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“Haaah.”

As I let out a deep sigh, Seoah, sitting across from me, frowned and said, “Director Lee Sehee, why have you suddenly come here? If you don’t have business, please go back quickly.”

I flopped onto the large table in the Deputy Director’s Office and said, “There’s just so much work lately. I wonder if Yerin will hurry back?”

“….”

Seoah’s gaze was sharp.

Well, I know she’s working three times as hard as I am!

Seoah has always done a lot of work, but since I only work occasionally, it’s doubly exhausting for me….

In other words, I’m saying I’m indeed having a tougher time!

Thinking that, I looked up at Seoah, but she had already turned her gaze away and was working.

Then, I suddenly noticed the glass case on Seoah’s desk.

Inside the glass case was fluffy cotton with indigo fruits placed on top. It didn’t look like a regular decoration.

“Seoah, what’s that on your desk?”

I pointed and asked, and Seoah replied in a calm voice, “That’s the new object I submitted as a report last time, the Indigo Sprout Reaper, you know?”

“Um, yeah, I know.”

I didn’t actually know, but judging by Seoah’s expression, it seemed like I should know, so I answered naturally.

“That’s a product of that object. The Indigo Sprout Reaper handed it to me to eat, but I’m currently wondering how to handle it. I’ve noted the related information in the report I submitted last night.”

“Ah… I see.”

At first, I had no particular thoughts about it, but since a Mini Reaper gave it to her, the indigo fruit suddenly looked appetizing.

“Should I try eating it if you’re worried?”

“No way.”

Seoah rejected me with a firm face.

Tch.

*

Arriving at the hotel room, I clasped my hands together and raised my arms to stretch out my stiff body.

The wriggly Golden Reapers on the table turned to see me and copied my posture, raising their arms high as well.

Then they looked at each other and “Hehe” laughed.

So cute.

Just to check, I looked over at the Reapers.

Om nom nom.

The Reaper was expressionless as it sat at the table, diligently devouring a pudding as big as its own torso.

The Reaper had its own chic charm, but sometimes I wished to see it act like the Golden Reapers.

Looking at the clock, I realized it was already past noon.

It seemed like I had traveled a very short distance according to the map, but returning to the hotel had taken quite a while.

Moreover, I felt mentally drained.

Was it because I had seen such a huge object?

Even though I viewed a vast landscape, instead of feeling exhilarated or refreshed, I felt completely overwhelmed.

Perhaps anticipating such a situation, the secretary told me not to schedule any further appointments and to rest well.

The secretary informed me that starting tomorrow, there would be a tour of the research institute.

As I trudged and peered out the window, I saw a world cleaved into two.

The sophisticated and clean buildings of the research institute cluster.

And beyond that, the shabby, worn-out buildings of the research institute complex’s exterior.

Outside the research institute complex, it didn’t reach the level of a slum, but the atmosphere definitely seemed distinctly different.

On a sudden whim, I approached the sitting Reaper, lifted it up, and brought it in front of the window.

“Reaper, how about we have lunch over there today?”

With plenty of restaurants visible, the Reaper’s antennae began to sway as if showing interest.

“Then, let’s go!”

I took the Reaper’s hand and left the hotel room.

Thud thud.

The Reaper seemed excited too, its steps lively.

However, my actions were blocked the moment we reached the hotel entrance.

“You cannot leave the research institute area.”

The secretary stood in front of us with a resolute voice.

I thought it wouldn’t be an issue since people passing by didn’t seem surprised to see a Gray Reaper, but there was a reason.

The research institute staff had already been thoroughly notified in advance about the Gray Reaper coming….

Well, that can’t be helped then.

“I apologize for the inconvenience. There are plenty of shopping and dining facilities within the research institute area, so please use those.”

The secretary, appointed by James, guided us to a restaurant we could visit, her face apologetic.

It’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped.

I noticed a bit of mischief on the expressionless Reaper’s face, but I wondered if it was okay?

*

After finishing the meal, I returned to the hotel room for a late dinner.

I soothed Yerin, who seemed to have been watching me closely, anticipating my escape from the hotel room.

Even though she looked tired, she was trying to stay awake, so I used the power of the Golden Tree to put her to sleep and laid her comfortably on the bed.

Normally, I wouldn’t have been able to move her to the bed with my strength, but thanks to the tentacle powers I obtained earlier, it was easy.

“Reaper… you can’t go anywhere.”

As I lay comfortably on the bed, Yerin, hugging a Hungry Ghost, mumbled in her sleep.

Looking outside the hotel window, the city illuminated like a bright night sky appeared.

The street I wasn’t able to visit for lunch today.

I wasn’t overly interested, but since it was a place I couldn’t go, curiosity bubbled up.

Hehe.

I hid my body using ghosting and jumped out of the hotel window.

Once I crossed over the research institute area, I sensed a distinctly different atmosphere.

It wasn’t clean and sophisticated, but it had an exotic feel different from Korea, and just sightseeing was quite enjoyable.

There were mouthwatering foods too.

A dish of warm, crispy bread topped with thin slices of juicy beef grilled generously.

The thinly sliced beef shimmered with abundant juices, emitting a unique savory aroma.

Well-cooked onions nestled in between the beef, generously topped with melted cheese that wrapped around the beef and onions.

It looked truly delicious, but what was it called again?

I considered sneaking one, but since I had a Golden Reaper on my head, I gave up.

Somehow, I felt like it would be sad and angry if I stole from someone.

I wasn’t sure if calling Mini Reapers “kids” was accurate, but seeing the Golden Reapers often imitating my antics, I figured they might be influenced by it.

If I really craved it, I should ask Yerin to get it for me later.

Thud thud.

I set off on an exciting walk down a street brimming with restaurants.

The further I moved away from the research institute complex, the fewer people I saw, but that meant I noticed more exotic dishes.

Then, all of a sudden, I spotted a dish I had seen back in Korea and felt a rush of delight.

Could this be the charm of traveling abroad?

However, as I ventured deeper, an unpleasant smell began to waft through the air.

Perhaps sensing it too, the Golden Reaper spat out my tentacles that had been chewing and stood up, looking around vigilantly.

An appetizing burnt smell.

The scent of a burning steel pig statue.

If I wanted to ask Yerin to get food, it would be better if this area was safe, right?

I placed the Golden Reaper onto my palm to convey my intent, and the Golden Reaper nodded in understanding.

Thud thud.

Following the scent through the maze of buildings, excitement bubbled within me.

The Golden Reaper walking in front of me seemed thrilled at the prospect of battling the objects.

The maze formed by the haphazardly built buildings looked endless, and each turn down an alley revealed completely different scenery.

Eventually, the Golden Reaper and I arrived at a church with an old, neglected appearance.

Despite its worn exterior, there seemed to be many people coming and going, but most of them were not human.

Humans transformed into objects, like the monsters from Seoul Forest.

There must be a burning pig statue here.

The Golden Reaper, sensing something was amiss, surveyed the surroundings with a serious expression.

Following the scent into the church, traces of the smell led from the chairs and alter down to the building’s basement.

The church’s basement, contrary to its shabby exterior, spread out vast and wide, which was expected since they had to hide the objects.

There were quite a few people roaming around as if on guard, but they couldn’t see the spirit, so I easily ignored them and passed through!

Finally, the place I arrived at looked similar to what I saw in Seoul Forest.

Endless, desperate screams echoed, and blackened skeletons littered the floor alongside large steel pig statues.

Upon seeing the mountain of charred skeletons, the Golden Reaper knelt down, as if in despair, and wept.

Gently stroking each bone fragment, the Golden Reaper mourned.

Despite the world being one where people die easily, it’s fascinating how the Golden Reaper is always sad.

Turning my head to check the destruction conditions, they were the same as what I had seen in Seoul Forest.

<Indigestion.>

It was a puzzling statement, but since I had solved this riddle once, it was simple to address.

Entering the steel pig statue, I felt a space within the pig that connected to some other place.

I couldn’t sense this before, but it seemed I gained the ability to feel it with my new space-time skills.

And what appeared before me was a humid and squishy grotesque space, resembling the insides of an organ.

It looked like the scenery I had seen in Seoul Forest, but the reactions behind it were a bit different.

Charred skeletons appeared, keeping their distance as they merely observed me.

Weren’t these the people who once held me and poured out their grievances?

Taking a step forward, the skeletons jumped back in surprise.

Despite being a skeleton with no face flesh, I could sense their embarrassment.

As I approached, they moved back in equal measure.

It’s like a game of tag, this is quite amusing.

After playing with the skeletons for a while, as I was about to use my powers to catch the skeletons fleeing, space began to twist.

The condition of <Indigestion.> had been fulfilled.

With the mighty squeal of the giant pig, space twisted and I felt a force pulling me somewhere.

No! My tag game!

As I began to resist so fiercely against the force that aimed to disrupt my game of tag, I was ejected out of the narrow insides into the sky.

Then, below me, I saw a herd of pigs marching over black liquid-soaked land.

And a small pig that seemed to have burst out from the insides, dead.

The dead pig looked small under the shadow of its giant kin but in reality was over 10 meters long.

But the thousands of pigs were marching on, completely indifferent to the death of their fellow.

Leading this horrifying march was a giant pig that seemed to emerge from mythology.

Its steps shook the ground.

Its breath consuming the black liquid like flames.

A pig larger than a mountain marched continually toward a swirl-shaped hole in the ground.