Chapter 21 - What is this?
What is this?
Translator : Elizabeth
Is she a target I can communicate with?
Entity, or human?
Although named as an 'Entity' by the status window for now, she is pretending to be an Administration Bureau agent speaking ordinary human language on the outside.
"D, Do you have any uncomfortable places?"
"Uncomfortable places...? There's no such place... Ah."
The agent who muttered blankly like that conveyed as if she remembered something soon.
"Nurse...? Ah, you're a nurse... But, you don't have to talk like that to me."
".....?"
"I have somewhat good ears."
What does it mean to have good ears...?
If ears are good, can you understand Anomalies' words or something? I've never heard such a thing in my life?!
"This is, even if Nurses speak, even if it's all the same words, for me it gets filtered somewhat and heard."
"Then... Wh, Who are you...?"
"Eeeeh...? Ah-ah."
The target who received my question tilted her head loosely to the opposite side again.
Accordingly, red hair flows down fluttering over her shoulder like a waterfall.
"Forgot to introduce myself.... Sorry. Because work is so busy, my mind is a bit."
"...."
"I'm Administration Bureau... Do you understand if I say that...? Anyway, a person working at such a place helping pitiful people. Coming here this time too, partly because our side's person was in danger... and partly because she's a talent too precious to just let die..."
"Ah..."
"Listening to it, seems she received a lot of help. Agent Shin Hae-in, it was."
"....!"
A name I know.
When the name of the person who helped me in the gallery, and the person I helped in this hospital came out, I end up reacting.
"H, How that name..."
"Ah-ah... She's our side's kid. I'm that kid's Team Leader and... Ung, yes."
At the existence of the woman speaking as if everything in the world is annoying, confusion still torments me without disappearing.
Shin Hae-in is clearly active in the gallery under the Administration Bureau, and is a real Administration Bureau person too...?
Why is such a person's boss like tha—
Flomp.
"U-eh?"
As I was regaining my senses from confusing information, before I knew it my body was submerged in the Director's embrace, being protected.
'Ah...'
If a trustworthy existence protects and is wary of her personally, it was clear she is an existence one shouldn't relax one's mind carelessly against.
"Hmm... Indeed a fascinating Anomaly-nim, receiving protection from other Anomalies... Definitely as I feel it, the people next to the little Anomaly-nim don't seem to be existences from the same story."
"Same... Story?"
"Yes... Those who become owners of Anomalies all have their own stories, you know. People like me die if we go against that story, according to the manual."
Ah, it meant that.
Remembering the days rolling as an F-Rank agent for no reason, I had unpleasant sentiments.
"Anyway, she was a talent too precious to leave to die like that... and finding an Awakener isn't easy either, yeah. So even if it's overtime work, I came for now though."
"So...?"
"Incidentally I intended to see our cute little nurse too. Just in time, like this, you are here too... So how about it? Going together with me..."
Going together, means going to the Administration Bureau?
Or, is there another faction I don't know.
Thoughts bite the tail of thoughts and continue endlessly.
Unlike the confused head, my tension gradually loosened at the cozy embrace felt from the back of my head.
"...."
Once again.
I decided to examine the woman who introduced herself as an Administration Bureau Team Leader slowly.
"If you go with me, there are fun things too, delicious things too, uh... anyway there are various things..."
"...Told not to follow strangers."
"Uh-um... Quite logical."
Like seducing a naive child, from the woman recommending with a faint smile.
An ominous atmosphere that I shouldn't follow has been flowing out since earlier.
However, she won't be able to exercise 'influence' directly toward this side.
Because someone is next to me, yeah.
Our Director whom even the Administration Bureau gave an inescapable rank, and a person who is the owner of a B-Rank Anomaly are also present.
Everyone is treating me like a precious person too.
Woo-ssi, try coming once.
If you try to do something weird, I'll just scold you severely...!
...Of course, the Director and the Doctor will.
And as if noticing such a heart of mine—
"This, is a truly rude guest."
Beyond the vision blocked by the Director's embrace, the Doctor's cold voice was heard.
"Eh... Did you feel that way. Then sorr—"
"Did you say your ears are good. Not that, your ears look uncomfortable. At least in my eyes."
"Uh..."
Shing.
With a chilling sound, the Doctor came forward one step belatedly.
Only then could I capture the Doctor's appearance in my eyes.
Simultaneously with the profile giving off a dangerous feeling, the 'Huge Saw' held in hand comes into view.
"You, seem to need surgery."
"U-eh... I'm okay though."
"Originally patients tend to be confused until an accurate diagnosis comes down."
"...This is definitely overtime work."
The red-haired Team Leader's gaze returns to me again.
In those eyes, unlike earlier, impatience dwelt.
"I was wrong, so could you please stop those people..."
"....?"
"Thinking about it, I shouldn't have entered blindly like this, but suddenly tension released tak, would this also be a part of the little nurse's ability."
"Hmm, hmm~"
Ah.
Watching the sight of her babbling alone, I feel the Director's mood becoming increasingly uncomfortable along with the Doctor.
'What do I do?'
If she's an Administration Bureau agent, sending her away here would be the most comfortable thing, but as expected, the word 'Entity' the status window said bothers me.
There might be a bloody option of taking life here, but there are too many things I don't know yet.
Whether because I'm from F-Rank agent background, information is too limited, and there were suspicious parts to just live relaxing the mind.
"Are you, correct to be an Administration Bureau agent?"
"That's right, it would have been good if I took just our little nurse from here, but looks like I got properly hated by the people next to you."
"Then, why is energy similar to us felt?"
Stop.
The action of the Team Leader stepping back blankly stopped.
"That is well... Because I am also using power similar to yours?"
"...?"
"To live, one has to use this and that... The higher the rank, the higher the authority the Administration Bureau permits. And if it gets higher, usable power also increases."
Is it a story about Awakeners.
"I think I should go back for today. Saved a precious talent too, uh... checked our kind Anomaly-nim once too."
"Wait..."
"Wouldn't we see each other once more next time anyway? If the opportunity touches, and. The Administration Bureau already has a lot of interest in our little nurse too."
The blankly smiling Team Leader flutters her red hair and makes eye contact with me.
"From you, a feeling similar to us comes. Heart becomes comfortable, uh... such."
"....."
Rustle.
Right before the Doctor and Director started action in earnest—
At the appearance of the Team Leader becoming powder and scattering from the toes, the others and I could only watch that figure dumbfounded.
...What is that, can Awakeners use such abilities too...?
'Paper?'
Paper scraps.
That thing fluttering and flying to my feet was clearly paper material.
It's a kind of teleport, but scattering paper scraps like this in effect.
No matter how I look at it, it's an ability looking far from human.
Have to be that level to be a Team Leader of someone like Shin Hae-in in the Administration Bureau.
...Had many more things I wanted to ask though.
However, one thing certain is.
As expected, in the institution I am engaged in for the safety of human society—
That something unusual is happening.
Thought they were trying to use it where it's easy to escape by simply borrowing the power of Anomalies, but due to the conversation just now, various speculations remain in my head.
Seems like, rather than simply escaping from Anomalies or saving people, they are plotting 'something' more complex.
'Tried to take me too.'
Thinking about it, if I were alone, I would have been caught helplessly. Because I'm weak, yeah...
Squeeze.
"Hmm?"
"Th, Thank you..."
Feeling the Director's presence stroking the top of my head gently instead of an answer, I calmed down the emotions due to lingering feelings for a long time in place.
Ding!
「▶ You have successfully protected your safety from the Administration Bureau agent. Relying on the help of surrounding Anomalies was an excellent choice.」
"....."
「▶ You have a hunch that you will be involved with them a lot in the future.」
"In, Involved...?"
Is that so...?
Since I'm an Anomaly anyway, and also.
Even when in the Daycare, I had been kidnapped out of nowhere to where our Doctor was...
Ac, Actually... Experiencing confusing things here and there wasn't a strange thing?
"...Director."
"Hmm?"
"Why is the world so scary..."
Stroke. Stroke.
Whether I said so or not.
The Director's touch only stroked me gently always.
.. ... ....
"I will always be in this spot."
Before leaving the hospital main gate, the Doctor who saw us off left such words.
"...Wouldn't you be lonely alone?"
"Hahaha, are you thinking of me even coming this far. You do not need to do so, little nurse. Because I am really okay now."
"St, Still. If bored, come... play."
"....?"
Uh... Not that?
Just as I came here suddenly, can't the Doctor also come to the Daycare?
As for how to do it, I, also, don't know well but...
"Let's eat rice together sometimes."
"Good. Must visit once—"
Squeeze.
The Doctor's words didn't continue to the end.
Because of the Director's gaze not completely acknowledging his existence yet.
"...If only permitted."
"Hmm."
Not a chance.
Ending with the Director's reaction seeming to say so, we really returned to the familiar form of Daycare we dreamed of.
How did we do it?
Leaving the hospital main gate with the Director, we came out immediately.
Our Director can do things like this too, as expected reassuring...!
Entering the warm house again, taking off clothes freely first and heading straight to the bathroom.
"Hwaaa...!"
After melting fatigue once surely in the warm water with steam rising...!
"Wow...!"
Went to the cafeteria and ate warm rice.
Mm, today is sausage vegetable stir-fry. I liked this very much originally.
And holding the doll dangling on my waist, finally headed to my room.
Flomp.
"Ehehe."
At the fluffy texture wrapping the face flomp, the heart floats enough for laughter to come out snicker.
Like that, like that...
"Gallery, have to see..."
Unable to overcome the temptation of the drowsiness, I lost consciousness immediately.
"Zzz..."
.. ... ....
"Yawn..."
Wow, really.
Slept enormously.
The body drooping like wet cotton, seemed like I would sleep again if I didn't get a grip.
Is it because the body changed. Seem to be weak to sleep surprisingly too.
"Yaaawn..."
But lifting eyelids forcibly, decided to view my daily life that finally returned.
Turning on the black phone screen, moving to the familiar gallery tab.
**[↳ User: Nim. I'm here.
↳ You!!
↳ User: ?]**
"...What."
Why is the reaction so intense. Missed me?
**[↳ Gallery! Check the gallery!
↳ User: Looking at it right now though?
↳ No! Not there!
↳ (Link)]**
"....?"
I tried accessing the link handed over.
Then.
"....Uh?"
[Title: Absolutely Praise Our Gallery Owner]
[Title: Just upvote if you think our Gallery Owner-nim will smash everything lol]
[Title: Gallery Owner-nim please look here just once please my life's greatest wish-]
[Title: Ah I want to receive 'help' too fuck]
[Title: Kind Anomaly... Exists...]
[Title: Gallery Owner info discovered so far.txt]
"Eh?"
[Welcome to 【'Little Lamb' Gallery】.]
[The authority rank of the corresponding Anomaly Gallery is 'F'.]
My gallery was created without me knowing.
What is this...?