The Timeless Kingdom, Kraphim
Ahh, the happy kingdom of Kraphim.
The people always sing with laughter and dance joyful dances.
Among the twelve kingdoms, the brightest shining one, Kraphim, was happy.
No one here ever ages.
Time passes us by.
The great king cast a spell for his people.
Wishing us eternal happiness.
But is that really okay?
Is defying time truly alright?
Born from nothing and returning to nothing is the unchanging truth.
Is it really fine to defy the laws of the world set since the beginning?
No, no, it's best not to worry about such things.
We are toys who cannot think.
We simply smile and greet our visitors.
Until they too smile and greet others just like us.
Ahh, the happy kingdom of Kraphim.
Everyone, we're so glad to see you. Welcome to our country. ♪~♬
Catastrophe-grade ghost story – The Timeless Kingdom, Kraphim.
I remember this ghost story always appearing with that eerie song whenever it showed up in the novel. It was a pretty unique one.
For starters, unlike its Catastrophe-grade power, it never attacks people first.
"It's not so much that it doesn't attack... it's more like the concept of 'striking first' doesn't even exist for it."
So as long as you don't attack first, you won't die from physical harm.
And unlike other Catastrophe-grade ones, it doesn't occupy a specific area and turn it into the Netherworld.
It's a unique ghost story that draws in people it calls 'visitors' into its own world.
Honestly, when I first read about it in the novel, I wondered if it was really a ghost story at all.
It just appeared, invited visitors, and vanished—that was it.
"But there was never any mention of visitors coming back... so there must be something more."
And most importantly!
—Click click!
"It's how it turns people into super cute SD characters! How diabolical...!"
"Shin oppa, what are you taking pictures of...?"
"Si-hyeon! You taking pics right now?! We gotta analyze that weird song from earlier!"
"Whoa?! Sorry, sorry! They were just so cute I couldn't help it...!"
Before I knew it, I'd been snapping photos of the cutified Emilia and Victoria with my smartphone.
Kraphim... what terrifying power...
Making already cute beautiful girls even cuter—what a desirable... no, frightening ability!
"Guh, turning people cute so they can't even think to fight back? A genius strategy?"
No, snap out of it, Yoon Si-hyeon! Once you're in a ghost story, this lax mindset won't let you survive!
I shook my head quickly to banish the stray thoughts.
"Si-hyeon, stop spacing out and do something about us."
"Shin oppa, we're so tiny now our steps don't match yours at all..."
—Pat pat pat.
Emilia and Victoria were doing their tiny best to toddle after me, but the distance wasn't closing at all.
"Ah, you two are so small it's gotta be tough moving around, right? Guess I should carry you for now."
Since Kraphim is Catastrophe-grade, the beginner package's 'snap fix' won't work anyway. Better to stick together.
Using it recklessly might tip off Victoria and Emilia to my identity too.
"Come here, both of you. I'll carry ya."
Their size(?)... well, their bodies were so small I could easily hold both.
"Shin oppa, pick me up too."
"Me too...! Hold me tight!"
The girls, small enough to fit in my backpack, clutching my collar with cherry-tomato-sized fists...
Too cute—I nearly blacked out.
Haa, whatever. No point denying it anymore. I'm a lolicon.
I placed Emilia on my left shoulder and Victoria on my right.
"Shin oppa's shoulders are so broad, perfect for riding."
"But why are just we like this? Si-hyeon's totally fine!"
How should I know? Novel reader perk maybe...?
Anyway, gotta brush it off vaguely.
"Dunno? But since only you two got small, maybe there's a rule turning women into kids or something."
"Hmm, that does make some sense."
"If Shin oppa thinks so, I believe it."
No, don't believe me. I was just talking out my ass.
—Creeeak creeeak.
Then, one of the toy soldiers came creaking toward us.
He bowed politely, then turned and walked ahead, as if telling us to follow.
"Si-hyeon! The toy's coming at us! Run!"
Victoria, perched on my shoulder, tugged my cheeks, urging me to bolt.
"Don't worry. It's fine."
"...???"
Running away from the start is a no-go. Guests who flee stall the story.
I patted Emilia and Victoria lightly, explaining it was best to play along for now.
We'd been invited by the ghost story—no choice but to follow.
"Heard the rules earlier? The 'welcome' part. Best to let them guide us. And to fix your bodies, we gotta dive deeper into the ghost story. Can't just abandon you two, right? Haha."
"Si-hyeon... you're just a normal guy, it must be scary... but for us..."
"Shin oppa's so kind..."
"Then let's follow the toys? Hold on tight so you don't fall."
"Shin oppa, just in case, stay cautious."
"Riding Si-hyeon feels kinda fun."
We pushed through the thick fog, matching the toy soldier's emotionless steps.
Toward the kingdom where time had stopped—like a frozen dream. Kraphim.
Meanwhile, as Si-hyeon and the two girls entered the ghost story's tale...
—Zzt.
"Huh...?"
"What's up, Elissa?"
"Oh, nothing."
Elissa had sensed a powerful ghost story aura flicker into existence and vanish, but it was so brief she chalked it up to imagination.
Just my imagination... right?
"By the way, why do you always use formal speech with me? We agreed to drop it~"
The pink-haired girl across from Elissa...
—Twitch twitch.
Han Ga-eun, ace of Dawn's Light Guild with her charming twitching fox ears, spoke in a slightly grumpy tone.
"Hehe, sorry. It's just habit. It'll get better, so bear with me."
Elissa was taking a break at a cafe with Ga-eun.
"Speaking of, Ga-eun... aren't those on your head uncomfortable?"
Elissa pointed at Ga-eun's fox ears.
"I hear rumors it's a side effect from overusing Fox Shrine powers. You sure you're okay?"
"Pfft, no worries. It's not some weird curse. My dad's freaking out though."
"Who'd think his precious daughter would come back from an amusement park like that?"
"Not Si-hyeon oppa's fault, but Dad still chewed him out anyway? Total daughter-con."
At Si-hyeon's name, Elissa sensed overflowing love from Ga-eun.
Love. Happiness. Joy. And obsession.
It's been ages since I saw a girl this smitten. The obsession's a bit unexpected though.
Elissa had known from the start the fox-eared girl liked Si-hyeon—heart eyes were obvious when they first met at the cafe.
"A ghost story popped up at the amusement park, right?"
"Yeah. I passed out briefly, woke up, and it was all gone. Still no clue why."
"Just my hunch, but... maybe Phantom showed up again?"
"Phantom?"
"Yeah. He always appears when you're in danger."
Jet-black hair and eyes. Cloaked in ominous black energy—the mengmang-grade ghost story, Phantom.
"But officially, Phantom's been MIA since the Collector incident."
"Right. That's why there's speculation he's tied to some mengmang-grade somehow."
Phantom hadn't been sighted since the Prankster ghost story.
The 'Sanctuary of Obscura' guild, seeing explosive growth as his worshippers, was scouring the world for him—but no leads yet.
"No way some fanatic-magnet would show for lil' ol' me. Probably coincidence."
"You never know. Maybe Phantom treasures you? Hehe."
"Pfft~~ Probably just a girl-crazy ghost story. Everyone he saves is a pretty girl!"
"Heh, is that so?"
"Totally! Grateful he saves humans, but Phantom's definitely a pervert who loves cute girls! Bet he's off frolicking with them somewhere, that's why he's quiet."
"Hm? Someone badmouthing me? My ears are itchy."
"Shin oppa... I'll scratch it for you."
"Si-hyeon, me too?"
"Haha, sure, go for it."
I was following the toy soldier into Kraphim's depths, with Victoria and Emilia on my shoulders.
After trudging through fog for a while, the sight before us was breathtaking.
A city straight out of a fairy tale book.
—Chug chug whoosh.
Colorful bricks lined with rails, trains floating like balloons across the sky.
"Feels like a whole other world."
From the giant clock tower's spinning second hand to wind-up bear dolls and drumming rabbits lining the streets.
Everything screamed "toy land."
"Hey, kids, I get the child thing, but tone down those sparkling eyes?"
Emilia and Victoria looked thrilled, like kids at dreamland.
"Shin oppa, staying here too long makes me feel more kid-like. I wanna play with the toys so bad."
"Si-hyeon! That hobby horse over there keeps glaring at me! Gotta teach it a lesson!"
"Whoa, calm down both of you? Thrashing around up there, you'll fall."
Pink clouds drifted in the sky, streets decked in candy-colored decorations—this was Kraphim's city.
A place where time stood still.
Like someone's ideal dream forcibly frozen. Could we really escape unharmed?
"Gotta scout for rule hints... Huh???"
What? My right shoulder feels empty?
"Shin oppa, Victoria's gone."
"What? Where'd she go in that tiny body?"
—Tok tok tok!
Victoria had hopped off my shoulder and was charging toward the hobby horse she'd claimed was glaring.
"Leave it to me! Body's small but skills are the same—don't worry!"
Seeing her tiny hand gripping a sword and her blazing blue eyes, I knew what she was about to do.
"Victoria!! No! Attacking the toys first—"
—Thwack!!
"Ah."
The moment she struck the hobby horse, the dancing toy citizens welcoming us... their eyes turned red.
[This place does not receive the rude.]
"Nyaaah?! Si-hyeon! They're going weird!"
Yeah, I know. But more importantly... we're screwed now.