Sehee POV:

---

As usual, the Reaper had an indifferent expression on its face. Its expression seemed a bit sullen, but since it was the same expression I was used to seeing, it was reassuring in this situation.

After coming down the stairs, it frowned while looking at the pig statue in front of it. The burning gigantic steel pig statue did indeed have a powerful presence that drew the eye.

After looking at the pig statue for a while, the Reaper seemed to be searching for something. In the blink of an eye, it stood in front of me as soon as it spotted me.

I was well aware that the Reaper had the ability to appear and disappear like a ghost even within the Research Institute, but this exceeded my expectations. Witnessing how effortlessly it disregarded distance and obstacles made it evident that the isolation room at the Research Institute was merely a formality...

"Reaper, you came!"

I lifted the Reaper who was looking at me up close and hugged her tightly. I was glad to see her, but the feeling of relief that I was now safe was even greater.

Of course, I knew the Reaper was not the terrifying being that guides death as commonly known, but I was aware that it was highly intelligent and could potentially guide the rescue by informing the people at the Sehee Research Institute about the location of this place.

"I was so scared, Reaper. A person died just a few hours ago. It was a woman who said she played the violin, but to die in a place like this..."

"Can you still hear the screams? Whatever Object this is, it's a horrifying one."

The Reaper just kept looking at me silently while I was hugging her. The Reaper was an Object that could not converse, but perhaps that's why it was easier to talk to her. Oh-Yerin claimed that the Reaper could understand speech, but who knows?

"I think that pig statue is the cause. Just the delicious smell of it makes it clear that it's a harmful Object. If I wasn't trapped in this cell, I would've rushed towards that pig statue."

Even now, I could see many people reaching their hands out through the bars of the other cells. They were simply reaching towards the pig statue, not even paying attention to the Reaper's distinct presence.

"I should call people to rescue them, but that smell from the pig statue is so tempting. I don't even know what kind of phenomenon that pig statue is causing."

The Reaper had now averted her gaze from me and was looking towards the entrance to the basement.

'Is there something in there?'

The Reaper, who acted out of curiosity without speaking, was similar to a cat in many ways. Since the Reaper often suddenly disappeared when it was interested in something else, I should quickly call for help.

"Reaper, please call for help. Request a rescue. Can you summon the people from the Sehee Research Institute?"

Despite my urgent plea, the Reaper was still gazing towards the entrance.

"Hic"

The sound of the heavy stone door being dragged echoed. The old man has returned! Or is it really the old man?

The flickering light cast an eerie shadow.

Something that resembled a giant insect rather than a human was approaching, making a rustling sound as it moved through the dust.

And then the old man's face was revealed. It was definitely the face of the old man who had been coming and going from this basement. But apart from the face, the familiar appearance was gone.

At the end of the long, snake-like neck was the old man's face, which did not look human.

Beyond the neck, which seemed to be over a meter long, was the body of a monster, crawling like a spider with its elongated limbs.

I hugged the Reaper tightly, forgetting to breathe.

What is this? What is this?

H-How do I deal with this?

The old man, swinging his neck like a whip to look around, saw me and grinned widely.

Save me!

***

MC POV:

---

There was a suspicious spot in the house where I thought the basement might be, but I couldn't find it. The clear scratch marks on the stone, as if the door had been opened many times a day, and the candlestick that seemed to have been used as a switch were the clues.

When I hung on to the candlestick, the heavy statue moved, revealing a passage leading to the basement.

The passage leading to the basement beneath the moved statue looked like the gates of hell. The dim corridor, and the endless screams of a woman coming up from that corridor. I was certain that this was the place where Sehee had been taken.

However, I fervently hoped that the scream was not Sehee's as I hurriedly stepped down the covered in stone dust.

The sight in the basement was worse than I had expected.

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Centered around the gigantic steel pig statue were rows of cells stretching out on both sides. Near the pig statue, there were piles of charred bone fragments.

The most disturbing thing was the smell that filled the basement. It smelled delicious, but I couldn't quite pinpoint what the smell was.

Normally, a delicious smell would be something specific like a tart fruit aroma or the scent of freshly baked bread, but this smell had no such distinct quality.

It was closer to a burnt smell, but the fact that it felt appetizing suggested it was definitely related to the Object.

There were other signs of the Object's influence as well.

At a glance, the people in the cells seemed to be out of their minds, all with dilated eyes, mindlessly reaching towards the pig statue.

Fortunately, Sehee was trapped in one of the cells. Seeing the visibly relieved expression on Sehee's face as I approached made me realize how much she had been through. As I entered Sehee's cell, she rushed over and embraced me tightly.

Sehee held me in her arms, looking greatly reassured. She then began to recount what had happened and analyze the current situation.

As I listened to Sehee, I thought about how to rescue her.

Should I open the cell and lead Sehee out?

If I opened the cell now, Sehee would undoubtedly be lured by the scent of the pig statue, making it impossible to take her out. Even while talking, Sehee kept glancing at the statue, indicating she would be unable to resist it.

Should I call for help to rescue her?

It was uncertain whether we could overpower the madman who owned this house. Using firearms or explosives was not an option in the Seoul Forest, and taking him down with melee weapons would be impossible. Even if possible, bringing in another Object to defeat him would take too long.

I felt the madman entering the house.

Perhaps I had spent too much time searching the house, or the thugs outside were simply no match for the monster.

From beyond the soundproofing of the basement, a faint cry could be heard, 'The rat has come in! The rat has come in!'

Seeing that he was annoyed by the tracks I had left, he would soon be storming into the basement.

As I looked towards the entrance, the sound of the stone door being dragged open echoed through the basement. Startled by the sound, Sehee clung to me even tighter.

Lightweight footsteps sounded on the stairs. Considering the madman's towering stature of over 3 meters, it was an incredibly light gait.

The madman's shadow was cast on the basement lights. A long neck, elongated limbs, and a mummified, grotesque form. The head that suddenly emerged from the corridor was so bizarre that even I, who had been expecting it, was taken aback.

Sehee held me tightly, as if trying to protect me. The intensity peaked when the madman leered at Sehee, shoving his head towards her.

Looking up from Sehee's trembling arms, I saw Sehee simply closing her eyes and murmuring, "It'll be alright."

"Ah, so you're the rat."

The madman grinned, baring his sharp, needle-like teeth.

But after a moment, his expression changed to one of surprise as he looked at me standing in front of Sehee.

"You are!"

The elongated limbs and neck of the madman shrank back into the form of an ordinary old man in an instant, like a snake hiding its head.

"Who are you? Why would an object like you come to a place like this?"

The madman, now in the guise of a normal old man, could not hide his bewilderment and shouted convulsively.

"Is it because of that woman? If so, then quickly take her and leave, hurry!"

There are Objects that fear me and those that do not, and this madman seemed to be the former. A type of Object that fears me for no reason, even if I do nothing.

But this old man seemed too intelligent to simply be afraid, you see. The old man was now prostrate on the floor, just waiting for me and Sehee to leave.

I turned towards Sehee to ask for her opinion. Sehee's eyes were full of curiosity, as if the old man's unexpected behavior had dispelled her fear.

"Reaper, what are you doing? Why is he acting like that?"

Amidst Sehee's fuss, a change occurred in the old man lying on the floor. Before I could turn my eyes, his limbs were lengthening.

Is he trying to ambush me while I'm not looking?

The old man's arms stretched out, extending all the way to my feet.

The sight of them growing without making a single squirming sound was strangely repulsive.

Strangely, regardless of whether it is a human or an object, people mistakenly believe that I see with my eyes like a human.