An island left solitary in the middle of the vast Pacific, where the only view was the endless horizon.

I lay sprawled on the edge of a cliff, basking in the sunlight.

The waves relentlessly hurled themselves toward the island, crashing against the rocks and sending white foam spraying into the sky.

The constant sound of the waves breaking felt like white noise from nature, putting my mind at ease.

When I turned my gaze, the bright sunlight pouring over me contrasted sharply with the dark scene beyond.

At the center of the island was a deep, shadowy cave.

James Institute staff moved in and out of its pitch-black entrance without pause, carrying equipment and documents.

Each employee had a Mini Reaper perched on their head, observing the work with laughter and amusement.

Though they were bonded to the Mini Reapers, the atmosphere was noticeably different from that of Sehee Institute.

At Sehee Institute, once chosen by a Mini Reaper, the employees would often stop working altogether, claiming “Mini Reaper care” as the reason…

“Hm, Sehee Institute before the Golden Reapers appeared…”

…

…

On second thought, Sehee Institute employees didn’t do much work even before they were chosen by the Mini Reapers.

It seemed the issue was with the people, not the Mini Reapers.

Although there still appeared to be a fair number of staff on the island, the numbers had actually dwindled considerably.

The ship James had arrived on had departed again, taking many employees and victims with it.

If James left with them, they were likely transported to Korea and would later be relocated to other countries.

Just by looking at them, it was clear the victims weren’t Korean.

…

As I continued to lie in the sunlight, time passed, and eventually, the sun began sinking beyond the horizon.

Ordinarily, I would have returned to Sehee Institute long ago, but I felt oddly compelled to linger here on the island.

“Mom’s still here!”

“Kind Mom!”

Surprised to see me staying in one place for so long, the Mini Reapers gathered around me.

They climbed onto my back, tapping it gently with their tiny hands.

They formed a line, each taking turns playfully tugging at my antennae.

Some simply nestled against me, closing their eyes and dozing off.

The ones without a bonded human lingered around me, loafing about.

At first, I rolled a few of them off the cliff, but even that grew tiresome, so I let them stay.

However, the time to part from these little ones was drawing near.

“Hurry up!”

From the distant ship, the Mini Reapers hopped and sent out their eager will.

Come to think of it, there were far fewer employees left on the island now.

Likely, only those staying to continue the investigation remained, while the others planned to resume the Pacific expedition.

The Mini Reapers around me looked back with regretful expressions as they headed toward the ship.

“Can’t you come with us too, Mom?”

Of course, I ignored those looks and continued lying atop the cliff.

Thud.

Tilt.

Thud.

Tilt.

Thud.

The Mini Reapers walked toward the ship, occasionally casting glances back at me, their expressions dripping with reluctance.

“Mom’s probably following, right?”

“She must be getting up by now?”

It was that sort of feeling.

Even as they climbed onto the ship, they kept glancing back, and once all of them had boarded, the ship slowly began to move forward.

I sat up on the cliff, watching the horizon.

The sun dipped lower, painting the sky with hues of gold and orange.

Clouds, as if ablaze, adorned the sky, and below them, the endless sea glittered like molten metal.

Turning my gaze, I could see the large ship gradually receding.

From this high cliff, the sight filled me with a slight sense of foreboding.

On one side lay the golden, molten-like ocean, but on the other, the sea had begun to take on colder, darker shades.

With the full 360-degree view, it felt like gazing at a beautifully crafted panoramic photograph.

“Hm.”

The ship heading away from the sun seemed almost like it was venturing into a place devoid of light and warmth.

On the ship’s deck, I saw Mini Reapers clinging to the railings, all staring back at me.

They looked a bit like meerkats.

“Mom!”

“Mom’s watching!”

Some waved brightly with smiles.

Others looked back with lingering regret.

Some simply gazed intently at me.

The Mini Reapers focused their attention on me in various ways.

Sitting on the sunlit cliff, watching the Mini Reapers disappear into the darkening sea, I felt an odd sensation.

Was it a sense of nostalgia?

Or maybe a hint of anxiety, like the dark sea itself.

Feeling that way, I decided to join them on the James Explorer.

The moment I teleported onto the ship, the Meerkat Reapers clinging to the railing all rushed toward me.

“It’s Mom!”

“Mom’s here!”

The Mini Reapers swarmed me, cocooning me in their embrace.

“Already, this feels like a huge bother.”

One second after arriving on the ship, I suddenly wanted to forget all foreboding feelings and just go back to Sehee Institute.

Aboard the massive ship cruising through the Pacific.

I lay on a soft marshmallow, watching the ship steadily cut through the water.

“Lying on a marshmallow… that’s when it really feels like work’s over.”

I’d linked the garden to the deck, just like the courtyard at Sehee Institute, and summoned the Marshmallow Garden, where I lay at ease.

Half of me was in the salty Pacific sea breeze, while the other half was in the hot chocolate-scented Mini Reaper Garden, creating an odd sensation.

When I looked toward the garden, I could see Mini Reapers lined up, racing as if it were a grade-school field day.

In the background, White Maws frolicked on the marshmallows, while the Furnace Golem hunted them down.

Turning back to the Pacific, James Institute staff were busy measuring the garden entrance with various experimental instruments.

It was a surreal sight, one you’d rarely see at Sehee Institute.

After all, Sehee’s courtyard felt 80% like a Mini Reaper Garden.

“It’s honestly surprising Sehee Institute hasn’t fallen apart.”

But on second thought, I’d never seen Sehee suffer any losses from his activities.

Maybe he’s actually skilled at making money?

“If so, as long as Sehee’s around, it should be fine.”

With that, I turned back to the Mini Reaper races and noticed, curiously, that only Golden Reapers were participating.

“Why would the Golden Reapers be racing without the others?”

Observing more closely, I realized why.

The Golden Reapers were all using time acceleration to sprint at incredible speeds.

The track was filled with golden streaks of their afterimages.

Since only the Golden Reapers and Sprout Reapers could use time acceleration—and the Sprout Reaper would never join a race—it naturally became a Golden Reaper-only event.

As I watched the Golden Reapers racing with all their might, I suddenly thought of the new ability I’d recently acquired.

Since I could now hold time, maybe I could catch the fleeing Golden Reapers?

Heh heh.

Just thinking about it made my nonexistent heart race.

Eagerly, I activated my ability on the racing Golden Reapers.

“Ah!”

In that instant, the Golden Reapers, now without time acceleration, stopped all at once.

Their faces were filled with confusion, and they began looking around in bewilderment.

Oh, it works on the Golden Reapers too.

I couldn’t help but grin at the sight.

Rising from my seat, I rushed toward the Golden Reapers, now unable to use their time acceleration.

“If I catch you, you’re getting the deji punishment!”

Panic-stricken, the Golden Reapers scattered in all directions.

“Nooo!”

“Run away!”

Unable to use time acceleration, their expressions were much more urgent than usual.

Gone was the leisurely, cheerful look they wore when usually escaping.

I felt a burst of hope, finally able to catch a Golden Reaper.

But as I tried to use time acceleration myself, I realized that my power prevented me from using it as well.

Noooo!!!

My dream, my hope!!!

An overwhelming sense of frustration washed over me.

Feeling petulant, I used my power from afar to turn all the fleeing Golden Reapers into deji.

“Nooo!”

“Mom, you liar!”

“We’ve become deji…”

The Golden Reapers looked up at me with faces full of betrayal.

Seeing them like that made me feel a bit guilty, but I couldn’t help but laugh as well.

Heh heh.

Turning my head, I saw the Furnace Golem chasing the White Maws in the distance.

“Come to think of it, there are a lot fewer White Maws now. Is it because of the Furnace Golem?”

I tilted my head, pondering the now quieter Marshmallow Plains.

A cozy underground chamber, like the embrace of a bed in the deep night.

This was the paradise of the White Maws.

The ceiling was studded with sugar stars, twinkling like stars in a night sky, and the floor was covered in soft candy powder.

Squeeehee.

The happy giggles of White Maws echoed through the chamber.

Already, over half of the White Maws from the Mini Reaper Garden had gathered in this underground paradise.

But this sweet heaven held a dark secret.

The original inhabitants of this chamber were jelly-made earthworms.

Most of them were now prisoners, held captive by the White Maws and stripped of their freedom.

And all because they had tried to leave the underground chamber.

The White Maws wanted to keep their existence and their paradise a secret from the outside world.

The jelly earthworms had become prisoners inside a giant candy jar.

Their jelly-like bodies were pressed against the transparent walls, distorted, their eyes filled with despair.

But hope had not entirely disappeared.

One brave earthworm remained free.

This tiny hero hid in the shadows of the underground chamber, waiting for the right moment.

Waiting for a chance to escape from the chamber!

The earthworm set its gaze on the hot chocolate-filled exit of the underground paradise, steeling its resolve.