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

Sleep well.. EP.30

[Employee Louis, perform attachment work on O-01-39.]

Louis let out a soft sigh at the sudden announcement.

Of course, the work order came right after he finished handling another anomaly.

Considering how often he was assigned to care for the little girl, it seemed like they'd designated him as her permanent handler.

Damn it, he felt like he was being singled out, and not in a good way.

Well, if there was one positive, it was that her containment cell was right down the hall, making for an easy commute.

- Beep.

He hoped she hadn't escaped again like last time.

Louis peered into the containment cell with a tense expression.

He saw the 'little girl' lying on the floor, seemingly asleep.

"...She's actually in her cell today?"

The 'little girl' didn't answer.

It really seemed like she was fast asleep.

Had she worn herself out escaping and fallen asleep from exhaustion?

She reminded him of a child who'd been taken on an outing, so sound asleep afterward they wouldn't wake even if carried away.

She was an anomaly, but her behavior was so much like a child's that a paternal smile spread across his face.

Despite this only being their second encounter, Louis felt his wariness lessen.

For a moment, Louis wondered if this was some sort of charm from the 'little girl', but he quickly dismissed the thought.

Anyone seeing a child barely taller than their own waist sleeping so soundly would likely feel the same as Louis, unless they were utterly devoid of emotion.

"..."

Louis watched the 'little girl' for a while.

- Softly, softly...

The 'little girl' was breathing slowly and quietly.

The corners of her lips were slightly upturned, suggesting she was having a pleasant dream.

It was a strange feeling. She was just an anomaly, sleeping.

But something warm swelled in his heart.

Perhaps it was because in this Lobotomy Corporation, there was no chance of seeing a cute child, only a variety of grotesque and horrifying monsters.

After watching her for a while, Louis realized the girl was lying on the cold containment cell floor.

"She must be cold."

Worried that she might catch a cold, Louis took off his coat and draped it over her.

"Mm..."

She squirmed and hugged the coat tightly.

He'd given it to her as a blanket, but maybe she needed it as a comfort object.

Watching her was nice, but he had to start the attachment work.

He couldn't proceed while she was asleep, so he had to wake her.

"Ugh..."

The girl shifted, changing her position.

Her cheek jiggled like pudding before settling back into place.

- Gulp.

Louis swallowed quietly.

Who could resist poking that?

...Just one poke, and he'd wake her up a little later.

...

...

Consciousness slowly surfaced.

What was that dream about?

It felt like an important dream.

- Poke.

Just as she was pondering her dream, someone poked her cheek.

Who was in her containment cell? Or was this still a dream?

...It didn't feel like a dream, with her cheek tingling so much.

Actually, how much had they poked her for it to itch like a mosquito bite?

- Poke.

The constant poking left no time to think about the dream.

Hey, stop poking. I'm awake!

"What..."
"Wah!"

As she mumbled and sat up, the person in front of her startled and fell backward.

"Huh? That voice..."

[So, O-01-39 is awake. You sleep for a long time, don't you?]

Greeted by her awakening was Louis's flustered face and the infuriating voice of the Manager.

And for some reason, she found herself holding a large coat.

What was this?

...

...

At the same time.

The 'Plague Doctor' was referring to -Finn's productive work list- and attempting various actions.

Despite it being just a child's words, somehow, he felt compelled to do 'productive work.'

Thus began the first productive task.

Cleaning the containment cell.

[...There is nothing to clean.]

...It was a clean, empty cell, so he skipped it.

The second productive task.

Reading a novel.

[Self-improvement... Hmm, not bad.]

After summoning one of his Apostles to read a novel thoroughly, the 'Plague Doctor' thought.

Though it started as advice from a child, as he continued, he found it helped communicate with his Apostles and wasn't such a bad idea after all.

[...The paper 'Finn' wrote has disappeared.]

In the midst of this, the 'Plague Doctor' noticed that the list the employee 'Finn' had given him had vanished.

[It seems more advice is needed.]

Current Apostle count: 7.