Near observes it all carefully, patiently. He notes what they must represent, sees the gaps where the dead Arcana would have been. And he watches as the simulation plays out, throwing Lovers and Devil highly out of sync.

So if Hermit were to leave, it would disrupt the balance of the system. This is a concern, though less so than he would have thought back when he'd been Indigo. He has little care for the overall fate of their hosts, however. He simply wishes to understand all the factors at play. Lovers and Devil seek to preserve themselves; it's a natural enough motivation.

How would such a thing affect those that have been drawn here?

The question is more for his own sake than that of any other Traveler, but it's an important one regardless of his own motive. And he has difficulty surviving without aid, besides.