Chapter 209
Chapter 209: Resurrection from Death (1)
It was a palm-length elongated creature, writhing back and forth like a slug. It also resembled a parasite.
“We generally call them brain leeches. They hide in the host’s brain, feeding on it to animate dead bodies. They can perfectly mimic humans, but when their identity is about to be discovered, they desperately try to find a new host.”
“That’s horrifying.”
When I responded with a shudder, Lucita laughed cheerfully.
“Isn’t it? Better to kill them quickly.”
Without hesitation, I stabbed the leech with the sword I’d been holding.
Screech! A small scream rang out.
…Hadn’t she called it a leech? Unlike what the name suggested, the brain leech let out a death cry like a squeaking rat before dying.
As I put away my sword with a grimace, Lucita made a gesture. Her butler sprinkled oil and set it on fire.
The smell of burning protein mixed with ammonia filled the air. It was disgusting. Though I’d prepared myself to see something unpleasant, I hadn’t expected to encounter leeches that ate human brains.
Still, despite the nausea, I felt somewhat relieved knowing we’d done the right thing. This man, who couldn’t rest even in death due to the brain leech, would finally find peace.
After it burned away, the fishy smell disappeared. From this, I could deduce that the piercing fishy odor had come from the parasite growing in the person’s brain.
There must have been numerous leeches at that Westminster mansion too. It would clearly be very difficult to eradicate them all at once. We needed to find the ‘root’—the one who put these leeches in people’s heads and raised and controlled them.
And I had a gut feeling that he had to be that one.
The one who almost drowned Mr. Thomas, Liam’s safehouse caretaker, and ruthlessly killed the superintendent of Thomas’s apartment building; the one who had openly orchestrated several attempts on our lives.
That bald man I’d seen in the photograph, with empty eyes as if all emotion had been stripped away…
He was like a spider hiding in the center of its web, waiting for us to tap the strands. That’s what he was.
Jonathan’s cursed arm had shriveled and withered. Seeing it pulled me from my thoughts. When concern immediately filled my eyes, Jonathan quickly smiled. It was a reassuring smile.
“Sis, it doesn’t hurt at all. I’m fine.”
“I know, but it still upsets me.”
“That’s normal when your sibling gets hurt.”
If you know that, then don’t get hurt again. I pouted and smacked his uninjured shoulder.
Saint-Germain lightly tapped my shoulder and spoke.
“I’m going to have my security guard receive some first aid.”
“Ah, yes. Take care.”
The crowd parted like the Red Sea. People’s eyes darted between Jonathan and Saint-Germain. Their gazes seemed to demand an explanation.
Just then, Saint-Germain, who had been heading toward the emergency exit, paused momentarily and kicked Liam’s coffin. I heard someone nearby gasp “Huh!” Saint-Germain barked:
“Stop dawdling and get up.”
And the corpse in the coffin replied in a stiff voice:
“Fine, whatever.”
“Ahhhhhh!”
Someone near the coffin screamed. No wonder they were shocked. A person they thought dead had just opened their eyes and spoke. It was a miracle anyone witnessing this hadn’t collapsed from a heart attack.
My lackey husband, who had been excellently playing the role of a corpse under the influence of Saint-Germain’s special drug, seemed to have regained consciousness. Or perhaps he’d been conscious for quite a while, maintaining superhuman patience by keeping his eyes closed. We had strictly instructed him not to reveal he was alive before the signal, that is, before the mole’s threat was completely eliminated.
The moment a distinctly masculine hand emerged over the half-open coffin lid with a thud, the church erupted into chaos. A church official preparing for the funeral mass screamed upon seeing Liam rising from the coffin.
“Kyaaah!”
Following that, the company people began screaming simultaneously.
“Aaaaah!”
“The corpse came back to life!”
“William Osmond turned into a zombie!”
“The Chairman finally did it!”
…Who said that last one?
Before bizarre rumors about Saint-Germain experimenting on Liam could spread further, Liam smiled and greeted everyone.
“Not exactly a zombie…”
Stiff from lying in one position for so long, Liam unconsciously stretched, then winced and briefly clutched his side. The injured area must be pulling.
While I was watching this whole scene in bewilderment, Lucita slipped her hands under my armpits and lifted me straight up. I was raised like a package, offering no resistance.
‘How are we supposed to handle this situation?’
What could a proxy and an outsider do without the President? Nothing. Eating popcorn would be more productive.
I was delivered to Liam’s side by Lucita. People were looking at Liam with expressions verging on hysterical. Color was gradually returning to Liam’s face, which had been completely bloodless until moments ago. His thin skin was so pale you could see the bluish veins underneath. Liam smiled at me.
“Honey, I’m alive.”
What could I possibly say to that? There was only one response available to me.
“Oh, oh. Wow. Amazing.”
There was no soul in it, but that was fine. Liam knew I couldn’t act.
As a bonus, people were shocked by Liam’s “honey.” Their expressions were filled with disbelief that this man was capable of saying ‘such things.’ People looking at Liam and me exclaimed in unison:
“Honey?!”
* * *
After this ridiculous resurrection incident settled down, Liam explained away the situation by saying the doctor had misdiagnosed his comatose state.
He was immediately sent back to the hospital for reexamination. Though we called it a reexamination for appearances, it was really to check if there were any problems with the wounds that had been sutured while he lay in the coffin.
While Liam was in the middle of having his dressings changed, Saint-Germain returned with a fully recovered Jonathan.
Lucita was still guarding me like a protector. All the people from the past who remembered old times had gathered in one place. Though Lucita was treating Saint-Germain rather awkwardly, Saint-Germain wasn’t the type to be intimidated by Lucita.
“Brain leeches.”
Saint-Germain opened with those words. His smile was very secretive. Lucita, resting her chin on her hand while occupying the hospital sofa, answered:
“I know the ones who used those things.”
Despite the passage of time, Lucita’s intelligence network seemed as effective as ever. Then as now, she was more knowledgeable than anyone about all sorts of underground crimes. As if she could freely peer into the abyss.
A flash of disgust crossed Lucita’s expression.
“It won’t be easy. If you’re taking this lightly, I suggest you back out.”
“If we were going to give up here, we wouldn’t have started.”
Liam answered Lucita’s warning words. His resolute tone made it clear he’d already made up his mind. Lucita shrugged and continued her explanation.
“Brain leeches are nearly extinct creatures, and since this planet isn’t suitable for their survival, they’re almost impossible to find naturally. They only grow in dark, damp places and strongly prefer protein and fat. I once conducted a major pest control operation, and it seems someone managed to smuggle out a few. Somehow they managed to breed them, though I’d rather not know how they did it.”
The number of people who could have smuggled them is limited, making it easy to narrow down. Lucita waved her fingers.
“Looks like you’ve been searching in England, but that’s foolish. If the one I know is behind this, he’s not in England.”
If the cult’s root doesn’t exist in this vast England, it means everything here consists only of branches. Since the Brothers of Huntington’s headquarters was in another country, naturally no one could easily grasp their true nature. Meanwhile, people’s aging actually slowed down and showed results, so those who wanted to believe it was ‘real’ poured in money. And so the vicious cycle had continued.
I carefully asked:
“Then where exactly are they?”
Lucita lightly snapped her fingers. At the crisp sound, her butler, who had been waiting outside, gently knocked and entered. He was carrying a paper map.
He spread the map wide for everyone to see. Lucita walked click-clack toward it like a geography teacher and pointed to one country.
It was a country everyone present knew.
“France.”
