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At noon under the warm sunlight, a small swimming pool that resembled a miniature version of the Yangcheon District Lake was set up in the courtyard of the research institute, bathed in golden light.

The small swimming pool was filled with Golden Reapers playing around, creating a quietly lively atmosphere.

Although the Golden Reapers were silent, just by looking at their joyful faces and expressions, one could almost hear their lively and cheerful laughter.

Whenever Seoah felt the need to take a breather from organizing documents, she would step out of the Deputy Director’s Office and stroll along the glass corridor that allowed her to see the courtyard, enjoying the scene.

The sounds of splashing water from the Golden Reapers playing and a mini Hydra spraying water into the sky filled the air.

The visual and auditory feast was delightful.

“Wow, so cute.”

“Is there no Gray Reaper? I wanted to see one.”

Visitors sporting visitor permits around their necks admired the sight of the Golden Reapers.

This glass corridor was originally built for people to tour the institute, but unlike the past when it was quiet, these days, it bustled with visitors.

Ever since the Yangcheon District Lake incident, it felt like there had been a sharp increase in requests for visits to the institute.

So much so that it had become feasible to be independent from government grants, which were only thought possible for a handful of wealthy research institutes or large corporations.

Perhaps due to the enormous increase in profits, Director Lee Sehee was always smiling brightly these days.

Tap-tap.

A sound of something sticking to the glass echoed inside the corridor.

When she turned to look, she saw several Golden Reapers pressed against the wall of the glass corridor.

Curious about the magic mirror that made the inside invisible, the Golden Reapers were plastered against the glass walls with innocent faces.

A Golden Reaper was opening its eyes wide, trying to see inside.

Its pressed cheeks created a rather amusing expression against the glass.

This cute and curious face, combined with the bright sunlight, exuded a charm that compelled people touring the courtyard to pull out their cameras and snap pictures.

Click!

Seoah took out her phone, carelessly tucked away in her lab coat pocket, and snapped a picture.

Even in the photo, those adorable cheeks looked like dumplings.

Her heart, fatigued from paperwork, felt refreshed as Seoah turned back toward the Deputy Director’s Office with lighter steps.

*

In an observation room filled with all kinds of advanced equipment and monitors, James and the people from the American Object Association focused on data sent by a camera flying high into the sky.

The American Object Association decided to send a camera up into the sky to investigate the suddenly observed “mini moons.”

This “Mini Moon Observation Project” began after receiving information that the “Red Moon” was not observed from the space station.

Amidst the screens and blinking consoles, a team comprising astronomers and object specialists gathered, concentrating on the real-time data transmitted from the camera.

One of the team members spoke in a calm yet controlled tone.

“We have surpassed an altitude of approximately 100 km. Currently, neither the Red Moon nor the Blue Moon is observable.”

After the rocket was launched, the observation room, previously filled with silence due to concentration, stirred with a ripple of excitement.

Quiet conversations began, leading to a more detailed investigation.

“A hologram on a global scale? An illusion? While it seems more plausible than a mass of tangible substance appearing out of nowhere, what the object does is still absurd.”

James spoke out his feelings of despair and quietly exited the observation room.

Following behind him, a man caught James in the hallway outside the observation room.

“James, hold up for a second.”

“What’s going on all of a sudden?”

James thought it was time to sneak out, yet here was this guy suddenly following him?

James turned with a puzzled expression.

“I heard you’re considering visiting Korea again? They said you reported bringing Artifact Number 0, so shouldn’t you avoid such dangerous countries?”

“It is dangerous. Very dangerous. But I have no choice.”

James continued with a serious expression, shaking a thin report he pulled from his bag.

The cover of the report read:

[The Predestined End.]

“You must have seen this report too.”

The report James mentioned contained contents befitting the title, [Predestined End.]

It predicted when humanity would face extinction, based on various data.

And the predictions made in this report had never been wrong so far.

Humanity was slowly heading toward its demise.

Putting the report back into his bag, James continued speaking.

“To avoid the conclusion of humanity’s extinction, we must do everything possible. Especially the Gray Reaper is the only way to prevent the ‘Predestined End.’ I’m certain of it.”

“… Just be careful, James.”

“Yeah, I’ll come back safely, so wait for me.”

James waved his hand dismissively as he set off on his journey.

*

As the sound of TV commercials echoed in the comfortable isolation room, it filled the space with a lively energy, even if it was a bit annoying.

“Reaper, say ah.”

Lying in the soft and cozy blanket, Yerin peeled a tangerine and offered it to me.

The warm and fluffy blanket that made me feel sleepy and the somewhat noisy TV sounds created a delightful contrast.

The brightly colored tangerine added a touch of excitement to the calm atmosphere.

The juicy tangerine was a pleasant snack that awakened my senses.

Ah, home really is the best.

The ‘Blue Moon Adventure’ at the Yangcheon District Lake was also quite fun, but adventures are like a two-sided coin that intertwines fun and fatigue.

The beautiful scenery and attractions like the Hydra Water Park made for an entertaining front.

Meanwhile, worrying about getting rid of the Blue Moon was the tiring backside.

Indeed, the comfortable isolation room without ups and downs was my favorite.

Although it’s strange how easily I long to go out and play again.

“Oh, right.”

Yerin fumbled through her bag as if she forgot something and pulled out a well-packaged document.

It was a document labeled [Temporary Object Rental/Transfer Application.]

“A request came in from the Trinity Research Institute asking to borrow the Reaper for about a week. You obviously won’t go, right?”

I really didn’t want to go.

It looked like it would be less fun than the Central Research Institute.

I turned my head away from the document, signaling my disinterest.

“Just as I thought. The Reaper should stay with us at Sehee’s Institute!”

Yerin pressed her cheek against mine and hugged me tightly.

Then, a very faint bad smell wafted from Yerin’s body.

That nasty smell I had felt in the desert and at the lake.

I snatched the document Yerin was holding.

The bad smell was even more pronounced.

Could Trinity be the culprit behind this?

“Reaper? Are you planning to go there?”

Yerin said with a slightly gloomy expression.

“I’ll tell Unnie Sehee that the Reaper showed interest.”

Yerin packed the documents away with a very sad face.

However, I couldn’t just leave creatures that looked harmful to humanity alone.

*

In the outskirts of Gwanak-gu, where the characteristics of both urban and suburban areas harmoniously coexisted, stood the grand building of Trinity Research Institute No. 3.

True to its reputation as the best research institute in Korea, the imposing architecture stood out, seamlessly blending with the surrounding landscape.

Inside the Trinity Research Institute, amidst the subtle humming of precise air conditioning systems and faint traces of oil, the Director of Research Institute No. 3 listened calmly to the report.

“The Sehee Research Institute has accepted the rental request. We plan to start the transfer a week from now.”

“Good, I’m relieved. I thought they might refuse.”

The director read through the materials handed over by a woman in a lab coat, nodding in satisfaction.

“The preparations are truly perfect. Perfect.”

With a pleased expression, the director flipped to the last page of the report and posed a question.

“The prediction written here seems quite reasonable. What do you think?”

“I can’t be 100% sure, but I believe it’s worth a try.”

After contemplating that statement, the director reached a conclusion.

“Alright. Let’s proceed as you suggested. Go ahead.”

The director left the report on the desk and stepped out of the conference room.

The report lying on the desk read:

[Analysis of the Weaknesses of the Gray Reaper.]

[Since they are significantly friendly towards humans, it is expected that placing humans nearby will restrict their actions.]

[It is predicted that inviting the general public to the institute will be an effective method for the operation to eliminate the Gray Reaper.]