I’m The Male Lead’s Biological Daughter, But I Want To Live With The Second Male Lead! - Chapter 72

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 72
Mabel continued to stare down at the cat, her expression uncertain.
‘It’s almost like… we’re having a conversation…?’
The way it had untied its own rope, the way it had approached asking her to cut the chain shorter—both suggested something more than instinct.
‘Could it be… a Beastman?’
Kellic had mentioned this before.
Newborn Beastmen appear as animals, he’d said.
They instinctively know how to transform into human shape, but some struggle with it.
That’s why Kellic himself had nearly become Aselt’s meal—mistaken for just another beast.
‘But Kellic said Beastmen retain intelligence even in animal form.’
Aselt had recognized this truth in Kellic and tended to his wounds instead of hunting him.
So perhaps… this cat was also a Beastman?
“Are you a Beastman by any chance?”
“Meow~”
“…You’re saying yes?”
“Mew~”
Well, it seemed it couldn’t speak human words.
“All right, if you’re a Beastman, meow once. If you’re not, meow twice. Got it? Are you a Beastman?”
“Yowl, meow, chirrup-chirrup-yes.”
“…How many times am I supposed to count that as?”
As Mabel began tallying on her fingers, the cat’s tail swished back and forth wildly.
Though they couldn’t speak directly, the meaning was unmistakable.
“Stop fooling around and cut the chain already, is that it?”
Mabel laughed and posed the question, and the cat meowed once—a single, decisive sound.
…That creature deliberately didn’t answer before, didn’t it?
Suspicion narrowed Mabel’s eyes.
Either way, she did as the cat asked and cut through the chain.
The shackle around its ankle came loose easily—the joint was corroded enough that a few strikes with a stone shattered it.
“There. All done. That must have hurt terribly, didn’t it?”
Each time the stone struck the shackle, the cat’s body trembled.
Blood and seepage had soaked into the fur.
“We should get rid of these things at once.”
Mabel gathered the shackles and chains, then swept them into a corner with deliberate force.
The cat padded over to her as if sharing her relief, rubbing against her affectionately.
Mabel’s resolve melted at the adorable gesture, and she carefully stroked the cat’s head.
“You really do seem to be a Beastman.”
“Meow~”
The cat kept up its innocent act regardless.
Mabel tore another strip from her skirt and bound the cat’s hind legs firmly.
“It’s only temporary, but it’s better than nothing. Once we get out of here, I’ll make sure you’re properly treated.”
“Mew~”
The cat made a thin, plaintive sound and limped up onto Mabel’s lap.
“Oh—what—”
“Purr… purr…”
Was that the famous purring she’d only heard about?!
The cat’s body was tiny and light, but warm and slightly quivering.
Yet when she stroked its back, she felt nothing but skin stretched over bone—it hadn’t eaten in far too long.
Then came a sound from the cat’s belly—a rumbling growl.
“You must be starving. I should have brought something in my pockets.”
Before she was taken, Mabel had been about to have lunch.
That’s why she’d forgone even small snacks while walking through the Garden.
“This won’t do. We need to get out of here quickly.”
Mabel kept stroking the cat’s back as she resolved to escape.
But which way should they go?
The Cave where Mabel now crouched had two passages leading from it.
One likely led to the exit, the other deeper into the earth.
‘Which one should I choose…’
Just as the cat’s purring grew louder,
Whoosh—
A breeze drifted from one direction.
“There! I can feel a breeze from that direction!”
Which meant that path led toward the outside.
Mabel lifted the kitten from her lap, though it showed no sign of wanting to get up.
“Mew~?”
The kitten looked up at her and cried softly.
“What, you’re asking why I won’t put you down? Because you’ve hurt your leg, that’s why.”
Mabel gestured toward the hind leg she’d bound for it just moments before.
“You’re not walking anywhere on that. Not a chance. You’ll only make it worse.”
“Mmrow~?”
“No, you’re not heavy at all. You’re fine! Light as baby down.”
“Meowww~!”
“Alright, alright. You’re a strong boy. Yes, I won’t call you a baby anymore.”
The kitten thrashed about in her arms and nearly slipped free.
Mabel barely caught it, adjusting her grip to appease the little creature.
“Ella and the Master of the House must be so worried about me.”
“Mrow?”
“Ella’s my sister—she looks after me. And the Master of the House is my teacher. They’re both incredible people, so they must be searching for me right now.”
“Meep~”
Mabel chatted softly with the baby kitten as she walked down the passage where the wind grew steadily stronger.
A moment ago she’d thought they couldn’t communicate since the creature couldn’t speak human language—but now…
It really did seem like this was a Beastman.
Meanwhile, the candle she’d brought along just in case had already been snuffed out by the wind.
Walking through the pitch-dark cave by sight alone, judging distances by eye, cost her so much effort that sweat poured down like rain.
To make matters worse, though she’d walked quite a distance, not a glimmer of daylight appeared anywhere.
‘Something feels wrong. It’s as if I’m heading deeper into darkness…’
The path grew steadily narrower and more treacherous, which only added to her unease.
As she groped forward, her foot caught on the uneven ground.
“Ah—!”
She caught herself against the wall with her other hand, preventing a fall, but her palm scraped raw in the process.
“Ugh, really…”
Rather than cry, Mabel huffed in frustration and shook the dust from her injured hand.
“Mew?”
The kitten’s eyes widened as it looked up at her.
“Does it hurt? Of course it does.”
“Mowww?”
“Well… crying won’t help, will it? Tears don’t heal wounds. And besides, even though it hurts now, I actually quite like pain.”
“…Mmmrow.”
“I’m not a pervert!”
Mabel’s voice cracked as she protested loudly.
Not a pervert—not a pervert—not a pervert!
Her words echoed back off the distant stone walls.
The kitten flicked its tail indifferently a couple of times, as if to say it would take her word for it.
“I really am not!”
“Meow~”
The kitten didn’t even pretend to listen to her protests.
Mabel felt wronged, but she didn’t want to argue seriously with a kitten, so she held her tongue.
“Once we get out of here, I’m going to tell the doctor to give you the most painful injection ever.”
“Nyaaah!”
Did it actually know what an injection was?
The kitten, which had been lazily swishing its tail, suddenly perked up and nimbly shifted to perch on her arm instead.
Then it wrapped its tail gently around her torso in what seemed like an apology.
It even pressed its head firmly against her chest for good measure, making sure she felt its contrition.
“So you’re afraid of needles too, are you?”
“Mmrow~”
Mabel smiled softly and began stroking the kitten’s head with her pinky finger.
“But didn’t the echo come from over there?”
She gestured toward the direction she’d been heading.
The kitten followed her gaze into the darkness ahead.
“Echoes bounce off solid walls and come back, right? But the wind keeps coming from this direction…”
Was this path she’d followed by the wind’s pull actually the wrong way?
“Should I turn back now……?”
If she walked in the direction the wind was pushing, she’d return to where she’d started.
“Woo-ooo~”
“Hmm? You want me to shout toward that direction?”
If the echo came back faintly when she called in the direction she’d come from, it meant that path was clear.
Mabel thought it was a good idea and took a deep breath, calling out loudly.
“Yiah-hooo!”
It was a ringing cry that didn’t sound like it came from a kidnapped child at all.
And…….
“There!”
Voices of people began echoing from the direction she’d come!
“She’s over there!”
But the sound bouncing off the cave walls hardly sounded like the voice of a savior.
“Damn it, the Great House brat and the beast went that way!”
Oh no.
It was the kidnappers who had answered Mabel’s cry!
She could have sworn she hadn’t sensed anyone nearby just moments ago!
It seemed they must have returned while Mabel and the cat had been venturing deeper into the cave.
“Grab her! Don’t let her escape! Especially the Great House’s disciple — we need to capture her alive!”
“Yeah, yeah, I know! She’s our valuable hostage!”
The men’s voices drew rapidly closer.
Mabel spun around in panic and pushed deeper into the cave, following the direction of the wind.
But it was only natural that adults carrying lamps and pursuing would move faster than a child gasping and scrambling through the darkness.
Thud!
Even as she tumbled over and over, Mabel’s leg was suddenly seized.
“Aaaah!”
Caught so off guard she couldn’t even scream properly, Mabel watched as a man shoved a lamp directly in her face and grinned wickedly.
“Got you.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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