[Lobotomy Corporation] I'm an Abnormality...

We met.. EP.23

After saying goodbye to our little Nothing Pooch and the Wolf, we found ourselves wandering in circles through the hallways.

We couldn't be lost, could we? Michael works here, after all. And he confidently volunteered to be our guide, so he must have some plan. Maybe this anomaly only appears under special circumstances or something.

- Swivel, swivel.

But Michael keeps glancing around nervously.

...We're not actually lost, are we?

"I'm a little worried, so I have to ask."
"....Yes?"
"We're not lost, right?"

Michael fell silent.

...Hello?

"Ah, haha... It should be in this hallway."

See? We're finally here!

Somehow, I don't really trust his when he's darting his eyes around like that, looking so obviously anxious...

With a sense of anticipation, I peered into the window of the first containment cell.

Let's see, what does this cult leader anomaly look like...

"Waaaaaah!!"

- Thud.

Holy crap... That scared the living daylights out of me.

The moment I peeked through the window, a huge spider met my eyes. And all those eyes were looking straight at me.

Not to mention those squirming dozens of legs.

Ugh, gross! I think I'm traumatized!

...Wait, didn't this happen before?

"Ah... That's the 'Spider Bud' anomaly."

Michael, you should've said something sooner!

I glared at Michael with reproachful eyes.

...

Then, the second containment cell.

Surely there wouldn't be another creepy anomaly like that, right?

Swallowing my anxiety, I cautiously looked inside the cell.

And what I saw was a strangely shaped bird.

Bizarrely, its head was wrapped in bandages, and a scale hung from its unusually long, crooked neck.

The birds here are really weird-looking...

As I stared blankly at the long bird, it suddenly raised its head.

Then, its hunched neck straightened, and the scale hanging from it fell.

'...?!'

A shiver ran up my spine.

At some point, the long bird was looking straight at me.

Even though its face was hidden by bandages and this was supposed to be a one-way mirror, it was staring right at me.

"W-what is this."

Suddenly terrified, I quickly backed away from the cell door.

I shouldn't be this scared just because a long bird looked at me.

But... I'm really scared.

"Ah, that's the 'Judgment Bird' cell."

As Michael's voice reached me, the inexplicable fear that had enveloped me began to subside.

...

And finally, the third containment cell.

"I hope the cult leader anomaly is in here."
"Yeah... I hope so too."

Well, Michael was so sure of it, there's no way it wouldn't be here, but there's always that slim chance.

...Wait a minute. What did Michael just say?

I turned around, but Michael was already long gone, free as a bird.

In other words, he bailed.

"Hope you slip on a banana peel and fall flat on your face."

After cursing Michael for abandoning me, I looked inside the third containment cell.

And I saw a figure.

An anomaly that reminded me of a medieval 'Plague Doctor.'

A bird-like beak mask, a black fedora, and a coat.

If it weren't for the black wings on its back, it would look just like an ordinary person.

The paper next to the cell read:

Identification Code: O-01-45
Designation: [Plague Doctor]

Let's open the door and go in.

It looks human, so maybe we can communicate?

- Beep.

I pressed the button next to the cell and entered the 'Plague Doctor's' containment cell.

[It is a pleasure to meet you, child.]

A voice that sounded both holy and calm echoed throughout the containment cell.