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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: One Month Ago
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A month ago.
Rima, recalling her memories from her past life, realized that this world was the novel she had written.
Rima Degladis, the protagonist of the childcare reverse-harem novel, Is It Okay to Be Loved Even Though I'm the Adopted Daughter?
Rima, who had possessed the heroine she herself had created, stood in front of the mirror, gazing at her face with an ecstatic expression.
It's too pretty no matter how many times I look...
A somewhat pretty face thinned by malnutrition, pink hair that was dry but vividly colored, and mysterious purple eyes.
Rima let out a deep sigh filled with admiration.
"Really... too pretty..."
Above all, she loved this pink hair the most.
It was a color perfectly suited to a childcare protagonist who was lovable and cute, drawing everyone's affection.
She was a bit worried about being so skinny, but she didn't pay it much mind.
The men in this house will soon be frantic to feed me up.
A flower-like smile bloomed on Rima's pretty face.
I wrote it myself, after all. I know all the settings, characters, and events. I'm the only one who knows the future—the god of this world.
Rima flopped onto the bed and gently closed her eyes.
For now, I've successfully entered the duke's mansion. I'm just a prospective ward right now, but if I reconcile the estranged family and play the daughter role to the hilt, adoption will come quick!
Rima knew exactly what she needed to do.
"First, money!"
She thrust her clenched fist toward the sky.
Head to the information broker, heal the owner's sister, then snag the Egg of the Evil Dragon Ater at auction for the Magic Tower Lord...
It was a plan so delightful that just thinking about it made her lips curve into a grin.
As Rima meticulously pieced together what was practically a pipe dream, she suddenly paused. She slowly sat up, recalling something unsettling she'd momentarily forgotten.
"...The eye colors were different."
The novel clearly stated that everyone in the Degladis Duke Family had black hair and black eyes.
Yet the Degladis Duke himself and his sons all had eyes in shades of red and blue.
And the family didn't seem estranged at all.
"......"
It nagged at Rima a little.
In truth, quite a bit.
Nibelria, who had run a slight fever, had taken her medicine and slept deeply, allowing her to open her eyes by evening as the sun set.
But the child, uncomfortable with her more languid body than usual, whined and called for an adult.
Dether happened to enter the room just then.
"Miss, you're awake?"
"Dether..."
Nibelria extended her limp arm, letting it droop.
"I'm sick..."
"Oh dear. Our miss is feeling so poorly."
"Hug me..."
"Aww, you're clingy because you're sick."
Dether, wearing a pitying expression, carefully scooped Nibelria into her arms. Her sweat-soaked face still held a faint flush from the lingering fever.
"Are you thirsty? Shall we have some water?"
"Yeah..."
"There, slowly... gulp..."
Only after moistening her parched mouth and throat with lukewarm water did Nibelria finally regain some energy.
Hearing that Nibelria was up, Seletrina and Kaleo came rushing in.
"Our baby... Mommy didn't even know Nini was hurting..."
"But the fever went down quick. Not hungry?"
"I am hungry..."
Nibelria, who had been answering obediently, suddenly widened her eyes and sprang up on the bed.
It was a startlingly swift movement for the child who had just been playing up her illness.
"Wolf!"
"Wh-whoa! Hold on...!"
Kaleo swiftly caught Nibelria as she leaped from the bed. Caught mid-air, she flailed her limbs like she was swimming.
Kaleo scolded her.
"You little troublemaker! You were just sick!"
"No! Nini healthy! Gotta feed Wolf!"
"Nini's wolf is right here."
Seletrina held out the wolf doll by the pillow.
"This is a toy."
Nibelria stated coldly.
"Just playing with it till real Wolf comes."
It sounded just like the callous line of some trash guy declaring a brutal breakup: 'I only hung out with you because waiting for him was lonely. You didn't think I was serious, did you? Idiot!'
The adults felt sorry for the wolf doll.
Its red gem eyes sparkled as if brimming with tears.
"Then should Mommy throw this doll away?"
Seletrina asked.
"...N-no, not that."
Nibelria quickly retracted her words and reached out for the doll. When Seletrina handed it over, Nibelria hugged it tightly.
"Sorry. But you're a fake wolf, so I like you a tiny bit less now. You get it, right?"
"Our Nini will break a bunch of boys' hearts someday."
Kaleo's noble intentions were short-lived. He set Nibelria down on the bed and extended his pinky.
"No running, eat your meal. Promise, and you can see that boy."
"But Nini wants to run? Feels like... huge power bursting out!"
"...You took the cold medicine, right?"
Though thrown off by his daughter's hyper reaction—suspiciously like a drug side effect—Kaleo pressed on.
"You were sick just now. Overdo it, and you'll hurt more. Then no seeing Wolf."
"Eung..."
"So promise."
"Pwomise..."
Her face full of reluctance, Nibelria meekly hooked her finger.
After a quick wipe-down of her sweaty body and a change into soft fresh clothes, she was finally allowed out of the room.
Holding one parent's hand in each of hers, she trudged along weakly, looking just like a prisoner being escorted.
"Mommy, where's Wolf...?"
"Wolf's coming to the dining room too. What we'll do for you two..."
"Not even a minute since I said no running, Nibelria."
Her attempt to dash failed with hands held, but she ended up facing her parents' stern looks as karma for breaking her promise.
"Sigh... my fate..."
Nibelria let out an old soul's deep sigh.
"...That's not something a 4-year-old says."
Kaleo felt himself aging alongside her.
The dining room they arrived at already had the rest of the family waiting.
Muniel and Ardores, along with Solles and the blond, red-eyed boy seated beside him.
Nibelria stood on tiptoe.
"Wolf!"
"Yeah, yeah. Sit next to him."
Kaleo restrained her from another dash and seated his daughter in the empty spot beside the boy.
Once seated, Nibelria flashed a dopey grin.
"Wolf, had yumyums?"
"......"
"Not yet? Couldn't without Nini?"
"......"
"Wolf, eat this. Not my absolute fave, but I like it okay. Gotta eat variety to grow big!"
"......"
The boy was baffled by Nibelria, who kept talking to him nonstop and seemed desperate to stuff him with food.
Why is she doing this?
Before he knew it, Nibelria's scoops had turned his empty plate into a jumbled mess.
Her hands not quite steady yet, the area around the plate was a disaster of crumbs and sauce splatters.
Unsure how to handle this, the boy swallowed his pride and shot pleading glances at the adults.
"Nini."
Solles, closest, came to his aid.
"It's very kind to serve him, but dinner hasn't started yet. Can we wait a bit?"
"Wolf needs Nini to care. Like old times."
"We met today. And you're 4."
"I'm a kitty. Actually, Nini is..."
Ting-
A clear chime rang out as a glass clinked against a spoon.
It was Muniel.
"Kids, sorry, but can this granny say something?"
"No!"
Nibelria refused outright.
"Yes."
But Muniel ignored her and began anyway.
Nibelria pouted but held back, listening intently to her grandmother.
"First, we were so worried you were sick. Feeling better now?"
"Yeah. Nini healthy or boring."
"True. Without health, our Nini is no fun at all."
Now Muniel got to the main point.
"Starting today, a new family member joins the Dayamor household. His name is..."
"Wolf!"
Nibelria answered.
Why does she call me wolf?
The boy had never even seen a wolf, let alone any connection to one.
If anything, he'd been unfairly picked on by nursery teachers who said he looked like a feral stray cat.
The other kids followed suit, teasing him that way. So he didn't like his own face much.
...Here too, what I think doesn't matter.
He suddenly realized that even this dreamlike situation reflected none of his own wishes.
The nobles had brought him, so here he was.
If the spoiled noble brat next to him wanted to call him 'Wolf,' then he would just have to be Wolf.
Still, being called Wolf didn't seem all bad, on one hand.
Far better than being tormented as a 'stray cat.'
"We should ask the child's opinion first."
Ardores called to the boy.
"What name would you like?"
"......"
The boy glanced sideways.
Unlike her earlier chatter, Nibelria was waiting quietly now, looking at him with eyes full of expectation.
"...Anything."
He turned his head away and said.
"Wolf is fine."
"Nothing comes to mind right away?"
"...I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. We'll think of a name later."
Ardores handed the floor back to Muniel.
Muniel continued her explanation.
"The boy will live in the annex with Ardores from now on. Solles and Nini, come visit often."
Besides the main building, the Dayamor estate had another residence called the annex.
It had been home to Kaleo's younger sister, Armifera, but she'd run off six years ago declaring she'd become the Mercenary King, leaving it vacant ever since.
