Chapter 376
Mini Reaper Garden Deep Place, near the Unchanging Sphere Restricted Area.
There was nothing particularly special, just a place with a restricted zone that the Mini Reapers avoided, where the Golden Reaper was struggling against an unknown object.
“Aaah!”
The startled will of the Golden Reaper spread throughout the Mini Reaper Garden.
Squirming.
The Golden Reaper flailed its limbs like a deer caught by a crocodile.
Given the situation, it seemed hard for the weaker Golden Reaper among the Mini Reapers to escape!
However, as time passed, the Golden Reaper realized that the situation wasn’t as dangerous as it first appeared.
Stopping its squirming, it calmly surveyed the situation and felt a warm sensation from the mysterious object.
The warmth of firewood was being transmitted where their chests touched.
The moment the Golden Reaper felt that warmth, a revelation struck its heart.
“New Younger Sibling!”
The will of the Golden Reaper was filled with joy and surprise about the new younger sibling.
Now, the Mini Reaper Garden was truly filled with many siblings, but every time a new younger sibling appeared, the Golden Reaper felt genuinely happy.
With affection for the sibling, the Golden Reaper hugged the new sibling tightly.
“Hug!”
Then the new sibling also sent the will of “Hug!” with the same sentiment and embraced back.
‘…’
As the “Hug!” came to an end, the Golden Reaper and the new sibling stood up and faced each other.
Only then did the Golden Reaper get a good look at the new sibling, who appeared to be about a head taller than itself.
“Big Sibling!”
The Golden Reaper reached its hand up over its head, comparing heights with the new sibling and giggling.
This must be the height of an Orange Reaper!
Though, since the Orange Reaper was fluffy like a cotton ball floating around, it was hard to grasp that size.
The Golden Reaper continued to smile at the sibling’s face before suddenly having a good idea, grinning and sending the will.
“Let’s go!”
Then it grabbed the new sibling’s hand firmly and started walking out.
Pitter patter.
This is the Golden Reaper Tour!
The Golden Reaper walked around the Mini Reaper Garden while explaining various things.
“Black Reaper! Good Younger Sibling!”
“Red Reaper! Good Younger Sibling!”
“Yellow Reaper! Good Younger Sibling!”
…
“Blue Reaper! Good Younger Sibling!”
“Orange Reaper! …Good Younger Sibling!”
The fact that the explanations all ended with “Good Younger Sibling!” was a problem, but the Golden Reaper introduced many Mini Reapers.
Every time the new sibling was introduced to a Mini Reaper, it shouted “Hug!” and hugged them tightly.
Except for the Blue Reaper who fled as soon as it rushed in and the Orange Reaper who was flying in the sky, everyone smiled and embraced each other with joy.
The Golden Reaper also introduced various snacks in the Mini Reaper Garden.
“White Hungry Ghost! Sometimes a wicked snack!”
“Sugar Flamingo! A wicked snack!”
This was the moment the new sibling became known in the Mini Reaper Garden.
*
On the outskirts of Songpa District, the lights of James Tower illuminated the late-night sky.
In the Situation Room located on the upper floors of the high-rise building, tension was palpable.
James gazed at the lights of the city outside the window, lost in deep thought.
“Evacuations near areas suspected of mental pollution have been completed.”
James nodded at the report from a subordinate employee.
“Phew, that’s a relief.”
While his voice carried a sense of relief, deep lines soon creased his forehead.
The mental pollution that began in the Pacific had already reached the western coast of America, continuously expanding its influence.
Moreover, it was about to make landfall on the Japanese coast in just a few hours.
“Now it’s Japan. This is troublesome.”
James muttered.
In America, evacuations went smoothly thanks to the influence of the Object Association. However, Japan was a different issue.
Their responses were merely at a recommendation level.
James could only hope that the Japanese Object Association took the warnings from the James Research Institute seriously.
Suddenly, a surprised voice echoed in the Situation Room.
“Uh? The mental pollution and reality distortion covering the Pacific have all disappeared!”
James immediately checked the mental pollution index, commanding to display the screen.
The view that appeared on the monitor was truly bizarre.
Giant candies were floating above the blue sea.
Colorful and sparkling candies, like toys, kept popping up from the surface.
“What in the world…?”
The staff, who had expected a deathly land, were rendered speechless by the overly fairy-tale-like scene before them.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
At that moment, an alert tone resonated through the Situation Room.
It wasn’t as noisy as an emergency bell, which blares in a crisis, but it was a critical notification sound designed to be clearly heard.
“The identification signal for the missing ‘James Explorer’ has been detected!”
“…, but the location isn’t specified.”
In response to the staff’s report, James quickly analyzed the signals.
James quickly uncovered the cause of the signal error and shouted.
“The exploration vessel’s location is the Mini Reaper Garden at the Sehee Research Institute. Hurry and assess the situation!”
James’s sharp voice echoed throughout the Situation Room.
At that time, the central monitor displayed a relaxed scene.
A Gray Reaper could be seen comfortably lounging on a giant candy, basking in the soft morning sunlight.
The Golden Reapers in the Situation Room bounced around, excitedly looking at the monitor.
“Mama!”
The Golden Reapers looked genuinely happy just seeing their mother’s face.
*
To the piercing sharp sound in my ear, I slowly opened my eyes.
As consciousness returned, my mind cleared, and I began to grasp the situation.
“I must have dozed off because I was tired…”
Upon waking, I saw the same candy floating sea as the night before.
Countless candies bobbed atop the gently rolling waves.
“I wonder if these don’t dissolve in seawater?”
Thinking this, I poked the still solid candy repeatedly.
The sun, which had been painting the eastern sky blue just before I fell asleep, had risen enough to warmly embrace my body.
The exploration vessel, which I could only see a mast of from afar, was now stopped near the candy, not coming any closer.
“I wonder if they think the candies might be dangerous?”
Lost in thought, another sharp sound rang out from the sky.
Vwoooosh.
Looking up at the sky, I saw several drones busily flying around, as if sent from the exploration vessel.
They moved around like a swarm of bees, filming the candy sea.
Imagining the footage captured by their lenses, curiosity suddenly struck me.
“I wonder what thoughts they’ll have seeing the sea of candy?”
Hehe.
But that thought quickly passed as the continuous buzzing of the drones began to irritate me.
“How annoying…”
Watching the drones buzz like mosquitoes, I activated my teleportation ability.
‘…’
In the blink of an eye, I found myself at the Mini Reaper Garden.
The pure white, soft Marshmallow Plains.
The sweet scent filling the air.
Arriving at the usually quiet Mini Reaper Garden, I felt a sense of calm wash over me.
Pitter patter.
As I walked searching for a comfortable spot to rest, I noticed the Mini Reapers gathered together.
A long line stretching out like an amusement park.
“Mama!”
“Mama!”
The Mini Reapers standing in the long line bounced with excitement, welcoming me.
‘?’
Did something new come up?
Considering that most of the kids in line were Golden Reapers, it seemed very likely.
After all, they’re the most vibrant among the Mini Reapers and often lead in play.
Following the line of the Mini Reapers, I discovered a rather unique scene.
A new little guy was hugging the Golden Reaper one by one.
“Hug!”
“Hug!”
Every time the new Mini Reaper shouted “Hug!”, the Golden Reaper rushed up and shouted “Hug!” back.
With firewood around, it was definitely a Mini Reaper, but it looked quite interesting…
It seemed to be a result of capturing an external being.
Could it be a Mini Reaper + Halo this time?
Saying it’s a combination of a Mini Reaper and Halo makes it feel like Halo and the moon somehow.
For some reason, I felt like the external being had some relationship with the “moon.”
I picked up the Hug Reaper playing the “Free Hug” game and placed it on my palm.
With a size larger than other Mini Reapers and a bluish hue.
And unlike the other Mini Reapers, it wore a hoodie with patterns that looked like eyeballs.
The Hug Reaper on my palm smiled at me, stretched out both arms, and sent the will.
“Hug!”
Since the size difference was quite noticeable, when I gently grabbed it, the Hug Reaper tightly hugged my hand with a smile.
Though it might be strong for its size, the hug felt reassuring.
Warm and soft.
Is this why Golden Reapers love “Hug!” so much?
“Hmm.”
If only it didn’t have the parts like the Orange Reaper…
*
The warm afternoon sun poured through the window of the Deputy Director’s Office at Sehee Research Institute.
A flyer resting on Seoah’s desk caught the light and glimmered softly.
<Gray Reaper Theme Park D-1!>
The text stood out sharply.
On one side of the desk, a small Golden Reaper looked down at the flyer and giggled.
Next to it, a Sprout Reaper chuckled with hopeful eyes.
The excitement about tomorrow was radiating from the little bodies of the Mini Reapers.
At that moment, Seoah’s voice, having finished her workday, echoed gently.
“Alright, let’s head back.”
As soon as the words fell, the Golden Reaper and the Sprout Reaper dashed towards Seoah as if they had been waiting for it.
With a resigned smile, Seoah skillfully welcomed the rush of the Mini Reapers into her arms.
Click.
With the sound of the door closing, the Deputy Director’s Office fell into silence.
Now, in the now-empty Deputy Director’s Office, only the flyer on the desk remained lonely.
The orange hue of the sunset began to deepen, coloring the flyer more profoundly.
