Seoul Object Story

At noon, a small swimming pool that looked like a smaller version of Yangcheon-gu Lake was visible in the courtyard of Sehee research Institute which was bathed in golden sunlight.

The small swimming pool, where many Golden Reapers were gathered and playing together, had a quiet yet noisy atmosphere.

It was quiet because the Golden Reapers couldn’t make a sound, but just by looking at their happy faces and expression, it seemed like she could hear a lively and noisy laugh.

Whenever Seoah felt like taking a breather while organizing some documents, she would leave the deputy director's office and walk through the glass passageway which had a clear view of the courtyard and take the sights into her eyes.

The sound of the Golden Reapers splashing water around and the sound of Mini Hydra spewing water into the sky.

The image of Golden Reapers splashing around in the swimming pool and floating high in the sky riding the stream of water spouted by a hydra.

It was a sight that satisfied her both visually and audibly.

“Woooow, so cute.”

“Where is the Gray Reaper? I wanted to see it.”

Visitors wearing visitor permits around their necks were amazed by the sight of the Golden Reapers.

The glass passage was a passageway prepared by the research institute for people who wanted to tour the research institute. However, unlike in the past, it was bustling with people who came for research institute tours these days.

After the Yangcheon-gu Lake incident, the number of people applying for the tour had increased significantly. The increase was so great that it became possible for Sehee Research Institute to become independent from government subsidies, something that was thought to be only possible for a few wealthy research institutes or those who were affiliated with large corporations.

Perhaps because of the huge increase of revenue, Director Lee Sehee was all smiles these days.

Thud-!

The sound of something hitting the glass echoed throughout the passage.

When Seoah turned her head, she saw several Golden Reapers sticking to the walls of the glass passage.

As if they found it amazing that they couldn’t see the inside of the magic mirror, the Golden Reapers were pressing their faces against the glass wall with innocent expression.

The Golden Reapers opened their eyes wide and tried to look inside.

Since their cheeks were pressed against the glass, the expressions they had on their face became funny.

The combination of a cute and curious face and the bright sunlight gave off a charm that made people who were looking at the courtyard take out their cameras and take pictures.

Click-!

Seoah also took out her cell phone, which she had roughly placed in her lab coat pocket, and took a picture.

Looking at the photo, it was a cute photo where the cheeks looked like steamed buns.

With her mind refreshed from the fatigue of the documents, Seoah walked back toward the deputy director's office. Unlike when she came, her steps were league lighter.

*******In an observation room filled with all kinds of monitors, high-tech devices, and high-tech tools, James and the people from the Object Association were concentrating on the data sent by cameras flying high in the sky.

The United States Object Association had decided to send a camera into the sky to investigate 'small moons' that had recently appeared.

This 'Mini Moon Observation' began after they obtained information that the 'Red Moon' could no longer be observed from the space station.

Amidst the rows of screens and blinking consoles, a team of astronomers and Object Experts gathered together to focus on the real-time data coming from the cameras.

One of the team members opened his mouth calmly.

“The rocker has passed about 100km above sea level. Currently, neither the red moon nor the blue moon could be seen.”

After the rocket was launched, a ripple occurred in the observation room, which had been filled with silence due to concentration.

A quiet conversation and a closer investigation followed afterwards.

"A hologram on the scale of the entire Earth? An illusion? It's more realistic for it to be something like that than an entity with mass suddenly appearing, but what Objects could do was always beyond logic.”

James quietly left the observation room as he expressed his dejectedness.

Behind James, a man walked in a hurried manner and caught him in the hallway in front of the observation room.

“James, wait.”

“Is there something wrong?”

James had left the room because he thought it was the time for someone who was a non-professional like him to leave, but why did someone stop him?

James looked back at the man with a puzzled expression.

“You said you were planning to visit Korea again, aren’t you? You reported that you are going to take Relic No. 0 with you this time. Wouldn’t it be better to avoid such a dangerous country?”

“It’s dangerous indeed. But I have no choice but to go.”

James spoke with a serious expression before waving a flimsy document he had taken out of his bag.

< t="" h="" e=""  ="" p="" r="" e="" d="" e="" s="" t="" i="" n="" e="" d=""  ="" e="" n="" d="">

Such an ominous title was written on the cover of the document.

“You probably have seen this report too.”

The document that James held contained contents worthy of the title ‘The Predestined End.’

It was a report that predicted when humanity would perish based on various data.

Moreover, up until now, the predictions had never been wrong.

Humanity was slowly being destroyed.

James put the report back in his bag and continued.

“We must do everything we can to avoid humanity’s destruction. The Gray Reaper in particular is a way to prevent the ‘Predestined end.’ I’m sure of it.”

“…Nevertheless, I want you to be careful, James.”

“Okay, I’ll come back safely, so just wait for me.”

James waved his hand roughly and went on his way.

*******As the constant sound of TV commercials rang out in the comfortable containment room, as weird as it might be, the sound filled the space with vibrant energy.

“Reaper, try this.”

As I lay down in the soft and cozy blanket, Yerin peeled a tangerine and put it in my mouth.

A warm, fluffy blanket that made me feel like falling asleep, and a slightly noisy TV sound.

The gentle contrast between the two was really satisfying.

The bright orange tangerines added stimulation to the calm space.

After all, tangerines were full of sour juice. It was a pleasant snack to awaken the senses.

As expected! Nothing feels like home!

The 'Blue Moon Adventure' that took place at Yangcheon-gu Lake was quite fun. However, something known as adventure was like a two-sided coin. Even though it was exciting, it would always be accompanied with fatigue.

Stunning scenery and the attractions like Hydra Water Park were the exciting front.

The tiring behind the scene work was the struggle to get rid of the Blue Moon.

As expected, I like a comfortable containment room where there was no front nor behind the scene.

Of course, I even surprised myself that I also wanted to immediately go out and play.

"Oh right."

Yerin rummaged through her bag as if she had forgotten something, and took out some well-wrapped documents.

It was a document that said, <Application for temporary rental/transfer of Object.>

“The Trinity Research Institute had sent a request to borrow Reaper for about a week. Of course you won’t go, right?”

I didn't really want to go.

It looked less interesting than the Central Research Institute.

I looked away from the report and turned my head to show my disinterest.

“As expected, I thought so too! Let’s stay together at Sehee Research Institute, Reaper!”

Yerin hugged me tightly, pressing her cheek against mine.

Then, a very faint odor wafted from Yerin's body.

It was the same evil smell that I smelled in the desert and in the lake.

At that moment, I snatched the documents that Yerin was holding.

Then, the odor became stronger.

Could it be that Trinity Research Institute was the culprit behind the smell?

“Reaper? You want to go there?”

Yerin said with a slightly depressed expression.

“I’ll tell Sehee unnie that you are interested.”

Yerin packed the documents with crestfallen expressions as she said that.

However, I wouldn’t change my choice. After all, I couldn't leave those guys alone when I had found that they were harmful to humanity.

*******The magnificent building of Trinity Research Institute 3 was located on the outskirts of Gwanak-gu, where the characteristics of the city center and the outskirts harmonized well.

However, befitting its reputation as Korea's best research institute, the majestic building did not blend in with the surrounding landscape, but rather showed off its presence.

In a room filled with the subtle hum of a precise air conditioning system and the faint smell of petroleum inside the research institute, the third director was listening to the report with a calm expression.

“Sehee Research Institute has accepted the rental request. We are planning to transfer it in a week.”

“That’s good. I thought they might reject it.”

The director slowly flipped through the report and read the materials handed over by the woman in the lab coat as he nodded his head with a satisfied expression.

“The preparation is perfect.”

The director, who was flipping through the papers with a satisfied expression, looked at the last page of the report and asked a question.

“The predictions here seem pretty reasonable. What do you think?”

“Even though we can’t be 100% sure, I think it’s worth a try.”

After hearing that and thinking carefully, the director came to a conclusion.

“Okay. We’ll do as you say. Proceed with the plan.”

The director left the report on the desk and walked out of the conference room.

The report on the desk said:

< analysis="" of="" the="" gray="" reaper’s="" weaknesses.="">

< As it is an Object that is quite friendly to humans, its behavior is expected to be restricted if humans are placed around it. >

< It is expected that the method of inviting the general public into the laboratory during the operation to eliminate the Gray Reaper will be effective. >