The Baby Seizes Fortune - Chapter 16

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

Episode 16

I didn’t answer and looked the unfamiliar landlady up and down with a sullen expression.

“Can’t you speak well yet? But… that’s not right.”

“Look here, shouldn’t you tell me who you are first? Isn’t that the proper order?”

A strong perfume scent mixed with the cold wind and drifted in.

She was wearing sunglasses so I couldn’t properly see what the woman’s expression was like, but she stared at me intently for a long while.

Then she slowly raised her hand and took off her sunglasses.

Eyes with purple eyeshadow came into view.

What was thickly floating in those pupils was amusement and curiosity.

“My goodness. This kid… look how sharp she is? She’s five years old and like this?”

She blinked a couple of times, looking at me as if seeing something precious, then pulled out a business card from her clothes and held it out to me.

“I’m Jo Mi-sook, the principal of Edinburgh Kindergarten. The preschool where you took the entrance exam recently.”

“Ah… hello.”

I had visited Edinburgh Kindergarten with Junho and taken the test, but I hadn’t met the principal.

I had only planned to take the test, and the teachers who guided me didn’t particularly talk about the principal either.

Perhaps they thought I would naturally fail the entrance exam.

But for such a flashy preschool principal to come all the way here.

‘Does this mean I passed?’

“You must be surprised that I came suddenly, but the reason I’m here is…”

“…Who are you?”

Before Misuk could finish speaking, Junho came out rubbing his eyes.

Misuk’s gaze shifted from me to Junho.

“Ah. Chaea’s father!”

Her voice was full of excitement.

* * *

“I’m sorry, ma’am. We only have instant coffee.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m the one being rude by visiting suddenly.”

Inside the rooftop apartment where the floor was warm but drafts blew through, Junho brought out instant coffee in a chipped mug after letting Misuk into the room.

Misuk, who had been scanning the peeling wallpaper and old calendar with her eyes, spoke to Junho.

“In such difficult circumstances, it seems you’ve raised your child very well, Junho.”

“Oh, no. Chaea is naturally a smart child. It’s thanks to her mother raising her well.”

“Ah…”

Thinking there must be some circumstances behind a father raising a child alone, Misuk nodded.

“But why did you come all the way here, ma’am… Did Senior Yeong-il ask you to?”

“No. I’m keeping this test result secret even from my husband. It can’t leak out before registration.”

“…What do you mean it can’t leak out…”

Junho looked puzzled.

How important could a preschool entrance exam result be?

Misuk looked at me and spoke again.

“I really want Chaea to attend our preschool. She’s a super genius who got a perfect score for the first time in Edinburgh Kindergarten’s history.”

‘Huh? Perfect score?’

I knew I’d done well since I solved it properly, but a perfect score? Did I take it too seriously?

I glanced at Junho.

“Our Chaea?”

His eyes widened.

“A perfect score? And the first time ever…!”

But soon he firmed his eyebrows and nodded as if it made sense, then said proudly.

“As I told Senior Yeong-il, our Chaea is a genius. I knew it would be like this.”

Misuk continued with a truly amazed expression.

“Yes, I never thought there would be a five-year-old child in Korea who could get a perfect score on our preschool entrance exam. Actually, it’s not easy even for adults to solve.”

“That much, huh. Our Chaea.”

Junho’s voice trembled.

But then, the status window became clear. As if demanding attention.

[Master.]

Huh? Master out of nowhere?

[I pledge to devote my loyalty to my proud master! ૮ ♡ﻌ♡ა]

I saw the image of a panting dog with heart-shaped eyes.

And suddenly a pink status window popped up?

[Calculating Main Quest ‘Noah’s Recognition’ progress points.]

[Asset return rate 3-month average 35% achieved – 100 points]

[Edinburgh Kindergarten entrance exam perfect score – 100 points]

[Sub Quest ‘Guardian’s Growth’ Stage 1 achieved – 100 points]

[‘Good Influence’ achieved – Bonus 50 points]

[Total points 350/100 points]

[Due to excessive goal achievement, a two-stage upgrade pack will proceed. Stage 0 > Stage 2]

[‘Guardian’s Growth (Stage 1)’ achievement increases assets by 35%.]

‘All the things I’ve done so far are being reflected as points!’

It was interesting that even Junho’s sub quest and secretly helping the landlord and her son were scored.

To think I’d jump two stages at once.

“But how much does your performance increase?”

That’s the most important thing!

When I whispered the question, Noah answered.

[Performance has improved by 50% compared to the existing mode. ૮ •̀ﻌ•́აゝ]

Soon, not a dot dog, but an evolved, quite clear version of a 2D dog appeared in the status window.

It looks less stupid, so maybe now there will be fewer “item not found” responses…

[60 ‘Causality Points’ awarded for exceeding goals. Causality Points can be used in the ‘Causality Shop’ that opens when Noah reaches Stage 5! ｡:ﾟ૮ ˶ˆ ﻌ ˆ˶ ა ﾟ:｡]

A Causality Shop!

A shop in a system window should be a treasure vault full of cheat items!

Yay, quest achievement. So exciting!

Next to me, Junho was smiling so wide his lips might tear from Misuk’s praise.

Misuk asked me.

“Calling you a genius doesn’t seem wrong either. Chaea, how did you solve all those problems?”

“I just…”

I slightly avoided her gaze and shrugged my shoulders.

Actually, even before possessing this body, I was originally quite smart.

When I was young, I even attended a gifted program and was always praised for being clever.

Until ‘that incident’ happened and my family fell apart, it was quite a brilliant life.

‘Come to think of it, around now…’

My family would be living in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. I remember my father, who worked at a company in Busan, lost his job due to the IMF aftermath and moved to Jeonju to open a store.

Though it’s called a drama world, it’s no different from time-traveling to the past, so there’s a high probability that the me of this time period is also living with my family.

Since I’m still in a five-year-old’s small body, it’s hard to travel to the provinces alone, but,

‘I should go see them when I’m a bit older.’

As I was lost in thought, Junho’s voice reached my ears.

“Actually, I wondered if the test would be meaningful. She’d obviously pass anyway. Ahahat.”

Junho’s already high nose seemed to have risen about 3 centimeters higher.

Misuk, who had been chuckling, said.

“Junho, your character is similar both in sitcoms and in reality.”

“Huh? What?”

A handsome airhead character – I thought so too, so I smiled along.

“I mean you’ll probably be loved a lot by the public in the future with your bright, harmless nature.”

Well, it’s true that a handsome young man with such a sturdy build who’s also pure and even somewhat cute is quite rare.

“Ah, thank you.”

Junho scratched his head with a bewildered expression.

“Anyway… as you said, Junho, Gu Chaea truly has remarkable potential. So for the first time since Edinburgh Kindergarten was established, we’d like to designate Gu Chaea as a full scholarship student until she graduates from preschool.”

“Excuse me?”

I was also startled by Misuk’s following words.

“Of course, this includes everything – uniform fees, meal costs, special activity fees, field trip expenses, and all.”

A full scholarship student?

But they’re not running such a large kindergarten in the heart of Daechi-dong by digging up the ground, and they’re probably not charity workers either.

Misuk raised her hand to brush back her wavy hair and looked at me with suddenly sharp eyes.

“In return, there’s just one favor I’d like to ask.”

I became curious about what condition she would propose.

In an era where even large corporation employees find it difficult to earn 2 million won, Edinburgh’s tuition is estimated to far exceed that amount.

To waive that for at least 3 years would be equivalent to giving benefits worth buying a small apartment in Seoul by current standards…

‘What kind of condition could she possibly be trying to impose?’

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