Isekai Online's
Chapter 36 - Forensic Anthropology

Right in front of me, the figure of a human skeleton moving about in life was clearly visible.

As Lilith said, they placed the skulls in a special room. The room he was referring to was a glass room filled with magic circles around it.

“So, this is magic isolation prison?” ask me.

Magic technology to me is very strange, in contrast to modern technology based on science and physical laws. Magic works beyond human logic, deepening the logic of magic must sacrifice theoretical thinking and general logic.

Lilith changed to her normal form. He returned to wearing Maid's clothes and returned to serve me as his master. On the other hand, Arvis was still speechless after receiving a small punishment from Lilith.

“That's right, Master Hans. This is a magic prison specially designed to lock up anyone including a God or Goddess who roams this world.”

Existence like a God can be locked in it? This prison sounds really scary. If only SCP-Foundation had this prison, their research creatures would not have come off at all times.

“Pu! My body hurts so much.” Arvis rose from his downfall. He stretched his body and made small movements to relieve the pain.

“Sorry for my rude behavior, Master Hans. Please forgive this stupid Maid” that girl named Arvis sat down and put her head on the floor.

“I'll forgive you, if you help me take care of them” replied me.

Arvis raised his head. With her smiling little face. He looked at me with a look that seemed to be humbling me.

“Looks.. My master this time has an interest in skull” he said in a tone that insinuated me.

“ARVISSSS~!” Lilith stood behind me. Without looking at it, I could feel an intimidating aura enveloping Lilith's body.

It seemed, taking care of this Maid-Maid was much more troublesome than solving a case.

“T-But.. Master sounds like someone who has an interest in skulls! There is even one of us who likes to collect skulls!” replied Arvis who was a little panicked.

“I don't know what you're thinking, but I'm not a necrophile!” reply to me firmly.

“Really? Then..why did Master tell me to take care of these skulls? I think Master is interested in them, it turns out that there is another reason behind it?” ask Arvis.

“Before answering your question. Have you heard of Forensic Anthropology?” ask Arvis. To answer the question, I asked Arvis the question.

“Forensic Anthropology? What is it?” arvis said with curiosity.

“Well..that's what I'm gonna do with these bones. I was interested in them, but my interest was more about the physical evidence left in the bones. For that, you need to help me while doing a simple analysis using Forensic Anthropology. Forensic anthropology is a branch of biological anthropology based on osteology and human anatomy. Broadly speaking, this science is used to identify an individual for the benefit of law and justice. In this case, we will try to find the information left inside these skulls”.

“O-Oh?” the only answer I got was the obvious confusion on Arvis's face.

“A few days ago, a Guild Master Adventure I did not know gave me information about the oddities that were happening around my new home. Oddity he meant was the appearance of a figure suspected of a giant skull. If our logic still goes right, that giant skull is an individual of a certain race who has a large body or.” I slightly stopped my words and put on a serious expression.

“The pile of other skulls that form one unit so that it looks big. After looking at this evidence, I was very confident about the second option option. It was a collection of skulls that formed a giant skull right?” continue me.

Hearing this, the faces of Siera, Lilith, and Arvis became serious. It seems, my simple deduction is on target.

“Master Hans, a few days ago, we heard from the Upper Class Maid if there was a giant skull attacking Diamond Doom. Upper Class Maid managed to repel the attack and found these skulls in the flower garden” Lilith replied.

“Good work for this information, now. let's take a peek at how much information is left in their bones. I'm not an expert on this, but from my point of view. I'll try to dig up the information left behind.”

“Ah! Master Hans's. I want to help too! Although I know nothing but I understand the Ancient Rune” Demon Lilith said.

“Demon Ancient Rune?” I remember the evidence I found in the previous case.

“Lilith, what do you mean by that Demon Ancient Rune?” ask me.

“Eh? Look carefully, Master Hans. On their heads were carved letters from the Demon Ancient Rune.”

Hearing Lilith's words, I scanned the skulls of their heads. A rough carving of a strange symbol was engraved on their heads.

“Uwah, again a strange case” murmured me.

I took a very long breath. Cases like this seem to have happened often in this world. A normal investigation was impossible due to the magic meddling in it. Do I have to ask for the Veterans Player's help?

No, it sounded like I was giving up on this strange state.

“Master Hans, what should we do?” ask Lilith.

“Well.. this time.we will observe the condition of these skulls” I replied.

“Forensic Anthropology, this is the first time I heard of it, Master Hans.”

“Of course, Forensic Anthropology science does not originate from this world.”

“Eh?” Lilith and Arvis answered simultaneously.

“Where I come from, human bones can be found randomly. Sometimes, we accidentally found a pile of bones in a playground, a landfill, and after a search it turned out to be a historical place or a place of execution from the past. This science is here to clarify whether the bones are from humans or animals because there are some animals in my place of origin that have similar characteristics as humans.”

“Like a Humanoid-shaped Monster?” ask Lilith.

“Humanoid kah.. Even the bone structure of human and elves is almost the same. What sets it apart?” ask Arvis.

I didn't think of this before, what about the skeletal form of the Humanoid Monster? Honestly, it makes me curious about their anatomical shape.

“Good question, do we need to find out the difference?”

“Master Hans, please don't scare me here” Siera said.

Since Siera acted passively without a sound, I almost forgot her presence.

“Siera.. You want to help too?” ask me while looking at Siera.

“What is an order?” ask Siera.

“Invitation more precisely.”

“Then, I want to help.”

I slightly observed every difference in the skulls. Forensic Anthropology is a very useful science for investigating a skull, in a book I read. At a home fire site, Forensic Anthropology plays an important role in the identification of victims from burned building materials, because the main information that can be obtained from Forensic Anthropology is the reconstruction of events and understand dead individuals such as gender, racial descent, stature, age at death, pathological conditions, and traumatic injuries.

The important question is in my head. Does Isekai Online use accurate data for their NPCs, such as the number of bones close to that of a real human?

The average number of bones in an adult is 206. Bones are made of about 30% organic material and 70% inorganic%. The main parts of the bone such as collagen give the bone its elasticity and the inorganic or mineral parts made mostly of hydroxyapatite form calcium phosphate so that the bone becomes stiff. Is the nature of this bone still tied to the Isekai Online NPC?

At a glance, I saw a reflection of the arrow's eyes growing inside the bone. The skull that received the trauma wound had an adult bone posture.

“Eh, this is interesting.” I said unknowingly.

“This skull, judging from the condition of his skull. He's like a former Adventurer who stops when an arrow hits his leg. It must have been very painful, I can't imagine how much pain it was until the growth of his bones was able to cover that arrow.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Lilith. It is made of different types of osteoblast and osteoclast cells that either form new bone or destroy old bone. Bones tend to repair themselves when injured and that takes quite a time-consuming process. Because of this continuously growing bone, this person must have felt pain every time his bones tried to crush the arrows left inside the bone. I feel a little sorry for him.”

“Why didn't he try to unplug it?”

“Lilith.. You must have never felt hurt by arrows right? Arrows have several advantages if they penetrate human flesh. If we pull it out, then a large bleeding will occur and the risk of the remains of arrows left in the body is very large. Maybe that's what happened to him.”

“Sorry.. Master Hans's. My understanding of humans is very little.”

“It's okay Lilith, make this a special lesson. At least, I hope these corpses do not suffer from dangerous diseases. If only I had a device that could analyze the isotopes of oxygen, strontium, and sulfur. Maybe we can see the remnants of the disease in the skulls of these” hear my words. Lilith, Arvis, and Siera immediately moved away from the skulls.

“Why are you guys running away?” ask me.

“M-Master..is that true?”

“Master..please don't scare us!”

“Master Hans, maybe this is a bit excessive but scaring us with the disease is not funny.”

Lilith, Arvis, and Siera launch their small protest. Maybe it's my fault too, I don't warn of any disease that might still be left in the skull.

So, NPCs can get diseases from corpses? In contrast to diseases caused by viruses, diseases caused by corpses can damage the environment. The worst case ever experienced by Europe, they were exposed to a deadly disease and did not take care of the bodies lying on the streets. The outcome? Call it the spread of increasingly high disease and a proper funeral is burned. But, it was a past history that had happened. With the advancement of health science, that embarrassing event may not happen again.

“Just relax, as long as you don't touch it carelessly. You guys will be fine.”

This time, Arvis was trembling in fear. Seeing the reaction of his body, he had done something to these skulls.

“Arvis.” I called him.

“What have you done?” continue my word.

“Hiek!!” Arvis looked very panicked.

“Tell me, Arvis. Well, if you don't say it, I'll figure it out after analyzing them.”

Hearing my answer, Arvis fell silent and bowed in front of me.

“I'm sorry, Master Hans! I accidentally played with them!” heard the answer coming out of Arvis' mouth. Lilith turned back into Demon Mode and clasped Arvis' head with her hands.

“Arvis..have I told you not to touch it?” lilith's words sounded gentle and calm, but not with her hands.

Lilith brought Arvis' body to the corner of the room and did a light, affectionate education.

I observed the skulls again, Arvis' confession about him playing with them turned out to be very clear inside. Some skulls have quite large cracks such as being hit by a heavy blunt object.

“Once it seems, it looks like we are missing another proof and post-mortem intervals will be difficult to do.”

“Post-mortem interval?” ask Siera.

“Post-mortem interval or time that has passed since the death of a person. When the time of death is unknown, the interval can be estimated, and an approximate time of death is set. But, because Arvis has been toying with them. Old evidence stuff covered with new proof stuff.”

“Sorry for our carelessness, Master Hans. If only we knew it was very important, maybe Arvis would have refrained himself from messing with them” Siera replied.

“Now, I want to ask you something important. Do you know how to distinguish a man's and a woman's skull? For children, distinguishing them will be very difficult but if the skull is mature, the difference in the skull is seen very clearly.”

“I know, a woman's skull has wide hips right?”

“Oh, you know this one. Do you know why a woman's hips are wide?”

Siera shook her head, it's time to convey a fact that is hard to refute, “That's because women's hips are created wide for their child.”

Hearing my answer, Siera began to misbehave. Is discussing children in front of women a sensitive topic? I need to remember this. Don't let me make enemies just because I'm talking about children.

If only they weren't broken skulls, I'd like to test my understanding of Forensic Anthropology. Based on the Forensic Anthropology book I've read, distinguishing a human skull and a turtle shell is quite difficult. That's because the shell of a turtle has the same characteristics as a human skull.

Distinguishing age is very easy to do. In terms of physical and appearance, adults and adolescents have their own bone growth footprint. What's more, the traces of tooth growth that are left behind are key answers regarding their age.

Then distinguish men and women? Siera even knew their differences. Our genital organs actually answer that question, the U-shaped and V-shaped angles around our pelvis answer all those questions. If you want to be sure, there are several tests that can be done.

Fortunately, no children were found. Children's bones are very troublesome to guess.

If Arvis hadn't played around with them and covered up old trauma wounds with new trauma wounds, it would have helped me a lot.

I wanted to analyze it even more deeply, but my Detective Class doesn't have any supporting tools. These skulls intrigued me especially with their origins. For that, I will spend every remaining Gold Coins for identification using the CODIS System.

Maybe the losses I experienced were very high, but if the losses closed all my curiosity and got new information.

Why not do it?

One would be responsible for pulling one by one these living bones.

“Arvis..” I call Arvis in a soft tone.

Lilith seems to be busy re-educating Arvis.

“Time to work!” continue me.

From a distance, Arvis' frightened and exhausted facial expression was visible. Actually, what has Lilith done? Why is Arvis scared like that.

Let it be their problem.

Now, I want to have fun with this painless bone.

“Siera, have you ever severed a finger before?” ask Siera.

“Huh?”

Yes, it was a normal reaction to respond to my strange question.

Time to have fun with System CODIS!

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