Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!

Chapter 626: Surgery [4]

At first, Zoey assumed she would be sent off to another room. However, contrary to her expectations, she was made to stay beside Seth, assisting him and managing everything at his side.

This was unexpected, but she grabbed the opportunity.

Although it was just as exhausting, it was far better than running around aimlessly and tending to random patients without pause.

“Scalpel.”

Zoey complied, handing him the scalpel while wiping the sweat that had gathered on his face. As he remained focused on the patient, she pushed aside the misgivings she had toward him. Not because she wanted to, but because she had to. If they were going to make it through this scenario, the two of them needed to work together.

Not only did Zoey feel less exhausted, but Seth’s condition also seemed to improve.

“Suction.”

Zoey once again complied.

The more the two worked together, the more they seemed to synergize.

’He could also be right about this being some sort of trick to make us less cooperative. But then again… I’ve had my suspicions for a while that something has been off with him. I’ll address the situation better later. But if he truly is the Jester…?’

Zoey paused for a moment, her heart pressing against her chest.

In the chance that he was the Jester, just what in the world was she going to do?

“Suction.”

Zoey quickly lifted her head, catching Seth’s gaze as she rushed to suction the blood from the wound, a feeling trailing down her back as she tried to push it from her mind.

Having done it several times already, she had grown surprisingly skilled, positioning the suction precisely as she cleared away the blood with steady hands. Once she finished, she lifted her head once more, her gaze drifting upward as she checked the time.

“It’s 9:39. We’re almost done.”

There was a mix of relief in her voice as she muttered the time.

There were only about two and a half hours left in her shift. This meant that this hell wasn’t going to last for much longer. At first, she almost thought she wouldn’t be able to make it, but from the moment she reunited with Seth, she found herself less exhausted.

’I guess working with someone sure does help. Yeah… this is doable.’

With renewed energy, Zoey became even more careful as she assisted Seth. She wiped the sweat from his face with steady hands, listening closely and following each of his instructions without hesitation.

“Scalpel.”

“Suction.”

“Water.”

Zoey ignored the lingering sensations and pain, focusing instead on making sure nothing interfered with Seth’s work. Every movement of hers was careful, clearing his way and supporting him without hesitation. The most important thing was ensuring he could operate without mistakes.

As long as that held true, everything would go smoothly.

The procedure wasn’t as difficult as the previous ones, and Seth finished it within a few minutes, stitching the wound closed with precision. He seemed to be getting better with the number of procedures, which in turn made things a lot less painful for the two.

Once he was done, Zoey quickly uncapped a bottle of water and brought it to his lips, carefully pouring it into his mouth.

Her movements were just as smooth as when she handed him the equipment. In a way, she found the situation to be the same.

“Good job.”

Zoey even offered a few quiet words of encouragement, noticing just how exhausted Seth looked. She offered words of encouragement and praise to keep things light, but as she studied his face and saw how pale he had become, she knew he was far more drained than he let on.

’…He’s shivering.’

In fact, although he was trying to hide it, she could see his entire arm trembling with pain and exhaustion. The strain was evident in even the simplest movements of his. It didn’t look like he could last much longer.

Thinking about the level of focus he needed to maintain throughout the procedure, Zoey realized he likely had it much harder than she did.

This was probably why she didn’t say anything and just did everything that he asked of her.

’There’s a time and place for everything. This is not the place.’

Raising her head, Zoey looked around. Seeing that there was still no new patient, she opened her mouth, thinking that the two would have some time to talk about a few of their misgivings. Now that her mind was calm, and after witnessing everything, she was able to process things a lot more calmly.

She thought that this might be a good time to ask.

But not even a second after she opened her mouth, the situation changed.

Clank—!

The door burst open without warning, and someone rushed in, pushing a bed. They looked frantic, their face pale and drawn as their eyes darted around the room in hurried panic.

“Help…! Someone… help!”

His voice was hoarse, likely worn down from all the shouting, as he looked around the room in desperation. The frantic searching continued until his gaze landed on Seth and Zoey, his expression freezing for a brief moment before his eyes suddenly lit up with hope.

“Seth! Zoey!”

The moment Zoey turned her head, she also recognized him.

“Rowan…?”

Her eyes lit up for a brief moment, only to drop to the little girl lying on the bed, whose face was deathly pale as Rowan rushed her in. That’s—! In an instant, Zoey recognized the girl, her thoughts cutting off as Rowan’s frantic voice rang out.

“There’s no time to explain! I need help! Please help me!”

His eyes fell on Seth, taking note of how he was dressed.

“You’re a doctor, right? Help her, please! She…”

“Yeah, no problem. Just bring her here.”

Zoey answered without a second thought, quickly preparing the equipment. She assumed Seth would move with her, that they were already in sync, but the moment she began setting things up, Seth reached for his latex gloves and started pulling them off.

“Seth?”

He ignored her words, slowly rising from his seat as he pulled off his robes. His sudden actions startled them both, and Rowan hurried his sister closer to him.

“Seth, what are you…? I need your help. I—”

“My shift is over.”

Seth spoke over Rowan, his voice calm and composed as he didn’t so much as glance at his sister. No, rather… it seemed like he didn’t even hold any interest in her in the first place.

“W-what…”

Rowan stammered, his eyes trembling as he looked at Seth.

“That’s.. just a moment. My sister, I… you…”

“I can’t do it.”

Seth spoke once more, his voice colder than before. The moment he did, it felt as if the entire room had been dragged into the depths of the ocean, the air turning heavy and suffocating as Zoey’s face stiffened.

“You…”

“No, but… please. S-seth… if it’s not you, then…”

Zoey stammered for a moment, her lips opening and closing several times as she struggled to find her words.

“…Rowan… is… just help him out a little. I get that it’s painful, and I know that you’re exhausted, but this is his sister. If you don’t—”

“That’s not my problem.”

Seth’s cold voice echoed inside the room once more, chilling the hearts of both Zoey and Rowan as Seth pushed past the two of them, Rowan reaching back to grab him by the shoulder as he muttered, ’No, wait.. please. Please. It’s my sister. You can’t…’

“So…?” Seth frowned, turning back to look at the hand grasping onto his shoulder before reaching for it and pulling it away. “That’s not my problem. My shift is over. Go look for someone else.”

And before either Zoey or Rowan could say a word, he turned and walked toward the exit, leaving the room as a heavy silence settled over everything.

In that moment, the hearts of the two chilled completely.

Especially the moment they heard his last words.

“…Your sister is not my responsibility.”