"Haaaa."

As I let out a deep sigh, Seo-ah, who was sitting across from me, frowned and spoke up.

"Director Lee Se-hee, why did you suddenly come here? If you don’t have any business, please go back quickly."

I sprawled over the large table in the deputy director’s office and replied.

"There’s just so much work lately. I wonder when Yerin will come back."

"...."

Seo-ah's gaze felt sharp.

Sure, I know Seo-ah works three times harder than I do, but still!

Even though Seo-ah has always been diligent, I’m now struggling because I’m not used to working. It's exponentially more exhausting for me...

So, mathematically speaking, I’m suffering more!

With those thoughts, I looked up at Seo-ah, but she had already turned her attention back to her work.

While glancing around, my eyes caught something on Seo-ah’s desk.

In a glass case lined with soft cotton, there was a small navy-blue fruit. It didn’t seem like just a decorative item.

"Seo-ah, what’s that on your desk?" I asked, pointing at it.

Seo-ah responded in a calm voice.

"Do you remember the report on the new Object, the navy-blue sprout Reaper?"

"Uh, yeah, of course," I replied naturally, though I had no idea what she was talking about, judging by her expression, I should’ve known.

"It’s a product from that Object. The navy-blue sprout Reaper handed it to me and told me to eat it. I’m still debating what to do with it. The details are in the report I submitted last night."

"I see…"

At first, I didn’t think much of it, but knowing that the mini Reaper had given it made the fruit look rather tempting.

"Hey, if you’re worried, should I try eating it?"

"No, you cannot," Seo-ah refused firmly.

Tch.

After arriving at the hotel room, I stretched my stiff arms above my head to loosen up.

The group of Golden Reapers on the table watched me and mimicked my stretching, raising their arms with little giggles as they looked at each other.

Ah, how cute.

I glanced over at the Reaper, just in case.

Nom, nom, nom.

It sat at the dining table, its expressionless face focused solely on eating a pudding as large as its body.

The Reaper had a cool charm, but sometimes, I wished it would act like the playful Golden Reapers.

When I checked the clock, it was already past noon.

Even though it seemed like we had traveled a short distance on the map, quite a lot of time had passed since we returned to the hotel.

More than anything, I felt mentally drained.

Was it because I had seen such a massive Object?

Despite witnessing the vast scenery, instead of feeling exhilarated or refreshed, I was left with an overwhelming sense of awe.

As if anticipating this, the assistant hadn’t scheduled anything else for the day, recommending we rest well.

The assistant informed us that the research lab tour would begin tomorrow.

Dragging my feet, I walked over to the window and looked out. Two distinct worlds lay before me.

On one side, sleek, clean buildings packed tightly within the research compound.

On the other side, a cluster of old, shabby buildings just outside the compound.

The area beyond the compound wasn’t exactly a slum, but the atmosphere was clearly different.

Suddenly, an idea crossed my mind. I approached the Reaper, picked it up, and carried it over to the window.

"Reaper, how about we go have lunch over there today?"

The sight of so many restaurants seemed to catch the Reaper's interest, as its antennae swayed from side to side with curiosity.

"Alright, let’s go!"

Holding the Reaper’s hand, I left the hotel room.

Plod, plod.

The Reaper, seemingly excited, walked with a spring in its step.

But my plan was thwarted as soon as we reached the hotel entrance.

"You are not permitted to leave the research compound," the assistant said, blocking our path with a firm voice.

I thought it would be fine since the passersby hadn’t reacted to the sight of the gray Reaper, but there was a reason for that.

It turns out they had already thoroughly notified the local research staff that the gray Reaper would be here….

Well, there’s nothing I can do.

"My apologies for the inconvenience. There are plenty of shops and restaurants within the compound. Please feel free to use those," the assistant said with a regretful expression, pointing us toward a selection of restaurants.

It was a bit disappointing, but we had no choice.

The Reaper’s expression remained stoic, but I could sense a hint of sulkiness. Would it be okay?

After dinner, I returned to the hotel room in the late evening.

As if she had predicted that I’d try to sneak out of the hotel, Yerin had been keeping an eye on me. But I put her to sleep.

She had looked exhausted but kept trying to stay awake, so I used the powers of the Golden Tree to lull her into a peaceful slumber and gently laid her on the bed.

Normally, I wouldn’t have had the strength to move her to the bed, but thanks to the tentacle ability I’d gained, I was able to do it easily.

"Reaper… don’t go anywhere," Yerin murmured in her sleep, hugging the anglerfish plush tightly.

I glanced out the hotel window at the brightly lit night streets beyond.

It was the area we hadn’t been able to visit for lunch today.

I hadn’t been particularly interested before, but now that it was off-limits, my curiosity was piqued.

Hehe.

I turned invisible and jumped out the hotel window.

As soon as I left the research compound, the atmosphere shifted noticeably.

Though not as clean or modern as the compound, the streets had a distinctly exotic charm that made the stroll enjoyable.

There were also some delicious-looking foods.

One dish featured warm, freshly baked bread piled with thin slices of tender beef, cooked to perfection.

The thinly sliced beef glistened with rich juices, and the savory aroma was irresistible. Between the slices of beef were caramelized onions, all topped with melted cheese that oozed over the meat and onions.

It looked absolutely delicious—what was it called?

I considered sneaking one, but the Golden Reaper sitting on my head made me reconsider.

It felt like it would scold me for making someone sad by stealing.

And it probably wouldn’t be good for the mini Reapers’ education, either….

I wasn’t sure if it was right to call the mini Reapers "kids," but since they often mimicked my pranks, it seemed like they were influenced by me.

If I really wanted to eat one, I could just ask Yerin to buy it for me later.

Plod, plod.

I continued walking along the restaurant-filled street, my steps light and cheerful.

The further I got from the research compound, the fewer people I saw, but the more exotic the dishes became.

And then, unexpectedly, I saw a familiar dish from Korea. It made me feel a sense of nostalgia.

Is this the charm of traveling abroad?

But as I ventured deeper, a foul smell began to fill the air.

The Golden Reaper must have noticed it too because it spat out my antenna and immediately stood up, looking around warily.

That delicious burnt smell.

The scent of the Flaming Iron Pig Statue.

If I wanted Yerin to bring food back, I’d need to make sure this area was safe first.

Placing the Golden Reaper in my palm, I conveyed my intentions. The Reaper nodded in agreement.

Plod, plod.

Following the burnt smell through the maze of buildings, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement.

The Golden Reaper, too, seemed eager, plodding along energetically, perhaps thrilled at the thought of dealing with an Object.

The maze of intricately built structures seemed to stretch endlessly, with each corner revealing a completely different view.

Eventually, the Golden Reaper and I arrived at an old church with a weathered exterior, long abandoned and forgotten.

Despite its dilapidated appearance, the church seemed busy, but most of the people going in and out weren’t human.

They resembled the Object-possessed humans I had seen in Seoul Forest.

The Flaming Pig Statue must be here.

The Golden Reaper also sensed the ominous aura and, with a serious expression, surveyed the surroundings.

Following the scent into the church, the trail led past the pews and altar, deep into the underground.

The church basement, in contrast to the worn-down exterior, was vast and expansive, a logical choice for hiding an Object.

There were several people patrolling the area as if they were guards, but they couldn’t see spirits, so I simply ignored them and passed by!

Eventually, we arrived at a place that looked eerily similar to the scene I had witnessed in Seoul Forest.

The constant, agonized screams, the charred black skeletons strewn across the floor, and the large iron pig statue.

Upon seeing the piles of burnt bones stacked like mountains, the Golden Reaper collapsed to its knees in despair, tears streaming down its face.

It stroked each fragment of bone, mourning deeply.

Even in a world where people died so easily, the Golden Reaper’s sorrow never ceased to amaze me.

I turned my head to confirm the destruction conditions and found that they were the same as those in Seoul Forest.

Indigestion.

It was a cryptic message, but since I had solved the puzzle once before, it was straightforward.

Entering the iron pig statue, I felt a strange connection to another space.

I hadn’t noticed this before, but it seemed that I could now sense such things after gaining spatial abilities.

Before me was a grotesque space, humid and pulsating, like the inside of intestines.

It was a sight I had seen in Seoul Forest, but the reaction this time was slightly different.

Charred skeletons appeared and stood at a distance, merely watching me.

Weren’t they the same ones who had grabbed me and poured out their grievances before?

When I took a step forward, the skeletons recoiled in shock, retreating.

Even without faces, I could sense their confusion, as if they were bewildered.

As I approached, they kept backing away.

It felt like a game of tag, and I was starting to enjoy it.

After playing with the skeletons for a while, I was about to use my abilities to capture them when the space around me began to distort.

The condition Indigestion had been fulfilled.

With a deafening roar, the space twisted violently, and I felt a force trying to pull me in.

No! My game of tag!

As the force tried to drag me away, I resisted with all my might, and I was launched out of the narrow intestines and flung into the sky.

Looking down, I saw herds of pigs marching across the blackened, slimy ground.

Among them was a smaller pig, presumably the one whose intestines I had just burst out of, lying dead.

Though small compared to the others, the dead pig was still over 10 meters long.

But the thousands of pigs paid no heed to their fallen comrade and continued their march in one direction.

Leading this terrifying procession was a colossal pig, worthy of legend.

Each step shook the ground.

Its fiery breath devoured the black slime.

And the giant pig, larger than the mountains, continued its relentless march toward the swirling pit in the earth.