It was hard to say whether it was an instinctive plea,
or a result carefully calculated and produced,
but as a result of the single word from the head inside the jar,
the suppression of anomaly No. 101 led by Code Name 'Cosette' from the anomaly management field unit was temporarily halted.
"The Humanity Conservation Foundation Union must protect all humans equally and fairly. That's the founding ideology."
"For something like that, you didn't seem to listen no matter what I said earlier."
"That's because what was in the autopsy room then was a corpse without vital signs, but now it isn't. The difference is clear, isn't it?"
Cosette, still wearing her bulletproof vest, gestured toward the researchers busily coming and going.
The research building, which had been automatically sealed due to anomaly detection, was reopened at Cosette's request, but only the autopsy room, where the anomaly was believed to exist, remained restricted and controlled.
And the head that Friedrich had shoved into an unknown jar
"—It's very faint, but it doesn't look like a flat brainwave. How did you think of putting that head in there? In a 'brain storage container'?"
The head floated inside a glass container on an experimental table surrounded by researchers.
Its green eyes half-closed.
The sensors embedded in the mucus intermittently displayed irregular lines on monitors.
To an ordinary person, it would be a sight enough to faint from.
But Friedrich watched calmly and muttered:
"It reminded me of what I saw last time."
"You have sharp eyes. But shouldn't you pay the price for abusing unfinished research? It was made from data and materials collected by the Foundation Union."
"Bill it to me."
"That's insincere. More importantly, what do you plan to do with that person?"
"What I want is observation and investigation of No. 101. When the owner of that head wakes up, I want to observe how he could exist inside the anomaly with a human body."
"Hmm."
"As you know, the average person was already, when we found him in the economic zone—"
"Definitely dead. Even if dragged inside an anomaly, he wouldn't have much effect. Yes, whether by chance or miracle, it's clear that person will be managed by the Foundation.
This will probably be counted as the first case of securing a sample that might be the root of the anomaly itself."
"What does the research management department say? They must have heard already."
"They obviously welcome it with open arms. They're already drafting an experimental plan.
But one problem remains: whether what's inside there is No. 101 or will be defined as a human individual with a single name. That depends on the higher-ups' decision."
As befits its name, the Humanity Conservation Foundation Union had the ultimate goal of the perpetual preservation of humanity.
However, as the name suggests, the Foundation itself was an organization with subordinate groups and individuals contributing power.
The Foundation maintained balance by receiving, considering, discussing, and persuading those groups' protests and requests.
One of the unresolved matters was the definition of 'human.'
Human, order Primates, genus Homo—encompassing current humans and their ancestors.
But in modern times, various definitions of what constitutes a human have been attempted.
Some focused on the physical form with head, body, arms, and legs.
Others asked whether the being possessed an independent language and self-awareness.
Others used the ability to create sophisticated tools as the criterion.
Some valued uniquely human ethics and morality,
while others considered the ability to form social groups.
Humans have been denied and accepted in many aspects multiple times. But no proper conclusion had been reached yet.
Is that thing a human? Or just an anomaly dreaming?
Friedrich put aside his prejudices and asked himself, but it remained a difficult question.
"Another heated debate will break out."
"Why? Want to join? Our director might agree."
"That's enough. Whether it's defined as an anomaly or recognized as human, it doesn't concern me. I just need permission to investigate it."
As long as sufficient research results could be obtained, what happened afterwards, whether it disappeared or was quarantined, was not his concern.
Friedrich's mind gradually shifted to the autopsy room declared a controlled zone.
Raimund clearly remembered losing consciousness inside the jar.
Thanks to the white-haired man who had unilaterally informed him that only a few minutes remained,
He thought he had fallen into hell where only his head was severed.
Now he was mercilessly blinded by the white light shining down from the ceiling again.
What is this? Can death stack...?
This time he could clearly perceive the body connected below the neck.
A black shadow suddenly intruded over him, who was wiggling his fingers and toes slowly.
"You're awake. How do you feel?"
"Ugh."
"Ah, don't say anything. Since you haven't used your body in a while, the small muscles will take time to adapt. Do you see this?"
Raimund squinted to look at the finger the shadow offered. When he nodded, the finger disappeared.
"Can you raise your arm? If possible, try to move your legs as well."
He succeeded with his arm but failed to move his legs due to lack of strength.
The stranger kindly spoke:
"That's a success for now. It's best to lie down until you fully regain consciousness. I'll be back soon, so rest a bit."
Nodding as if he understood, Raimund watched the figure leave, and only then felt relieved.
When the stranger moved his fingers, a 'ting' sound echoed. It was a hard bed without even a sheet. Somehow the texture was unpleasant.
He had thought he would die helplessly but barely survived.