Chapter 240: 240

Erik sat in his office, the dead parasite before him. Without any records of this creature, he had to rely on his own knowledge and magical prowess. He closed his eyes and channeled his magic, focusing on the parasite. If it was one of a kind, then perhaps it had unique magical properties that he could exploit.

He began by casting a series of diagnostic spells, hoping to discern any residual magic within the parasite’s remains. As he was casting the spell, memories of his past world emerged in his mind where he was in class with other elves doing something similar. As his hands glowed with a soft blue light, he sensed faint traces of dark magic, suggesting the parasite had an inherent magical signature. This was a crucial discovery—it meant that, despite being dead, the parasite could still be traced through its magical essence.

Erik decided to create a magical sensor attuned to the parasite’s unique energy. He gathered rare crystals and enchanted them with a spell designed to resonate with the parasite’s magical frequency. This device, once completed, would allow him to detect the presence of similar magic within living hosts. Only downside was that it wasn’t efficient enough.

Once he was done with the crystal, Erik walked around his castle to test the sensor working. It worked well but not as well as he wanted it to, for the sensor to find another parasite, he had to get close enough to work which wasn’t optimal.

In a day ERik found about ten compromised personnel in his castle which wasn’t to Erik liking, he did his best to play off his finding of them since Iris informed of Silas being able to see and know what happens through other parasites.

That didn’t stop Erik from nabbing one compromised maid. Erik began working on a better sensor, at the same time he didn’t give up on trying to save those hosted with the parasite. However, as Erik delved deeper into his research, a gnawing realization took hold. The more he learned about the parasite, the clearer it became that it had integrated so deeply with its hosts that it had become an essential part of their biological systems. Extracting or killing the parasite would inevitably result in the death of the host. This horrifying truth weighed heavily on him, and despair started to creep in.

The thought of condemning countless people to death was almost too much to bear. Erik’s mind flashed with images of innocent faces, people he had sworn to protect. His hands trembled as he continued his work, the weight of his responsibility pressing down on him like never before. The device and spells he was creating would only serve to identify the doomed, not save them.

He knew he needed to devise a way to neutralize the parasite’s influence without harming the hosts, but every avenue he explored led to dead ends. The parasite’s integration was too perfect, its magic too entwined with the life force of its victims. The realization that there was no way to save the infected felt like a punch to the gut, each revelation cutting deeper into his resolve.

Despite his growing despair, Erik refused to give up. He continued to research, hoping against hope for a breakthrough. He dug deeper into his memories, anything that might offer a glimmer of hope. Yet, the truth was unavoidable: the only solution to stop the parasite was to end the lives of those it had infested.

Erik’s study became a sanctuary of sorrow and determination. The air hummed with magical energy as he tirelessly refined his spells and sensors, each small success tinged with the bitter knowledge of what it would mean. Every enchantment and magical device he created brought him closer to identifying the infected, but also closer to the heart-wrenching task of deciding their fate.

Jonas noticed his father’s state, so he did his best to stay closer to him. Erik took comfort in knowing that none of his family members was infested so it did help a bit having his son working with him.

It took two weeks for them to be done, Erik and Jonas stood looking at the huge magical sensor they built, it was activated as they both were loathing the sight they will see once it was activated.

While they were looking at the device, a small magic circle showed itself at the ear of Jonas where a voice came through saying “It has all been laid out”

“Good work, stand by for further orders” Jonas said as he looked at his father.

After they were done with the device, Erik and Jonas made the effort of building a smaller sensor connected to the bigger one, these smaller sensors were all sent to city and towns far away from the capital city, basically all lands under the human kingdom had a device layed out in them waiting to activate.

Erik’s eyes looked determined as he placed his hand on the crystal activating the device, and an invisible wave of mana pulsed out of the device spreading out further out of the capital.

At the same time, the other device activated sending out the same invincible pulse, the pulse connected with the bigger one bouncing off each other.

On the bigger device, a hologram map of the human kingdom appeared in front of Erik and Jonas who were early looking at the hologram before a small red ping went off.

Soon another ping went off, that was the catalyst as soon half of the map was filled with red ping. Erik was expecting something similar to happen but when it really did, he found out he wasn’t really ready.

While Ikenga was shocked, the people of humanity noticed something weird, as for some reason most people on the street in front of them, or those they were having a conversation with momentarily blanked out.

It wouldn’t have meant anything if it happened to only one person but everyone experienced and saw the same thing which sparked up a conversation and whispered among themselves.

The work office was silent as Erik and Jonas both stared wide eyed at the hologram, the door to the office opened to show the queen walking in carrying with her desert and steaming tea.

She noticed both men didn’t pay attention to her so she dropped off the tea at the table before walking towards them. She was about to say something when her eyes were caught by the hologram, understanding what that meant, the queen held her mouth in fear as tears began falling from her face.

Erik’s hands were clenched under his robe, all he ever really wanted was revenge for his people, deciding the fate of millions and thousands of people was something he never really expected would happen to him one day.

So this is what it takes being a leader, Erik thought to himself mockingly remembering his slander of the elf chief when he was young, he never really understood the pressure that can be with the position of a leader and right now he is.

Looking at his son, Jonas beside him. Erik dreaded handing over such a position and choice to his son but that wasn’t a choice he could make on his own.

In his own, nobody taught him but at least he was here to teach his son. Gathering himself together, Erik cleared his throat, the royal air around him emerged as he calmly ordered his son.

“We now know who we can trust, so call the council member. This time we expose the plan to them and let them in on the decision we are about to make” Erik said to Jonas who was taken back by his father suddenly changed.

Jonas felt himself calming down seeing the way his father was presenting himself so he took a deep breath before bowing and said “understood.” With that he turned around only to see his mother with tears on her face.

He was about to say something, when he felt his father hand on his shoulder “Go, let me take care of her”

Jonas nodded solemnly and left the room, his footsteps echoing through the silent halls of the castle. Erik turned to his wife, her tear-streaked face a mirror of his own inner turmoil. He reached out, taking her trembling hands in his.

“We always knew this might happen,” Erik began softly, his voice steady despite the storm raging within him. “But I never wanted it to come to this.”

The queen nodded, her eyes searching for any hint of hope. “Is there truly no other way?”

Erik shook his head, the weight of his responsibility pressing down on him. “Every option leads to the same end. The parasites are too deeply entwined with their hosts. We can identify them, but we cannot save them.”

Tears flowed freely from the queen’s eyes, and Erik pulled her into an embrace, holding her tightly as if to shield her from the harsh reality. “We must be strong, for our people and for our family. This is the only way to protect those who are still free from this scourge.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep