Bureau Branch 941 (1)
A brilliant flash of light exploded out of the status window. ‘Ah, my eyes!’ I flinched on instinct. The anomaly reacted immediately.
“Are you all right, sir?”
“Uh, yeah. I’m fine.”
That had been way too close. After blinking hard a few times, the new ability finally revealed itself.
Ability Draw Successful!
You have acquired the ability: Divinity.
Ability Name: Divinity
Description: You become divine.
‘...?’
This damn status window was pulling the same crap again. Had it started enjoying messing with people?
Then it spoke up, just like before.
> Sorry for the delay.
> I have grown alongside the user.
> However, the sudden growth required time to reorganize the system.
It seemed only I could hear it. Neither the married-woman anomaly next to me nor my senior reacted at all.
‘But I can’t speak out loud.’
> There is no need to speak. I can read all of the user’s thoughts.
‘Oh, really?’
> Yes. I also heard your earlier thoughts: “This damn status window is pulling the same crap again” and “Has it started enjoying messing with people?”
‘S-sorry about that.’
> It’s fine. I don’t mind.
> I am a magnanimous, all-purpose interface, after all.
‘Magnanimous people don’t call themselves magnanimous.’
> Since I didn’t say it with a mouth, it should be fine, no?
This thing was hilarious. It continued.
> I will stop the user-level jokes here.
> What you want is the detailed explanation of the new ability, correct?
> Preparing it now.
Yeah. Last time, hearing the details for Possibility had actually been pretty useful. Maybe this one would be the same. Or maybe it would have an unexpected twist and turn into some ridiculous cheat ability that would make the gallery guys scream “Why only you?!” in envy.
I waited, heart pounding with excitement.
> Ready.
Ability Name: Divinity (Lv. 1)
Detailed Explanation: A sacred power dwells within the holder of this ability, granting divinity. You can detect mental corruption and gain resistance against it. Additionally, it provides an aura that earns favor from anomalies. This aura can be toggled ON/OFF. *As the skill grows, both mental corruption resistance and the strength of the favorability will increase.
Once again, it wasn’t a combat-type ability. The mental corruption detection and resistance sounded useful, but...
‘An aura that earns favor from anomalies?’
I had no idea what that actually did, so I turned it on. Immediately—
The married-woman anomaly, who had been resting her head on my shoulder, pressed in even closer and began sniffing.
“Sniff, sniff.”
My senior, who was driving, suddenly flinched as well. This seemed like a bad idea, so I quickly turned it off.
“Hey, junior~?”
“Yes, senior? What’s up?”
“We’ll be arriving soon. Get ready to get out~?”
Looking ahead, the car was speeding through thick fog. A moment later, we emerged from the mist and stopped in front of a creepy building perched on a mountainside.
‘This... is the headquarters?’
They said it had collapsed, but this was seriously bad. It looked about as rundown as the abandoned building where I had first started. Actually, that place might have been in better shape. Sure, it was just a branch, but a tiny four-story shopping-center building? Come on.
Senior took the cage while I carried the anomaly inside. But the moment we entered—
‘Oh?’
The interior was surprisingly spacious and clean. It reminded me of the cages used to contain anomalies. ‘Looks like some kind of spatial compression tech was used here too.’ So the outside looked like crap, but the inside was perfectly functional?
Senior held the elevator door and spoke to me.
“I’ll handle the cleanup, so our junior should go eat and get some proper rest~”
“Huh? No, I can help—”
“It’s fine, it’s fine~ You worked hard today~ Your senior didn’t do anything at all~ So go rest first~”
If she was going to insist that much, I couldn’t really refuse.
“All right. I’ll do that.”
“Good~”
The only problem was the anomaly still glued tightly to my side.
“Then~ you’ll have to come with me, won’t you~?”
“...Why exactly would I go with you?”
“Why? You have to go into the isolation room, of course~”
The anomaly’s grip on my arm tightened. It looked like another staring contest was about to break out, so I stepped in.
“Just follow her for now.”
“B-but—”
“She’s offering you a place to stay, so follow her.”
“...Can’t I stay with you?”
“The rules here are very strict, so that would be difficult. But I promise I’ll come find you as soon as the sun rises.”
Still, the anomaly refused to move.
‘Hmm. Should I turn the aura back on?’
I activated the aura and even pulled on Possibility. My strong desire was for the anomaly to obediently listen to me.
> The user’s earnest wish has been confirmed.
> Activating ability Possibility.
“I’d really appreciate it if you’d follow her quietly.”
“Hngh... You will really come see me again, right?”
“I promise.”
“...Understood. I will follow.”
It worked. The anomaly slowly peeled herself off me, though her expression was clearly reluctant as she tightly grabbed my senior’s hand.
-Ding!
I waved at my senior as she boarded the elevator.
“Oh, right~ Junior~ Here~!”
“What’s this?”
“You keep forgetting things~ Just in case~ Take it~”
She handed me a thick booklet. The cover read:
‘Wait, you even need a rulebook just to use the dorm and cafeteria?’
After senior left, I opened the manual with slightly trembling hands.
For a comfortable and pleasant dormitory life and cafeteria use, please strictly follow the guidelines below. The Bureau is not responsible for any incidents caused by failing to read this manual thoroughly. Any death resulting from such negligence will result in processing fees being deducted from your salary account.
1. Only Bureau-affiliated agents may use this dormitory. If an outsider enters, you must immediately remove them. Prolonged stays by outsiders will only increase the janitors’ workload.
2. All maintenance and repairs in this dormitory are performed by ‘non-human entities.’ If you follow the guidelines, they are harmless, so there is no need for concern.
3. Do not enter the dormitory between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Cleaning and laundry operations are in progress. If you violate this and encounter them, refer to Appendix Item 1.
4. To use the dormitory, first submit an application at the Operations Department to receive a room assignment. If the information on the application does not match reality, dormitory use will be restricted.
5. Access to the dormitory must be made via the elevator on Basement Level 2. The Bureau cannot guarantee safety if you attempt to reach it from any other floor.
6. Male agents use the 3rd floor while female agents use the 4th floor. Unauthorized entry into a floor inappropriate for your gender may result in disciplinary action.
7. You must use the emergency stairs of this dormitory.
8. Item 7 does not exist in this document. This is absolute. Please keep this in mind.
9. From 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM the following day, do not enter the exterior areas of the dormitory (the garden and parking lot outside the first-floor lobby enclosed by barbed wire). High-security measures are active. These systems cannot distinguish between external intruders and authorized personnel.
10. The cafeteria only operates at designated times: breakfast 7:00–8:30 AM, lunch 12:30–2:00 PM, dinner 5:30–7:00 PM. Refrain from entering outside these hours.
11. Three meal tickets are issued daily. Check the desk in your dormitory room carefully each morning. They will be placed in an obvious location.
12. You must carry your meal ticket at all times. Without it, the Chef will recognize you as an ingredient rather than a customer. If the Chef emerges from the kitchen due to a missing ticket, follow the instructions in Appendix 2.
13. If you enter the cafeteria despite knowing you lack a ticket and the Chef has not emerged after a long time, you must immediately commit suicide with your handgun while you still can. You are currently being processed alive, and any further delay will allow you to feel the full extent of the pain.
14. If anyone was dragged away by the Chef that day, do not use the cafeteria for the next two days. Use the unmanned convenience store across from the cafeteria instead. Fees will be added to your next paycheck.
15. Carefully check the country-of-origin labels at the bottom of the menu board outside the cafeteria. If you see unreadable characters or a label marked “Imported,” do not use the cafeteria that day. Use the unmanned convenience store and return only after the label has changed.
1. If they are not chasing you, it is safe to relax. It means you have not been detected yet. If they turn their heads toward you, proceed to 1-5.
1-1. More than ten agents die each year due to failure to follow this section. The Bureau’s Operations Department has therefore installed emergency shelters in all dormitories. Open the door labeled “Cleaning Supply Closet” and enter.
1-2. Inside the emergency shelter, three analog clocks are installed. Only the middle clock is accurate. Confirm the time on the middle clock and exit the shelter after 5:01 PM.
1-3. Occasionally an anomaly will imitate an emergency shelter. However, they cannot accurately replicate the “Cleaning Supply Closet” label, making them identifiable by sight. If you enter without checking and there are no clocks on the wall, immediately commit suicide.
1-4. The emergency shelter door is a thick steel door painted cyan. If it is any other color, it is fake. Do not use it; find another shelter.
1-5. If detected, do not move. They are excellent janitors and know that trash cannot move on its own.
1-6. If classified as trash and collected, you will be taken to the incinerator. Look for a square escape hatch marked with a yellow border. Passing through it will transport you to one of Incheon’s landfills. Report to headquarters after escaping and return.
1-7. If they realize you are not trash, you must enter an emergency shelter within two seconds. If that is impossible, immediately commit suicide with your handgun.
2. The Chef does not appear unless there is a problem. If the Chef appears and you possess a meal ticket, close your eyes and pretend to eat. You will be recognized as a normal customer. Once the commotion dies down, you may open your eyes.
2-1. If you lack a ticket and the Chef appears, run to the table on the right side of the cafeteria entrance that holds napkins, utensils, and trays. Spare tickets are stored underneath.
2-2. After grabbing a spare ticket, loudly declare, “Ah~ The food looks delicious today!” If you are quick enough, the Chef will return to the kitchen.
2-3. If the Chef catches you before you can grab a spare ticket, our condolences. Rather than shooting the Chef, we recommend shooting yourself in the head. The standard-issue handgun ammunition cannot subdue the Chef.
“Ha.”
I never imagined the dorm and the cafeteria would both be run by anomalies. The cafeteria part was especially unsettling.
“Is it even safe to eat there?”
There were too many questions. I opened the gallery to ask for advice.
I let out a deep sigh. I knew the organization was insane, but I never imagined the screws would be this loose.
That was at least some good news. Since I had no choice anyway, it’d be nice if the food was decent.
My stomach let out a loud growl.
“Ugh, now I’m hungry just thinking about food.”
I decided to stop by my room first, grab the meal ticket, and then head to the cafeteria. “It said I have to go to the dormitory from Basement Level 2, right?”
I called the elevator. Then—
-Ding!
“...What? No way—Ugh!”
A horrific thing appeared.