Chapter 42

Chapter 42: The Sun-Blocking Parasite "Selene is a princess of Aquila!?" As per usual, under the pretense of a "medical examination," Ente heard the report from the cursecaster and, despite it being well into the night, she exclaimed with a voice that resounded throughout the room. "I was surprised as well. I knew she was no ordinary person, but to think that she has royal blood... This truly raises the possibility of her becoming Prince Milano's legitimate wife..." "Don't say such disgusting things!!" Ente shouted again, slamming her hand onto the table with such force that a vase tumbled over, spilling water on the carpet. But her mind was so clouded with rage that she paid no attention to the mess she had made. "Oh, scary, scary." "Ooh, scary, scary," mocked the cursecaster, and Cokumaru, perched on her shoulder, both in a tone far from frightened, but Ente was too flustered to reprimand them. "This is bad... this is really bad...!" Ignoring her carefully styled hair becoming disheveled, Ente clawed at her locks. For the past few months, she had been regularly sending Cokumaru to watch over Selene, and with each day, her fury simmered as she heard of the younger girl's rising fame. But this was beyond ill news; for Ente, this was a devastating blow. "To think that girl was of royal blood..." As much as she despised Selene, who seemed to be basked in Milano's favor, Ente had always held a sense of superiority. Indeed, she conceded that securing the elves' cooperation was an achievement that would go down in human history. But people of high status care about appearances, and that doesn't change. King Shubarn of Herifarthe had also been united with his attendant, Aibis, but his journey was filled with immense difficulty. It was only because Shubarn was extremely capable and Aibis hailed from Herifarte, having served and labored under Shubarn since childhood, that they managed to marry. Selene might possess a rare talent, but she was a lowly girl from the outskirts of Aquila. Even if feelings existed between Milano and Selene, the gap in their statuses was too wide. Nevertheless, Ente had thought that to prevent Selene from hindering her path of love in the future, it would be best to nip it in the bud while she was still young. However, everything changes if Selene is royalty. Even from a small country, if she's of royal blood, her qualifications surpass even those of Aibis. Considering her current achievements, she would likely gain ample understanding from those around her. In fact, rumors suggested the nation's atmosphere was gradually leaning toward such sentiments. "Cursecaster! Is that forbidden technique of yours still not complete!? It's been months, hasn't it?" "It is nearly 90% complete. If we activate it on the night of the next new moon, the spell will be perfected." "The new moon..." Ente leaned out of the window to gaze at the night sky, where the shining full moon was clearly visible. That detestable little girl, lately called the "Moonlight Princess," seemed to be getting too full of herself. With that thought, Selene shining radiantly seemed to look down on her from a great height, and using that irritation, Ente closed the curtain sharply. "If it's 90% complete, then it's as good as done. Activate your forbiden technique at once!" "Well, however, if you desire perfect assurance, it would be best to wait until the new moon..." "I can't wait that long! It wouldn't be strange if the prince and Selene became engaged tomorrow!?" "...Understood. Then, let us proceed with the activation." With a sigh, the cursecaster conceded to Ente's demands. The incessant nagging of this childish lady had worn her out, and the spell would have sufficient power even in its current state. The cursecaster reached into the fold of her robe and pulled out a small box tightly bound with string. The box was palm-sized, and it emitted a rustling sound, as if something within was writhing. She set the box on the table and began to unseal it. "Ah!" As the lid opened and an unidentifiable creature crawled out, Ente let out a startled squeak. At first glance, it resembled a spider, but upon closer inspection, it was subtly different. Its body was completely white, with fine hairs covering its legs, and it had an abnormally swollen head with a massive set of jaws. It was a ghastly creature, reminiscent of a mix between a spider and a scorpion. "This is the forbidden technique of my clan, the Sun-Blocking Parasite." "The Sun-Blocking Parasite...?" As the disturbing creature scuttled across the table, Ente watched with goosebumps and a look of revulsion. In sharp contrast, the cursecaster gleamed with visible pride, like a craftsman displaying her prized tool. "Are you planning to toss this ghastly thing onto Selene's pillow? It looks weaker than the previous centipede and smaller too." "No, no, it is to be used like this... Ta-da!" Before Ente could stop her, the cursecaster pulled out a dagger from his inner pocket and mercilessly stabbed the creature that ought to be the trump card. Accompanied by a grotesque squelching sound, the creature's fluids leaked out, soiling Ente's favorite table. The creature's legs twitched in convulsion for a moment before it lay still. "What are you doing!?" "Now, let the ritual commence!" Fuming at having her item destroyed and her table dirtied, Ente reached out to grab the cursecaster. But she, completely elated, spread her arms wide and declared, "Eh...?" As Ente looked on dumbfounded, something strange happened to the carcass of the creature. The leaked fluids gradually darkened, turning into a viscous black slime resembling crude oil. As if having a will of its own, the slime began creeping slowly. "What is this!? The bug's juice is moving...?" "Hehe, we are only halfway through." Despite the sheer repulsiveness of the scene, Ente took a few steps back, while the cursecaster continued to watch with glee as the black liquid crawled like a slug across the table. In a flash, the liquid evaporated, leaving behind only a small black stain. This diminutive black spot, as if alive, began to slip across the table unsteadily. "The molt is complete. Now, the preparations are nearly finished." "That black shadow is... the forbidden technique?" "Precisely! As you can see, this insect is shadow itself. It lurks within the shadow of the target, enters the body from there, and devours the life force. A creature possessed by this insect will find itself cold and still by morning. But that's not all." As she said this, the cursecaster once again grasped the dagger and struck down upon the Sun-Blocking Parasite. The shadow, pierced by the blade, merely altered shape for an instant before returning to its original form, continuing its sluggish crawl across the table. "As you can observe, physical attacks have no effect on the Sun-Blocking Parasite. Unless you confront it with pure magical power, it is invulnerable to harm, and it is impossible to prevent its infiltration into the body." Compared to the curse-casting technique that entails channeling magical power into a centipede and unleashing its curse, the Sun-Blocking Parasite is a lump of magical power with offensive capabilities. It remains unseen by all, not a wound it can receive, and leaves behind no evidence. A grimace of horror contorted Ente's face, but it quickly morphed into a wicked grin. "Marvelous! Certainly with this, Selene can be killed!" "Originally, the strongest effect is achieved by allowing it to molt on the night of the new moon when the darkness is at its densest. Well, in this day and age, there is likely no one who would notice and be able to deal with this creature. All that remains is to insert a catalyst, and it will be complete." "A catalyst?" Ente tilted her head in puzzlement. When she had handed over the demanded sum to the cursecaster, she concurrently provided a lock of Selene’s hair, which should have already been used. "The catalyst is more of a sacrifice. The newly born Sun-Blocking Parasite must be taught the taste of a human soul. A human full of life energy and who possesses magical power would be ideal. We need to make humans seem delicious to it." Ente frowned at this prerequisite. People possessing magical power were rare to begin with, and finding one that met all the conditions on short notice would be difficult. "You should have mentioned that sooner! It won’t be easy to find such a person!" "No worries, I've already got someone in mind." "Really!? Well done!" Ente's expression brightened, but then she picked up on something unsettling. The cursecaster, who had been explaining with her face down all this while, was now glaring straight at her. Her gaze reminiscent of a snake that had found its prey and was licking its lips in anticipation. A dreadful thought crossed Ente's mind. A young person with magical power... that meant— "Wait, you—you can’t mean!?" "Eat." With a sneer, the cursecaster pointed a withered finger at Ente. In an instant, the shadow expanded like a black bedsheet being spread wide, engulfing Ente in a cloak of darkness. "Somebody! Help—!" Ente’s scream was cut short as she was swallowed by the black mass. Not even ten seconds passed before the Sun-Blocking Parasite detached from Ente. There were no external injuries, but her eyes were void of life, and once it left, she fell to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut. Not stirring and with wide-open eyes, the cursecaster stepped on Ente’s belly and spat on her face. "Pah, that's what I said. Overdo cursing others and it comes back to bite you. Now Cokumaru, carry this sleeping princess to her bed." "Eh? Me!?" Receiving the order, Cokumaru grudgingly climbed down from the shoulder, grabbed Ente’s hair uncaringly, and dragged her onto the bed. Then, the cursecaster tidied the disheveled hair and closed the unblinking eyes. With that, she outwardly appeared as if merely asleep. "Well then, I guess I shall make use of this foolish girl's soul as a power source for the Sun-Blocking Parasite." With a snicker, the cursecaster peered down at Ente, who, although still breathing, would never awaken. The core of her very life had been extracted. Unless the Sun-Blocking Parasite was defeated and the soul released, she would perish within a short time from decline during her slumber. Naturally, the cursecaster had no concerns over that matter. With vast sums appropriated for creating the Sun-Blocking Parasite, and her soul now drained dry, the girl no longer held any value for him. "Now then, perhaps the ritual is near its completion." Turning around, the cursecaster saw the Sun-Blocking Parasite, which had been changing shape irregularly, now progressively enlarging. A few minutes passed, and it took on the shape of a black woman, gliding across the floor towards the cursecaster to await its master's command. "Good, good, it seems to have been a success. Now, my dear lovely monster, I shall tell you who is to be cursed to death." Responding to the cursecaster's words, the Sun-Blocking Parasite seemed to nod, and after receiving a satisfied gaze, the cursecaster imparted the name of the intended victim. "First Prince of the Kingdom of Herifarthe, Milano Herifarthe!" Upon receiving the name of the target, the Sun-Blocking Parasite turned back into a flat shadow and began to swim through the darkness, slipping through the slight opening of a window and disappearing. The Sun-Blocking Parasite, with its ability to travel by blending within shadows, would infiltrate Herifarthe without notice, shadow to shadow. "Kuh-hyah-hyah! I'll show you, you little brat of Herifarthe!" While staring in the direction where the Sun-Blocking Parasite had vanished, the cursecaster laughed uproariously. The "little brat" she referred to was not Milano. It was his father, Shubarn. Herifarthe had always been a large nation, but its rapid gain in power began with Shubarn's ascension. Before his reign, nations vied for supremacy, and discord was incessant. Amidst this, the cursecaster's clan and their cursing powers were highly sought after, and they flaunted their prosperity in the underground world. However, when the young King Shubarn with astonishing speed strengthened Herifarthe's power, other countries chose submission over resistance, which ushered in an era of peace on the continent. At the same time, the cursecaster's clan declined, scattered, and was forced to lead the lives of recluses, taking on the inconsequential guise of herbalists and fortune-tellers. "The brat who took away something precious from me. This time, I'll take it back from you!" Pestilence, famine, war... King Shubarn, the man who had stolen the beloved darkness of the cursecaster. He would now lose his most prized son. But stopping at that would not be enough. Using Prince Milano as a stepping stone, and as his death would be mourned by Queen Aibis and Princess Maribel, their weakened hearts would be exploited, and they too would be consumed by the Sun-Blocking Parasite. King Shubarn would be left alone, but his hell would not end there. The reason why the Sun-Blocking Parasite is a forbidden technique is that once it's activated, even the cursecaster cannot control it. The Sun-Blocking Parasite prefers to attack humans filled with negative emotions, such as anger, hatred, and jealousy. Moreover, it doesn’t simply devour their souls; it absorbs their physical and magical energies, growing into a massive monster. According to the records of the clan, it was once activated centuries ago, plunging the continent into utter chaos. However, it was quelled by chance by the appearance of a dragon. In other words, unless a dragon intervenes, there is no way to stop the fully grown Sun-Blocking Parasite. Because of its strong will, the Sun-Blocking Parasite will leave King Shubarn to the end. That’s not to say that Shubarn alone could do much about it. He will have to watch until the end as the loving family he built, his subjects, and the nation of Herifarthe collapse. And when the great power of Herifarthe crumbles, the balance among nations will be greatly disrupted. Valberg and other nations that had been watching will seize the opportunity to try expanding their territories. Of course, the havoc wrought by the Sun-Blocking Parasite will not confine itself to Herifarthe. It will draw the entire continent back into a terrifying era. "Then, once again, a glorious era for our cursed clan will arrive." "What about Selene?" "Ah, the young lady? Leave her be; she'll die on her own accord. I’ve kept my promise to that foolish princess. After all, I am kind." The cursecaster looked down upon the still-slumbering Ente with a spiteful smirk. She had only been given the request to kill Selene. There was no specification stating not to use Ente as a sacrifice, nor was there any mention of not plunging the continent into despair and terror. Indeed, Selene might be a prodigious figure unparalleled on the continent. Physically, however, she possessed below-average magical power and was no more than a young child incapable of wielding a sword. Like being swept away by an avalanche, she would likely be engulfed and perish in the downfall of Herifarthe. All preparations were complete. The cursecaster put the small box from the table back into her robe and left Valberg Castle without any apparent concern. Tightening her loose smile until she was out of the castle grounds proved to be somewhat challenging. By morning, the unconscious Ente would certainly be discovered by her servants, and naturally, the cursecaster would be questioned. All she had to claim was that she appeared in good spirits when she last saw her the previous night. The cursecaster was normally trusted as Ente's herbalist, so it was unlikely that she would be pressed further. Even a full autopsy of Ente's body would reveal nothing. Her condition was caused by something far more subtle than any common illness. "What a lovely day this is. It's been decades since I've felt such delight... Eeheehee!" Looking up at the sky, the cursecaster noticed that the previously radiant full moon now showed a slight crease of a shadow. Gradually it would wane to a half-moon, then to a crescent, and finally, the night of the new moon would arrive. When darkness was thickest, the Sun-Blocking Parasite would attack Milano. From there, Herifarthe would tumble down a hill of fear and confusion, as though sown with seeds of chaos. And then, the gates to that wondrous, cursed paradise would open. Let's look forward to that moment. The cursecaster, grinning and hopping youthfully despite her age, disappeared into the darkness along with Cokumaru.