Chapter 3

“Biological daddy?”

Ruri didn’t understand a single word of what the system had said, but she understood the words biological father.

Her eyes sparkled for a moment before she mumbled in a tiny voice.

“R-Ruri…… can Ruri really find her real daddy?”

[Of course! Your biological father is currently unaware of your very existence.

However, if he comes face-to-face with you, there is a 99.9% probability that he will enter a state of [Emotion: Extreme Joy].

Therefore, find your biological father!]

“Uung?”

Unfortunately, Ruri was only four years old.

It was difficult for her to understand what the status window was saying.

The status window noticed this and flashed again.

[Ah—you don’t understand?

I’ll…… adjust the level of explanation, then.]

[※Analyzing cause……

→ Insufficient intelligence stat of target confirmed.]

[Fortunately, our Reincarnation Management Bureau is very kind!

We will specially apply an intelligence enhancement patch for you. (Free of charge)]

📈 [Your Intelligence has increased slightly.]

[※Individual experiences may vary.]

[※Still, we’ll explain it to you slowly. ^^]

At that moment, Ruri suddenly began to understand everything that was being said.

‘R-Ruri suddenly became a genius!’

The words she hadn’t understood just moments ago began sinking clearly into her mind.

At the same time, Ruri’s heart began pounding fiercely.

‘So Ruri wasn’t abandoned by Daddy after all!’

Just knowing that filled her little heart with overwhelming joy.

Ruri’s face brightened as she clenched her tiny fists.

“R-Ruri will find Daddy! Where does Ruri have to go to find Daddy?”

[Main Quest]

[Searching for Daddy: A Journey of Ten Thousand Miles]

[Details: Build a reputation so great that even your parents’ extended relatives will come looking for you!]

[That’s how it works when someone becomes famous. Even their relatives by marriage and distant cousins start contacting them. (ˊᵕˋ)੭]

In other words, once Ruri became famous enough that there was no one who didn’t know the name Ruri, her parents would come looking for her.

‘But how does Ruri become famous?’

Ruri rested her chin on her hand and made a little nggh sound as she thought hard.

That was when a sound coming from the television suddenly caught her attention.

—The glorious winner of the 2025 Acting Awards was none other than Seo Jin-young. His poignant performance in the drama Blue Rain Shower deeply moved the hearts of women throughout South Korea……

At the voice coming from the television, Ruri lifted her head as if entranced.

On the screen was an incredibly handsome man smiling.

—Known as a genius actor, Seo Jin-young has further cemented his position as one of South Korea’s top actors by winning this year’s Acting Award. At this point, there probably isn’t anyone in South Korea who doesn’t know Seo Jin-young.

The place where the uncle was standing was dark, but strangely, it seemed as though he was shining brightly from behind.

Ruri stared blankly at him before letting out a small gasp of admiration.

“So pwetty……. He looks like a pwince.”

The screen soon changed, and a bright light focused on the man as he stood on stage giving his acceptance speech.

He looked exactly like the prince Ruri had seen in the fairy tales her teacher used to read to her at the orphanage.

And besides that—

“Everyone wikes that uncle.”

Everyone on the screen seemed to love him.

They were all smiling and applauding the handsome uncle.

One woman was even taking pictures of him with her phone.

At the same time, Ruri remembered what she had just heard on the television.

—At this point, there probably isn’t anyone in South Korea who doesn’t know Seo Jin-young.

Those words made Ruri’s heart pound.

‘If Ruri becomes a genius actress, there won’t be anyone who doesn’t know Ruri!’

The moment she had that thought, the status window floating before her made a crackling sound.

Bzzzt—.

Its contents changed.

[Main Quest]

[Searching for Daddy: A Journey of Ten Thousand Miles]

[Details: Genius Actress Ruri! Win the Rookie of the Year Award and find your biological father!]

[※Every time you complete a sub-mission, you will receive a hint about your biological father as a reward.]

“Okay! Ruri will definitely get the rookie award!”

Ruri clenched her tiny fists with determination.

However, her ambition to become a genius actress and find her father was one thing.

Ruri had never acted before in her life.

‘Ruri can’t find Daddy like this!’

Despite how anxious she should have been, her new life at the orphanage was so much fun that she completely forgot about finding her father.

‘G-Get a grip, Ruri.’

Ruri had been building blocks with her friends when she belatedly came to her senses and shook her head.

Just then, Teacher Ji So-yeon entered the room and clapped her hands to gather the children.

“Okay, everyone, come over here.”

“Yes~!”

The children put down their toys and approached So-yeon.

Ruri also took her hands off the blocks and toddled over.

Once all the children had gathered around their teacher, So-yeon began speaking.

“We’re going to prepare a play for the Sponsorship Night next month.”

Sponsorship Night.

Hosted by Taeseong Foundation, which sponsored the orphanage, the Sponsorship Night was a stage created to discover the children’s talents.

The event was held twice a year.

Each time, the theme changed as they searched for the children’s artistic talents in music, art, acting, dance, and other fields.

This year’s theme was acting.

‘A play? If it’s a play, that means acting?!’

Ruri’s eyes sparkled at the teacher’s words.

At the same time, the status window appeared before her once again.

Ding!

[Sub-Mission Activated!]

[Finally, an acting challenge?! Ruri, become the star of the stage!]

[Details: The moment has finally arrived! Make your grand debut as the proud lead of a theatrical performance! Successfully complete your first performance and receive thunderous applause from the audience to clear the mission!]

[Reward: Mom’s Connections Tracker]

[Effect: When the tracker is used, you can locate one of your mother’s friends.]

‘Umm…… Mommy’s friend instead of Daddy?’

Just as Ruri tilted her head in confusion, a very small line of text appeared beneath the system window.

[※Notice: Your real father is among your ‘mother’s friends.’ If you want to find your father, observe and track your mother’s friends!]

‘Aha! That means Daddy is one of Mommy’s friends!’

But more importantly—

Mom.

‘Ruri doesn’t even know who her mommy is.’

Ruri’s face became gloomy.

‘What kind of person is Mommy?’

Why did the status window only tell her to find her father?

Ruri wanted to meet her mommy, too.

But she soon shook her head.

After all, once Ruri found her father, she would naturally be able to find her mother, too!

“So, the play we’re going to perform is……”

Just as the teacher was about to explain the play the children would be performing, Ruri suddenly shot her hand into the air before she could even finish.

“Teacher! Ruri! Ruri wants to be the main character!”

Ruri had to become a genius actress as quickly as possible so she could meet her father.

Seeing Ruri eagerly raising her hand, Teacher So-yeon smiled brightly and asked,

“Oh my, Ruri, do you want to be the main character?”

“Yes!”

“Does anyone else want to be the main character?”

However, none of the other children seemed nearly as eager as Ruri to take the lead role.

More precisely, they didn’t seem to understand what a main character even was.

The teacher looked over the children carefully before answering.

“Okay, then our Ruri can play the radish.”

“Yes! Ruri can play the ra…… radish?”

Ruri had been cheering excitedly, but she tilted her head at the word radish.

A radish?

What kind of radish was she talking about?

Was the main character’s name Radish?

Ruri was still looking confused when—

“The play we’re going to perform this time is The Giant Radish.”

“T-The Giant Radish……?”

The teacher announced the title loudly while holding up a picture book.

It was the storybook The Giant Radish.

And the main character of that story was—

A real radish.

Ruri is going to be a radish.