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The delightful 生鬼 steak breakfast has come to an end.

Yerin seemed to think it was a bit much to eat sweet marshmallows for breakfast, so she ordered room service and was watching TV while cradling a mini hungry ghost.

Well, a marshmallow the size of a head would indeed be a bit of a challenge for breakfast.

Crawling over gently, I rested my head on Yerin’s lap and looked up, catching sight of the tiny mini hungry ghost’s feet.

As I opened my mouth to sneak a bite, Yerin snatched the white hungry ghost away from my eyes.

“That’s mine, so I’m not sharing.”

It’s going to regenerate anyway, what a stingy Yerin.

I summoned a new white mini hungry ghost, stuffed my mouth full, and turned my gaze towards the TV.

The news anchor, with furrowed brows and a serious tone, was talking about a recent disaster—a new type of drug.

It was said to be highly addictive, yet completely undetectable and cheap, causing headaches for everyone.

‘It must be a drug made from objects.’

As I took a big bite of the hungry ghost while thinking about the news flowing from the TV, I heard a dissatisfied kkyu-hinghing sound coming from the marshmallow.

When analyzed, the new drug’s main component turned out to be completely burned protein, so charred that they couldn’t even tell what kind of meat it was.

It seemed like the drug enforcement agency had labeled this drug as related to object crimes and had requested cooperation from the Object Association.

Then photos of people who had taken the new drug were displayed on the TV screen.

Skin that looked dry and withered like an old dead tree.

Bodies as thin as mummies.

Eyes that shone ominously.

They looked familiar, as if I had seen them before…

Thinking about it, they resembled the monsters from Seoul Forest a bit.

While I was pondering, the TV suddenly turned off, and Yerin’s voice rang out.

“Eww, they look really terrible. They seem like they’d come out in a dream.”

Shuddering at the sight, Yerin switched off the TV.

Then she hugged me close and said, “Reaper, did you know there’s a swimming pool in the hotel? Let’s check it out! There aren’t any guests, so it’ll be fun just the two of us.”

Thus, I found myself being carried in Yerin’s arms outside the hotel room.

*

In one of the relatively intact conference rooms within James City, James, the Vice Mayor, and staff observing the mini moon were gathered.

“You look tired. How about taking a break, James?”

Although still wearing the anti-escape collar around his neck, James responded to the Vice Mayor’s casual suggestion with an indifferent expression.

“It’s better to be suffering now than to keep the guests from Korea waiting.”

James continued speaking while looking at the screen projected by the projector.

“Now, let’s talk about the gray moon.”

As if to echo James’s words, the staff member in charge of the ‘Mini Moon Observation Plan’ switched the slide.

“Here are the images of the moon observed over the past day.”

The slides showed photos of a large moon boasting its presence among the mini moons.

All the moons appeared gray.

“As you know, the color of the moon is affected by the weather and time. However, since yesterday, no matter where or when it is observed, a gray moon of the same color is visible.”

Photos taken from various locations and time zones passed by, but remarkably similar-looking moon images continued to appear.

“Right now, very few people have noticed the original moon’s anomaly due to the appearance of the indigo moon, but soon many will realize.”

“I hope it doesn’t escalate into a big incident like it did during the red moon.”

At the Vice Mayor’s mumbling, everyone nodded slightly in agreement.

When the red moon first appeared, all kinds of end-of-the-world theories popped up, leading to a frenzy of suicides and raptures.

They had suffered greatly dealing with that, making me envious of Korea, where no significant incidents had occurred.

Once the discussion on the gray moon concluded, the slide began to display a document of a different nature.

A handwritten report.

Seeing it, the Vice Mayor stood up and said, “Now it’s my turn.”

It was an interpretation from a scholar’s perspective, a witness, and a specialist in objects and physics.

As the possibilities of mental pollution and hallucinations were high, it was a story laden with sufficient interpretations.

After finishing a detailed presentation explaining the slides, the Vice Mayor added a brief remark as he sat down.

“To conclude lightly, I’m certain. Although spacetime has warped, I’ve observed the indigo moon, not a hallucination. And I’ve also seen the gray reaper that destroys it.”

“Finally! I can say with 99% confidence that the mini moon is a phenomenon caused by the gray reaper.”

James, who had been convinced that the gray reaper was the cause since the red moon incident, expressed a sense of relief.

After that, discussions followed about scheduling future observations and whether the research institutes residing in James City would relocate.

“This concludes the meeting.”

With the declaration of the meeting’s end, everyone left the conference room with tired expressions.

“It’s uncomfortable.”

The Vice Mayor was fidgeting with the anti-escape collar around his neck, clearly annoyed.

“Ah, yeah, that’s uncomfortable. According to regulations, you have to wear it for a month since you’re a level two suspicion for mental pollution.”

James also added that he had worn it for a week due to level three suspicion.

I said goodbye to the Vice Mayor, who was being led away to the mental pollution isolation room.

“See you in a month.”

“Sure.”

The Vice Mayor, having nothing to do while in isolation, waved goodbye to the busy James.

*

The atmosphere in the hotel swimming pool was calm yet surprisingly appealing.

There were no other guests, which allowed the reapers and me to enjoy some splashing around in peace.

It would have been even better without the anxious-looking security personnel from James’s research institute, but that was probably too much to ask.

The gentle sound of water lapping at the edge of the pool and the sounds of golden reapers diving off the 10-meter diving board filled the air like background music.

Splash splash.

The reaper, clinging to me, was splashing water with a nonchalant expression, kicking its legs slightly.

The playground equipment at the hotel pool wasn’t as intense as that at James’s institute, but the golden reapers were having the same amount of fun.

Lately, I’ve started to feel something strange about the golden reapers.

They always seem happy.

Normally, one would expect them to be a bit indifferent after enjoying something more fun or delicious, but the golden reapers displayed no signs of that whatsoever.

It didn’t seem like they had likes or dislikes, either.

Perhaps they react differently depending on the giver’s feelings?

While enjoying playing in the water with the reaper, a very tired-looking James showed up at the hotel swimming pool.

“I’m glad to see you’re resting well.”

“You look like you could use a break, James. You’re looking really serious.”

James said he was still fine but beckoned us towards the hotel central hall.

*

James, who looked like he could collapse at any moment, had called Yerin and me over.

It must have something to do with that Artifact Number 0.

In the large hall we arrived at after swimming, numerous antiques were lined up.

From things that looked like ancient artifacts to what appeared to be antique objects, there was a wide variety.

An extremely old-looking fountain pen.

A mural in a strange style that looked like it was ripped out from the temple walls.

Yet, I felt that none of these were the objects.

And, just as I felt, there were no responses from the Artifact Number 0.

“Nothing is responding.”

James looked somewhat surprised.

However, there was one object that consistently drew my attention.

A large marble mosaic adorned the floor.

It depicted seven moons rising in the sky, along with immense pinnacles and gigantic animals that matched the size of those pinnacles.

As I gazed intently, Yerin began to examine the mosaic up and down, leading James to explain about it.

“Oh, that’s a mosaic we bought from Korea. It was discovered in the home of the Director of the 3rd Trinity Research Institute.”

With a somewhat inquisitive expression, James continued explaining.

“It has many similarities in style and patterns used to the Artifact Number 0, but upon investigation, it turned out to be made with modern technology, so it’s regarded as a imitation piece of the Artifact Number 0.”

For some unknown reason, the picture evoked a memory of the murmurs of blood-soaked clumps.

[Humans killed the gods. And then needed them again.]
[Gods were brutal but protected humans.]

*

Once, the majestic mountain range that was filled with towering trees had left no trace behind.

The land was constantly flowing with a black liquid resembling oil, and this black liquid endlessly spread beyond the mountain range.

There were no ordinary flora or fauna to breathe life into the land, and not even the slightest chirping, rustling, or whisper could be heard.

In this desolate landscape, a colossal monster that only existed in myths was wandering about.

A giant pig that could be compared in size to the mountain range.

From its mouth flowed flames continuously, incinerating the black liquid, and every time its hooves struck the ground, a thunderous roar echoed.

The flaming pig was the ruler of this abandoned range, wandering while afflicted with endless hunger.

The pig gazed up at the sky with burning eyes, measuring its timing.

Three moons hung above in the sky.

An orange, yellow, and green moon shone like the sun, illuminating the world and casting shadows in this twisted reality.