In a dimly lit room filled with the gentle scent of dried herbs, glass flasks twisted into complex shapes and bottles containing liquids that glowed mysteriously adorned the space. It felt unmistakably like the workshop of an alchemist, with a warm, golden light flickering across the room.

Atop a spotless table, a subtle golden glow danced, as if expressing something important. Five of the Golden Reapers, known for their skill in swordsmanship, moved with an air of purpose.

Two broken swords, one large and one small, lay on the table—one belonging to the Gray Reaper, the other to the First Golden Reaper. The Golden Reapers were gesturing and moving as if trying to explain something about them.

The one listening to their explanation was a female alchemist covered in tattoos. She was dressed in full alchemist attire, complete with an alchemical sword at her side.

“The small one is still somewhat intact, but the large one is completely ruined,” she murmured as she examined the two damaged light swords brought by the Golden Reapers.

While the swords looked similarly damaged, they were fundamentally different. The smaller sword had worn out over time, whereas the larger one had melted internally due to excessive power.

“The Gray Reaper’s power output was beyond my expectations. Is it even possible for such a magical device to exist?”

The alchemist dismantled the Gray Reaper’s light sword, marveling at its intricate structure. She had never encountered a magical artifact of such strength in her life.

After taking apart the smaller sword, she replaced a few parts and reassembled it. The First Golden Reaper accepted the repaired sword, summoning its blade of light and giving it a test swing, before smiling with satisfaction.

“This one will take some time to fix. I’ll need to go to Seoul Forest to gather materials,” she said.

The Golden Reapers didn’t quite understand her words, but they recognized that it couldn’t be fixed immediately, slumping down with slightly disappointed expressions.

“Can’t you fix Mom’s sword?”

The light from the golden logs dimmed a bit, flickering with a melancholic rhythm. Despite the medication she took to prevent mental contamination, the alchemist found herself patting one of the Golden Reapers on the head.

Normally, she would have taken more medication, but she had half given up on resisting the charm.

“I suppose I should gather ingredients for my suppressant. Might as well make the trip worthwhile,” she thought, glancing north toward Seoul Forest, which reminded her of the woods back home.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

In the quiet Mini Reaper Garden, heavy footsteps echoed.

A gigantic glow-in-the-dark Tyrannosaurus roamed the garden, carrying a group of Mini Reapers on its back.

Tyrannosaurs are always a hit!

I watched with a contented smile as the Mini Reapers on the T-Rex waved enthusiastically, as if to make sure I noticed them.

“Mom!”

Seeing the joyful expressions on the Mini Reapers’ faces, a small suspicion crept into my mind. Do they like the T-Rex, or is it because they know I'll pay more attention when they’re on it?

Nah, that couldn’t be it.

I shook my head vigorously to dispel the thought and wandered away from the T-Rex.

I hope something new and exciting happens…

Maybe I’ll go on a search for Ogre. Finding Ogre when he’s resting has its own special thrill.

Or perhaps I could use the Halo to create a grisly illusion of my own corpse in the containment chamber? Yerin would be so shocked, heh-heh.

As I strolled through the garden, plotting various pranks, a peculiar scene unfolded before me.

“Gaaaah!”

The Golden Reaper lay sprawled on the ground, howling in defeat. A dozen more Golden Reapers were spread out beside him in identical poses.

Usually, a Golden or Black Reaper would win against another in games, but this time, the victor was the Orange Reaper.

Watching with a serene smile, the Orange Reaper seemed to exude an air of quiet superiority.

As another Golden Reaper confidently stepped up to challenge, the Orange and Golden Reapers began stacking oddly shaped wooden pieces on a wobbly table.

The rules were simple enough.

They would shake the table until only one piece fell. If more than one piece fell, they would lose instantly.

It was a delicate game, one I wouldn’t dare attempt.

When it was the Golden Reaper’s turn, he tapped the table with a fierce concentration, and with a remarkable display of dexterity, managed to make only one piece fall.

“Wow, impressive!”

I clapped quietly in admiration, careful not to be noticed by the Mini Reapers.

Curious to see how well the Orange Reaper would perform, I watched as he, too, tapped the table, effortlessly dislodging a single piece with impeccable timing.

Cheater!

Though the Golden Reapers seemed oblivious, I could tell the Orange Reaper had used his ability to manipulate probabilities. I recognized it immediately, given my own experience with similar skills.

Unlike mine, which involved guiding objects toward death, his was all about bending chances.

The Golden Reapers were clearly being fooled. Though maybe abilities were fair game, I couldn’t help but feel it was unfair.

I picked up one of the fallen Golden Reapers and whispered, “The Orange Reaper’s using his powers. He’s bending probabilities. No way he could pull off that trick without them. It’s a scam!”

The Golden Reaper looked at me in shock, then gathered his comrades and began exchanging hand signals and gestures.

Once the truth sank in, a horde of Golden Reapers charged the Orange Reaper, surrounding him and scolding him.

“Don’t cheat next time!”

The Orange Reaper looked around with his eyes barely open and began floating away.

“!”

The Golden Reapers seemed stunned, but they quickly snapped back to reality and clambered over one another, forming a tower to grab him and bring him back down.

Despite his best efforts to escape, the Orange Reaper was too slow and not strong enough to shake them off. While a few Golden Reapers seemed to slip on nothing, it wasn’t enough to stop the group.

In the end, the Orange Reaper was dragged back and subjected to a scolding from a Golden Reaper with a hand on his hip, a disappointed frown on his face.

I couldn’t help but feel a little let down.

I had hoped for a full-on revolution with Golden Reapers attacking him mercilessly, but it ended with a simple reprimand.

Sigh.

The Golden Reaper was in his ghost form, stealthily trailing the men who had kidnapped him, darting from corner to corner to stay out of sight.

He expected them to lead him directly to the sinister object, but instead, they went around, spreading negative emotions everywhere.

“Hey, old man! If you borrowed money, you have to pay it back!”

They shouted at everyone they encountered, banging on things, and leaving trails of sorrow, resentment, and fear.

Though they were humans, their presence seemed as toxic as an object, bringing sadness wherever they went.

‘Bad humans?’

The Golden Reaper tilted his head, puzzled by these men who seemed to carry no scent of blood.

What should he do?

After a long internal debate, he gave up on finding a solution.

I need a big meeting at the Mini Reaper Garden!

Only a grand assembly atop a pudding podium would suffice, just like the one that resolved the dilemma of who would get the last pudding.

Resolute, he resumed his silent pursuit, watching as the men finally climbed into a car and drove off.

Sneaking into the car and hiding in the glove compartment, the Golden Reaper released his ghost form and silently chuckled at the thrill of the chase.

I miss my beloved human.

After a while, as he started missing his human companion, the driver finally spoke up.

“Hey, boss, are you sure a Golden Reaper is really worth anything? I haven’t heard of making money off one.”

“Of course it’s not,” replied the man in the passenger seat, chuckling. “We don’t sell objects for cash. We just bring a bit of hope, and if we succeed in containment, we get to keep it.”

The car slowed to a stop as they reached their destination, and the passenger prepared to get out.

“Let’s take a break before we meet Viper,” he said, reaching for a cigarette and opening the glove compartment.

He froze, eyes widening as golden light spilled out, revealing the Golden Reaper’s grinning face.

Caught off guard, the man just stared, unable to comprehend his sudden encounter with the radiant object.