ALL NOVEL Reaper (MC) POV:
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In the dimly lit evening, fireworks brightly illuminated the sky.
It was the opening ceremony of the exhibition.
As the opening ceremony was about to begin, thanks to the efforts of the Research Institute employees, the 'Sehee Research Institute booth' which was previously empty, was now quite well-prepared.
A welcome face could also be seen.
A piano-playing lizard!
It was only after seeing the lizard that I realized I had completely forgotten about it.
Well, as long as it's being well taken care of and living happily, it's alright, isn't it?
The blue lizard was transferred here after a makeshift isolation room was set up at the exhibition hall.
It was a simple isolation room made of glass, with a large piano placed in the center.
As soon as it arrived at the exhibition hall, the lizard excitedly began performing.
It was still an excellent performance that touched the heart.
There will be many people coming to the exhibition hall, won't the lizard die from this?
[Receives a standing ovation from ten thousand people simultaneously.]
Receiving a simultaneous standing ovation from ten thousand people is no easy feat, so it should be fine?
A 'cute puppy' also came to the exhibition hall, but it didn't seem to be treated very well.
It was tied up with a leash nailed inside the isolation room.
In the past, such mistreatment would have made it grow enormously and go berserk.
Seeing the 'cute puppy' become tame somehow made me feel proud and happy.
Well, if it can't control its temper and goes berserk again, I'll just have to take it to the 'Sunny Park' once more to discipline it.
As the isolated Objects from Sehee Research Institute were gradually being moved, there was one thing I didn't like about the exhibition hall.
That was my isolation room.
It's good that a bed and TV were prepared for me to live comfortably.
But I didn't really like the rest of the facilities. A colorful slide and ball pit!
Do they think I'm a child?
***
Yerin POV:
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"Oh-Yerin, we're going to the opening ceremony and coming back."
Leaving such words behind, everyone headed to the venue where the opening ceremony was being held.
Since everyone wanted to go to the opening ceremony, I volunteered to stay behind and watch over the place.
So I sat alone at the counter, guarding the entrance of the 'Sehee Research Institute booth'.
The exhibition hall was deserted as general visitors were not yet allowed to enter.
I didn't mind missing the opening ceremony.
Watching Reaper is more fun!
When I glanced back, Reaper's isolation room was in full view.
When the isolation room was first set up, Reaper had a blank expression.
Was there something that didn't sit well with it?
Now, after some time had passed, it seemed quite excited.
It was enjoying the isolation room, throwing balls and swimming around in the ball pit.
The reaper was flailing its arms and legs while swimming in the transparently visible ball pit!
I should take a picture of this sight!
But the perceptive Reaper would definitely notice if I approached or tried to take a picture.
I'll have to be content with secretly watching and saving the image in my mind.
***
Reaper (MC) POV:
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Late at night after the opening ceremony ended, I was watching Sehee and Yerin's argument while splashing around in the ball pit.
"Sehee unnie, it would be beneficial to take Reaper out with us. If we just leave it like this, problems will arise."
"No, you just want to go out and play with Reaper."
Yerin and Sehee were arguing over something not very important.
It was about whether to take me out to tour the exhibition hall or not.
"Anyway, even if we leave Reaper confined like this, it will eventually sneak out on its own to look around after some time, right?"
Ah, how did she know?
I was getting a bit bored of the ball pit and was thinking of checking out if there were any interesting Objects at the exhibition hall...
"If Reaper escapes on its own, it would be a disaster, but if it goes out with a researcher, it won't look like an accident, so it might actually be better?"
The lengthy debate that followed eventually ended with Yerin's persistence defeating Sehee.
"Haah..., this situation was obvious, so I warned the organizers, but they still invited Reaper, so it's on them. Alright, go out with Reaper tomorrow and come back."
***
??? POV:
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In the heart of Seoul, there stood a vast estate occupying a vast plot of land.
After the Object incident broke out and safe lands drastically decreased in Seoul, an estate with such a large plot of land became extremely valuable.
In the quiet courtyard of such an expensive mansion, an elderly man and a middle-aged man were seated, drinking tea.
"The exhibition has been held as scheduled. Shall we proceed with the trial gradually?"
The elderly man did not respond to the middle-aged man's words and simply drank his tea.
Seeming familiar with this situation, the middle-aged man bowed to the elderly man and left the mansion.
After leaving the mansion, the middle-aged man hurriedly made a phone call somewhere.
"We'll have to wait a bit longer for the trial, Elder Oh Mu-ryong."
T/N: Oh Mu-ryong is the head of the National Object Management Association who has been accused of bribery, if I'm not mistaken.
The man on the phone gestured commands to the driver with just his hands and continued the call.
On the night of the exhibition's opening ceremony, the middle-aged man's car sped down a deserted road.
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***
Reaper (MC) POV:
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From early morning, Yerin seemed excited.
"Hum, hum."
Yerin was humming and preparing a name tag to hang around her neck.
The name tag had these words written on it:
<Sehee Research Institute. Gray Reaper.>
<The Gray Reaper is safe!>
<Gray Reaper is curious Object, so please watch over it warmly.>
That's right.
Yerin was preparing to take me around the exhibition hall.
Since it's better for me to go around manifested with Yerin rather than ghostifying alone, I was obediently waiting for her preparations to finish.
"Done!"
Yerin held up the name tag she had drawn herself and exclaimed loudly.
In addition to the words, there were also drawings on the name tag that looked quite decent.
Wow, Yerin is good at drawing too.
Hanging the name tag around her neck, Yerin picked me up with a swooping motion and carried me on her shoulder.
"We'll be back!"
Yerin proclaimed boldly and strode out of the Sehee Research Institute booth with confident steps.
***
To be honest, I did wonder if it was okay to go around so openly like this.
But it turned out better than expected.
Rather, there were many people who seemed scared, so sightseeing was quite pleasant.
No one tried to come close, only murmuring from afar.
There were quite a few interesting Objects at the exhibition hall that Yerin and I were touring.
If I saw an Object I wanted to look at, I just had to kick my feet to signal her.
Even without words, Yerin understood surprisingly well, which was convenient.
Kick kick.
(Let's go over there.)
"You want to see the Busan Research Institute isolation room over there?"
When Yerin stopped at my signal, I could examine it closely.
Inside the isolation room, there was a single jet-black stone being illuminated by a large light.
<Shadow Werewolf Stone.>
<When the stone is exposed to light, a shadowy werewolf creature is created.>
<It possesses a blind aggression towards humans, so please be cautious.>
It was an Object with a very straightforward name.
A grim Object where if light is shone on the pebble, a werewolf made of shadows appears and slaughters people.
Are they really allowed to bring in something like this?
Moreover, they were currently shining intense light on it with a lamp.
Looking at the description below, I could understand the reason.
<When this Object is completely submerged in shadows, it dissolves and disappears into the shadows.>
<After disappearing, it reappears in a completely random location somewhere on Earth.>
<Don't ever stop shining your light on it unless you intend to give up the isolation.>
So they have to keep shining light on it with the appearance of the monster in mind?
Wondering where the werewolf was, I looked around and spotted an artificially created circular shadow inside the isolation room.
I could sense the Object's presence there.
Inside the small shadow, a werewolf the size of a thumb was glaring at the humans.
<When light is cast, the shadow werewolf creature appears in the closest shadow to the stone.>
<The stone, which is the core of the Object, does not produce a shadow.>
<The size of the werewolf creature is proportional to the size of the shadow.>
<The werewolf creature cannot leave the shadow.>
After examining the stone and werewolf from various angles, I signaled Yerin.
Kick kick.
(Let's go somewhere else.)
While wandering around, I was able to discover one more very impressive Object.
It was an isolation room with only a single computer placed there, but it was a Research Institute that had come all the way from Japan.
It wasn't an extremely dangerous Object, but it was an Object whose nature was incomprehensible as to how they had captured it.
Thankfully, it was translated into Korean, so I could read the Object's description.
<Internet Specter>
<Never connect this computer to the network.>
It was an Object being isolated in computer data form, so it had to be careful because it would escape if connected to a network.
If connected to a network, it would roam inside, repeatedly causing public opinion manipulation and unrest all day long.
How did they really isolate this thing?
I was curious, but that must be the know-how of this Research Institute, so they didn't write it down....
As I continued touring the various Research Institutes at the exhibition, I discovered something strange.
They were gloomy researchers welcoming people at the Bucheon Research Institute booth.
Of course, it wasn't strange because they looked too tired, but because they were not human.
Unlike their human-like appearances and behaviors, they were Objects.
Were those researchers afflicted by something like the 'Golden Horn Syndrome'?
But to be completely objectified? That's quite fascinating.
Behind the researchers stood a huge golden tree.
But that... did it seem a bit brighter than before??