NoveLight ™
Under the warm sunlight at noon, Yerin was strolling through the Gray Reaper Theme Park with Sehee and Seo-ah.
Tup-tup.
Beside Yerin, the Gray Reaper walked with a grumpy expression, matching her steps.
"The theme park turned out better than I expected..."
Yerin’s eyes sparkled as she admired the completed scene, which looked very different from the construction site she had seen before.
The water droplets from the fountain sparkled as they caught the sunlight, and the path beneath her feet was lined with a soft material. Everywhere, Mini Reaper statues greeted visitors in cute poses, as if they were alive.
In the distance, the towering Gray Reaper statue stood as the landmark of the theme park.
Suddenly, a scream-like cheer echoed, and Yerin turned her head.
"Fast!"
"Ugh!"
A roller coaster designed specifically for Mini Reapers soared through the air, with the cheers of the riders fading as it passed.
The roller coaster with Mini Reaper-specific seats was probably unique to this place.
A smile spread across Yerin’s face.
Having visited the park since the construction stages, the finished product filled her with a sense of pride.
"Let’s eat first and then play!" Sehee said, and the group headed toward the theme park’s dining area.
As they walked toward the restaurant, Yerin could feel the gazes of those around them.
Where there had once been a mixture of fear and curiosity, now there were eyes full of kindness and curiosity.
Click, click.
The sound of cameras clicking from afar filled the air.
"The Reaper is now a full-blown celebrity!"
Yerin smiled as she gently patted the Gray Reaper’s ponytail.
"..."
Whether it was because the Gray Reaper was an Object or simply because it didn’t care about attention, it made no reaction to the surrounding gazes and continued slowly licking its ice cream.
Yerin, noticing the constant camera shutter sounds, took out her phone and checked the internet.
Sure enough, the Gray Reaper’s photo was plastered all over various internet communities and news sites.
When she read comments about how people envied the Gray Reaper’s attachment human, Yerin couldn’t help but puff her chest with pride. When she read that the Gray Reaper looked cute rather than scary in photos, she nodded in agreement.
"Of course, the Reaper is cute!"
However, after reading a few more comments, her brow furrowed.
These comments were not few.
"Aww."
Yerin looked around, suddenly realizing something.
There were unnervingly few people around Yerin and her group.
"Aww, the Reaper is cute, though..."
Yerin muttered softly.
I was sitting with Sehee, Seo-ah, and Yerin at the Gray Reaper Theme Park’s dining area.
Yerin’s free pass was tied to my ponytail like a headband, and it was really annoying.
"This headband is so annoying."
I grumbled, tapping the free pass lightly.
It wasn’t so bothersome that I couldn’t tolerate it, but the more I thought about it, the more irritating it became.
It felt just like a small mark made with a pen on the corner of glasses—uncomfortable in a way that you can’t forget, no matter how small.
I turned my gaze to Yerin, who was smiling brightly at me.
As the positive feelings surged with her smile, my heart softened immediately.
"Well, if Yerin likes it that much, this should be fine..."
Looking around, the restaurant was filled with Mini Reapers.
Golden Reapers were sitting at the tables, nibbling on pudding with their attachment humans. Wild Golden Reapers roamed around, eyeing delicious snacks.
I even saw Black Reapers changing their hands into knives and carefully disassembling cooked ribs to feed to their attachment humans.
Just then, a small Golden Reaper caught my attention as it tilted its head in front of a bubble tea stand.
It was trying to figure out how to drink from the much-too-large straw, and it was quite cute.
The Golden Reaper kept trying to fit its mouth around the oversized straw or peered into the straw with curiosity.
"Ah, you’re not supposed to do that!"
As the Golden Reaper tried to shove its head into the straw, its attachment human was startled and quickly lifted the Golden Reaper.
Watching that, I became curious myself.
"What happens if I force a Golden Reaper’s head into the straw?"
Unable to resist my curiosity, I grabbed a nearby wild Golden Reaper and shoved its head into the straw.
"Ugh! Mom is bullying me!"
Unfortunately, the Golden Reaper’s head was too big to fit into the bubble tea straw, so it didn’t work.
After the experiment, I released the wild Golden Reaper, and it immediately became furious, starting to thump my head with its tiny fists.
Munch, munch.
I slowly ate the pudding Yerin had fed me and tore off a small piece of cookie from the table to feed the angry Golden Reaper.
"Okay, okay. I’m sorry."
The Golden Reaper soon relaxed, smiling and laughing.
Click, click.
As we were enjoying our meal, the sound of camera shutters suddenly filled the air.
"?"
People around us were directing their gazes toward one side.
"Hey, I’ve seen them on the news."
"That’s the Golden Reaper Order!"
Through the crowd, I saw Golden Reapers, riding on White Aggi, holding spears, rushing somewhere in a hurry.
"What’s going on?"
I wondered lightly as I turned my head and grabbed another peanut cookie.
In the late afternoon, the Ash-colored girl was enjoying the theme park with the Yellow Reaper.
The Ash-colored girl’s eyes sparkled as she came out from beneath a large tent that read "White Aggi Circus."
Kyu-hing.
From inside the tent, the sound of a White Aggi’s cry echoed through flaming hoops.
"That was fun!"
Her voice was filled with excitement and joy.
The Yellow Reaper smiled quietly at the Ash-colored girl’s excitement.
"..."
The Ash-colored girl and the Yellow Reaper strolled slowly around the theme park, enjoying various attractions and exhibits.
The Ash-colored girl made an effort to try every ride she could, even the ones for younger kids.
When they passed by a "Mini Reaper Photo Spot," she took a picture with the Yellow Reaper.
As they walked through the park, the Ash-colored girl became hungry.
"There’s a fish-shaped bread stand over there!"
She pointed to a small food truck.
What was unusual, though, was that the one cooking inside wasn’t human, but a Black Reaper.
The Black Reaper moved quickly over the hot steel molds, skillfully pouring the batter.
The Ash-colored girl received her fish-shaped bread from a Mini Reaper, who stamped her free pass, and marveled.
"I didn’t know Reapers did stuff like this."
As she ate the fish-shaped bread, the Ash-colored girl suddenly had a thought.
"Maybe in the future, Mini Reapers will even work as shop attendants outside."
The Yellow Reaper nodded quietly in agreement.
"I hope that day comes soon."
The Ash-colored girl laughed softly, imagining how the whole world might feel like a fairy tale.
After resting, the Ash-colored girl stood in front of the large theme park map. Her eyes sparkled as she pointed to a spot.
"Let’s go there next!"
She pointed to the "Object Viewing Gallery."
In the late afternoon, the Ash-colored girl arrived at the gallery where various Objects were displayed.
She was gazing up at a large, transparent jelly-like Object with sparkling eyes.
<Color Slime Cluster.>
<Danger Level: 2.>
<It has been confirmed that it can change color by sensing the color of objects it touches.>
<Each color has different characteristics.>
<If it acquires multiple colors, it could cause a powerful explosion, so caution is advised.>
<It will be destroyed if the core inside is broken.>
<Should be contained in a transparent material.>
The Ash-colored girl couldn’t take her eyes off the transparent jelly’s body.
Although it seemed a bit dangerous to be on display, she assumed the adults must have prepared for it.
"?"
Just as she was about to move on to the next exhibit, she heard a faint cracking sound.
Crack!
At the same time, a huge explosion rang out, and the transparent containment wall shattered.
The Objects inside began to slip out through the broken wall.
Many visitors froze in shock, while some hurriedly ran out of the gallery.
The Ash-colored girl froze, staring at the color-changing slimes wriggling around.
"What should I do?"
Just as the slimes seemed ready to rush toward her, the Yellow Reaper patted her cheek as if to comfort her, extending its finger.
The Ash-colored girl looked over and saw something golden swimming around the slime’s core.
It was a Golden Reaper, happily swimming around the core.
"Bad Object?"
"Bad Object...?"
As the Golden Reaper swam near the core, the jelly quickly shriveled up.
The other Objects that had emerged from the broken containment wall also shrank quietly.
[Soon, the Gray Reaper Theme Park parade will begin.]
Just then, an announcement came over the loudspeakers, signaling the start of the parade.
At the same time, a Golden Reaper, wearing a theme park staff hat, appeared and sent out a burst of will.
"Party!"
"Party!!"
With both hands raised, the Golden Reaper grinned brightly, releasing a burst of will. The Mini Reapers in the gallery followed suit, laughing and sending out their own wills.
The Golden Reapers lightly tapped the Objects, spreading their will.
"Let’s play together!"
"Let’s go!"
Thus began the parade of Mini Reapers and Objects.
People murmured in excitement.
"Was breaking the glass part of the act?"
It was a moment filled with the scent of the sun and the red glow of the sunset, alongside the Object parade.
As the sun set and a rainbow-colored moon rose,
The parade, now a mix of Objects, humans, and Mini Reapers, marched through the theme park.
From the massive tiger-like creatures that could easily swallow a human, to the colorful, jelly-like creatures that seemed harmful.
"!!!!"
Seo-ah was startled to see dangerous Objects in the parade and called the theme park’s security, but it seemed no one was answering.
Sehee and Yerin were laughing as they watched the parade, aware of what the Objects were.
"It didn’t look like much when it was transparent, but those jelly things are really pretty, Sehee."
"Yeah, we should get one or two for our institute. They seem to have plenty..."
Yerin pointed at the jelly-like creatures that were swarming around the Golden Reapers, chatting with Sehee.
But from my perspective, those jelly creatures seemed like poor Objects being coerced by the Golden Reapers.
If they could make sounds like the Aggi, they would probably be crying out "Kyu-hing!"
Nearby, an unusually rare Yellow Reaper was perched on the shoulder of an attachment human, gazing at their face.
Around Yerin, Sehee Institute staff had gathered to watch the parade.
From researchers with Golden Reapers on their helmets to everyone else.
While they had been scattered throughout the theme park, now they had gathered in one place, happily chatting about the day’s events.
I looked up at the fireworks lighting up the sky.
It felt like the perfect ending to this chaotic, yet joyful theme park, fitting for Sehee Institute.
On the top floor of James Tower, located on the outskirts of Songpa District,
James gazed out the window at the fireworks from the "Gray Reaper Theme Park" and let out a deep sigh.
On his desk lay a report about the rapid temperature drop near the Arctic.
"This is troublesome."
James muttered as he rubbed his temples.
Just as humanity had barely escaped the crisis of the Pacific disaster, another new crisis was looming.
"..."
When the attachment human showed a serious expression, James’ Golden Reaper mirrored the gesture, rubbing its own temples in a serious manner.
Seeing this, James chuckled softly and ruffled the Golden Reaper’s hair.
The Golden Reaper responded with a burst of will, grinning with joy.
James turned his attention back to the report.
The rapid temperature drop near the Arctic.
This was definitely related to the Objects.
Fortunately, most countries had abandoned the polar regions due to the "Snow Moon."
But there was another problem.
"Frost..."
James muttered that name with a frown.
Frost was a city built on a pile of rocks in the Arctic after the Object crisis.
It was one of the few places where the "Snow Moon" had not appeared.
A city that didn’t belong to any country and had little contact with the outside world, relying on self-sustained oil mining.
It was a highly isolated place, with a significant population, but even James’ institute found it hard to access.
"Even if we ask them to abandon their city, it will be useless..."
Unlike the festival outside, James’ concerns were deepening.