Late night, inside Lobotomy Corporation, the Abnormality world.
"…So that's the trouble you ran into today?"
In the Abnormality space, after listening to X vent, One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds casually brewed him a cup of tea.
"Because an AI hates the company but doesn't hate you… that's it, right?"
"More or less… I just don't understand."
X lifted the teacup. The faintly scalding warmth in his hand helped him steady himself a little, and he answered.
"Almost everyone is telling me—directly or indirectly—that there's something wrong with this company… but I can't figure out what the problem is."
X had no mind for tea. His head was still filled with every detail of his daytime conversation with Angela, and that terrifying flood of red warning light.
"And according to her, if she really tried to oppose the company on her own, she'd only end up failing miserably…"
"She knows there's no good ending. If she knows it's impossible, then why would she—"
"Don't always think you're smarter than everyone else, X. You're too arrogant."
One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds cut off X's muttering gently, reminding him:
"If she can have such thoughts, then as long as she isn't one hundred percent sure of success, she absolutely will not expose herself."
"You don't need to worry for her."
"…True."
X nodded, his expression easing.
"I only know this because I'm 'cheating'… Normally, how would I ever get intel like that?"
"By the way, X."
"One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds" took a light sip of tea and shifted to a new topic.
"Recently, you haven't been sending new employees to me for 'confession' work much."
"But luckily you still come at night to chat with me—share worries or happy things…"
"Otherwise I'd be stuck here all day, bored enough to grow mold…"
"Is it really that bad?"
X couldn't help laughing.
"I've always arranged for newly hired employees—during their first Abnormality work—to come to you first for 'Communication' or 'Insight' work."
"Sigh… the kids you sent these past few days—none of them truly confessed to me."
One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds propped her cheek with one hand, full of regret.
"There's nothing for me to eat at all…"
"Oh right… I forgot you feed on the sins in people's words."
X suddenly realized.
He only remembered now: a work rating only shows whether the Abnormality is satisfied—it doesn't mean its needs were actually met.
A typical example was the cute little bird in the Information Department: Insight work could satisfy its environmental needs.
But physiological needs like hunger could only be met through proper Instinct work (usually feeding).
"Actually, if you want, I can confess to you too."
An idea struck X. His previously casual posture straightened at once.
"I may not have committed any monstrous crimes, but I've got plenty of small, joke-like sins to pick from~"
"Hah… we'll talk about that kind of thing later."
One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds merely glanced at him lazily, seeming uninterested in such "small-time mischief."
She lifted her arms and stretched, a simple motion that perfectly displayed her alluring curves.
"Haa…"
Then she yawned languidly, as if letting down all defenses, and tipped forward—soft and boneless—until she lay sprawled across the table.
"Today… I don't know why… I feel kind of sleepy…"
"I might… not be able to keep chatting with you… Sorry, X…"
"Huh…? That sudden? Okay…"
Seeing her show fatigue like this for the first time, X was surprised.
But he didn't overthink it.
After all, the Managerial Operations Manual clearly described such matters.
After the workday ended and Lobotomy Corporation entered "off hours," the facility's Qliphoth deterrence level would be raised far above daytime, to suppress dangerous Abnormalities' activity.
Maybe One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds was like this simply because today's overall suppression level had been adjusted a little higher than usual.
That wasn't impossible.
So X only felt it wasn't good for her to sleep on the table.
He stood, walked lightly to her side, bent down, and asked as gently as he could:
"Then… do you want me to help you over to that bed?"
He pointed to the plain stone bed in the corner.
"No…"
Still lying on the table, One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds shook her head with barely perceptible movement.
"If you're going to move me… then just carry me over…"
"Otherwise… don't touch me…"
"N-no, that's not necessary…"
X took a small step back and waved his hands, half amused, half exasperated.
"Hey, Sin… you trust me that much? I'm a normal, hot-blooded man… aren't you afraid I might do something dangerous to you?"
"Mm… dangerous…?"
She clearly hadn't heard what X said.
"If you're worried it's dangerous outside… you can keep staying here with me…"
Of course, it might also be that she was so drowsy she could no longer process outside information clearly.
"I'm going to sleep… but even so, I can still barely maintain this place."
"No… really, no need."
X still didn't move closer to the half-asleep nun.
Time inside Lobotomy Corporation was limited. While it was safe here, a man and a woman alone in a room could easily spark something that shouldn't exist.
And when one side was in a defenseless sleep state… it truly tested a person's self-control.
Especially since this white-haired nun before him had almost no sense of boundaries—always, intentionally or not, doing things that tempted him to make mistakes.
For example: when he was thinking, she'd press that full, heavy chest against his back.
Or when he was tired, she'd lift her long skirt without worrying about exposure, kneel down, and let him rest his head on her thighs… and so on.
Right. Calm… calm…
X forced himself to breathe deeply.
The prototype of this white-haired nun was a skull… just a skull…
You shouldn't have improper thoughts about a skull… X, calm down…
Humans and Abnormalities shouldn't have relationships that cross boundaries… calm down…
After repeating the reminders in his heart several times, X finally managed to steady his turbulent mind.
He took one long look at One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds, still lying on the table, her breathing even and unhurried.
The chaos in his thoughts finally cooled completely.
I must be sick… How could I have improper thoughts about a confidant who trusts me so much?
No, no—this must be because I've been busy with work and haven't… dealt with things lately…
That's right! Otherwise, how could I feel that kind of impulse toward an Abnormality?!
Muttering internally, X left One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds' Abnormality space.
—
The moment he exited her space, X hurried without pause to the containment unit of the second Abnormality space.
Except for yesterday—when he had to temporarily change his exploration order to learn how to manage O-05-76 (now confirmed as "Schadenfreude")—X had always explored the "inside" world in containment order.
For Abnormalities whose observation level in reality had already reached the maximum—whose intel was basically complete—X would, as much as possible, explore or communicate in their corresponding inner worlds according to their management guidelines and precautions.
And vice versa.
If he encountered an Abnormality like "Schadenfreude" again—where information in reality was severely lacking, or behavior patterns were unpredictable—X would be far more cautious.
In such cases, he would rely on direct interaction and observation inside the inner world to infer and refine the Abnormality's intel.
Then, using that intel, he'd guess the correct real-world management notes and response strategies.
"By order, today's should be… the bird's Abnormality world?"
X lifted his head and confirmed the containment unit's location.
Then he opened the door and stepped inside.
He stood in the unit, recalling the containment list in his mind, while silently sorting through every exploration he had made inside "Lobotomy Corporation" during this period.
"Old Bones has a humanoid body… Fairy Festival is basically those 'cannibal gatherings' in District 23…"
"Ugh… I really don't want to go back to the fairies… Why does a ZAYIN-class Abnormality have such a terrifying side?"
"And then… the soda machine is a sailing ship on the sea… The Heart of Aspiration is literally just a beating heart…"
"Every Abnormality's 'inner world' is so unique. I wonder what kind of scene the bird's place will be…"
With curiosity and worry intertwined, X reached out and touched the portal inside the containment unit.
-------
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