Seoul Object Story

Inside the Sehee Research Institute, long safety lines were placed to guide visitors.

“Sehee unnie, are you sure it’s okay to open the containment room to visitors?” I asked.

I mean, it’s the Gray Reaper we’re talking about!

“We have no choice,” Sehee unnie replied, her expression totally unbothered. “There were just too many people requesting to see the Gray Reaper. Since we got permission from the association, as long as no accidents happen, it’ll be fine.”

She said it so calmly, but I wasn’t convinced. Actually, I really didn’t want Reaper’s containment room opened to the public at all.

Like, what if they took away my playtime with Reaper? Not fair! And besides, what if people saw me playing with it? They’d think I was some weird researcher or something…

At 10 a.m. sharp, a bunch of people wearing visitor IDs started gathering along the safety line. So many of them, it was like a parade!

Kim Jungrwi sunbae was the one leading them, looking all serious and professional.

Maybe it was because this was the first time Reaper’s containment room was open to the public, but wow, the crowd was huge! Everyone wanted to see the Gray Reaper up close.

Probably sensing the crowd, Reaper’s antenna tilted slightly toward the magic mirror, like it was curious or something.

It swayed from side to side, almost like it was dancing!

And oh my gosh, the Golden Reapers weren’t about to be outdone—they swarmed toward the magic mirror, jumping around and causing such a fuss. It was adorable!

“Waaah!”

The visitors all gasped in delight, which was totally expected. I mean, how could they not when the Reapers were being that cute?

Unlike before, people actually seemed to like the Gray Reaper now. Everyone was peering into the containment room with these soft, warm eyes, like they were looking at a cute little puppy or something.

So much noise filled the hallway, either from people gushing over how the Gray Reaper was watching TV, or because they were squealing over how precious the Golden Reapers were.

The whole atmosphere was just so calm and fun.

What a relief… It didn’t look like there was going to be any accident today!

*******Even though the containment room looked all cozy with its comfy bed, yummy snacks, and mini Reapers running around, it was definitely noisier than usual.

Now, the room had some seriously great soundproofing, so it wasn’t like it was actually loud. The real issue was all the people beyond the magic mirror—it was noisy from a firewood perspective, if you know what I mean.

I could feel all the goodwill coming from outside the containment room, flooding toward me like a warm, fuzzy blanket.

The Blue Reapers, who were trying so hard to stay hidden in the corners like shy little shadows, kept peeking toward the magic mirror where they could sense all that good energy.

Meanwhile, the Golden Reapers were beaming as they darted toward the mirror. Some of them even pressed up against it, trying so hard to see the other side.

Sigh… They could’ve just phased through with their phantom forms, but nope, they just had to do it the hard way. Sometimes, I just couldn’t wrap my head around the way those Golden Reapers thought.

Trying to tune out all the noise, I turned on the TV to catch the news.

And on the TV was playing a video of me, free-falling through the air, looking all calm and collected. Well, mostly calm—there was this tiny hint of relief on my face that I didn’t even realize was there.

[ So, this is what the Gray Reaper looked like after defeating the Giant Jellyfish, huh? ]

[ Yep, that’s exactly what happened. ]

And then came a rerun of the interview James did.

Honestly, what was he thinking? He basically told the whole world that I took care of everything, and now everyone’s buzzing about me again.

Thanks to him, “Dance of the Gray Reaper,” which had barely been on TV lately, was suddenly all over the place.

Yerin, on the other hand, seemed thrilled.

She had a whole bunch of new merch to buy—dolls, figurines, you name it, she wanted it. But really, did she need all that stuff when the real me was right here? I mean, hello, the actual Gray Reaper is right in front of you!

“Waaah!”

Suddenly, a loud cheer pierced through the soundproofing of the containment room. I turned my head to see what was going on, and there they were—the Golden Reapers, sitting in a circle. When I turned my head to see, I saw Golden Reapers sitting in a circle.

Dum chit dum chit-!

In the center of the circle, one of them was showing off its dance moves, wriggling and jiggling with that tiny body.

The crowd outside was getting louder and louder, all excited over the little Reaper’s dance.

It was cute, sure, but so noisy! Ugh, it looked like I was going to have to kick them out if I wanted any peace and quiet.

So, I turned invisible with my phantom form and snuck out among the people.

“Huh? The Gray Reaper’s gone!”

The hallway suddenly buzzed with confusion, and just for fun, I flipped the switch, plunging the whole place into darkness.

An uneasy silence fell over the crowd, and all they had were their cell phone lights to guide them.

“Huh? What’s going on?”

People started stammering, clearly on edge in the pitch-black hallway.

Then, just when they least expected it, I popped up right in the middle of them, giving them all a good scare.

Heeheehee! I thought for sure they’d all run away, and then I could finally have my peaceful day back.

But my plan only half-worked. About half of them backed off, and Kim Jungrwi had to step in to calm them down.

The other half, though, ran straight at me and started petting me like I was some kind of cute pet!

“The Gray Reaper is soooooooo cute!”

“Why is its hair swaying like that?”

And before I knew it, Yerin was clinging to me too, and suddenly I was being hugged and dragged around by the crowd.

This is all James’ fault!

Next time I see him, I’m definitely going to pull some pranks on that guy.

*******Late at night, the loud hum of the TV filled the detective's office, where the faint scent of coffee lingered in the air.

[ Trinity Research Institute deeply regrets the incident and acknowledges its full responsibility. ]

[ Although the actions were a personal deviation by the director of the 3rd Division of the Trinity Research Insitute, we accept our significant responsibility for failing to detect and prevent this in advance. ]

The news covered the collapse of the 3rd Division of the Trinity Research Institute.

“In the end, that place is ruined, huh? Ahjussi.”

The blonde girl gazed at her palm, her expression tinged with bitterness, recalling the two researchers from the Trinity Research Institute she had encountered in the desert.

“They were the ones who did this to me. I wanted to take revenge on them myself, but now, I won’t get the chance.”

“Young miss…”

A shadow of gloom crossed her face, but she managed a slight smile as she looked at Agent Black.

“What will happen to the rest of the Divisions of the Trinity Research Institutes, Ahjussi?”

“It is likely that the other divisions of Trinity will also be disbanded.”

She tilted her head slightly, her curiosity not yet satisfied.

“Didn’t the investigation conclude that it was the third research institute’s arbitrary decision?”

“The incident is too significant. Someone must be held accountable.”

In Agent Black’s opinion, the core issue was the 'Evolution Liquid.' Coincidentally, the news shifted to that very topic.

[ Are you saying that the Third Trinity Research Institute conducted experiments that turned humans into objects? ]

[ Yes, it is almost certain based on the data discovered in the 3rd Division. ]

The investigation revealed that the key ingredient for the 'Evolution Liquid' was human beings—a product born from the twisted idea of evolving humans and controlling Objects by torturing them into a liquid form.

As the gruesome details about the evolution fluids emerged, another piece of information captivated even those who hadn’t been particularly interested in the incident.

It was revealed that the snacks sold at the Third Trinity Research Institute were 'Human Flesh Snacks,' made from the residue left over from producing the evolution liquid.

The snacks were tasty, fragrant, and cheap, making them popular among many. When the truth came out—that they were made of human meat—people were horrified, and the public outcry was intense.

There was even a growing movement to dismantle the Trinity Research Institute as a whole.

The girl, who had been silently listening to the broadcast, turned off the TV and stood up. She opened the curtains, allowing the moonlight to wash over her.

“Detective ahjussi keeps telling me to wait. If this continues, when will I be able to live under the sun again?”

“Don’t worry! The day you are finally able to walk in the sun will certainly come.”

“It will certainly come, right?”

Agent Black offered a rare smile as he looked at the girl, whose expression was a mix of anxiety and quiet courage.

*******Near the sky canopy of the Garden of the Mini Reaper, there floated a whimsical snack shop.

It was a special place where the Blue Reapers liked to gather.

Originally, it had been just a cozy little house drifting on a sea of hot chocolate. But one day, it had taken to the skies, flying higher and higher to avoid the ever-smiling Golden Reapers who were always trying to sneak a taste.

Inside the snack shop, all ten Blue Reapers were huddled together, peering intently into a crystal made of delicate water bubbles.

What they saw through the crystal was the laundry room of the Sehee Research Institute.

There, the Gray Reaper sat, looking bored as it watched the washing machine spin.

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Seeing the Gray Reaper’s expression, the Blue Reapers shivered in unison.

Inside the washing machine, countless Golden Reapers were spinning around and around.

The Blue Reapers didn’t understand how their mother had known, but she had caught every single Golden Reaper who had playfully whacked her with the marshmallow hammer and tossed them into the washing machine.

The Golden Reapers were spinning with their usual joyful expressions, but to the Blue Reapers, it was a terrifying sight.

After all, the Blue Reapers were fragile and had no physical immunity. If something like that happened to them, they would be seriously hurt.

One Blue Reaper, trembling from the thought, buried its head, and the others quickly gathered around, hugging and comforting their scared friend.

Then, the Gray Reaper in the crystal suddenly turned its gaze toward them, as if sensing their presence, and stared.

A mysterious look crossed its face, one that seemed to say it knew they were watching.

Startled, the Blue Reapers hastily dismissed the bubble crystal and clung to each other, shivering in fear and a bit of awe.

*******Deep in the dead of night, at the excavation site of the 3rd Division of the Trinity Research Institute, a lone researcher prowled amidst the relics unearthed from the ruins. While the rest of the staff had long since left, the researcher remained, his eyes gleaming with a twisted curiosity as he scrutinized the artifacts laid before him.

"What is this?"

[ It’s the Headless Lizard. Even in death if it dies, it has the ability to come back to life once you throw it into a fire. ]

The researcher’s lips twisted into a semblance of a smile, a grotesque mockery of human expression.

He began to scrawl in his notebook, his handwriting jagged and erratic, as though the very act of recording these details thrilled him.

He moved through the temporary storage room, a labyrinth of horrors, where countless Objects from the Third Trinity Research Institute lay dormant, each more grotesque and bizarre than the last. His questions were methodical, but his tone grew increasingly frenzied, the anticipation of each discovery feeding his dark desires.

It was then that he stumbled upon something peculiar—a hermit crab, its shell a sickening shade of purple, rotting away to black.

Its claws had decayed and fallen off, leaving it weak and near death, a pathetic creature gasping its last breaths.

Seeing the hermit crab that appeared to be an Object, the researcher lifted the lamp closer to the crab, his gaze narrowing.

“Last question. What is this hermit crab?”

[ It’s the kin of the Purple Moon. ]

The lamp replied, a sinister lilt in its voice.

[ So, are you going to forge a contract with me now? ]

"Not yet!"

With a quick, decisive motion, he placed the lamp into a storage box lined with thick alloy, sealing it with a series of precise clicks.

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< A lamp that tempts people. >

< Check the report for more details. >