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Deep Inside Sehee Research Institute, in front of Yerin Oh’s Isolation Room.

Seoah was reflecting on what had happened today.

“It was a bit strange since this morning….”

The morning sun was pouring through the windows of the research institute.

In Seoah’s memory, the Sehee Research Institute was enveloped in a bizarre atmosphere unlike usual.

The voices of the researchers, who usually chattered in the corridors, were slightly quieter than usual, and the air in the office was filled with an unusual sense of tension.

Everyone’s gaze drifted toward one corner of the office.

In the center stood Yerin Oh, wearing a joyful expression as if something good was happening.

Of course, it wasn’t because Yerin was wearing a happy face that she was attracting such attention.

It was quite common for her to wear a happy expression without any reason.

However, the fact that Yerin Oh was diligently working from early morning was shocking enough to gather people’s eyes.

She sat at her computer, meticulously reviewing data, looking like someone entirely different.

It was a rare sight that even Seoah stepped out of the Deputy Director’s office to watch with curiosity.

‘….’

The incident occurred during lunchtime.

The peaceful daily life of the research institute shattered into pieces with an unexpected event.

“Aren’t you working a bit too hard?”

In response to a colleague’s concerned question, Yerin smiled and turned her head.

And in that moment, everything changed.

What flowed from Yerin Oh was not a voice but a powerful surge of magic.

“[[[No, it’s not.]]]”

The intense surge of magic, equivalent to a special object level, shook the entire laboratory.

It felt as if a bomb had exploded.

The nearest researcher collapsed on the spot, and the nearby mini reapers also fell over, covering their ears.

“Ugh!”
“It hurts my ears!”

Others far away staggered and leaned against the walls.

The alarm for a special object blared loudly within the institute.

Seoah, who had been monitoring Yerin Oh, stood up in surprise, while the fallen mini reapers were also seen running around with their ears covered, acting as if they were annoyed by the noise.

The security team, tense after a long time, carefully pulled Yerin Oh and locked her in the isolation room.

This sudden situation unfolded before Seoah could even fully comprehend it.

Would things have been different if Director Lee Sehee had been strong in times of crisis and quick on her feet?

Looking into the isolation room, Yerin Oh was lying on the bed, watching TV.

Her carefree demeanor almost resembled that of a gray reaper.

Just moments ago, she had asked to be let out, but now she seemed to have adapted to the isolation room’s atmosphere.

Although Seoah felt that Yerin was not an object but a person, it was still necessary to conduct a proper inspection and let her out, considering it was a research institute.

Now, there might be more people who view Sehee Research Institute as a company selling mini reaper merchandise than those who remember it as a research institute.

‘Why did that happen?’

Although Seoah vaguely sensed that Yerin Oh was human, she half-jokingly teased her, labeling her as an object due to the atmosphere.

Hehe.

“Perhaps attached humans start to look a bit like attached reapers over time.”

Seoah thought as she looked at the sprout chuckling on her shoulder.

After waiting a little longer, a golden reaper wearing a cone hat was delivered into the hands of a researcher.

Proudly puffing out its chest and maintaining a stout figure, it wore an expression full of confidence.

This golden reaper was responsible for the “Golden Reaper Test,” which was actively endorsed by the James Research Institute.

Stars were stuck all over the cone hat, with the number of stars representing the number of tests conducted.

The test was simple.

It ended as soon as an object and a golden reaper faced each other.

If it was a ‘human,’ the golden reaper would dash in and give a hug.

If it was an ‘object,’ it would just stare blankly.

And if it was a ‘harmful object,’ it would either hit or drill a hole through the body.

“Human!”

The golden reaper facing Yerin Oh giggled and clung to her.

Considering that Yerin Oh had always been well-received by the mini reapers, she successfully passed the golden reaper test.

Before long, it didn’t just stop at hugging; it was actually playing pat-a-cake with her palms and fingers.

After receiving the human judgment and exiting the isolation room, Seoah curiously asked her.

“Yerin Oh, how did you come to use magic?”

“I don’t really know either, Unnie Seoah. I just thought I could do it, and somehow, it worked.”

Yerin Oh had an expression that truly seemed clueless, but there was a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

Like a child discovering a new toy.

“Maybe I need to learn to control its intensity quickly….”

Yerin mumbled in a small voice, filled with hope.

Seoah thought that lately, like many others, Yerin Oh had become a superhuman who could shoot magic.

More and more people were starting to exhibit powers close to those of objects.

‘….’

The special object incident involving Yerin Oh ended as a happening, but Seoah was left with another problem.

“By the way, Director Lee Sehee still hasn’t shown up… Could it be that she hasn’t come to work yet?”

*

Under the soft lighting of the isolation room, I was looking at the droopy golden reaper on my palm.

Its small, round body hung limply as if it was a wilting flower petal.

The golden reaper appeared genuinely sad, having lost even its faint golden glow, lying flat on the ground.

If an ordinary human saw such a state of a golden reaper, they would feel a profound sympathy as if they too were heartbroken.

‘….’

Every time the golden reaper drooped, I felt it; a sad golden reaper looked like a limp vegetable that had lost its breath.

Squishy.

I carefully picked up the golden reaper’s small hand.

It felt squishy as usual, but there was no sense of any strength within it.

As soon as I released its fingers, the golden reaper’s hand drooped as if it would melt right onto my palm.

It was completely powerless and quite amusing.

Because it was so limp, it seemed to blur the line between solid and liquid.

Hehe.

I kept picking it up and letting it go, completely immersed in the charming sensation of its softness.

‘….’

After mindlessly repeating that a few times, the aura of sadness radiating from the golden reaper deepened significantly.

Realizing this, I began gently stroking the head of the golden reaper.

“I’m sorry. Our golden reaper did very well.”

“The golden reaper is a loyal kid who keeps secrets well.”

“Now that the reason to keep secrets from mom is gone, you’re here to share it, right?”

As I continued to shower it with compliments, it slowly opened its eyes.

And with a soft whisper, it conveyed its willingness.

“Hehe.”

“Good golden reaper….”

The golden reaper smiled happily, murmuring its little will.

Seeing that pure, joyful expression, I pulled out a snack I had prepared in the corner of the isolation room.

It was the shiny “Gray Reaper Pudding.”

“Here, let’s eat pudding together since you’re a good golden reaper!”

As I sent that thought, the golden reaper reacted enthusiastically.

Its once droopy body sprang up, and it lifted its small arms to the sky, exuding a jubilant energy.

“Pudding with mom!”

Wow, it was such joy over just a single pudding.

Thinking about it, I realized I hadn’t shared pudding with the golden reapers recently.

Om nom nom.

With a happy expression, the golden reaper savored each spoonful of pudding I fed it.

After finishing the pudding, I lifted the golden reaper and placed it on my head.

The golden reaper, with an exceedingly happy face, released a small thought.

“Mom is kind….”

Well, considering it’s loyal and was the first to come to share secrets, I guess this level of reward is reasonable.

I smiled inwardly and started my stroll around the mini reaper garden with the golden reaper.

*

A mansion surrounded by a large garden that seemed to soar into the sky atop a cliff was situated there.

A well-maintained garden spread around the mansion, and the stone path running through it was clean as a whistle.

It looked like it was carefully tended every single day without fail.

At the edge of the garden, a girl sat on a chair looking down over the cliff, flipping through a thick dictionary.

She was a girl with purple hair dressed in a neat and elegant outfit.

The word she was searching for was “friend.”

Although her life was quite comfortable, she felt lonely due to the lack of friends.

“Is it really true that nobody survived in the outside world?”

Kyu!

In response to her words, numerous white guardians replied, but there were no friends there.

As she sighed and looked down over the cliff, there was a thick, black liquid swaying below, as if it might rise up to the cliff at any moment.