Certain example embodiments concern a computer-implemented method of processing a relational query in a database system. The relational query addresses a plurality of data objects linked by one or more relationships. For each data object addressed by the relational query, at least one result is computed in accordance with at least one index structure, with the index structure being stored in a storage device of the database system. The results computed are merged in accordance with at least one translation data structure to produce a final result of the relational query, with the translation data structure representing the one or more relationships between the data objects and being stored in a memory of the database system.