The Rogue, Genius, Chaebol's Daughter is a Baby Master Detective! - Chapter 22

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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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A Hooligan, a Genius, and a Billionaire’s Daughter are Baby Famous Detectives!
Episode 22
“Screech!”
At the sudden cry, Haru sprang toward Siu, and his shoulders went rigid. Before he could tell her to back off, she’d already bounced away, pressing her face against the mesh fence as if trying to poke her nose through it.
“Wow! Siu, did you see? The lion just yawned!”
Haru’s eyes gleamed with wonder.
“You don’t need to narrate every thought that crosses your mind. And I’m telling you now—I’m not your friend. Not going to do this whole grand cause thing either. None of it.”
Siu’s gaze swept across the lion enclosure. Sure enough, he spotted a lion lying sprawled on a rock, apart from the rest of the pride. Time to get this annoying leech off his back once and for all.
“Look there. Plenty of animals prefer being alone. Not every creature needs a friend. So leave me alone.”
Haru clamped her mouth shut and looked back and forth between the lion and Siu.
“You can’t argue with that, can you?”
“Hmph! We’ll see!”
For the first time, Siu’s lips curved slightly upward. Then, as if startled by his own expression, he quickly wiped it away and went blank again.
Fortunately for him, Haru was too busy huffing and hunting for a rebuttal to notice the flicker across his face.
The two children followed their Sprout Class teacher down the path to see the next animal. Haru fell quiet for a while.
Siu unconsciously reached up to touch his ear, then started again at the gesture.
‘The silence feels strange.’
The moment that thought crossed his mind, Haru began humming.
“Mmmhm~”
The way her knees bounced up and down with each step suggested she’d given up on her rebuttal. Siu muttered coldly to himself.
‘Idiot. This is all because of Haru.’
The Sprout Class passed the hippos, crocodiles, and capybaras, then stopped in front of a building.
“This is the Marine Animal Pavilion. We’ll see animals that live in the sea. Inside, we need to be quiet. Understood?”
“Yes!”
The children of Sprout Class answered brightly.
The most popular animals were, of course, the penguins.
Like the other children, Haru pressed her face against the reinforced glass so close her nose flattened, mesmerized by the penguins’ adorable movements.
“Oh wow, the penguin’s walking! Oh wow, it dove into the water!”
Haru gasped softly, then pulled her face away from the glass and looked squarely at Siu.
“Siu, penguins do something called Huddling. Do you know what that is?”
Siu didn’t answer.
“Hmph, no need to be embarrassed. The Famous Detective just happens to love explaining things to dunces.”
“Who are you calling a dunce?”
“Huddling is when everyone bands together to survive the cold. Like how Famous Detective Dodo and his friends team up to defeat villains—together!”
“I already knew that.”
Haru squeezed the hand she was holding with Siu.
“You’re the one who said some animals prefer being alone.”
Siu nodded.
“But look at the penguins!”
Haru pointed sharply at the penguins.
“Alone, they freeze to death. But when they all bunch together, they live happily ever after!”
“The penguins in this zoo don’t huddle. It’s not cold. And I’m not huddling either. It’s not cold.”
Haru’s face twisted into a grimace.
‘So it’s just me trying alone then!’
That was when Haru’s fur stood on end. Around the corner, she caught sight of a massive panda doll just barely peeking out—and their eyes met!
The moment Haru spotted it, the panda hurriedly hid behind the wall. But its round, plump belly was still sticking out.
‘That’s suspicious.’
It was definitely the panda doll she’d seen at the Main Gate. Why had it followed her here? Haru tried to slip her magnifying glass out of her pocket, but Siu tugged the hand he was holding, as if irritated.
“We’ll fall behind. Come on.”
“But there’s a panda over…”
“A panda?”
By then, the panda had hidden its plump belly too!
“Shh. Come here.”
Haru pulled Siu along, tiptoeing around the corner. The moment they turned!
“Huh?”
“There’s no panda—nothing there at all.”
“I didn’t imagine it! I know I saw it!”
“Idiot. We’re in the Penguin Zone. Why would there be a panda here?”
“There was a panda doll! I really did see it, Siu!”
Letting go of Siu’s hand, Haru walked around with Dodo, searching the nearby area. No matter how hard she looked, there was nothing. Not even a trace of panda fur.
“If you don’t hurry, we’re leaving without you.”
Siu issued the threat. Haru shuffled after him and grasped his hand again. The two of them made their way back to where their friends had been.
“Wait—where did everyone go?”
Something felt wrong. None of the Sprout Class children were visible, nor was their teacher. Siu furrowed his brow.
“You made us miss them. How are you going to make this right?”
“M-make it right?”
Haru’s eyes trembled like a frightened bird.
“The teacher said if you get lost, you stay in one place and wait. But!”
Haru planted her hands on her hips.
“I think I know where everyone went!”
Haru pulled out her Magnifying Glass and shone it on the ground beneath them.
“See? We followed the blue penguin footprints—so the teacher and our friends must have kept following the blue prints! If we just go straight this way, we’ll find them!”
Siu looked back and forth between the spot her finger indicated and her face, rendered momentarily speechless.
‘Heh. Is Haru such a genius that it’s left me at a loss for words?’
Haru snatched Siu’s hand.
“Just follow Haru! Haru will take responsibility for you!”
She was clearly an idiot, yet somehow it was reassuring. The two children walked steadily along the blue footprints. And before long, they’d followed them outside the building.
“But the teacher and the other kids aren’t here.”
Haru’s shoulders sagged slightly.
‘What do I do? I promised to take responsibility for Siu!’
“Hmm. The footprints end here.”
Haru looked around carefully. There were two paths ahead. She studied the signs thoughtfully.
➡ Path to the Tropical Aviary
➡ Path to the Healing Forest
“The Tropical Aviary!”
“How do you know that?”
“Hm.”
Siu’s expression darkened at Haru’s smug smile.
“Because the teacher said we’re eating lunch in the Healing Forest, but it’s not lunchtime yet”
‘Heh, a perfect use of Deduction!’
“…Fine.”
The two children walked down the path. Haru’s mouth never stopped spilling out exclamations of wonder.
“Wow, what amazing birds there are—so many!”
“Hurry up. We didn’t come here sightseeing.”
“Isn’t this fun for you?”
“Nope. It’s boring.”
The shadows under his eyes looked darker than before—more tired.
“Are you tired, Siu?”
“Yeah, tired. And don’t act so friendly. It’s annoying.”
“Eek!”
Haru’s plump cheeks trembled. In that instant,
“It’s been a while~”
An odd voice called out.
‘It’s been a while?’
“Did you hear that just now?”
Haru whispered.
“What?”
“That strange sound? Like some kind of code? What does it mean?”
Siu muttered matter-of-factly.
“It means ‘long time no see.'”
“Long time no see?”
“Heya, hey~”
‘Is it calling for Haru?!’
Haru tensed and carefully turned around.
Boom.
A grey parrot sat perched on its stand, staring directly at Haru.
Haru stepped closer and asked hesitantly.
“Are you calling me?”
The grey parrot tilted its head.
“Heya, hey~—give me an apple.”
“No apples… Did you see the teacher, by any chance?”
“Saw the teacher.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Where did she go?”
“Where did she go.”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
Siu cut in.
“Dummy. You’re just repeating what I said.”
“Dummy-dum-my-”
The parrot ruffled its feathers, mocking Haru.
“Squawk! No, wait—it sounds like it’s trying to say something!”
“It’s probably just meaningless chatter. Let’s go.”
Despite Siu’s urging, Haru’s gaze remained fixed on the parrot, reluctant to turn away.
The parrot opened its beak with pointed significance.
“Teacher.”
“Right, you did see the teacher, didn’t you?”
“Long time, no see~”
“Squawk! Answer properly!”
“I said let’s go, didn’t I?”
At Siu’s insistence, she turned away. In that instant, Haru’s eyes went wide.
“A—a panda!”
The panda bolted as if it had been waiting for this very moment, scrambling away.
But… it was slow!
Even at Haru’s pace, she felt like she could catch up!

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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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