THTE 10

chapter 10

One month earlier.

After recalling memories of her past life, Rima realized that this world was the very novel she had written.

A childcare-themed reverse harem novel, [Is It Okay to Be Loved Even If I’m an Adopted Daughter?]

Rima Deigladis—the heroine of that story.

Now possessing the body of the heroine she herself had written, Rima stood in front of a mirror, gazing at her reflection with a blissful expression.

‘No matter how many times I look, I’m so pretty…!’

Though undernourished and thin, her face was still quite lovely. Her pink hair, though a bit dry, had a vivid color, and her violet eyes held a mysterious charm.

Rima let out a dreamy sigh.

“I’m seriously… so pretty.”

More than anything, she loved her pink hair the most.

It was the perfect color for a lovable, adorable protagonist in a childcare story—someone who would be showered with affection by everyone.

She was a bit concerned about how thin she was, but didn’t worry much.

‘Soon, the men of this household will be desperate to feed me anyway.’

A flower-like smile bloomed on her face.

‘I wrote this myself. The settings, the characters, the events—I know everything. I’m the only one who knows the future. That makes me the god of this world.’

Rima flopped onto the bed and closed her eyes comfortably.

‘First step—successfully entering the duke’s household. For now I’m just a sponsored child, but soon I’ll reconcile this awkward family and play my role as their daughter. Adoption will follow naturally!’

She knew exactly what she had to do.

“First—money!”

She thrust her clenched fist into the air.

‘I’ll go to the information guild, heal my younger brother, and then at the auction house I’ll buy the egg of the evil dragon Ater as a gift for the tower master…’

Just thinking about it made her lips curl into a happy smile.

As she carefully mapped out her fantasy-like plans, she suddenly paused. Sitting up slowly, she recalled something that had been bothering her.

“…Their eye colors were different.”

In the novel, she had clearly written that all members of the Deigladis bloodline had black hair and black eyes.

But the duke and his children all had different eye colors—red, blue, and more.

And their family relationships didn’t seem distant either.

“……”

That bothered her.

In fact, it bothered her quite a lot.

* * *

Nivellia, who had been running a slight fever, woke up in the evening after sleeping deeply from the medicine.

Still, her body felt sluggish, and the uncomfortable child whimpered, looking for an adult.

Right then, Deter entered the room.

“My lady, you’re awake?”

“Deter…”

Nivellia weakly stretched out her arms.

“I’m sick…”

“Oh dear, our young lady is unwell.”

“Hold me…”

“Oh my, you’re getting more clingy because you’re sick.”

With a sympathetic expression, Deter carefully picked her up. Her sweat-soaked face was still slightly flushed with lingering heat.

“Aren’t you thirsty? Shall we have some water?”

“Mm…”

“Here, slowly… gulp…”

Only after drinking lukewarm water to moisten her dry throat did Nivellia regain a bit of strength.

Hearing that she was awake, Celetina and Kaleo came to see her.

“My baby, and I didn’t even realize you were sick…”

“But your fever went down quickly. Aren’t you hungry?”

“I’m hungry…”

Answering obediently, Nivellia suddenly widened her eyes and sprang up on the bed.

It was hard to believe this was the same child who had been whining about being sick just moments ago.

“Wolf!”

“H-hey, wait…!”

Kaleo quickly caught her as she jumped off the bed. Suspended midair, she flailed her arms and legs like she was swimming.

“You little troublemaker! You were just sick!”

“No! Nini is healthy! I have to feed the wolf!”

“Nini’s wolf is right here.”

Celetina held out the wolf doll that had been lying by the pillow.

“That’s just a toy.”

Nivellia replied coldly.

“I was only playing with it until the real wolf came.”

It sounded like a heartless breakup line—“I was only with you because I was lonely while waiting for someone else.”

The adults suddenly felt sorry for the doll.

Its red gemstone eyes sparkled as if they were about to fill with tears.

“Then should I throw this doll away?” Celetina asked.

“…Th-that’s not okay.”

Quickly retracting her statement, Nivellia reached out for the doll. As soon as she received it, she hugged it tightly.

“Sorry. But you’re a fake wolf, so I’ll like you a little less now. You understand, right?”

“Our Nini is going to make a lot of boys cry someday.”

Kaleo chuckled, then set her back on the bed and held out his pinky finger.

“No running, and you’ll eat your meal. If you promise, you can see that child.”

“But Nini wants to run! It feels like I have so much power bursting out of my body!”

“…She did take her medicine, right?”

Though slightly bewildered by his daughter’s hyper reaction, Kaleo continued,

“You were sick earlier. If you push yourself, you might get worse—and then you won’t get to see the wolf again.”

“Ugh…”

“So, promise.”

“…Promise…”

Though her face was full of dissatisfaction, Nivellia reluctantly hooked her pinky with his.

After being wiped clean and changed into fresh clothes, she was finally allowed to leave the room.

Holding each parent’s hand, she trudged along weakly like a prisoner being escorted.

“Mom, where’s the wolf…?”

“The wolf will come to the dining hall too. We’ll—”

“I said no running less than a minute ago, Nivellia.”

Though she tried to dash off, being held by both hands stopped her—and she was met with her parents’ stern expressions for breaking her promise.

“Ah… such is my fate…”

She let out an old, weary sigh.

“…Four-year-olds shouldn’t say things like that.”

Kaleo felt like he was aging along with her.

In the dining hall, the rest of the family was already waiting.

Muniel, Ardorez, Soles—and beside him, a blond boy with red eyes.

Nivellia stood on tiptoe.

“Wolf!”

“Yes, yes. Sit here.”

Stopping her from running again, Kaleo seated her next to the boy.

Once seated, Nivellia grinned foolishly.

“Wolf, did you eat?”

“……”

“You didn’t? Because Nini wasn’t here, you couldn’t eat again?”

“……”

“Wolf, eat this. It’s not my favorite, but I still kinda like it. You have to eat well to grow big!”

“……”

The boy was bewildered by Nivellia, who kept talking to him and insisted on feeding him.

‘Why is she acting like this?’

Before he knew it, his empty plate was piled with a chaotic mix of food she had placed there.

Her small, unsteady hands had also made a mess of crumbs and sauce around the plate.

Not knowing what to do, the boy glanced around for help.

“Nini.”

Soles spoke up gently.

“It’s kind of you to take care of him, but the meal hasn’t started yet. Let’s wait a little, okay?”

“The wolf needs Nini to take care of him. It was like that before too.”

“But you just met him today. And you’re four.”

“I’m a cat. Actually, Nini is—”

Clink.

A clear sound rang out as a spoon tapped against a glass.

It was Muniel.

“Children, may this old grandmother say a few words?”

“No!”

Nivellia refused immediately.

“Yes, I may.”

Ignoring her, Muniel began speaking anyway.

Pouting, Nivellia still listened.

“First, we were very worried because Nini was sick. Are you okay now?”

“Yes. If Nini isn’t healthy, she’s boring.”

“That’s right. Our Nini would be no fun otherwise.”

Muniel then got to the main point.

“From today on, a new member will be joining the Deiamor family. His name is—”

“Wolf!”

Nivellia answered.

Why does she keep calling me that?

The boy had never seen a wolf, nor had any connection to one.

If anything, at the orphanage, he had been mocked as looking like a vicious stray cat.

The other children had followed suit, so he had never liked his own face.

‘…Even here, what I think doesn’t matter.’

He suddenly realized that even this dreamlike situation didn’t reflect his will at all.

He was only here because nobles had brought him.

So if this naive noble child beside him called him a “wolf,” then he would simply become a wolf.

Still… being called a wolf didn’t feel entirely bad.

It was far better than being bullied as a “stray cat.”

“We should ask the child what he wants first.”

Ardorez addressed him.

“What name would you like?”

“……”

The boy glanced sideways.

Unlike earlier, Nivellia was now sitting quietly, looking at him with bright, expectant eyes.

“…Just.”

Turning back, he said,

“‘Wolf’ is fine.”

“You can’t think of a name right now, can you?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize. You can think of one slowly.”

Ardorez passed the conversation back to Muniel.

Muniel continued,

“That child will be living in the annex with me and Ardorez. Soles and Nini, you should visit often.”

At the Deiamor estate, there was not only the main mansion but also another building—the annex.

It had once been occupied by Kaleo’s younger sister, Armifera, but after she ran away six years ago to become the Mercenary King, it had been left unused ever since.