Suspiciously Competent (5)
The dawn air was cold. A glance at the time showed it was just before sunrise.
"Haa..."
A rotten sweet smell wafted from my mouth.
Sariya had helped me check on the patients, nagging me not to overdo it before curling up in my arms and falling asleep. The bear doll was plastered right against my stomach.
I was exhausted beyond belief.
Like I'd been possessed, I'd dashed through the wards treating patients nonstop. My body was beat, but every time I saw those in agony slip into peaceful sleep, my chest swelled with emotion.
Finally made it through the entire second wing.
This was truly my limit. My vision spun, my mind hazy.
I wanted to crash right now, but the thought of trudging all the way to the inn in Zone J3 was impossible.
If there's an empty room, I'll just catch a quick nap.
Dragging my heavy legs, I scanned the rooms.
First floor. No empties.
Second floor. Packed.
Third floor. Same.
"Ugh... please..."
I was about to give up and head down the stairs when—
Huh?
There were more stairs. A dim spiral staircase led upward.
Wishy had said the wards only went up to three floors, right?
Whatever, probably the on-call room or something.
My fatigue-addled brain refused any more rational thought. Dazed, I climbed those stairs.
At the end of the hall, I finally found an empty room.
A bed.
The room glowed with an eerie red light, a sticky sweet scent assaulting my nose.
Nice cozy lighting.
I flung myself onto the fluffy bed and pulled the covers over.
Creak—
The door opened, and someone entered.
"Patient... you can't wander at night..."
A raspy, throat-scratching voice—like an itch—hit my ears, but I figured it was just my imagination.
The nurse?
Without opening my eyes, I yanked the blanket up to my chin and mumbled.
"It's bedtime, so keep it down. I'll stay put and sleep nice and quiet..."
...Bedtime?
The nurse-like figure halted by the bed.
"During bedtime... we don't touch... as a rule..."
The nurse left those words and exited.
A sheet of paper fluttered down by my head, but I was already sinking into deep sleep.
We welcome you to our ward. We do our utmost for your complete recovery.
If you're reading this, memorize and follow the rules below. The hospital bears no responsibility for physical or mental harm from violations.
1. This building only has three above-ground floors. If you see a red sign reading "4th Floor," it's too late—abandon any attempt to flee.
2. Morning rounds start on time. When your doctor enters with a scalpel, don't panic even if there's no head atop their neck. They're excellent staff who'll neatly organize your organs. Do not refuse examination.
3. If a patrolling nurse's arms stretch unnaturally or joints bend grotesquely, do not run. Stay in bed, cover up, and say it's bedtime. Sleeping patients aren't touched until morning rounds—that's the rule.
4. Other patients may scream about nurses eating their arms or laugh gleefully. Ignore it—it's curse-induced delirium. Our staff is always kind to patients.
5. If using stairs and you see teeth embedded in the floor or hear flesh squelching, never look up. The moment you do, you'll become part of the stairs.
7. Finally, do not claim you're not a patient. Non-patients here are immediately disassembled or staff. We wish you a safe discharge.
Same time.
In the on-call room, Wishy's fingers trembled faintly as she sorted charts.
A sinister chill crawled up her neck.
The ward air, masked by disinfectant, had turned sticky and fishy.
Something's off.
Wishy stood, cautiously checking the rooms.
Nothing unusual.
But eerily, every patient was in deep sleep.
Even the hypersensitive Heart's Eye Squad members, who normally groaned from curse pain at the slightest curtain rustle—motionless.
Wishy held her breath, pressing an ear to a patient's chest.
Breathing. But something was wrong.
Heartbeats... identical.
First floor patients. Second floor. All the same rhythm, interval, depth.
As if one heart beat for them all.
A chill ran down her spine. She wanted to chalk it up to nerves.
This is the council headquarters.
She headed to the third floor past the second.
The air grew heavier, skin prickling.
At the hall's end, she flinched behind a pillar.
"Patient~. No wandering at night~."
A nurse with her face wrapped in crimson bandages prowled the hall. Hair writhed like tentacles. Limbs snapped at grotesque angles as she walked.
Yokai...!
Wishy clamped her hands over her mouth.
A yokai in the council HQ. Inside the ward's barrier.
Something's seriously wrong.
The yokai nurse peered into rooms, parting curtains to check faces before closing them.
Wishy slipped toward the stairs while the nurse entered another room.
Emergency buttons and comms were on the first floor.
Turning to descend—
She froze.
Above what should have been the top floor, a blood-red spiral staircase protruded.
Horrific screams echoed from above. Revolting blood dripped down.
The fourth floor appeared...!
When curses and grudges resonate, the building itself warps into a rule yokai.
That's what was happening.
Wishy gripped her shaking legs and bolted downstairs.
"Please, please...!"
In the lobby, she frantically spun the comm dial.
Static.
"Emergency! Rule yokai in Wing 1! Requesting backup!"
Static. Static.
No connection.
She slammed the wall emergency button.
The magic stone was cold, dark.
All external comms severed.
Flutter—
A paper fell at Wishy's feet.
Memorize these before duty. Violators are reclassified as patients immediately.
1. Doors stay locked until sunrise. No external contact. Ignore any voice on the comm sounding like a colleague—it isn't.
2. Do not wake or harm sleeping patients before morning rounds. The curse may transfer to you.
3. You may encounter other nurses on patrol. Don't speak first. If they do, confirm their joints bend normally before replying.
4. Obey doctor requests. If headless, pray they don't recognize you.
Thank you for night duty. We wish you a safe shift end.
Wishy's hands shook reading it.
Rule yokai.
Comms failed because the whole building was now yokai territory.
Can't signal outside normally.
She had to hold out protecting patients until someone noticed and sent help.
Blood trickled from her bitten lip as she drew her silver dagger from her waist.
She knew nothing of swordplay.
But her trembling grip held desperate resolve to guard the sleeping hundreds.
"My, how valiant."
A voice echoed.
From the lobby shadows, a woman emerged.
Deep crimson-red hair shimmering darkly. Revealing black dress. Silver ornaments jingling.
"...Who are you?"
Wishy thrust the dagger forward.
The woman smiled lazily, extending a finger.
Sizzle—
The blade unraveled into red threads instantly.
"Wh-what...!"
Wishy hurled the hilt at the redhead.
Even that dissolved midair, red threads scattering limply.
Her hands empty.
The redhead approached gracefully, cool fingers brushing Wishy's frozen cheek.
"Plenty of time—no need to rush."
Red lips whispered in her ear.
"Struggle all you want. This place is fully severed from reality—a separate dimension."
The woman smiled with her eyes.
"Soon, these hundreds will vanish without a trace overnight."
Wishy's legs buckled.
She collapsed.
No dagger. No comms. No one coming.
Deep despair swallowed her.
"Mm..."
How long had I slept?
Even opening my eyes, I felt dead tired. Body heavy as cotton candy, eyelids leaden.
"Patient. Morning rounds."
Someone shook my shoulder. Squinting, a white-coated doctor stood by the bed.
But.
...Neck?
I rubbed my eyes—no change.
No head atop the neck.
"Where does it hurt?"
The headless doctor clicked the scalpel inquiringly.
How's it talking without a mouth?
Still half-asleep, I rubbed my eyes and got out of bed.
"I'm not a patient. Just crashed in an empty room 'cause I was wiped."
The doctor's motion froze.
The room went dead silent.
A grotesque breath leaked from the neck stump. "Rule violation. Those claiming not to be patients... immediate disassembly."
The scalpel flashed.
...Huh?
The headless doctor lunged at my neck. Too tired to dodge, I squeezed my eyes shut.
Whoosh—!
A gust from my chest blasted the doctor away.
Bang! Crunch!
Eyes snapped open at the wall-smash. The doctor was embedded, unmoving.
What the...?
Crimson lighting. Blood splatters everywhere.
Headless doctor in the wall.
What kinda dream is this?
Brain wouldn't process. Fell asleep in council wards, so hospital nightmare makes sense.
Couldn't be yokai. Right in the barrier's heart.
Then the nurse beside me muttered at my chest.
"Spirit...? Staff...?"
Face bandaged.
Wishy, huh.
Her dark circles were bad—maybe covering them.
Even in dreams, Wishy's hardworking.
Admirable.
Hands in coat pockets, I yawned.
"Let's go."
......
Wishy stood awkwardly frozen. No clue why.
"What're you doing? C'mon."
I opened the door first; the nurse creaked after.
Working even in dreams.
Half-lidded in the hall.
The lighting was especially red.