NOVEL NEXT Yerin POV:
---
The Golden Reaper offers a handful of pudding.
As I take the pudding into my mouth, the Golden Reaper stares intently at me as if to say, 'Isn't it delicious?'
"Thank you!"
Saying thanks, I vigorously pat the Reaper's head.
Gray Reaper's pudding tasting journey came to a halt when it discovered a certain imported pudding.
It seemed to like it so much that even the usually inexpressive Gray Reaper's fondness was palpable.
However, Golden Reaper's reaction was a bit puzzling at first.
After taking a bite, it would scoop up handfuls of the pudding and share it with people around it.
So initially, unlike Gray Reaper, I thought Golden Reaper didn't like the taste.
However, observing how it practically turned it into its staple food, consuming only this pudding, it was evident that the Golden Reaper had a profound love for it.
Remarkably, the Golden Reaper shared it because it found the pudding truly delicious and wanted humans to experience its taste as well.
The Gray Reaper, on the other hand, would snatch the Golden Reaper's pudding as it passed by, in stark contrast.
But there was one concern.
"Senior Jungroo. The pudding supply still isn't coming in?"
"Yes. The Korean factory producing it has been occupied by a Level 2 threat Object. Strangely, they keep failing at re-containment."
It's the pudding Gray Reaper loves so much, but the factory has an issue.
I hope it doesn't become too saddened in the absence of the pudding.
Would it really go to the factory just for pudding?
***
??? POV:
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A desert appeared in the heart of Seoul.
A desert full of red sand like blood.
For Seoul residents, this strange phenomenon became an entertaining spectacle.
It could be dangerous due to the Object involvement, but tourists coming here probably aren't considering that.
In the midst of this desert, a large woman covered in tattoos appeared.
"Sister, why did you suddenly want to come here?"
Her frail-looking younger sister followed behind.
"Here, the famous..."
The large woman started saying something unfamiliar, then closed her mouth and said again,
"The 'Red Moon' has appeared. They say we must be careful even uttering its name, this 'Nameless' is really annoying."
The large woman turned to look down at her sister, speaking softly,
"Tell me anytime you want to kill me. I consider my current life a kind of 'bonus', so just being granted a proper death would be a blessing."
"No, when will you stop talking about killing! I'm not going to kill you anymore."
The younger sister babbled flustered,
"I like you much better now than anyone else?"
The younger sister grinned as she bragged about her sister as if it were obvious
"You don't hit me, you don't curse, you're kind."
In fact, the younger sister's attempts to kill were quite frequent, but always failed due to her lack of resolve.
Then suddenly at some point, her attitude did a 180-degree turn, but the reason was never addressed by the older sister.
She just figured the girl had mental issues, so this could happen.
Especially odd was how she believed without any doubt the claim of coming from another world.
"So why did you come to see this 'Red Moon'?"
"Actually, residents of the Red Moon used to live in this desert, but from the looks of it now, they seem to be gone. It would have been nice if some remained..."
The large woman scooped up a handful of the red sand in an area away from people's gaze.
Then from a vial she took out, she dripped an unidentified liquid onto the sand.
The red sand wriggled and clumped around the liquid, forming a glossy red sphere that shimmered like a pearl.
"Wow, it's like magic!"
"Not magic, just simple alchemy."
"Uh-huh, amazing alchemy!"
The large woman carefully placed the spherical object into the bag she brought.
As she did, her younger sister asked
"Did you say you were going to make something like a bomb with that?"
"Yes, it's a potent medicine for those who are neither alive nor dead."
"I've never even seen those 'monsters that are neither alive nor dead', is it really necessary?"
"Since that thing has appeared in this world, it is definitely necessary."
With a ferocious smile, a face surfaced in her mind.
The vile face of a man called the betrayer of humanity.
The face of the man who currently holds the title of the 3rd Director of the Trinity Research Institute.
***
One of the three directors leading Trinity Research Institute.
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The mansion where the 3rd Director resides.
A place where unpleasant black plants grow on slimy black soil in the garden.
In a corner of that mansion, the 3rd Director, a middle-aged man, looked down at a butler who had melted into mud.
"Hmm, I thought I had successfully recreated the elixir this time, but it failed again. What a pity. Such a pity."
The 3rd Director kept saying it was a pity, but his expression did not look pitiful at all.
"...! ...! ...."
The already melted butler was thrashing about and screaming, but it only sounded like an indible mumble.
Looking down at the mumbling butler begging to be saved, the 3rd Director said,
"As expected, the butler is loyal to the very end. Instead of a funeral, he wants to be burned alive."
As the 3rd Director snapped his fingers, a small spark flew out and gently landed on the butler.
Then, as if oil had caught fire, the butler instantly burst into flames.
"With the different physiology, the medicine keeps being imperfect. More experiments are needed."
A large man lying next to the burning butler suddenly stood up.
"Oh, you've regained consciousness already? Having the Golden Horn must make you different."
However, the large man did not seem normal.
His entire body was dyed pitch black, even drooling profusely.
But seeing that appearance, the 3rd Director nodded with great delight.
"I was wondering if I should get a new butler, but a new one has appeared right away. Welcome, new butler."
The 3rd Director patted the staggering large man's shoulder, welcoming his new butler.
Then he ordered the large man to clean up the burned remains of the butler and left deeper into the mansion.
The large man simply sat on the floor, chewing and eating the butler's remains.
His mouth split into three monster-like parts, greedily eating the rock-hard, dried remains of the butler.
***
3rd person POV:
---
Dum-dum-dum-dum~
Late at night after the sun had set beyond the horizon, a blonde girl opened the window of her officetel and danced along to the TV, following the Gray Reaper dance that was popular these days.
After dancing for a while, the girl stopped and stared at the black agent.
"Are you hungry?"
The black agent loosened the collar on his neck and spoke.
"Yes."
The blonde girl nodded slightly, approached, and bit into the agent's nape.
After finishing the blood drinking, the black agent said
"Wouldn't it be better to contact the Chairman? There's a limit to evading the Chairman's attention like this."
"Absolutely not. Who knows what grandfather might do. He could really dissect me."
The black agent looked puzzled.
"Just looking at the unprecedented response speed from the association this time, you can see how much the Chairman cherishes you. Do you perhaps have a reason for not wanting that to be known?"
Hearing the black agent's words, the blonde girl pondered for a moment before answering.
"Hmm. Grandfather is strange. He always says 'I love you, I cherish you', but he never stops me from going to dangerous places."
"Isn't he respecting your decisions and freedom?"
"What kind of person gives that to an elementary school student!"
The blonde girl continued with a firm expression.
"It's not just once or twice that I've felt an eerie feeling. For some reason, there are times when I feel like grandfather wishes I would get into an accident and die."
Seeing the girl's impassioned outburst in an excited state, the black agent decided to drop his opinion.
"Then I will make plans to avoid being detected by the Chairman."
The black agent began organizing tasks that must be done, such as creating a new identity.
***
Reaper (MC) POV:
---
Hungry Golden Reapers were sprawled out on the bed.
Snacks were piled up like mountains around them.
But the Golden Reapers had lost their appetite and were stretched out listlessly.
I was lying next to them, flipped over, watching the news to soothe my sad heart.
No more pudding.
The ninja pudding I had finally found, now it was no more.
Even more dreadful was not knowing when pudding would return.
"They're not producing it anymore, I don't know when it will be back in stock. I'm sorry, Reaper!"
Yerin was at a loss beside me and the sprawled Golden Reapers.
The heartless TV, unable to understand human emotions, was broadcasting the news as usual.
[A factory in Incheon that had obtained a license to produce a famous overseas pudding has been occupied by Objects.]
A sound that made my ears perk up came from the TV.
The famous overseas pudding factory occupied by Objects!
Was the reason for the production halt due to the Objects?