The office of the Deputy Director at Se-hee Research Institute, with its large window overlooking the courtyard, had a familiar view. However, there was something unusual today.

In the middle of the sunlit spot where golden sunlight streamed through the large window, a single potted plant sat, basking in the warmth of the sun.

At the center of that pot, a delicate-looking navy-blue sprout drooped weakly.

“It still looks so lifeless.”

My voice echoed through the quiet deputy director’s office.

Since the sprout had tendrils that resembled plant antennae, I had hoped that exposure to sunlight might invigorate it. But the sprout remained limp, showing no signs of recovery.

Even the Golden Reaper had fetched a watering can made of water from somewhere and poured water over the drooping sprout, but it was all in vain.

In fact, moving the sprout to a new location wasn’t a new idea.

At first, I thought it might gain energy from people, just like the Golden Reaper, so I moved it to a bustling break room with lots of foot traffic.

But even there, amid the lively hustle of the employees, the sprout failed to regain its vitality.

It wore an expression that seemed to suggest it was suffering, much like someone with a cold.

As I observed the sprout, time passed, and the late afternoon sun began to cast a soft amber glow, filling the deputy director’s office with a gentle light.

In that warm sunlight, I sat with my chin resting in my hand, gently stroking the lifeless leaf with my fingers.

The warmth of the sun and the quiet stillness of the office made my eyelids grow heavy.

And before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep.

After finishing the 0-Level relic test, I gave the Reaper a piggyback ride, pretending we were visiting a museum.

Looking at the relics being organized, most of the so-called "0-Level relics" appeared to be personal belongings, like notebooks or fountain pens.

Holding onto the Reaper’s small, flapping feet, we made a round of the relics, and soon James, who had finished tidying up, slowly approached us.

"That concludes the 0-Level relic reaction tests we had planned. To be honest, I was supposed to introduce the research lab and give you a tour of James City, but that’s impossible now, given the mess that’s happened.”

So, does that mean we’ll be heading back soon?

That’s disappointing.

Though part of the disappointment came from how difficult it was to travel abroad, the biggest disappointment was regarding the Reaper.

A chance to travel overseas with the Reaper?

Bringing along a special Object like the Reaper would require not only export permits from the Object Association but also approval from the destination country.

No matter how I think about it, if it hadn’t been for James’s request, such an opportunity would’ve been nearly impossible.

Noticing my disappointment, James made another suggestion.

“It seems like you’re reluctant to leave. Have you considered visiting the Rocky Mountain research facility? The natural environment is beautiful, and there’s a massive spiritual barrier there. It’s just as remarkable as James City.”

“Oh, is that an option?”

“Of course, you’re my guest. Why wouldn’t it be?”

At James’s gesture, a neatly dressed woman with short black hair approached us.

“Unfortunately, I have too much to do here in James City, so I won’t be able to accompany you. However, I’ll assign an assistant who can help you with anything you need.”

After receiving a few instructions from James, the assistant approached us and greeted us politely.

“Then, I’ll guide you from now on. It will take approximately two days to obtain entry permits for the spiritual barrier research complex and to arrange transportation. Please rest at the hotel until I contact you.”

So, we’d be spending more time at the hotel?

Excited by the extended time I’d get to spend traveling with the Reaper, I checked the hotel guide to see what else we could explore.

There were so many other facilities besides the pool, and I was sure it would be fun with the Reaper.

As the sunlight dazzled my eyes, I woke up to find that late morning had already arrived in the deputy director’s office.

I stretched, trying to loosen my stiff body as I stood up.

Had the paperwork been that exhausting lately?

Just because I’d been lying in the sunlight in an awkward position, I had fallen asleep for quite a long time.

Surprisingly, despite having slept on my desk, I didn’t feel too bad.

Then, glancing down, I noticed the Golden Reaper dangling from the edge of the flowerpot, looking both curious and as if it were watching over a younger sibling.

Following the Golden Reaper’s gaze, I saw that the previously limp sprout was now swaying with a renewed sense of life.

“You’ve come back to life!”

I spoke aloud, without realizing it, as the problem that had been on my mind seemed to resolve itself.

The gently swaying leaves seemed to freeze, as if startled by my words.

I slowly stroked the leaves again, apologizing, and they resumed their gentle sway under the sunlight.

But why had it regained its vitality all of a sudden?

Perhaps it was because it had finally been placed in an environment where it could bask in sunlight and moonlight. Yet, I had the feeling that wasn’t the only reason.

There must have been some other variable….

Could it be because I had fallen asleep nearby?

Come to think of it, the sprout had first appeared in the sleep room.

I’d need to observe it further to be sure, but I had a strong suspicion that was the case.

I’d likely have to set up a new isolation room in the sleep chamber to accommodate the sprout.

As I organized the tasks and plans ahead, I glanced out the window and noticed something strange happening in the courtyard.

The Golden Reapers were frantically running away from something.

It was still early evening, not yet night.

Yerin, exhausted from the day’s water play, had fallen asleep while hugging me and watching TV.

Nom nom.

Even in her sleep, Yerin had a contented expression as she nibbled on my antennae.

Quietly slipping out of Yerin’s arms, I summoned a mini anglerfish about my size and gently placed it in her embrace.

Yerin shifted in her sleep, biting the antennae of the anglerfish instead of mine, and fell into a deeper slumber.

Watching her peaceful, sleeping face, I decided to head over to Se-hee Research Institute.

It was time to revisit a prank I hadn’t pulled in a long time.

Stealing pudding!

In the past, the Golden Reapers would constantly lose their pudding to me, but recently, they’d become much faster and more agile, making it harder for me to succeed in my little prank.

But now I had an edge.

I could accelerate time!

When I arrived at the courtyard of Se-hee Research Institute, I spotted the Golden Reapers holding their pudding with cheerful expressions.

The Golden Reapers, always generous, never ate the delicious pudding alone. They always waited for a human to share it with them, often lingering in that manner.

Sneaking up quietly, I hid my presence and circled behind one of the Golden Reapers holding pudding.

As I reached for the pudding, the Golden Reaper, in a flash of agility, dodged my hand.

The Golden Reapers, who had trained themselves to avoid my pranks, moved with impressive agility.

Even though I was bigger and faster, it was nearly impossible to catch them.

But this time, something different happened.

Time began to slow.

The Golden Reaper, holding its pudding like an Olympic gymnast, seemed to float in the air in slow motion.

I slowly started to take the pudding from its grasp, as if twisting a child’s wrist.

Hehe.

The Golden Reaper, its expression one of complete surprise, watched as the pudding gradually left its arms. Its face turned pitiful, like a baby bird that had lost its food, as it reached out helplessly for the pudding dish.

Since the Golden Reapers were my replicas, they would surely learn to mimic my time acceleration trick eventually.

But until then, I was going to enjoy this prank as much as I could.

At that moment, something unexpected happened.

One of the Golden Reapers began to chase after me, following closely as I carried the pudding dish.

And with a triumphant expression, the Golden Reaper snatched the pudding dish right back from me.

Nooo!!!

All I could do was watch in disbelief as the Golden Reapers scattered in all directions, taking the pudding with them.

Running along the majestic Rocky Mountains was a massive spiritual barrier that stood tall like a sentinel.

The barrier, recently constructed to block ghost-type Objects, stretched endlessly, marking the boundary between human-accessible areas and restricted zones.

A watchtower perched atop a high rock monitored the barrier.

Inside the tower, six soldiers watched over multiple spirit cameras.

On the monitors, ghost-type Objects could be seen clearly roaming beyond the barrier.

As two replacement soldiers arrived, the two who had finished their shifts stood up, feeling a mixture of relief and exhaustion.

Their footsteps echoed against the stone steps as they descended, their voices reflecting concerns about the future.

“The situation doesn’t feel right these days.”

One soldier, his head shaved, spoke with a voice tinged with worry.

“That’s true. The once-abundant ‘Brain Eaters’ are almost nowhere to be seen, and now all we spot are those ‘Burning Pigheads.’”

Recently discovered beyond the barrier, the ‘Burning Pigheads’ had multiplied rapidly. Now, only those creatures could be seen beyond the spiritual barrier.

As the massive barrier cast long shadows over the path, the soldiers continued their descent toward their barracks.

“We have no idea what’s going on in there. It’s not like we can go out and investigate the place swarming with ghost Objects.”

“Maybe the Object Association will come up with a solution?”

The soldier tried to sound optimistic, but the one with the shaved head shook his head.

“What could anyone possibly do about ghost Objects?”

Behind the descending soldiers, a loud squeal echoed—a sound so powerful it shook the ground. But the soldiers seemed to ignore it, as if they hadn’t heard a thing, and continued down the stairs.

The exciting two days spent at the hotel with the Reaper flew by, and before I knew it, we had arrived at the airport for the ‘Rocky Mountain Spiritual Barrier.’

This airport, located within a massive research complex, had a unique atmosphere—isolated yet sophisticated.

The empty corridors echoed only with the occasional footsteps of researchers passing by.

The high altitude made the air feel crisp and refreshing, but the Reaper’s expression didn’t reflect that.

In fact, the Reaper hadn’t looked happy since yesterday.

It had been pouting as if upset, and its sour expression seemed to worsen whenever it saw the Golden Reapers. Had something happened between them?

As I observed the Reaper’s expression, the assistant James had assigned approached us, carrying our luggage.

“Let’s head to the prepared accommodations now.”

Following the assistant through the airport, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of reassurance.

Perhaps it was the clean, sleek environment, similar to James City, that put me at ease.

Moreover, there was a faint scent throughout the airport that reminded me a bit of the Reaper.