The Neutral Saint Is a Sociopath... Then... (2)

The area outside the cafeteria was just as chaotic. While the inside had been thrown into disorder by the supporting character's recitation of the forbidden text, the outside was being shaken by the approaching Wortrolls, whose footsteps could be felt through the ground. Standing in front of the cafeteria were Jack and May, the very subordinates Joyeon had been searching for.

Jack and May hurried over when they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠saw Joyeon and Tiasia carrying Arty and Sosia out of the cafeteria.

Clack! "Master! Are you all right?!"

Click! "Ah... Madam and Miss Arty..."

"Jack, May. What the hell do you two think you're doing?"

Joyeon's cold, mechanical voice pierced their ears. Realizing just how deeply disappointed he was from his expression and tone, Jack and May froze stiffly in place.

Clack. "W-We are terribly sorry..."

Click. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠"We're sorry..."

"I'm not asking for apologies. What were you—"

"I-It's my fault. Joyeon, I was captured by Delpiari, so they couldn't do anything... So please, just stop and hurry—"

Even in her dazed state, Sosia defended Jack and May, trying to keep Joyeon from wasting any more time. Joyeon decided that scolding his followers could wait and simply told them to follow before moving again.

By the time they reached the emergency room, Arty and Sosia had recovered enough to walk on their own. The emergency room itself, however, was in complete pandemonium.

"Guardian! You mustn't move right now! If you keep thrashing around with the IV still in, it's extremely dangerous!"

"The Wortrolls are coming this way! That thing is far more dangerous than some tiny needle!"

"Please calm down! Acting so recklessly won't solve anything!"

Twenty percent of the people present were still receiving treatment, fifty percent were patients' companions or guardians, and thirty percent were medical staff desperately trying to calm the panicked crowd. The few Watchers visible weren't providing much help in restoring order.

"E-Everyone... please calm down!"

Sosia stepped forward and shouted, attempting to take control of the situation.

"I know how precious your companions and families are to each of you! But to overcome this crisis, everyone must help one another! We have to protect this hospital!"

"Saintess! No matter what, it's impossible! Three hundred and fifty Wortrolls... Even a normal troll requires a four-person D-Rank party to barely take down one... This isn't about whether we can defend it or not!"

"That's right! It's not a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠matter of possible or impossible—it's survive or flee! Saintess, you should run too!"

"B-But...!"

Despite Sosia's skills activating, the people showed no signs of calming down. Her skill levels were low, and the situation itself made defending the hospital seem nearly impossible. Sosia, who hadn't expected her words to be so thoroughly ignored, hesitated in visible confusion.

Joyeon, standing beside her, gritted his teeth. Damn it... the pain in my wrist is getting worse... It hurts like hell. What the hell are these people doing? This is pissing me off...

The pain from his broken wrist, caused when he shattered the bracelet, was intensifying by the second. Extreme disgust and irritation surged toward the people who were not only ignoring Sosia's attempts to restore order but actively making the situation worse.

"J-Joyeon!"

Someone called out to Joyeon, whose mind was clouded by pain.

"...Mr. Rion."

It was Rion's party, who had come to the hospital with him. His entire party had gathered, their faces tense with anxiety.

"Are you planning to stay and defend the hospital with the Saintess, Joyeon?"

"...Yes. Were you thinking of running—"

"We'll help as well. What should we do?"

"...You're not running?"

Joyeon couldn't understand why Rion's party wanted to stay. They had only given help to the hospital; they had never received any in return. There was no real reason for them to remain.

"We can't do that. This is the Neutral Saintess's hospital. It's a symbol of a place where people don't have to fight. It absolutely cannot disappear."

Rion forced a stiff smile due to tension as he spoke. To Joyeon, it looked as though he was desperately suppressing the urge to flee.

"...I don't get it."

"E-Eh... Was my explanation insufficient?"

Rion glanced awkwardly at his companions in response to Joyeon's dry remark. Joyeon shook his head.

"No, that's not it. If you're willing to help, you're more than welcome. Could Luna use some healing magic on me? My wrist is broken. I can only use Mini Heal, so it won't work."

"Ah... A-Are you hurt...?"

Joyeon held out his oddly twisted hand toward Luna. Seeing the injury, she gasped and quickly cast a recovery spell.

Along with a warm light, the intense pain in Joyeon's wrist began to fade. While receiving the healing magic, he looked around the emergency room with a slightly clearer mind.

Sosia was still pleading with people to stay, while others were abandoning the very medical staff who had just treated them, thinking only of escape. Seeing this, Joyeon called for House.

"House, you're watching the Wortrolls. Where are they now?"

-Report. Currently passing the 300-meter mark.

"When will they arrive?"

-Estimated arrival within two minutes.

"......"

...Maybe I should just recite more of the forbidden text, tell them all to drop dead, and run.

"Um, excuse me. The treatment is finished... but it hasn't been long since I healed it, so... p-please be careful..."

Luna spoke to Joyeon just as he was about to ignore Sosia's request and begin reciting the next verse of the forbidden text, his faith in humanity rapidly dwindling. Joyeon glanced at her, then tested his fully healed wrist by clenching and unclenching his fist. He reached out and gently patted Luna's head.

"...?!?!?!"

Luna froze in confusion at the sudden gesture.

"There's a human among the beasts... I guess it can't be helped."

After thanking Luna, Joyeon approached Tiasia.

"Lala, how's Arty's condition?"

"She's fully regained consciousness."

"Really? Arty, you're okay, right?"

"Uh, y-yeah..."

Arty stepped forward hesitantly. Noticing her awkward movements, Joyeon assumed she was afraid of him.

Can't blame her. She almost died because of the forbidden text recitation. I wonder if an apology will even fix things between us.

Arty's thoughts, however, were completely different.

Eh... Joyeon's atmosphere feels off, doesn't it? He was acting like a kid earlier, so why so suddenly...

Arty didn't even fully understand why she had lost consciousness in the first place. She was simply unsettled by how drastically different Joyeon's demeanor was before and after she fainted.

"I'm borrowing your ability. Support me."

"Huh? W-What are you trying to do?"

"What else? When words don't work on beasts, the whip is the answer."

Along with Joyeon's words, an aura of death began to flow from beneath his feet.

The Death Aura, spreading like a shadow across the floor, filled the entire emergency room.

Shiver!

The movements of those Joyeon considered beasts came to a halt. Goosebumps rose across their bodies as they stopped whatever they had been doing. Even Sosia, who had been shouting moments ago, stared at Joyeon in shock at the sudden change in atmosphere.

"Listen when you're told. You worthless insects."

His quiet yet sharp voice spread through the emergency room. Arty, who had been staring at him like a startled rabbit upon hearing his cold tone for the first time, quickly realized what she needed to do and quietly activated her ability behind him.

"I went through the trouble of keeping you lot alive, and the moment a few monsters show up, you forget all about that kindness and try to run?"

Through Arty's Concept Sculpting, part of Joyeon's Death Aura rose up behind him.

"Even beasts remember the kindness of those who helped them. You people are worse than beasts—you're trash."

What Joyeon had wanted from Arty was an enhancement of the Death Aura's effects, which he suspected might be resisted. What Arty understood, however, was to make Joyeon appear as an existence that must never be opposed while controlling the situation.

The aura behind Joyeon took on a complete form: a pitch-black robe that seemed to swallow light like a shadow, and an ominous great scythe that looked as though it would carve away all flesh the moment it touched. Within the hood was a grotesque black skull.

Arty's art, which had once even beguiled a goddess, did not stop at mere beauty. Through her touch, something that should never exist in this world appeared behind Joyeon.

The Reaper floating behind Joyeon lifted its head, its eyes glowing the same crimson as Joyeon's. It began scanning the crowd in perfect synchronization with him.

Unlike the Death Aura, which applied buffs and debuffs to multiple targets, the Reaper's gaze inflicted irresistible debuffs simply by meeting its eyes, completely breaking ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the will of those affected. It was an absurd ability that made one question whether it could even be countered in a one-on-one situation.

"You cannot run. I won't allow it. If you don't want to die, fight. Otherwise..."

The Reaper swung its great scythe once, as if to say you'll die by my hand, its crimson glow fading as it lowered its head.

The emergency room fell into complete silence. Joyeon scanned the crowd once more, then tapped Sosia's shoulder to snap her out of her daze.

"All non-combatants, take the patients with you! Even if they're not your family or companions, take them! Move according to the Saintess's instructions! The rest of you combat types—anyone who can swing even a dagger—come outside with me and fight!"

Even after Joyeon's shout, the emergency room remained silent.

"...Answer."

Flash!!

The Reaper's eyes, previously lowered, reignited and glared at the crowd.

"Y-Yes!!"

"W-We have to move! Fighting is the only way!!"

"Defeating the Wortrolls is the only way to survive!!"

Only then did people begin to move. Sturdy adventurers grabbed their equipment and rushed toward the lobby where the Watchers had gathered, while those unable to fight began moving toward the ward corridors.

"Mr. Rion. I'll be counting on you when fighting the Wortrolls. You're the only reliable person here besides your party."

"Ah... Y-Yes, of course! Leave it to us, Joyeon! We'll survive!"

Rion's party, who had been staring blankly at Joyeon, followed the others and ran toward the lobby.

"Mom, I'll leave the non-combatants to you. I'll handle things outside somehow. Stay somewhere safe with the others."

"A-All right."

"Arty and Tiasia, come with me. Jack, May—you two are fighting today as well."

"Yes!"

Clack! "I will give it everything I have!"

Click! "This time, I will live up to Master's expectations!"

Joyeon left the patients to Sosia and led his followers toward the lobby. Realizing Arty wasn't following, he turned back.

"Arty! What are you doing? You're coming this way! If you fall behind and cause trouble, it'll be a problem! Hurry up! We don't have time!"

"Ah... Y-Yeah!"

Arty, who had been staring blankly at Joyeon, snapped out of it and ran after him.