In less than a few days, the abominations had spread. It had turned into an issue that could no longer be overlooked and handled with ease, as multiple people had started becoming abominations around Vermillion, so much so that the Queen and King called for a meeting in the throne room.

Marine sat there, dressed in a full black uniform and a blood-red royal fur cape, her head rested on her palm, her eyes carrying no emotions, just empty.

Beside her was her husband, Rowan Vermilion, the king that she had married. He was a calm-looking man, black hair and eyes, nothing really special, but he carried a certain demeanor that was mysterious.

Both of them sat there, expressionless, watching the people that stood in the hall, a few select people from the Senate as well as someone from the department that had been researching the abominations.

The man stood there with a scroll in hand, he unraveled it and began reading the contents.

"In respect to the issue of the several abominations that have been erupting around the Kingdom of Vermillion, particularly in the smaller towns. From what has been gathered, the abominations began showing after the small-scale beast waves that happened at small towns all over the kingdom a while back," he stated and then looked up at the King and Queen.

Marine lifted her head slightly. She stared at the man. "Are you trying to say that the beast and monster wave was what caused this?" she asked.

"Impossible," a bald-headed man from the Senate spoke up. "There is no way that such a thing would happen."

"Lower your voice, Count Mark," the King suddenly spoke in a low and calm tone, yet it carried a powerful sense with it that immediately made the count shut up.

"What we are working on is the possibility of what is happening. We don't know exactly what it is, and that's why we are here, not to disprove what he has to say.

If you know what the reason is, then you should tell us," Rowan followed up, looking the count right in the eye. Normally a count wouldn't be here, but since he was a member of the Senate, he could be.

Mark swallowed hard, and then took a deep breath before speaking. "My King, all I'm trying to say is that humans turning to abominations is simply when they get in contact with twisted demonic energy," he stated. "So they must have touched something," he added.

"Your way of thinking baffles me, to keep honest," Marine said, leaning her head into her palm as she looked at the count, her eyes glowing.

"Tell us the death count, and what type of people have died, and in what number of towns," she said to the man with the scroll, and immediately he checked through the scroll and found it.

"As of today, there have been thirty-two abominations that have been killed, and more than fifty that have escaped.

They showed up from five towns, each had suffered the beast wave and survived," he explained.

"Tell me, Count Mark, how you believe that eighty people from small towns got into contact with demonic energy on their own?" she asked.

He opened his mouth, but the words choked him. She glared at him. "You are not to speak for the duration of this meeting," she stated and then turned her eyes back to the man with the scroll.

"Is what you are saying that the monster wave actually had something to do with it?" she asked.

"Yes, my Queen, after some bodies of the monsters were collected, it was seen that the demonic energy that got them infected isn't the kind we know, but rather, this one spreads.

If the monsters could bite or scratch you, there was a possibility of sending a sliver of that energy into you. If you had strong mana, it would be nullified, but for a few, it seemed to have managed to creep in," he explained.

Marine frowned when she heard that. All the Senate members began murmuring, shocked at what he said.

"Are you trying to say somehow the demonic energy is spreading like a disease and causing people to turn into abominations?" she asked.

The man bowed his head as he spoke. "Sadly yes, my Queen, and it seems as it progresses from one person to another, it gets accustomed to the human body and can now attack people with even higher defense. It's only a matter of time before no one can resist it," he explained, and her frown deepened.

"I see. What happens when this enters their bodies, do they instantly turn?" she asked.

"No, it's much like what happens with beasts. They show symptoms and begin the infected process until they eventually become abominations," he said.

"I see, that gives us some time then. We do not know who did this, but I'm sure we all have one guess, the demon cult. Those vile humans must have created this and now we are left to suffer.

We must act fast, creating special areas to quarantine everyone with the symptoms, while our best medical mages and researchers immediately start working on a way to stop this. We aren't going to allow the lives of people to be wasted that easily," she said.

"My Queen, what if they become abominations?" one Senate member asked.

She had a dark look on her face as she replied, "There is no going back then, as the soul is completely gone. They must be put down to stop the spread and to keep everyone safe.

The current situation is one no one could foresee, but we must begin handling it now."

"Wouldn't it be better to have a way to diagnose everyone, to catch the spread faster?" Rowan said. "We should make another team structured on finding out if a person has it early on."

"That makes sense. Let's do that. Also, we'll send all ten chapters out; they'll be the elite force cutting down any abomination to ensure it is quick."

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