The Rogue, Genius, Chaebol's Daughter is a Baby Master Detective! - Chapter 3

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

A delinquent, a genius, and a tycoon’s daughter—she is a baby detective!
Episode 3
“Haru doesn’t need Dad… just Mom is enough.”
The corners of Haru’s eyes reddened.
“Mom, why are you like that? Did Haru do something wrong?”
“You didn’t do anything wrong, sweetie. Mom’s just trying to keep Haru safe.”
Jang Mi tried to peel the clinging Haru away, but ended up holding her tight instead. The little girl’s body trembled against her.
“Haru will listen to Mom’s words. Haru won’t let the ability show anymore. Haru will wear gloves real good. And candy only, only once a week….”
“If Haru gets along well with Dad, Mom will come back. You can wait nicely, right?”
Haru sniffled hard, burrowing desperately into her mother’s embrace.
“If you cry like this, Mom won’t be able to come back fast.”
Haru’s head snapped up.
“If—sniff—if Haru’s good, w-will Mom come back fast?”
“If Haru eats spinach well, goes to bed early and wakes up early… then Mom will come back soon.”
A whimper.
Jang Mi grasped both of Haru’s gloved hands tightly.
“Haru, when you need to, take off your gloves.”
“Huh?”
Haru, who had been sniffling, looked at Jang Mi with wide, wondering eyes.
“Your favorite show is Detective Dodo, right? From now on, you’re going to be Dodo.”
“H-Haru’s… a detective?”
“When you meet someone suspicious, hold their hand and figure out if that person is a criminal or not. But you can never, ever do it in crowded places. If light comes out, you’ll be caught. You understand?”
Haru’s eyes went wide.
“B-but if Haru uses the ability, Haru will get hurt. You said Haru shouldn’t use it.”
“If you just peek for a second, your nose goes sniff, and that’s it. You only do it that much. You’re never supposed to look for a long time like you did when you were a puppy.”
Jang Mi paused. She hated herself for having to teach such rules to a five-year-old, but in a world without her mother, this was the only way to keep Haru safe.
“Haru, what’s more dangerous—briefly holding a criminal’s hand, or following someone without knowing they’re a criminal?”
“Following them!”
“Right. So this is a rule to protect you. Only when absolutely necessary. Promise?”
Their pinky fingers locked.
Haru nodded. After that, Jang Mi told her some things about Dad. Then she tapped the belly of the bear doll Gomi that Haru hugged while sleeping and said:
“Mom’s gift is inside there, so open it after you meet Dad. It’ll help when Haru gets hurt.”
Jang Mi’s mobile phone vibrated. When she checked the screen, her smile vanished.
“Haru, when Mom goes out, lock the door and don’t open it for anyone until Dad comes.”
Jang Mi pressed her lips firmly against Haru’s forehead.
“I love you, Haru.”
Jang Mi opened the front door to leave, then turned back.
Haru stood with both hands clasped tightly together. Her nose tip was red, and she pressed her lips shut, trying not to cry.
When Haru’s eyes met her mother’s, she cried out loudly:
“Haru won’t eat chocolate puffs, and Haru will wear gloves every day, and Haru will eat lots and lots of spinach and be good! So Mom has to come back fast! Haru loves Mom too! So much! Sniff.”
“Yes, Haru. Mom will come back soon.”
Jang Mi left the house with a forced smile.
Footsteps faded down the hallway. Haru double-locked the digital lock the way her mother had taught her and returned to clutch Gomi tightly.
“I can’t cry…. Haru’s going to be strong and good. Then Mom will come back fast….”
***
The cold dawn air, tinged with the smell of the sea, pierced her lungs. Jang Mi stepped out of the taxi and pulled out her mobile phone to send a pre-written message.
The message, with Haru’s photo and address attached, read:
-Raise your child yourself from now on.
After confirming the message was sent, she wiped the phone and threw it into the sea. All that was left was to board the smuggler’s ship. While she drew attention overseas, Haru would be with the safest adults.
Just as she tried to hide, a bright light flooded over Jang Mi.
“Jang Mi. Come with us.”
Men in black suits emerged from the shadows of the containers.
Jang Mi’s body moved like wind. She twisted the front man’s arm and shoved him toward the one behind, then slipped through the narrow gap between containers.
An urgent shout erupted behind her. Jang Mi ran away from the dock toward the city lights and laughed coldly. Yes, look only at me.
Let’s just play with each other and leave that small, pitiful child alone.
***
Haru spent the morning alone in the apartment. She washed her face sleepily and changed her clothes. She took milk from the refrigerator and drank it, then ate yesterday’s leftover bread.
Then she sat on the sofa, hugging Gomi, and looked out the window.
No one came.
Time kept passing.
Haru disengaged the door lock. She cracked the door open and peered into the hallway. It was empty.
Just as she started to close it in disappointment, a commotion erupted from downstairs.
The sound of a car engine. A door slamming shut. Then the voices of adult men.
“What are you doing here?”
“That’s exactly what I want to know.”
‘Who is that? Could it be Dad? I can’t tell….’
She tensed and was about to shut the door when—
Whoosh—
Text materialized before her eyes.
[Haru’s Case Notebook]
New Mission Unlocked♪
Special Mission! Find a Safe Guardian!
Three Suspicious Men are approaching. Are they criminals or Dad?
☞Hold hands and investigate
☞Lock the door tight
Good Detective Stamp [1/10]
Haru’s eyes went wide.
The voices from downstairs grew louder.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to claim our Haru is your daughter?”
“Haru is my daughter. If you’re going to talk nonsense, get out.”
Haru leaned over the railing at the top of the stairs, looking down.
Three men stood in the building’s entrance.
Kang Tae Jun, the first to reach the front door, pressed the buzzer.
Ding-dong.
There was no answer from inside.
“Haru? It’s Dad.”
Lee Hyun Woo spoke toward the door. In that moment, a small sound came from inside.
“Dad?”
“Yes, it’s Dad!”
“Mom said not to open the door for just anyone.”
“You really do take after me—so smart.”
Kang Tae Jun smiled with satisfaction, then continued.
“Haru, I’m your real dad. You can open the door for me. Your mom contacted me and asked me to come pick you up.”
“Mom did?”
Haru opened the door while keeping the safety chain fastened.
Through the narrow gap.
A small child clutching a doll nearly as big as herself stared at them with eyes wide as saucers.
The three men’s hearts seized the moment their gazes locked with those warm, brown eyes. Their chests felt as though bullets had punched clean through them.
All three men thought the same thing simultaneously.
Adorable!
Lee Hyun Woo’s collar was grabbed from behind just as he reached toward the child.
“I’m the dad.”
While pinning Lee Hyun Woo’s collar as he squirmed, Kang Tae Jun forced an awkward smile toward the child.
“Haru! Don’t be fooled! This guy is merciless and terrifying!”
Gong Dae In crouched down as he approached the child.
“Haru, if you come with Dad, there’s a ninety-nine percent probability you’ll be happy.”
Haru hugged her bear doll tighter. Above the towering men’s heads, text glimmered.
[Haru’s Case Notebook]
Three Suspicious Adults Found!
Take a closer look with the magnifying glass♪
Candidate 1. Perfectionist Cold-hearted Sparrow
Candidate 2. Entertainment Industry Attention Seeker Show-off
Candidate 3. Emotionally Stunted IT Genius
Want to know more? Hold their hands!
Haru clenched her fists tight, tensing up.
‘Sparrow? Attention seeker? Emotionally stunted? I have no idea what any of that means!’
Haru was a genius five-year-old who’d mastered Korean, but these words were far beyond her.
‘Mom never taught me words like that.’
Haru tilted her head far to the side, examining the men one by one.
One with black hair wearing a strange smile, one with yellow hair and his ears full of metal piercings looking scary, one with brown hair and glasses with an expressionless face.
Her short brown hair, tied in two bundles, swayed with each tilt of Haru’s head.
‘Is Haru’s dad among these men? None of them look kind, and none of them are smiling! Well, one of them is smiling, but…’
Haru turned away from Kang Tae Jun’s smile and recalled the angel father she had drawn in her picture diary. The fantasy shattered like glass.
‘Sniff….’
Haru hugged Gomi tightly and whimpered.
“Haru’s dad is tall and handsome, you said….”
“Obviously me.”
“What are you talking about!”
“By ninety-nine percent probability, those remarks refer to myself.”
All three men were remarkably tall.
“And you said he has a lot of money.”
Kang Tae Jun spoke with the smile of a victor, his voice brimming with confidence.
“See, I must be your dad. Even a child would know about Daehan Group, wouldn’t they? Your father is the head of that company.”
“I have plenty too, you know?”
Lee Hyun Woo erupted indignantly.
“South Korea’s biggest entertainment group! Dad created that!”
Gong Dae In pushed his glasses up and pulled out a tablet.
“My company’s market capitalization is….”
Kang Tae Jun, shoving Gong Dae In aside, dropped to one knee to meet the child’s eyes.
“Haru. Let’s go to Dad’s house. I’ve prepared everything at the highest standard so you can move in right away without any trouble. Don’t worry.”
Lee Hyun Woo squeezed in.
“I’ve prepared things too, okay? At Dad’s house there’s a game room and a movie theater? It’ll be fun, right?”
“Statistically speaking, a stable environment is crucial for child development. Haru, Dad will live here with you. I’ve purchased this building. Interior renovations will take approximately six months, but… or we could just tear it down and rebuild entirely….”
The three men jostled together in the narrow doorway, each scrambling to make his case.
Haru placed her free hand on her hip with a decisive slap. She was ready to direct traffic.
“Mom said I shouldn’t follow just anyone.”
“Not just anyone! Your dad!”
Ignoring Lee Hyun Woo’s cry, Haru made her announcement.
“I’m going to give you a Criminal Test.”

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