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As darkness fell in the evening, fireworks lit up the sky.

It was the opening ceremony of the fair.

By the time the ceremony started, thanks to the efforts of the research institute employees, the ‘Sehee Research Institute Booth’, which had been empty, was now quite well put together.

I also spotted some familiar faces.

A lizard playing the piano!

It was only after seeing the lizard that I realized how completely I had forgotten about it.

Well, if it’s being well cared for and living happily, isn’t that okay?

The blue lizard had been transported after a temporary isolation room was set up at the fairground.

A simple isolation room made of glass, with a large piano placed in the center.

As soon as the lizard arrived at the fairground, it excitedly began to play.

It was still a wonderful performance that touched the heart.

There would be lots of people at the fairground, though… Is the lizard going to die from that?

[Receiving a standing ovation from ten thousand people simultaneously.]

Receiving a standing ovation from ten thousand people isn’t an easy feat—is it doing okay?

The ‘Cute Puppy’ also came to the fairground, but it didn’t seem to be treated very well.

It was simply tied with a leash, with nails driven into the isolation room.

If it had been in the past, it would have grown quite large and caused a ruckus due to neglect.

Seeing that the ‘Cute Puppy’ has calmed down made me feel strangely accomplished and happy.

Well, if it can’t keep its temper and causes another ruckus, we can always host ‘Sunny Park’ again to put it back in order.

As objects isolated in the Sehee Research Institute gradually arrived, there was one thing I found unsatisfactory about the fairground.

That would be my isolation room.

It was nice that there was a bed and a TV prepared for comfort.

But the rest of the facilities didn’t sit well with me.

Colorful slides and ball pits, really?

Do they think I’m a child?

*

“Oh, Yerin, we’re going to the opening ceremony.”

After leaving such words, everyone headed towards the event hall for the ceremony.

Since everyone wanted to go to the ceremony, I volunteered to watch the house.

So I sat alone at the counter, guarding the entrance to the ‘Sehee Research Institute Booth.’

It was still quiet at the fairground since general audience entry hadn’t been permitted yet.

I wasn’t disappointed about missing the opening ceremony.

Watching the reaper was way more fun!

As I peeked back, I could see the reaper’s isolation room clearly.

When the isolation room was first set up, the reaper had a sulky expression.

Was there something it didn’t like?

Now, having some time passed, it looked quite excited.

It was throwing balls in the ball pit and swimming around, enjoying its isolation room.

A reaper swimming through the transparent ball pit while flailing its limbs!

I needed to capture this scene in a photo!

But the sharp-eyed reaper would definitely notice if I approached or tried to take a picture.

I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with secretly watching and saving a mental picture.

*

Later in the evening, after the opening ceremony, I watched Sehee and Yerin argue while playing hopscotch in the ball pit.

“Unnie Sehee, it’s more beneficial to take the reaper out. It’s obvious that keeping it like this will cause problems.”

“No, you just want to go out and play with the reaper!”

Yerin and Sehee were bickering over something trivial.

The discussion was about whether to take me out to see the fairground or not.

“Anyway, if you keep the reaper locked up like this, it will sneak out to explore by itself after a bit, you know?”

Whoa, how did they know that?

I was starting to get bored of the ball pit and was thinking of checking out some fascinating objects at the fairground…

“If the reaper manages to sneak out on its own, it’ll be a disaster, but going out with a researcher wouldn’t look like an accident—so it might be okay, right?”

The lengthy debate ended with Sehee conceding to Yerin’s persistence.

“Haah, I warned the organizers that this would happen, but since they called for the reaper, it’s probably okay. Alright, go out with the reaper tomorrow.”

*

A mansion occupying a vast space in the heart of Seoul.

After the object incident, the amount of safe land has drastically decreased, so such a large property in Seoul carries an astonishing price.

In the tranquil courtyard of that expensive mansion, an old man and a middle-aged man sat sipping tea.

“The fair was held as scheduled. Shall we begin the trial soon?”

The old man didn’t respond to the middle-aged man’s words, merely sipping his tea.

Perhaps accustomed to this situation, the middle-aged man nodded to the old man and left the mansion.

Once outside, he hurriedly made a phone call.

“Mr. Oh Muryong, we need to wait a bit longer for the trial.”

The man making the call gestured to his driver and continued the conversation.

On the night of the opening ceremony, the middle-aged man’s car sped down a quiet road.

*

From early morning, Yerin looked cheerful.

“Hmm, har har.”

Yerin was preparing a sign to wear around her neck while humming a tune.

The sign had words written on it.

[Sehee Research Institute. Gray Reaper.]
[The Gray Reaper is safe!]
[It’s a curious object, so please watch over it warmly.]

That’s right.

Yerin was getting ready to take me around the fairground.

It was better to go around with Yerin in a corporeal state than wandering alone as a ghost, so I patiently waited for her to finish preparing.

“Done!”

Yerin held up the sign she had drawn herself and shouted loudly.

The sign was adorned not only with words but also a picture that looked quite decent.

Wow, Yerin can draw well.

After putting the sign around her neck, Yerin lifted me up and put me on her back.

“Then I’m off!”

Yerin declared confidently and strode out of the Sehee Research Institute booth.

*

Honestly, I did wonder if it was okay to walk around so publicly, though.

But it turned out to be fine, surprisingly.

In fact, because many people were scared, it made for a pleasant viewing experience.

Everyone kept their distance and only whispered from afar.

The fairground, which I was exploring with Yerin, had quite a number of fascinating objects.

If there was something I wanted to see, I just had to shake my legs to signal her.

Upon spotting a small stone that looked like it was made of shadow, I wiggled my feet to signal Yerin.

I didn’t say any words, but Yerin seemed to understand me surprisingly well.

Wiggle wiggle.
(Let’s go over there.)

“Are you saying you want to see the Bucheon Institute isolation room?”

When Yerin stopped at my signal, we could take a closer look.

In the isolation room, there was a large black stone, illuminated by a bright lamp.

[Shadow Werewolf Stone.]
[When the stone is exposed to light, a werewolf made of shadow appears.]
[It has blind aggressive tendencies towards humans, so please be cautious.]

It had a name that was so straightforward.

This ominous object was known to conjure a werewolf that would butcher people when the stone was illuminated.

Is it really okay to bring something like this in?

Moreover, it was already being intensely lit by a lamp.

The explanation below revealed the reason why.
[If this object is completely submerged in shadow, it will blend into the darkness and disappear.]
[After disappearing, it will appear randomly somewhere on Earth.]
[If you don't plan on giving up isolation, do not stop illuminating it.]

So I have to keep shining light on it, keeping in mind that a monster could show up?

Then where is the werewolf? I thought, turning around to look, and I spotted an artificially formed round shadow inside the isolation room.

The presence of the object could be felt from that spot.

A werewolf the size of my thumb was glaring at humans from within that small shadow.

[The shadow werewolf that appears when illuminated is created from the shadow closest to the stone.]
[The main body of the object, the stone, does not create a shadow.]
[The size of the werewolf corresponds to the size of that shadow.]
[The werewolf cannot leave the shadow.]

After examining the stone and the werewolf, I signaled Yerin.
Wiggle wiggle.
(Let’s go somewhere else.)

While wandering around, I spotted another remarkably impressive object.

It was an isolation room with only a single computer inside, and it came from a research institute all the way from Japan.

While it wasn’t an extremely dangerous object, it was a mystery how they managed to capture it.

Fortunately, the description was translated into Korean, allowing me to read it.

[Internet Specter.]
[Do not connect this computer to the network.]

An object isolated in computer data, it was one to be cautious of as it would run away if connected to the network.

Once connected to the network, it would roam around inside, causing public opinion manipulation and discord all day long.

How on Earth did they manage to isolate this thing?

I was curious, but such things are probably kept as the research institute’s trade secrets…

As I continued to explore various research institute booths at the fair, I noticed something odd.

Gloomy researchers were welcoming people at the Bucheon Institute booth.

Of course, it’s not that they looked too tired that was strange but because they weren’t human at all.

They had the appearance and behavior of humans, yet they were objects.

Were those researchers suffering from something like ‘Golden Horn Syndrome’?

But being completely transformed into objects? That’s a bit intriguing.

Behind the researchers stood a massive golden tree, looming tall.

But wasn’t that… looking a bit brighter than before??