Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! Chapter 801: Relationships are hard [2]

The next few days were hectic.

In essence, I was subjected to quite a few examinations.

Blood tests, questions about my symptoms, and several other things that required me to sit still while someone told me not to move. A lot of doctors came to see me, and just when I thought they were finished, someone else would arrive.

I had been rather mistaken about the vacation.

‘I’d rather go back to work.’

And there wasn’t much I could do about it either.

The only good thing was that the BUA had signed a confidentiality agreement with me regarding their findings. The results would remain with the people handling the case. Nothing would be passed on to the Guild.

That was good.

But also bad since I trusted the BUA even less than my own Guild.

I also didn’t particularly want the Section Chiefs knowing everything about my body.

Especially one particular Section Chief.

Still, an agreement didn’t stop the people examining me from finding things. Considering who was involved in the investigation, I wasn’t entirely comfortable with that either. But it wasn’t like I had a choice.

The only choice left I had was running away, but… that was probably even worse of a choice.

I sighed.

‘Well, it’s not like I have much of a choice. Might as well…’

I was worried about the Hand, but they probably already had an idea. There was nothing scarier than an injured lunatic.

‘At least, I hoped.’

“Please keep your head still.”

“…It’s still.”

“You were turning it.”

“Only a little.”

The woman beside the scanner looked at me for a moment before adjusting the frame around my head.

Several wires ran from it towards the machine. Small pads had also been attached to my chest, and I had also been asked to remove my shirt and bracelet.

I wasn’t particularly happy about the latter.

“Try to relax.”

I looked up at the large opening above me.

The scanner took up most of the room. An escort brought me all the way into the room, and the corridor had been cleared before I was allowed through.

Even now, an agent remained near the door.

I wasn’t going anywhere.

“Is this going to take long?”

“We’ll tell you when we’re finished.”

How reassuring.

The bed started moving.

I watched the ceiling disappear as my head entered the machine, a low humming sound coming from somewhere beside my ears.

My heart was beating rather loudly.

Not because I thought the machine would hurt me.

I was more concerned about what they would find.

A faint light passed over my face. I closed my eyes briefly before opening them again, listening as someone outside asked for another image.

For a while, nobody said anything.

Then⎯

“…What the?”

My fingers stopped moving.

“Go back to that section.”

A short silence followed.

“Here?”

“Yes. Enlarge it.”

I stared at the curved surface above my face.

The machine hummed again.

“Is that all around the nodes?”

“…It seems so.”

“What is this? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“…..”

Well.

I supposed I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer.

The voices continued for a little while, occasionally lowering to the point where I couldn’t make out the words. I remained still throughout, waiting until the bed finally started moving again.

The ceiling came back into view.

So did the doctors.

Three of them stood beside the display. The woman who had fitted the frame approached me, but she was still looking towards the screen as she reached for the equipment around my head.

“…Is it that bad?”

Nobody answered immediately.

An older man turned towards me.

“How are you still alive?”

Oh.

That bad.

I shrugged as much as the wires allowed.

“You get used to it.”

“No. This isn’t something you get used to.”

He moved aside, giving me a clearer view of the screen.

The pathways around my nodes looked considerably worse when someone enlarged them like that. There was material gathered throughout them, with some sections so clogged that it was difficult to see where they continued.

I already knew about that.

But it still wasn’t a very good sight to see. In fact, I took my eyes away from it almost a moment later.

“How long has this been going on?”

“A while.”

“And you’ve continued using your nodes?”

“Well, yes.”

The man looked at me.

Then at the screen.

“You need to stop. Immediately.”

“…..”

“This isn’t just a little damage. With the amount of obstruction here, continuing to put them under strain could be extremely dangerous.”

I lowered my gaze towards my hands.

“Well, it is what it is.”

“Team Leader Thorne.”

“I heard you.”

I reached towards the frame, but the woman stopped my hand.

“Let me remove that first.”

I waited while she disconnected the wires and unfastened it. Once she had finished, I took off the remaining pads and reached for my shirt.

The older doctor was still speaking.

Something about further examinations. Another specialist. Comparing the images with whatever results they already had.

I pulled my shirt over my head.

“Have you been experiencing pain?”

“Yes.”

“Constantly?”

“Less recently.”

“What changed?”

I reached towards the tray beside the bed.

My bracelet lay next to the sunglasses.

A doctor standing near the desk glanced towards it.

“Whoever gave you that knew what they were doing.”

My hand paused.

“The bracelet?”

“Yes. That was a good decision. It’s helping keep your condition under control.”

“…Right.”

I picked it up and fastened it around my wrist.

There had been a dull pressure behind my eyes since taking it off. I only realised how much it had been bothering me when it slowly started to ease.

My thoughts became clearer.

That was better.

“Don’t use your nodes until we’ve finished reviewing this,” the older doctor said.

“I understand.”

He didn’t seem entirely convinced, but he eventually turned back towards the display.

The woman beside him pointed at one of the images.

I left them to it.

There wasn’t much I could contribute. Besides, I had a more pressing concern.

“So…?”

I looked towards the doctors.

“Did you find anything else?”

The doctor near the desk lowered his gaze towards the results.

“No. Apart from what we’ve discussed, you appear healthy. Nothing else stands out at the moment.”

“Nothing?”

“We’ll keep a close watch on you.”

“…Alright.”

I nodded and picked up my sunglasses.

When I stood, I felt a little lightheaded.

My fingers remained against the edge of the bed for a moment before I straightened properly. The doctors were still going through the images, and I kept my expression unchanged as I put on the glasses.

‘I guess I stood up a little too fast.’

It happened from time to time. Or at least, that was what I’d usually thinkg. But now…? I wasn’t so sure.

My nose started tingling again.

I rubbed beneath it.

“Are you ready?”

The agent near the door was looking at me.

“Yes.”

I lowered my hand and followed him out.

I took a sigh of relief as I walked out. To be honest, I thought they’d find more, but this was within my expectations.

As for everything else…

I looked down at the bracelet.

My head was clear.

I could think properly.

That should’ve made me feel better, but as we walked back through the empty corridor, I found myself counting the steps until I could sit down again.

There wasn’t much time left.

I didn’t know how much.

But I was becoming increasingly certain that I couldn’t afford to wait for them to figure this out.

*

To Tok!

“Hm?”

I was lying on the bed when someone knocked.

For a moment, I considered pretending to be asleep.

They had already taken enough of my blood for the day. Surely, whatever else they wanted could wait a little.

To Tok!

I looked towards the entrance.

An agent stepped inside, remaining on the other side of the glass.

“You have a visitor.”

“…Another one?”

He nodded before moving aside.

I pushed myself up a little, my attention settling on the open doorway.

‘If it’s Kyle or Zoey, I guess I can try asking for more money. That won’t hurt.’

But I would have to approach it differently this time.

My mouth opened.

Then someone entered.

“…..”

My brows rose.

I sat up properly, pulling my legs off the bed as I stared at the man standing beyond the partition, his presence instantly filling the entire space.

That’s…

‘What is he doing here?’

The Guild Master of Obsidian Bastion.