One rookie throwing a tantrum, two superiors on the verge of tears.

All three are eight years old.

The situation was steadily worsening.

‘Damn it!’

This isn’t an explanation—it’s just overwhelming…!

I felt like biting my tongue as I tried my best to explain why I insisted on ‘No! Let’s keep looking,’ but I was already on the verge of being affected by the two of them.

Because among kids, tears spread quickly…!

"Ah, we still have time left, but the rule was just to stay for two days, right? That means we still have time to search safely without being affected…."

"…That’s true."

"Then I want to find at least one more child. There might be one, and we just haven’t found them yet!"

Agent Choi, now a child, sniffled.

"M-Maybe? Then maybe another two days…."

"Agent!"

Agent Bronze, now a child with reddened eyes, stepped forward, glaring at Agent Choi before turning to me and speaking firmly.

"No."

I wanted to argue, ‘Why not?!’

"Why not?!"

This is driving me crazy.

Agent Bronze also shouted back.

"Because it could be dangerous! An agent’s life always comes first. If we recklessly break the rules and push too far…."

Then his voice wavered, catching in his throat.

"I... I’ve seen agents die like that. Many seniors never made it back."

“…….”

"That’s why we shouldn’t even start. We have to follow the rules."

‘…Sigh.’

His argument makes sense too.

Then, Agent Bronze glanced at my arm.

"Don’t forget that arm needs to be recharged every three days."

"But I brought the charger for it! T-Then how about this? Just one more night, let’s stay just one more night."

Agent Choi raised a finger as he spoke.

"And if by tomorrow afternoon, we’re not convinced there’s a child worth rescuing, we’ll just leave. Okay? A half-day delay in the mission… is really just a single extra line in the report."

“…….”

Both of us instinctively turned to look at Agent Bronze.

"Jaegwan…."

"Agent, over there…."

"Do as you wish."

And then, Agent Bronze shut his mouth.

Leaving only those words behind.

"I never agreed."

That seemed to be the case.

His face was flushed red, unable to hide the frustration and resentment.

But it was also an implicit declaration that he wouldn’t argue further, so Agent Choi wrapped things up quickly.

"Alright! Then just one more day!"

If we still found nothing, we would give up and leave immediately, three children made that promise.

And then, we scattered to check the sleeping areas assigned to us.

Agent Choi took the area near the palace, Agent Bronze took the central fountain, and I… was assigned to the town entrance.

What was frustrating was that my path overlapped with Agent Bronze’s, meaning we had to walk together.

“…….”

“…….”

"Uh, I’m sorry…."

"…It’s fine."

Agent Bronze sighed as he spoke.

"Considering other cases where ‘Goblin’s Prank’ caused transformations… this actually ended rationally enough."

"I-Is that so?"

"Yes. There have been agents who ended up crying, fighting, and rolling around on the ground together."

I-I see.

"That’s why rules are necessary. In these supernatural situations, even if something doesn’t make sense at the moment, following regulations is crucial. In the end, we’ll see that it was the right choice."

Agent Bronze took a deeper breath.

"Of course, Agent Grape isn’t at fault. Every rookie goes through this at least once. But the real issue is that our superior failed to properly explain things and ended up agreeing instead…!"

“…….”

Thanks to that superior, this rookie got an extra day added to the mission, and now I have to shut my mouth in guilt….

Anyway, although Agent Bronze still looked displeased, by the time we parted ways to our respective locations, he had at least regained enough composure to give me advice.

"The children will all fall asleep before midnight anyway. Agent Grape, don’t waste your energy—get some rest."

"…Yes."

In Sparkling Dragon Palace, the transition between day and night is marked by the chime of the city’s clock tower.

As night falls, drowsiness sets in according to a child’s sleep cycle, and before midnight, everyone falls asleep. At sunrise, they wake to cheerful music.

It was a supernatural structure befitting a ghost story.

I walked past the mesmerizing crimson-gold light and into the village, now covered in soft navy and white sparkles, heading toward the dormitory assigned to me.

A sign at the entrance indicated the name.

For Children

Dreamland Beds

Inside, as expected of a children’s dormitory, the large space was decorated in a cute and whimsical style, with over a dozen soft canopy beds lined up.

…All the children in the dormitory were already asleep.

Since I had spent every last moment searching for a child to rescue, I had already used up all the time I could.

Drowsiness washed over me as well.

"Hoo…"

I picked an empty bed at random and lay down. The ridiculously soft and warm bedding enveloped my head and body in comfort.

And briefly, the embarrassing scene from earlier flashed through my mind… Wow.

Did I really throw a tantrum? Me?

‘I don’t think I was even that bad when I was actually a kid.’

And thinking about our personalities, it wasn’t just me—Agent Choi and Agent Bronze must have been the same.

Maybe because ‘Goblin’s Prank’ isn’t actual rejuvenation but an illusion, it oddly feels like we’ve been transformed into the concept of children.

So what’s important now is to remain composed and not be affected by the excessive traits of this child’s body.

After all, the goal hasn’t changed.

In my drowsy state, I made a slow resolution.

‘…Wake up early and start searching immediately.’

At least one.

Maybe, just one… could be taken out of here….

…….

…….

[Grape.]

…Hm?

[Grape. I think you’ll be a great agent. Your arm thinks so too.]

A warm and familiar voice echoed.

No, hearing it again, it sounded strong and reliable.

What is this?

[It's your dream.]

Is that so?

Now that I think about it, I did fall asleep.

A flickering light shimmered in front of my closed eyes. Like a warm flame…

[And in dreams, thoughts that cannot arise in reality naturally come to mind. Because you are free from the constraints of reality.]

…….

Things that don't come to mind in reality…

Indeed, since I had to become a child to meet the entry conditions and carry out the rescue mission, I must have overlooked some things. Now, I can review them.

In the dream, I calmly recalled a few questions.

The doubts of an adult.

For example….

'Why do more than half of the children change every time the agents come?'

If all the children changed completely, one could reasonably assume that there are multiple similar places due to the nature of this supernatural phenomenon.

However, the fact that more than half of the children change is an entirely different matter.

In other words, it means that more than half of them disappear from here.

At the very least, in a way that prevents them from meeting the agents.

And then….

'Why don't the agents feel any suspicion about that?'

A chilling yet simple and definite possibility also comes to mind at the same time.

Either they themselves are affected by this eerie phenomenon,

...Or there is something they are deliberately hiding from me, the newcomer.

Or both.

'If that's the case….'

…Don't I have something useful for this situation?

Something that will supplement my realization.

Something I don't even need to ask the other two for.

[Indeed! You’re clever, Grape. A wise thought is a treasure of all ages.]

[Don't forget what you’ve gained in this dream and check it when you wake up tomorrow.]

I felt as if a wrinkled hand gently patted my head in encouragement.

Ah, thank you, elder.

…….

“Ah.”

Kyarurururu!

The sound of bells and children’s laughter could be heard.

A new golden morning has begun.

“Let's go see the Mermaid Princess!”

“I want to play tag.”

The children, chattering energetically, get up from their beds and leave the room.

Normally, I should be chasing after them to gather information, but instead, my mind clearly recalls one particular idea.

Something I concluded in last night’s dream.

“…….”

I reached inside my thick coat and carefully took out something I had brought along, making sure it wouldn't break.

It was the ‘Children’s Detective Syrup’—a syrup I had created by pressing the emoji button in the Dream Incubation Room.

At Daydream Inc., it was called this.

Detection Potion

: When consumed, it enhances your vision, allowing you to see what you need the most at this moment.

If I drink the Detective Syrup, I should be able to see which child can be rescued.

Right now, my mission's goal, what I need most, is rescuing the children.

‘Alright.’

Normally, I would have overanalyzed this... but since this is about rescuing children, thinking too much about it makes me feel like a terrible person.

‘Besides, I needed to confirm its effects at least once.’

I opened the sealed cap of the syrup and gulped it down.

Just as written on the label, the syrup had an artificial cherry scent and a sweet taste as it slid down my throat…

“...Hoo.”

I put away the empty bottle.

Unlike a healing potion, I didn’t feel any dramatic, visible changes, but my heartbeat steadied, and I felt calm.

‘Now, let’s check.’

I alternated between observing the children remaining in the living room and those running through the streets beyond the window.

I was trying to find the ‘child that stood out.’

But….

“…….”

Why isn’t there one?

Neither the children running outside nor the ones laughing and playing by the fountain in the distance.

They’re just children. None of them particularly stand out.

Just as I was about to shudder at the thought that there might truly be no target at all…

‘…Huh?’

I sensed a presence from somewhere else.

At the edge of my vision, something distinct and bright caught my attention.

“…….”

I turned my gaze to confirm it.

It was in the opposite pocket of my coat.

It was where I kept the item I had purchased from the Faceless Market of the Manhole.

‘Why is this…?’

I reached in and took out the object.

It was a sheet printed with four old stamps.

It looked like a cost-reduced charity or promotional seal, with faded images of old Korean streets on each stamp.

And upon closer inspection, non-human figures could also be seen in the background.

Pigeons, rats, stray cats, sparrows, cockroaches.

Creatures that coexist in human streets.

Street Stamps

: A peculiar stamp that allows the user to disguise themselves as one of the animals commonly seen in the streets of Yeongdeungpo District, Korea, in the 20th century.

Created by Today’s Relic Vendor.

…I had originally picked this up in case I needed to escape or hide while spying, but Agent Choi recommended it back to me, which made me break out in a cold sweat.

And I had broken out in another sweat while picking out non-Daydream Inc. items for trade.

Anyway, the fundamental ability of this item is exactly that.

‘The ability to transform into a street animal, rather than a human.’

Sounds pretty useful, doesn’t it?

Of course, there is a fatal side effect.

However, if one remains under the stamp's effect for more than two consecutive hours, their body may mutate into something from within the stamp.

This wasn’t a simple matter of merely turning into that animal.

Instead, the characteristics of those animals would appear grotesquely, as if infecting the human body—just like in a bioweapon horror game.

Imagine growing a pigeon’s beak or a sparrow’s eyeball on the side of your jaw.

‘Ugh.’

Just thinking about it was horrifying, reinforcing my resolve never to exceed the usage limit.

But… in a ghost story where 'the form of a child' is the entry requirement, why would turning into an animal be ‘what I need most’ right now?

I felt uneasy, but at the same time, a cold chill ran down my spine.

Something felt off—I had to check.

‘…Even if Daydream Inc. scammed people with other things, they never scammed with potions.’

The effects were so precise that there was never any need to.

‘Alright.’

If anything felt off, I could immediately spit out the stamp and return to my child form.

Taking a deep breath, I peeled off a stamp and placed it in my mouth.

“…!!”

My vision dropped lower.

Even more dramatically than when I had turned into a child—down to the floor.

My spine arched, and I stood on all fours.

I felt fur against my skin, my ears perked up, and I had an odd sensation of long whiskers.

‘A cat?’

I lifted my head.

Being a pigeon might have been more useful since I could fly, but at least I avoided becoming a cockroach or a rat, which was a relief…

…….

‘Huh.’

The golden city in my vision began to collapse.

The mesmerizing blue sea, the fairytale-like brick houses shining like paradise, the beautiful banners—all of them lost their light, faded, and crumbled.

And in their place, grotesque sights began to appear—rusted metal pipes, flickering broken streetlights, half-destroyed buildings, graffiti made of blood and filth.

Lumpy, grotesque ulcerous masses bulged out, pulsating between the bricks and the streetlights! This entire space is infected! It’s wrong! It’s wrong! They’re everywhere! I’m contaminated…

Spit it out!

I have to spit out the stamp. Something is terribly wrong….

…….

No.

‘That’s… not it.’

It’s the shock of falling from a mesmerizing place… into a horrifying one.

I’m not contaminated.

“Haa…”

I steadied my breath.

As I adjusted to my surroundings, the overwhelming panic subsided. I shivered and observed my surroundings with a cold, detached mind, free from the child's perspective.

A grotesquely collapsed civilization and chunks of infected organic matter spread throughout the city.

This is a description I recognize.

Yes. ‘Sparkling Dragon Palace’ wasn’t a ghost story

 unknown to the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>.

----------------------------------

Chronicles of Darkness Exploration/ Ghost story

[Mermaid’s Grave]

A ghost story listed in <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>.

Daydream Incorporation ID code: Qterw-C-1642.

A ghost story about wandering through a grotesque city that has sunk to the ocean floor.

Victims are chased by swarms of monstrous organisms and, if caught, are drained of all their blood and mucus until they die.

----------------------------------

This.

The city is already in ruins, and based on the records left behind, it can be assumed that it perished due to a bio-disaster infection.

Seeing the traces of a once-beautiful city contrasted against its current state of apocalyptic ruin due to a horrific bio-disaster is quite the spectacle.

The city's records refer to the bio-disaster as 'mermaids,' which is why it was registered in the database as 'Mermaid’s Grave.'

So… the children of the Sparkling Dragon Palace here…

At the heart of the city lies a grotesque mass, the core cluster of the 'Bio-disaster—Mermaid' infection source, from which infectious entities endlessly pursue explorers.

If caught, one becomes infected and turns into a host for the mermaids.

I staggered forward on all fours, walking along the completely ruined streets.

Throughout the deep, dark streets, I saw corpses frozen in grotesque postures, moving as if drawn by strange ulcer-like masses.

No… they were half alive, half corpse.

They moved stiffly and awkwardly, like puppets.

‘Those decorative fountain dolls.’

Children…

Take some honey!

Dolls in various shapes, from toy soldiers to elephants.

‘They were once human.’

They were people dragged into this insane ghost story and infected.

Then, the honey that flowed from the faucets attached to their bellies…

Was actually blood extracted from their stomachs by those ulcer-like masses.

‘…Ugh.’

I ran.

I kicked off on all fours and ran through the grotesque ruins of this ancient city sunk beneath the sea, where rusted machinery was entwined with writhing, contaminated life.

And so, I arrived at the heart of the city.

…What had once appeared to be a beautiful Dragon Palace…

Was actually a massive cluster of ulcerous masses.

Thump, thump.

Even from here, I could feel its pulse—filthy crimson, green, and pale pink flesh-like masses clung to the ruins of colossal buildings, towering like grotesque avant-garde sculptures.

And at the very front, a lump-covered egg sac writhing with tentacles.

With a knowing eye, one could recognize its silhouette.

The statue of the Mermaid Princess.

The infectious entities extract the blood and mucus of the infected explorers and supply it to the core cluster in the heart of the city. In turn, the cluster spits out infectious slime and waste.

The waste consists of indigestible fibers, plastics, and other debris.

Right.

…In the ' Dragon Palace,' when the children offered 'honey' to the statues, they received toys, clothes, and fairy tale books... But those were actually the old belongings of the people who had gone missing here.

It was merely an illusion designed to appear that way to the children.

This ghost story.

And it was infecting the children.

The terrible infectious entities, often called 'baby mermaids' in the Mermaid’s Grave ghost story from the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>, were ultimately…

Ultimately….

“…….”

No.

‘This… this is…’

I need to return first. I can’t meet the children in this state.

I staggered and barely managed to turn my body.

At that moment.

Wuuuuung!

With a strange noise, one of the ulcerous masses on the ground shot slime at me.

“…!”

It’s infectious slime.

If that sticks to me, I’ll grow a faucet too…!

‘Damn it.’

Fortunately, a cat knows how to run fast.

As if it were second nature, my four legs moved fluidly, fully adapted to my feline body, sprinting through dust-covered and rusted alleys.

Is this why Agent Choi recommended it?

‘Anyway!’

So, the real question is…

What the hell do I do with this?

Should I inform the agents?

And if I do, how much should I tell them?

How should the rescue be carried out?

Wait, in this situation, should the agents still remain in their child forms?

Is a child's form truly safe?

The idea that living here is better than turning into sea foam… now that judgment is…

“Over here. No baby mermaids.”

…!

“Move.”

“Yes, Deputy!”

I stopped in my tracks.

Three figures entered the alley.

A calm tone. Familiar terminology from the exploration records. Titles used as ranks.

…It’s Daydream Inc.

‘The Field Exploration Team is already inside…!’

Right, most of the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration> registered under that company were written by the Field Exploration Team employees. It’s only natural to encounter company personnel inside.

…Then, that means.

Maybe I can use them.

‘Daydream Inc. employees usually carry at least one or two pieces of special equipment.’

They might have a way to break through this situation. Or at least an idea…!

Even if not, having more cards to play was always necessary.

‘Let’s go.’

Holding my breath, I approached the alley where masks and suits had just passed.

“…Like I said.”

“Ah, this.”

Their conversation reached my sharp hearing, and as I turned the corner, I finally saw the three figures….

…….

Familiar masks.

“…Hmm. Doesn’t seem very useful.”

“Huh? Seems like it could be worth something. I’ll take it.”

Goat mask Baek Saheon, Pony mask Kang Yihak.

And then….

“Be quiet.”

Butterfly mask, Team A’s Deputy Jin Nasol.

“…….”

‘Damn it.’

What a killer lineup.