The Afterlife. A mysterious place where humans are said to go when they die. And the Reapers, who guide the souls of the deceased to the world beyond.

In reality, these Reapers are... civil servants.

The world known as the Afterlife is less a mystical realm and more a massive administrative institution operated through numerous organizations, regulations, and bureaucratic procedures.

At its center lies the Afterlife Management Agency, the body that oversees all deaths.

The Afterlife Management Agency is a state-like organization that manages death, reincarnation, and the movement of souls, with various departments collaborating to maintain order in the beyond.

The Agency consists of departments such as the Bureau of Life and Death, the Bureau of Reincarnation, the Bureau of Secrecy, the Audit Bureau, the Bureau of Salary and Welfare, and the Bureau of Civil Petitions.

The civil servants belonging to the Bureau of Life and Death are called Reapers.

They are public officials who safely guide lost souls to the Afterlife, following the ledgers issued by the Bureau of Life and Death. To become a full-fledged Reaper, one must undergo a staggering 50-year apprenticeship.

Reapers are bound by three absolute rules:

1. Do not guide any human not recorded in the ledger.
2. Do not reveal your identity to ordinary humans.
3. Contact and conversation with ordinary humans are strictly prohibited.

These rules are absolute principles for maintaining the balance between the Afterlife and the human world. Violating even one results in severe punishment.

Typical disciplinary actions include a 50-year extension of the apprenticeship and a 25-year salary cut.

Of course, these rules only apply while on duty; you don't have to worry about them in your daily life.