"If you move again, I'll kill you…."
The old clerk barely restrained the urge to kick that bastard in the face. He carefully glanced at the Anomaly now exposed to Lobotomy Corporation's air.
Apparently, nothing unexpected had happened.
It was a translucent glass tube filled with pale green liquid.
Like an organ preserved in formaldehyde in a chemical laboratory.
Yet the object contained within defied identification—even for Lobotomy Corporation employees with high academic qualifications.
It resembled a cell, yet also a head, and at the same time a ball of flame. It burned within the solution, and at its center, an eye-like structure embedded in black-red fire slowly rotated, constantly shifting its position.
At the very least, they could confirm that this was not the product of some mad scientists in the Outskirts, but a genuine Anomaly.
"Damn it… what exactly is this thing…?"
The old clerk felt deeply uneasy. He was an experienced hand who had survived nearly a month already, and he knew very well that nothing sent from Lobotomy Corporation Headquarters was ever safe.
"Don't be so angry… you're just too paranoid," the new clerk said, having recovered, smiling as he patted his senior's shoulder.
"I actually think it looks pretty friendly…"
As he spoke, he even lightly tapped the glass tube with his finger.
"Don't you think so, little fellow…?"
The black-and-red, cell-like head continued to observe them, occasionally bumping against the glass wall.
"If you like it so much, then you can hold it!"
The Anomaly transport container was single-use. Now that it had been opened, someone had to make direct contact with the Anomaly and return it to its containment unit.
The old clerk recoiled several steps in disgust, disdainfully assigning the task to the very culprit who had caused the situation.
"If I have to hold it, then I'll hold it," the new clerk said indifferently, lifting the object without hesitation.
"You're dead, kid. No need to even bet whether you'll survive a week…."
The old clerk mocked him from behind, but the junior paid him no mind.
Walking down the corridor, they safely arrived at the Training Department's containment unit.
The new clerk gently placed the glass tube into the containment chamber behind the warning line.
"See? Done. What's so hard about it?" he said smugly.
"Could this little guy really kill me?"
Smiling, he once again teased the Anomaly through the glass with his finger.
"..."
He continued provoking it, showing no intention of stopping—
Until—
Thump… thump…
The sound reached his ears.
The Anomaly suddenly began to strike the glass tube repeatedly, deliberately and forcefully.
Thump! Thump!
Each impact grew more violent than the last, as if it were furious about being confined here. The flames within it flared brighter, more unstable.
Its gaze remained fixed on the clerk who had provoked it.
As though it would kill him the moment it was released.
Seeing the violently shaking glass tube, the new clerk finally felt fear creep in. He retreated several steps and asked his senior:
"Senior… this thing won't break, will it…?"
"Who knows?" the old clerk replied coldly. "All I know is that anything from Headquarters is never safe."
By then, he had already backed himself up against the containment room door, ready to flee at any moment.
"Hey… Senior, it keeps staring at me. I don't like this."
After exchanging several more looks with the thing, the new clerk shivered. The more he stared, the more convinced he became that it was a head—and that this head wanted to eat his head and take over his body.
"Should we tell Senior Arthur?" he suggested nervously.
"He's more experienced. Maybe he knows what this thing is?"
But the reply didn't come from his senior.
Instead, a calm and beautiful voice spoke from behind them.
"There's no need. It's enough for Director Angela to know."
The two clerks turned abruptly.
Standing at the entrance was a smiling holographic projection—the newly appointed Director of the Training Department, Angela.
Even though neither of them belonged to the Training Department, they still bowed instinctively.
"Good day, Director…"
"Hmm… this Anomaly…"
Angela ignored the two bowing clerks, her gaze fixed solely on the glass tube in the distance. Her brows furrowed slightly.
Because within her memory bank—
There was no record of this Anomaly.
She was a super AI personally created by Ayin, and all Abnormalities assigned to this Branch should have been registered in her data.
However, Ayin had never shared the details of the Anomaly extraction process with her.
Her role was to assist the Manager—to operate behind the scenes, never stepping onto the stage herself.
There was no place for her in the script.
Angela shook her head slightly, dismissing the thought.
This must be newly extracted from the Well…
Perhaps the R&D Department Sephirah—Binah—would know something.
After all, the R&D Department was responsible for managing all physical materials within Lobotomy Corporation.
Facility repairs, E.G.O equipment research and maintenance, containment architecture, and Abnormality treatment—all of it fell under their jurisdiction.
Angela quickly ran through her memory bank.
But for now, there was no need to determine the origin of this Anomaly.
Turning back to the clerks, she smiled faintly.
She was simply… curious.
Curious about where Arthur, a mere Branch employee, had obtained such comprehensive Anomaly management guidelines.
Curious about what he had said to Hod—to allow Hod to escape reincarnation for the first time.
And curious whether this person—who absolutely should not exist within Ayin's script—would become an unforeseen variable.
That was why she had transferred the W-Class Anomaly T-04-50, 'Queen Bee'—an Anomaly that did not belong to this Branch's operational level.
"You may rest now," Angela said calmly.
"Since the Anomaly is in place, there's no need for you to continue monitoring it."
"M—mm…"
The two clerks nodded rapidly. They had wanted to leave from the very beginning.