---

Mini Reaper Garden in the Deep Place, Marshmallow Plains.

I was meticulously carving the White Hungry Ghost I had caught mocking the Blue Idol Reaper.

I had decided to shape it into a graceful “Swirling White Hungry Ghost Roast,” like a Renaissance statue.

“Ah, I messed up.”

Was it because the White Hungry Ghost was like marshmallow?

Or was it because the ‘Filial Piety’ I confiscated from the Ghost Reaper was too sharp?

Or perhaps my knife skills were awful; I kept failing to carve the swirling shape of the White Hungry Ghost.

Kyu-hing-hing.

The middle of the White Hungry Ghost, cut “thwack!” let out an unjust cry.

Kyu-hihi.

And as I failed, I heard the laughter of the White Hungry Ghost secretly watching me from the side.

The moment I heard that laugh, I dashed at the laughing White Hungry Ghost and skewered it on a stick nearby.

Thanks to those White Hungry Ghosts, I now had a bunch of skewered White Hungry Ghosts slowly roasting around me.

From a distance, it looked like a hill of Hungry Ghost skewers.

“The White Hungry Ghosts laugh ‘Kyu-hihi.’ They must know they will end up like this…”

Maybe it was in their nature; the White Hungry Ghosts often did this.

Seeing the Mini Reapers consume White Hungry Ghosts without hesitation, I figured they must often be mocked as well.

Holding tightly onto the Regenerated White Hungry Ghost, I lifted ‘Filial Piety’ again.

Chop-chop.

As the sound of slowly shaving the marshmallow echoed, the Regenerated White Hungry Ghost drooped, as if giving up, and began to be carved slowly.

While I carved slowly, a strange sound kept ringing from behind.

Kyu-hee. Kyu-hee.

When I turned my head, I saw the wicked sounds of the Hungry Ghosts covering their mouths, pretending they hadn’t made those sounds.

Rustle.

Maybe I was too distracted by the giggling White Hungry Ghosts, but I ended up cutting off the thin swirling part again.

Kyu-hihihihi.

Then the sound of the White Hungry Ghost crying echoed again.

Upon hearing that, I got up, and the White Hungry Ghosts who had been hiding among the skewers began to scatter and flee.

“I have to do something about the White Hungry Ghosts.”

Watching the fleeing White Hungry Ghosts waving their short tails, I steeled my resolve.

I would make those cursed beings stop laughing ‘Kyu-hihi!’

As my anger intensified, the firewood began to blaze fiercely, and I slowly drew forth the Halo of the Labyrinth from above.

The brilliant glow of the white Halo illuminated my face.

Feeling it would undoubtedly hurt a lot, I hesitated momentarily, but I gathered my courage and flipped the Halo onto my head.

Then, I slowly began to imagine the most fitting shape in my mind.

“An object to capture the White Hungry Ghosts and burn them forever.”

“A size and strength that won’t lose to the body of the White Hungry Ghost.”

Brilliant light began to rise from the Halo.

It looked like threads made of pure white, but it thickened, taking shape.

The power of fantasy embodiment began to outline a massive being.

What was completed was the frame of the Judgment Object of the White Hungry Ghost.

As the frame was completed, I called the Black Reapers from the Mini Reaper Garden.

“Mama!”

“What is it?”

“Do you need help?”

While slowly peeling off the Black Reapers clinging to me, I radiated my will.

“Get on the golem, Black Reapers.”

Once a month, I could go on playdates and feed the Black Reapers snacks as a condition for employment.

How long had it been since the Black Reapers crawled into the frame?

“It’s done!”

Finally, the object to burn the White Hungry Ghosts was completed.

Huge, intimidating, hotly ablaze from the firewood, and enhanced by the power of the Black Reapers.

I named that object ‘White Hungry Ghost Incinerator Golem.’

“Rise.”

As my will spread, the golem slowly rose its massive body and started moving, making heavy footsteps.

“Burn all the White Hungry Ghosts!”

With my command, the golem leapt high into the sky.

Kuuun.

As it descended towards where the White Hungry Ghosts had gathered, it poured flames in all directions.

Kyu-hing-hing.

The White Hungry Ghosts screamed and fled, but they could not escape the flames of the golem.

And the golem collected the White Hungry Ghosts who had caught fire and were struggling to move, stuffing them into its body.

I smiled looking at that magnificent golem.

“Kyu-hing-hing.”

The coolest thing about the Incinerator Golem was the sweet sound of ‘Kyu-hing-hing’ whenever you got close.

Hehe.

Listening to the cries of the White Hungry Ghost, I was enjoying the golem’s exploits when the Golden Reapers riding the White Hungry Ghosts began to swarm around me.

Were they coming to tell me not to torment the White Hungry Ghosts?

“Mama!”

“Mama, help!”

But the will the Golden Reapers sent was entirely different from what I expected.

It contained a deeply sad and resigned will.

What in the world happened?

*

In a university hospital in downtown Seoul.

In that hospital housing victims of Cognitive Ability Loss Incidents, there was a girl.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry, sister.”

In the hospital room, a short-haired girl spoke in a sad voice, but her sister showed no response.

She just lay on the bed, blankly.

Beside her, a Golden Cloaked Reaper who had walked all the way to the hospital settled in.

‘….’

The Golden Cloaked Reaper sat near the girl, looking worriedly at the short-haired girl.

‘Poor human.’

‘It’s too late….’

‘When will Mom come?’

The knightly Golden Reapers riding the White Hungry Ghosts gazed sorrowfully at the victims of cognitive ability loss, shedding fluffy tears.

‘What will become of the humans….’

And the White Hungry Ghosts, caught by those Golden Reapers, were slowly being devoured.

Perhaps because the Golden Reapers were so sad, a gloomy and dreary atmosphere filled the hospital.

Then, a slight change began to spread through the dark atmosphere of the hospital.

It felt a bit lively, but maybe because of the sad mood, the change spread as whispers.

“It’s the Gray Reaper.”

“Really?”

Among the sorrowful hospital, the Gray Reaper appeared.

Thud-thud.

As the Gray Reaper walked slowly down the hospital corridor leading the Golden Reapers riding the White Hungry Ghosts, all attention focused on the hospital’s people.

The Gray Reaper, slightly troubled by such attention, entered the room where the victims gathered with its usual expressionless face.

“Mama!”

“Mama, help!”

“Poor human!”

As the Gray Reaper entered the room, the sobbing Golden Reapers rushed out all at once.

The Gray Reaper slowly began to look around the room while detaching the clingy Golden Reapers one by one.

Having taken in all the victims with its eyes, the Gray Reaper summoned the Mini Reaper Garden and devoured all the victims of cognitive ability loss.

And just like it had suddenly appeared, it vanished with a swoosh.

The appearance of the Gray Reaper and the disappearance with the victims were both abrupt.

It felt like a natural disaster had struck.

Naturally, the families of the victims were very flustered by the sudden incident, starting to call and scream in chaos.

But the Golden Reapers, rather than feeling anxious, looked relieved, wearing warm smiles.

And they approached the panicking people, beaming smiles while sending their will.

“Don’t worry!”

“Mama will take care of it!”

*

An office, unused for a long time and covered in dust, was shrouded in silence.

What was once a lively place now seemed like a stage of forgotten memories.

Pale dust wrapped around the furniture, and the weight of time settled heavily upon it.

Tsururuk.

At that moment, the old blinds at the window began to slowly move, breaking the long silence.

As if an old clock had begun to tick once more, the office started to awaken.

Morning sunlight began to seep through the opening cracks, illuminating the room like stairs.

That beam of light made the dust particles dance, breathing life into the sleeping space.

Simultaneously, the sound of footsteps echoed faintly.

And even though it was an empty office, thin fingerprints began to appear on the dust-covered desk.

It looked like an invisible hand caressing long-lost memories.

The sunlight continued to grow stronger, shining throughout the office, and its warmth enveloped the old wooden furniture.

With a click, the TV turned on.

[All those who suddenly disappeared due to the Gray Reaper’s actions have returned.]

[According to the authorities’ announcement, all the missing persons have been identified as victims of the ‘Collective Cognitive Ability Incident.’]

[In earlier reports, it was stated that the victims appeared to have completely returned to normal. However, shocking facts were revealed through a thorough examination conducted by the Object Association.]

[Medical inspections revealed that the victims could no longer be considered human.]

[Without biological composition, they were now replaced by ‘Roll Cakes’….]

The sound of news from the TV echoed throughout the office.

The loud TV noise felt as natural as ever, as if the office had always been this way.

Click.

After a while, just as it had suddenly turned on, the TV turned off again.

Tap. Tap.

Then, the sound of tapping twice on the floor with a cane echoed.

 

---