Chapter 156

The Black Reaper was smiling with a bright expression, but the will conveyed within held deep resentment.

Its teeth, resembling those of a baby shark, seemed even sharper despite their cute appearance.

These guys are meeting Yerin for the first time, and suddenly she’s called a traitor?

In order to extract more information, I infused some will into the Black Reaper.

“Called a traitor? Why on earth is she called a traitor?”

Then the Black Reaper took on a sad expression, and a gloomy will was transmitted to me.

“Mom, you forgot again?”

As if melting, other Black Reapers squirmed over and clung all over my body.

“Mom, are you still in pain?”

“Kind mom. You shouldn’t be in pain.”

“If you’re in pain, it’s okay to eat us!”

The Black Reaper explained that Mom forgets things when she’s in pain and gently patted my cheek with a sad face.

While doing so, they relayed Mom’s words from the past.

“Mom said humans are all traitors!”

“Humans should be burned like firewood and have their tongues cut out!”

“If there isn’t enough firewood, prick them with needles!”

Some Black Reapers even transformed their bodies into sharp stake-like needles.

Wait, getting stabbed by those would definitely cause death from excessive bleeding!

From such kind children came ominous threats.

What kind of education did that corpse inside the black sphere give these kids?

A mom who eats her own children when she’s in pain…?

I somehow felt a connection with the corpse in the sphere, but now I feel further away.

This can’t go on.

The children should grow up as kindly as the Golden Reaper.

I gathered the Black Reapers who received the wrong education and transmitted my will.

Humans aren’t traitors, and they shouldn’t be hurt.

“Not traitors?”

“Tongues, won’t get cut?”

“If we don’t cut tongues, do humans die quickly?”

“But… tongues should be cut…”

Tilting their heads in confusion, the children eventually accepted what I said.

They really are good kids.

Still, why are they so fixated on cutting tongues? Is there any reason behind it?

But no matter how much I pressed them on this point, the Black Reapers just smiled brightly and replied “We don’t know!”

The Black Reapers’ attitude toward humans and their resentment were nothing but something they had been taught by someone else.

After re-education, the Black Reapers returned to human form and slowly approached Yerin.

“Mi-a-nae…”

“Let’s play together…”

Even though Yerin couldn’t receive the Black Reapers’ will, she seemed to sense a change in their attitude and hugged the Black Reaper with a smile.

Yerin embraced the new Mini Reaper happily.

And the Black Reapers, swept away by this wave of emotion, melted into happy puddles.

“It’s warm.”

“I’m happy.”

The Black Reapers turned into happy slime with big smiles.

Clap clap.

Seeing this, the Golden Reapers looked moved and applauded.

It was a happy daily life in the isolation room.

***

In the dimly lit detective agency, the late afternoon sunlight gently entered the room, illuminating part of it.

The Yellow Detective, looking tired and haggard, entered the office. His coat was covered in city dust, his hat was tilted, revealing the exhaustion etched on his face.

Each step the detective took was slow and heavy.

Sitting creakily on a chair, the Yellow Detective sipped old coffee from a mug on the desk and winced slightly at its overly burnt taste.

His once sharp eyes were hidden beneath deep dark circles.

Watching this with concern, the Black Agent asked,

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah? Ah, I’m fine, fine. Just a bit tired, but I can handle it.”

Though he raised his head slowly to reply, his voice sounded hollow, like an obligatory response.

To the Black Agent, the detective had been acting strangely lately.

Recently, the detective had been muttering to himself more often and sometimes disappeared somewhere without saying anything.

He seemed like someone being chased by something unseen, carrying an invisible burden.

Whenever questioned, he would evade or change the subject.

With a serious expression, the Black Agent said,

“If there’s something going on, tell me. I’ll help you.”

The Black Agent spoke softly while searching the detective’s face for clues or cracks.

But the detective only shook his head slowly with a faint smile.

“Really, I’m fine. There’s no special problem.”

Despite his weary expression, a hint of firm resolve could be seen.

Under the slowly rotating ceiling fan, junior employees also wore worried expressions but had no way to help.

“Ah, right. Go check this place out with the young miss.”

The detective pulled out a map from his pocket as if remembering something.

It was a map of the Odaesan area, known to be occupied by Objects, but this map indicated the existence of a village at its center.

“If you go to this village, it seems the young miss’s wish can be fulfilled. Walking under the sun, you know.”

“Really?”

The Black Agent grabbed the map while the detective grinned mischievously in response.

“Really. But it’d be best to leave today. I’ve got this feeling we don’t have much time.”

As the Black Agent expressed gratitude and looked toward the window with the blinds drawn, the city was dyed red with the twilight.

Time for the blonde girl to wake up.

The Black Agent hurriedly left the detective agency.

***

Late afternoon, after everyone had gone home, the Sehee Research Institute Sleeping Room.

I infiltrated the Sehee Research Institute Sleeping Room in ghost form.

I came here to meet Sprout Reaper, who was no longer the youngest.

Originally, the sleeping room wasn’t very popular, but recently it had become so crowded that people had to draw numbers to use it.

I heard that despite no overtime or night shifts, many people still chose to sleep here.

The cause was the cute flowerpot tucked away in the corner of the sleeping room.

Surrounded by transparent and sturdy material, the flowerpot blended naturally with the surroundings like interior decor.

Inside the pot, Sprout Reaper slept soundly with only its head peeking out.

I broke through the multiple locks and retrieved the pot for observation.

Seeing Sprout Reaper asleep like this made me feel playful again.

So defenseless while sleeping!

This could be fun—like flying off to Gwanak-gu and dumping the pot straight into slime.

Unaware of my thoughts, I poked the leaf on top of Sprout Reaper’s head.

The leaf twitched as if ticklish, avoiding my finger.

Even with the main body asleep, the leaf moved energetically on its own.

I poked and tugged at the leaf.

Sturdier than I thought.

Thanks to my teasing, Sprout Reaper, still asleep, furrowed its brow and scrunched up its face.

Hehe.

***

Late afternoon, in the security room of the Sehee Research Institute, two employees were struggling against drowsiness during their difficult shift.

“The sapling’s quarantine needs fixing.”

“Did someone try to take the flowerpot again?”

“No, this time it was someone untouchable who messed it up.”

‘Maybe Director?’ muttered the junior employee, understanding upon seeing the screen.

Instead of mere touch, the Gray Reaper had completely transcended the law.

The monitor showed the Gray Reaper poking, pulling leaves, flipping the pot, and shaking soil everywhere.

Sprout Reaper ended up sprawled helplessly on the floor.

“Why does the Gray Reaper only torment Objects? Especially mini Reapers?”

“Well, I don’t know. It might be a sign of affection? For things that bother it, it cuts off limbs, but for mini Reapers, it’s just pranks.”

“Still, sometimes it feels cruel. Lately, whenever the Golden Reaper loses pudding, it looks so sad—I almost cried too.”

The senior nodded in agreement with the junior’s words.

Bored, the junior started talking about recent rumors.

“Lately, Deputy Director has been acting strange.”

“Why? Wasn’t he the most normal one?”

“That’s the thing. Lately, he talks to empty air and constantly mumbles to himself, leading to speculation that he might’ve suffered mental pollution from an Object.”

The senior dismissed it lightly, “Nah, impossible. Would Deputy Director really do that?” while pulling out a navy bean glowing faintly from his pocket.

The mysteriously attractive bean drew attention, prompting the junior to ask,

“Senior, what’s that? Looks like a chocolate-coated bean.”

“Oh, this? Sapling gave it to me. I’m debating whether to eat it or not.”

Upon hearing it was a gift from Sapling, the junior eagerly stood up, shining with excitement.

“Senior! If you’re hesitating, let me eat it instead!”

“No.”

Defeated by the senior’s firm tone, the junior slumped back into his seat with a ‘Hng.’

“Huh, whatever. It’s from Sapling, so eating it probably won’t kill me, right?”

Muttering to himself in resignation, the senior popped the glowing bean into his mouth and swallowed.

“How’s it taste? Any changes?”

“Nah… Can’t tell yet?”

Though the junior asked excitedly, the senior detected no difference.

“Maybe it’s just a health snack.”

“Could be.”

But recalling Sapling sticking out its tongue, it didn’t seem likely.

Still, since there were no changes, the senior pulled out his phone and started browsing the news.

Giggle giggle.

Suddenly, a faint laugh reached the senior’s ears.

“Hm? Did someone just laugh?”

“Nope? Don’t hear anything…”

The junior just looked confused in response.

What was that?

Then, the unmistakable giggling of a child echoed.

Turning around, there sat Sapling on the monitor, eyes wide open, giggling joyfully.