name was taken from “Nix,” the old word for snow.

“Nini was actually a cat, you know.”

“I see.”

It was morning.

Dettere was brushing Nivellia’s silvery-white hair.

In the mirror, Nivellia touched her plump cheeks as she began, once again, to recount her secret.

“Everyone used to be afraid of Nini. It couldn’t be helped. Nini was a dangerously powerful cat.”

“How exactly were they afraid?”

“They’d tremble like this—whenever they saw me. Like this!”

“Like people who lose control because a cat’s too cute?”

Nivellia’s past life was already widely known among the people of Deiamor.

People listened to her stories without judgment.

They chalked it up to the innocent, fanciful imagination of a child. And since it was quite entertaining, most would listen attentively.

Though perhaps… someone out there truly believed her.

“When someone tried to pet me, I’d swing my paw like this! Back then, this was a paw, you know? Fascinating, right?”

“I love cat paws. Are they called toe beans? The pink squishy ones—they’re so cute.”

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

Having finished getting dressed, Nivellia climbed down from the vanity chair.

With twin braids tied up like cat ears, a warm red dress that was cozy and snug—though she claimed to be a cat, her gentle features were more reminiscent of a puppy.

She threw a fist into the air.

“Like this, like this—I’d strike. But now that I’m human, if I hit someone, there’s… the law and all….”

The white cat Nini, who had once braved the battlefield alongside the Saintess, had been a ruthless predator.

She hunted the rats that stole military provisions and bit into the scalps of enemy soldiers torn apart by the Saintess and her knights.

Though she often ended up coughing up hairballs from swallowing too much fur.

Now, as a human, Nivellia was slowly adjusting to human logic and sensibilities.

“The law is kinda scary.”

“To come to that realization… You’re truly becoming human, milady.”

“Well, I do have… some work experience.”

“Ah yes, twice-lived, career professional.”

Nivellia quickly headed to the dining room.

Just in time, Caleo and Celletina were finishing their meal.

“Mother! Father!”

Dashing over, Nivellia spun in a circle around the two.

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

“Let’s see, has your fever gone down?”

As Celletina’s cool hand touched her forehead, Nivellia beamed and responded energetically.

“Not sick at all! I think I’m totally better!”

“That’s a relief. Then I’m off to the department store.”

“And I’ve got work to do.”

“Nini’s working too, starting today!”

The three exchanged cheerful words of encouragement and parted ways.

Still at the table was Soles, finishing his breakfast. Unfortunately, the wolf was nowhere to be seen.

“Did Nini sleep well?”

“Good morning! Nini starts working today!”

“Selling things again?”

“Teaching the wolf. And I only have one debt left to repay! Isn’t that amazing?”

“Then want to eat with me and head to the annex together?”

“Sure!”

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

The red-brick annex loomed closer.

“Nini cleaned all that! Impressive, right?”

“You’re very diligent.”

“You can’t earn money if you’re lazy. Mom said real money is what you earn with honest sweat.”

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

“When you do bad things, you get tortured in prison, skinned alive, and hanged by a rope. Nini knows all about it.”

“…Where did you even learn something like that?”

Soles turned his head, worried about his little sister who proudly flaunted knowledge best left unknown.

There stood a large tree.

Beneath its leafy green shade, Muniel and Ardores were with the boy. The three of them were burying something at the base of the tree.

Huff—Nivellia took a deep breath.

Soles, catching on, clapped both hands over his ears.

“WOOOOLF!”

The thunderous shout made the boy drop the trowel he was holding.

As he turned, startled, Nivellia had already rushed up to him and flung her arms around him.

Then, stretching out her hand, she gently stroked his blond hair.

“Mm!”

Nivellia nodded with satisfaction.

“Did you sleep well, Wolf?”

“…Yes.”

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

“This girl, I swear—”

Muniel had come up behind her and began pressing on Nivellia’s temple with two fingers. Nivellia let out peals of laughter, pretending it hurt.

“Ow ow ow!”

“You’re supposed to start with ‘Good morning.’”

“Good morning! A very good morning to you!”

Escaping at last, Nivellia rubbed her temple.

“I feel like I got smarter.”

“Then will you co-sign a loan for Grandpa?”

Ardores asked, still holding the dainty trowel awkwardly in his burly hand.

“No way! You don’t co-sign for anyone, not even family!”

“You really have gotten smarter.”

Ardores pointed toward the base of the tree where they’d just been.

A small mound of freshly dug earth remained.

“What did you plant?”

Soles asked.

“We planted some nutrients. This tree is getting old, so once in a while, you have to bury supplements near the roots like this.”

Ardores laid a hand on the massive tree. The children naturally looked up in admiration.

“Anyway, what brings you here?”

Muniel asked, fixing Nivellia’s crooked ribbon.

Nivellia pointed at the boy and said brightly, “Training!”

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