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As the sun revealed itself from between the dim sky visible between the buildings of Mapo District, the glass surfaces of the building walls began to turn warm, glowing with a golden light.

Finally, the seventh night was over.

The skyscrapers, mere silhouettes made of faint dawn light, sparkled as they caught the sun’s rays.

The light pouring from the low-hanging sun crossed the narrow alley and wide road, weaving between the buildings.

The city, once submerged in ominous darkness and moonlight, began to regain its vitality with the warmth of the sun, slowly returning to its original state.

“Ugh, it’s dazzling.”

Yerin, who had spent the entire night with me watching the antics of the Mini Reapers, shielded her eyes with her palm due to the intense sunlight.

It wasn’t particularly harsh sunlight, but Yerin seemed sensitive to the light after staying up all night.

Looking back to check, I saw that Yerin, who was biting my antenna, had a deep fatigue etched on her face.

Having secretly entered the sealed-off Mapo District and running around for quite some time until night fell, it was no wonder she was tired.

Just before the sun rose, the Fake Reapers that had been wriggling to attack people began to flee in all directions the moment the sun broke the horizon.

Like vampires that turn to ash when touched by sunlight, they dove into the shadows, but it wasn’t a particularly meaningful action.

Their destruction condition wasn’t just touching sunlight, but the very arrival of morning.

Even hiding in the shadows, their destined death could not be avoided.

As the sun’s domain steadily expanded, the Fake Reapers that had hidden into the shadows began to twist and writhe in pain.

The struggling Fake Reapers crumbled like dry mud and eventually vanished back into shadows.

As the giant Fake Reaper crumbled like a pile of blackened charcoal, the Golden Reapers jumped up with both hands raised, celebrating their victory.

The other Mini Reapers smiled along with the bright smile of the Golden Reaper.

The giant Black Reapers, like a sandcastle collapsing, transformed into numerous black Reapers spreading in all directions, while countless Cloud Fishes flitted joyfully between the buildings.

As the Golden and Black Reapers clung to people, joy began to spread among the residents of Mapo District.

At last, they felt the end of the nightmare-like night.

Just as the moon naturally disappeared with the rising sun, the yellow full moon had also vanished by now.

People poured into the streets with the Mini Reapers, lifting their faces to the sky to bask in the warmth of the sunlight.

Thud thud.

The Mini Reapers wandered among those people with bright smiles, sharing delicious snacks with humans.

Survivors in the battlefield turned Object of Mapo District.

Mini Reapers protecting humans.

It was a happy ending for all.

“Kyuhyunghyung.”

Except for the Hungry Ghost who had become victory celebratory snacks.

*

Bright sunlight shattered into pieces as it fell on the helmet.

A researcher from the Object Association sat on a park bench, blankly staring at the soft sunlight streaming through the helmet’s visor.

After a while of gazing up at the sky, the researcher looked down to see a crowd of people gathered in a small park near a hotel.

Joyful laughter and a sweet aroma reminiscent of burning sugar filled the air.

The Golden Reaper, smiling brightly among the humans, looked genuinely happy.

And the people, as if infected by that laughter, laughed along with them.

They didn’t seem like people who had just faced flying concrete chunks from buildings or murderous objects aiming to kill.

Surely it was due to mental pollution.

Behind the slide in that noisy park, a little golden head popped out.

It was the Golden Reaper that had been following the researcher.

Wearing a grin that seemed to express happiness just from the researcher still being alive, the Golden Reaper giggled.

I had told them not to come close, as it would be uncomfortable.

Yet they kept creeping around, so I had said I didn’t like them.

The Golden Reaper, looking extremely sad as if about to cry, remained vivid in my memory.

But still, the Golden Reaper appeared in the researcher’s crisis and saved them.

The Golden Reaper fought while burning its own life.

Even if it died, it would sprout again from somewhere and charge forward.

Though the value of life might differ for a being that does not die, it endured pain and gritted its teeth to protect the researcher.

It was indeed a struggle.

‘Is there truly no object that’s not harmful?’

In my heart, I felt the Golden Reaper was not harmful.

However, from the rational perspective of the researcher, it was impossible to agree.

It was like the tale of a hand that feeds chickens eventually snapping their necks; the Golden Reaper that helps humans could eventually turn on them.

Just as those thoughts broke through, the researcher’s phone rang.

The caller was the Object Association.

“Yes, I’ve got it.”

I expected they would ask about the incident, but the association seemed uninterested and delivered shocking news instead.

They had burned all the object-related books recovered from the memorial park.

These were the very books the researcher had applied to view for interpretation.

They had burned books that seemed massively related to the Object, despite having a completely different language system?

Why?

Those books might be key to research about the Object, yet they were simply destroyed.

I couldn’t help but ask.

“Why on earth was that decision made?”

But the response was simple.

It was merely handled according to the basic policy of the Object Association.

[If the object does not provide financial benefit, prioritize destruction.]

[If destruction seems difficult, isolate it.]

Being books from the Object, they were treated like an Object.

So, destruction.

Given that the object isolation room was at full capacity, it was understandable that they prioritized destruction.

But applying such rules to easily isolatable books…

The researcher hung up the phone dejectedly and slouched on the park bench.

At that moment, a report slipped from the exhausted researcher’s hand.

It was the ‘Golden Reaper Mental Pollution Report’ compiled in Mapo District.

The researcher looked up at the sky in frustration, yet contrary to his thoughts, the sky was clear and bright.

Children playing joyfully with objects.

The Golden Reaper hiding in an obvious spot, watching them with a worried gaze.

Ha ha.

A dry laugh escaped the researcher’s lips.

The researcher picked up the now-unnecessary report and placed it on the burning Hungry Ghost to incinerate it.

Then slowly.

Very slowly, they took off the helmet.

As the researcher did so, all worries vanished from his mind.

Rather than being this stressed, I ought to quit the Object Association.

And then get a job at the Sehee Research Institute.

The researcher, having set the helmet on the bench, clapped his hands and called the hidden Golden Reaper.

As the researcher called, the Golden Reaper tilted its head with a look of “Could it be?” but soon realized it was genuinely being called and rushed to the researcher with true happiness on its face.

The researcher’s expression of happiness matched that of the Golden Reaper’s as he watched it bounce over.

*

As soon as the Mapo incident came to an end, I returned to the Sehee Research Institute with Yerin, only to find Sehee energetically working away.

Planning, researching data, it felt like I was looking at Kim Jungrwi.

Seoah was watching with an expression that suggested she was witnessing something slightly strange.

Why was she looking like that at Sehee working?

I looked up at Yerin, my face asking for answers, but Yerin also seemed puzzled, not knowing what was going on.

Yerin approached Seoah and asked what was happening.

“Hey, Researcher Yerin. You’re back. The director is working because the land prices are rising.”

Seoah answered while shaking her head.

Land prices?

Oh, could it be related to the ‘Gray Reaper Theme Park’ they said they would make near Songpa District?

Listening to what Seoah said, it was a bit of a funny story.

Sehee had bought land at ten times the market rate for the nonsense of creating a theme park, and it skyrocketed.

Despite piling up debts while buying a lot of land, it seemed like a recipe for bankruptcy, yet instead, they ended up making a fortune.

News of the James Tower’s construction had caused a rise once.

And then it surged again due to the recent Mapo Mini Reaper incident.

Thanks to the rumor that the safest place in Korea was around the ‘Sehee Research Institute.’

Just selling some of the land they purchased would allow them to pay off all their debts and build another Sehee Research Institute, so it made sense for Sehee to act like such an enthusiastic person.

Then is the Gray Reaper Theme Park actually going to happen?

While I was returning to my cozy isolation room, holding onto such expectations, I sensed someone approaching near the Sehee Research Institute.

Anticipation. Kindness. Gratitude.

Though not comparable to Yerin, I felt someone oozing a mass of positive emotions toward me was slowly coming closer.

It seemed like someone who had been saved by the Mini Reapers in Mapo District.

If so, that person must have come directly to the Sehee Research Institute without sleeping.

While I thought there would be annoying matters arising after the Mapo incident, this person’s proactive behavior surpassed my expectations.

From this point on, I had no idea how bothersome it would get in time.

*

In the now serene Mini Reaper Garden after most Mini Reapers had left for Mapo District.

A Golden Reaper, just returned from Mapo District, was leisurely walking around, splashing in puddles.

While other Golden Reapers were joyfully playing with the people, this Golden Reaper had something else in mind.

‘A new little sibling!’

The Golden Reaper waited eagerly for a sibling derived from the yellow moon, its eyes sparkling with anticipation.

After a short wait, something suddenly popped out before the Golden Reaper.

Golden skin.

Wiggly antennas swaying side to side.

A smile that seemed drawn in a picture.

And button-like eyes like a doll’s.

A Mini Reaper that looked similar to the Golden Reaper appeared.

Tilting its head.

‘Not a sibling?’

The Golden Reaper tilted its head while looking at the newly appeared Mini Reaper.

Then, the Mini Reaper tilted its head in the same way.