Name: Arthur
Identity: Employee (Training Department)
Level: 3
Courage: 2 Health: 38 / 38
Prudence: 3 Sanity: 20 / 46
Self-Discipline: 3
Justice: 2
EGO Equipment: None
EGO Accessory: Gaze of the Evil One
(Neck Slot)
Effect:
Max Sanity −10
Movement Speed +10
All Erosion Damage received is halved
Description:
Whether it is an illusion or not, you constantly feel that this thing is still alive. Any living creature that meets its gaze is filled with instinctive dread…
Arthur slowly scrolled through his status panel.
So it really was an EGO Accessory.
At that realization, his expression grew solemn—not out of dissatisfaction, but the opposite.
This item was absurdly strong.
Just the effect "All Erosion Damage halved" alone was enough to completely offset the sanity penalty. Compared to most Branch-issued accessories, this was practically a luxury-grade EGO.
Arthur exhaled softly.
If I can obtain EGO Accessories…
His gaze drifted downward.
Then froze.
A new function had appeared.
EGO Weapon & Equipment
Research and Development
Arthur's expression shifted—
from serious…
to stunned…
to uncontrollable delight.
EGO Equipment.
Weapons and armor refined from Anomalies themselves—gear capable of inflicting non-conventional damage types, often possessing effects that outright violated common sense.
In this cursed world, whether inside Lobotomy Corporation or the City beyond it, personal strength was survival. Without it, one wouldn't even know when—or how—they died.
Yet Branch personnel were rarely issued EGO Equipment. At best, they received ZAYIN or TETH-grade gear, and even those came with suffocating usage restrictions.
And now—
Arthur could develop his own.
Even if ALEPH-class equipment like Paradise Lost was out of reach, wasn't ZAYIN-grade gear like Penitence more than enough to turn the tables?
"Is there anything else…?"
Arthur continued scrolling.
A fully unlocked system panel.
Though he lacked managerial privileges like facility-wide monitoring or personnel deployment authority, he did gain several strange permissions.
For instance—
Bullet Technology: ?
Deploy Troops: ?
"…What is this, the Lobotomy Corporation Manager's Operating Manual — Branch Edition?"
Arthur snorted.
What kind of Manager personally enters containment rooms?
Still, curiosity won.
He tapped Bullet Technology.
A sleek, futuristic pistol materialized in his hand.
"…No firing mode customization?"
Arthur frowned and checked the magazine.
Empty.
"…Right. I'm still just an employee."
With a sigh, he selected Deploy Troops.
As expected—
Permission Insufficient.
External Support Required to Deploy Troops.
Arthur stared at the message in silence.
Then why give me the option at all?
Where was he supposed to get support?
R Corporation? Hire a Rabbit Team?
Would R Corp's clones even listen to him?
…Actually.
Trading EGO development technology for military support—
R Corporation would definitely be interested.
But the moment that happened—
The Head would skin him alive.
Training Department — P4 Containment Room
Fully dressed once more in his uniform, Arthur returned to his post.
Time had rewound.
Whether this was TT2 Protocol or something else entirely, he didn't know—but he had undeniably returned to the day the newcomers arrived.
And unfortunately—
He still had an energy quota to meet.
"…Alright."
Arthur flipped the containment switch with practiced ease.
Work Start — Panel Opened
Worker: Arthur
Work Target: ZAYIN Anomaly F-04-83 — Fairy Feast
PE-BOX Energy: 0 / 10
Management Notice:
Good or Excellent results will cause Fairy Feast to "bless" the employee.
Blessed employees receive continuous HP regeneration for a duration.
Insufficient Permissions…
Arthur stared expressionlessly at the grotesque creatures inside the containment unit.
Lobotomy Corporation did not provide cognitive filters for everyone.
So their true appearance—three heads, jagged fangs, malformed wings—was displayed in all its horrifying clarity.
Who the hell decided these things were "cute"?
…Although, their blessing is admittedly useful.
Arthur sighed inwardly.
Still short on energy.
I'll deal with the rest tonight.
This had been the last words of a Training Department senior once.
That night, the man was found dead deep in the corridor—his abdomen torn open, face mutilated, organs partially eaten.
The Fairy Feasts were discovered elsewhere, mouths stained with blood and flesh.
If that senior were still alive—
Arthur had something to tell him.
Compared to the Eye of Cthulhu…
These things are practically adorable.
"I'm back," Arthur said calmly, pulling a folding chair into the containment room.
"Eat if you want."
Instinct Work required allowing the Anomaly to act naturally while observing.
And the instinct of Fairy Feast—
Was predation.
Arthur also knew a truth the Corporation deliberately hid:
The fairies didn't bless employees out of kindness.
They did it to preserve their food.
If a "food source" left to work elsewhere, they feared something else would eat it first—so they rushed to devour it themselves.
But Arthur wasn't worried.
ZAYIN-class Anomalies were harmless—as long as you didn't cross their bottom line.
"…?"
The fairies stared at him.
Their teeth didn't move.
"…Not interested?" Arthur muttered.
Usually, they latched on immediately.
"…?"
Then—
Fear.
Pure, instinctive fear.
The fairies recoiled, retreating in panic until they clustered trembling in the corner.
Arthur stiffened.
"…What?"
This had never happened before.
Fairy Feast had never been picky.
Then realization struck.
Slowly, Arthur asked—
"…You're afraid of me?"