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After handling the lamp, I stood at the peak of a rocky mountain near the basin, overlooking the valley spread out below.

The sharply rising cliffs seemed to pierce the sky, and the dark green conifers grew densely along the mountain slopes, squeezing through the cracks.

The sound created by the leaves swaying in the wind had a somewhat lonely tone.

‘….’

I gazed blankly at the village situated in the middle of the basin and slowly made my way toward the village entrance.

I trudged along the clear stream that snaked around the village.

The entrance to the village was blocked by a pile of collapsed rocks and dirt.

On the surface, it looked like the result of a landslide, but mixed in with the dirt was a faint smell of blood along with the odor of gas lamps.

Well, no matter how severe a landslide might be, it wouldn’t make a village where people are living starve for no reason.

As I turned my gaze, the Blue Reaper stared vacantly at the village with a gloomy expression.

Was it something learned from TV, or was it simply praying with both hands tightly clasped, making a small wish?

[May humans too have a world after death, just like us….]

I passed by the Blue Reaper’s prayer and surveyed the empty village once more.

Dust had settled on the tidy houses, and the unkempt gardens were overrun with weeds.

The rusty gate creaked as it swayed in the wind, and through the broken windows, remnants of daily life could be seen discarded.

The power of time and nature was slowly erasing the traces of humanity.

As I was staring at the village with the Blue Reaper, the will of a Mini Reaper called out to me.

“Mom, I found it! It smells like the lamp!”

Upon hearing the news, I patted the Blue Reaper’s hat and instantly teleported toward the Mini Reaper.

*

As the light floating sensation I felt during the teleportation faded, I found myself standing in the midst of an unfamiliar landscape.

Against that backdrop, a Golden Reaper was waving at me with a bright smile.

‘!’

Seeing that, I felt a bit curious.

I thought all the Golden Reapers had run away without a mission!

When I picked up the Golden Reaper out of curiosity, it laughed heartily and stuck to my palm.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed differences compared to a typical Golden Reaper.

This Golden Reaper was slightly smaller and a bit chubbier than usual.

Seeing that, I could understand the situation.

It was born after the large-scale runaway incident of the Golden Reapers.

Holding the chubby Baby Golden Reaper on my palm, I started to look around.

This place was a mix of contrasting atmospheres.

On one hand, it was a ruin with concrete debris strewn around as if it bore the marks of a great earthquake.

Yet at the same time, there were people energetically trying to restore the collapsed facilities in that ruin.

It was reminiscent of the restoration period of Songpa District.

Of course, there were also noticeable differences from that rebuilding Songpa District.

Unlike Songpa District, there were sporadic glimpses of people hiding within the ruins of this city.

Hmm.

But strangely, this city felt oddly familiar.

‘So where is the trace of the lamp?’

I looked down at the Baby Golden Reaper in my palm and asked.

“That way!”

The Baby Golden Reaper stretched out its tiny finger and pointed beyond the broken road.

Following the Baby Golden Reaper’s guidance, I walked slowly along that road.

The sense of déjà vu grew stronger with each step.

‘It feels like I’ve definitely been here before….’

The Baby Golden Reaper kept pointing to the destination with its tiny finger, occasionally looking up at me.

Every time our eyes met, it cheerfully exclaimed, “Mommy!” with a broad smile.

It looked like it was checking if I was keeping up, but there was really no need for that.

After all, the Baby Golden Reaper was standing on my palm.

Eventually, I reached the end of the road, guided by the Baby Golden Reaper.

It was a scene of utter devastation, as if it had been bombed.

Once we reached the destination, the Baby Golden Reaper bounced up and down on my palm, exuding its will.

“Mom! Here it is!”

Sure enough, the scent of the gas lamp was thick at the end of the road, just as the Baby Golden Reaper had assured.

And at that moment, the identity of the déjà vu that had been bothering me revealed itself.

This is the city RS!

A road broken and soaked with blood.

Remnants of an Agwi campfire preserved by people.

This was a city where people mixed with those who had manifested objects like those with golden horns.

Wasn’t it black rust?

The problem was that this was the place where I had previously smashed the lamp.

So I turned the Baby Golden Reaper, who had given me useless information, into a ddakji.

The Baby Golden Reaper flailed its now-shortened limbs in confusion, looking as if to say, “Why?”

“Don’t!”

I gently placed the burnt-image Baby ddakji at the spot of the charred Agwi campfire.

Hehe.

Just after making a Baby ddakji, many Mini Reapers began to call out to me.

“Mom, here’s the lamp!”

“Mom, I found it!”

“Mom!!”

Strangely numerous wills announcing the presence of the lamp filled the air.

Was there this many lamps?

I narrowed my eyes slightly and was about to move toward the Mini Reapers who called me when I heard.

“Mom!”

“The lamp is here!”

“Mom!!”

“It’s a big deal!”

The wills calling out to me from Mini Reapers never ceased, echoing from all over the world.

And their numbers were growing.

Hearing that, I felt a bit of ominousness creeping in.

*

In the cold desolation of the cult ruins.

[According to the contract, I can help you.]

[But there will be a price.]

The low voice of the Man of the Lamp scattered slowly through the smoke.

Considering the abilities possessed by the Man of the Lamp, it was quite an attractive offer, but Junior No. 2 felt something odd.

“Weren’t you under a contract that prevents you from providing help related to the Saintess’s wish?”

Junior No. 2 didn’t answer the man but instead pressed on the suspicious points.

[Of course, I made such a contract. But the help I’m offering has nothing to do with wishes.]

As the man spread his arms, vintage lamps began to rise between them.

[It’s a simple contract where I provide the ability you desire in exchange for a price, completely unrelated to wishes.]

“….”

In Junior’s opinion, that was nothing more than wordplay.

‘As expected, whatever the conditions, striking a deal with the Man of the Lamp is too unreasonable.’

[So, would you like to make a new contract?]

As the Man of the Lamp extended his hand, smoke rose from the lamp, forming the shapes of comrades.

The ever-confident Detective Sunbae.

The senior who started using a bigger hammer.

And even the junior who still looked like an elementary school student.

The smoke vividly showcased the comrades in motion as if they were alive.

[It’s a very light price.]

[If you sign a contract saying that only one of them will be excluded from salvation….]

Junior No. 2 shook her head firmly, without listening to the end of his words.

“I don’t want to.”

For her resolute refusal, the Man of the Lamp looked momentarily surprised.

However, he then stepped back, his expression one of intrigue.

[Well then, there’s nothing I can do.]

The man shrugged his shoulders and replied.

[I’ll wait for you to struggle and struggle to fulfill an impossible wish, until just before the contract expires, and then urgently seek me out.]

With a snap of his fingers, everything around vanished in an instant.

The appearance of comrades made of smoke, his figure, and the light of the lamp all melted into the darkness.

As if there had been nothing from the beginning.

“Harmful object!”

The Golden Horn Reaper was very angry, grinding its teeth.

Of course, the teeth of the Golden Reaper were soft, so there wasn’t any hard sound.

Junior No. 2 quietly hugged the angry Golden Horn Reaper.

The unique warmth of the Golden Reaper warmed her body, which had cooled down.

“I hope that was the right thing to do?”

With a faint smile, Junior No. 2 muttered to herself.

The cold night air brushed her cheek. The night in the depths of the mountains was colder than expected.

“Now, let’s get some sleep.”

She wrapped her arms around herself, curling up, and began to prepare to sleep, using the warmth of the Golden Horn Reaper as support.

It was too late and too far to descend the mountain.

Moreover, she couldn’t go to the Mini Reaper Garden.

As long as she couldn’t control the behaviors of the Gray Reaper, meeting them was a dangerous action.

So she slowly began to drift into sleep, feeling the warmth of the Golden Horn Reaper in her arms.

At that moment, the Golden Horn Reaper looked up at Junior No. 2’s face with a worried expression.

‘Human, you look cold….’

*

A warm sensation that penetrated deep into my body spreading pleasantly.

‘Human!’

‘Wake up!’

The cheerful will of the Golden Horn Reaper echoed within that pleasant warmth.

‘Is it warm?’

As soon as the will sounded, Junior No. 2 was startled awake with wide eyes.

What she saw was completely unexpected.

An endlessly plush bed spread across the floor.

A soft canopy covering the sky.

And in the distance, a giant tree of mixed gold and navy.

It resembled the Mini Reaper Garden at first glance but was definitely different.

Unlike the clearly defined Mini Reaper Garden, it felt like a more dreamlike and warming place, like a dream being had on a plush bed.

‘Where is this?’

As Junior No. 2 pondered, the Golden Horn Reaper offered her a candy.

A candy mixed with gold and navy.

‘This is a warm dream!’

The Golden Horn Reaper sent that will and smiled brightly.