The sky had just cleared when Silvain completed the discharge procedures and was officially released from the hospital.
The first thing he did afterward was call Ryoko Tamiya, then rush to the café to retrieve the remaining data she had promised. With this information, he estimated that his integration progress could reach 90%.
"Are you trying to integrate with a Parasite? What are the experimental results?" Silvain flipped through the data, catching a few clues.
"Don't pry into things you shouldn't. I won't hesitate to kill you myself," Ryoko Tamiya said coldly, locking eyes with him.
"Alright, I think I'll see it with my own eyes when the time comes."
Just as Silvain was about to leave with the data, Ryoko Tamiya added, "School will resume normal classes in a month."
"Got it."
During that month, Silvain's figure appeared in famous gourmet restaurants across Tokyo.
Maybe the incident caused by Mr. A had too much negative impact, but in any case, the number of brutal dismemberment cases had dropped significantly.
However, based on Silvain's analysis, it wasn't that the Parasites had stopped killing. Rather, they had shifted to remote, less populated areas to carry out their attacks.
"Shinichi, over here." At a maid café, Silvain waved to Shinichi, who was seated by the window.
"Why'd you ask me to meet at a place like this?"
Shinichi looked around curiously. It was his first time in a maid café.
"I heard the coffee here is pretty good, so I came specifically to try it. Don't worry, I won't tell Murano Satomi." Silvain then asked the nearby maids to step aside. Outsiders didn't need to hear their conversation.
"Have you had any conflict with Ryoko Tamiya at school recently?" Silvain asked after sipping his coffee.
Shinichi frowned. "Just yesterday, I tried to attack her, but she walked away. She also said some strange things."
"She believes that all life on Earth follows some kind of command. For example, flies are born knowing how to flap their wings, spiders are born knowing how to spin webs. When she took over a human brain, she also received a command—to devour humanity completely!"
Leaning back in his chair, Shinichi looked intently at Silvain. "Did you receive that command too?"
Silvain picked up his coffee and calmly shook his head. "I'm completely unaware of any such command. What she's describing sounds more like instinct. In other words, killing and eating humans is an innate instinct of Parasites."
"Instinct?" Shinichi fell into deep thought.
"So, it's like lions hunting antelope. And the Parasites' prey is humanity."
"That's how it seems for now," Silvain nodded in agreement.
But Shinichi still couldn't understand. If that was truly the case, Parasites should've appeared at the dawn of human existence, not suddenly emerging now to invade society.
"Why did they appear so suddenly?"
"I don't know either. Maybe we'll understand eventually."
Silvain didn't want to keep talking about it. The subject was meaningless. The emergence of the Parasites seemed more like a manifestation of Earth's will. Their existence wouldn't stop humans from destroying the planet. That was just wishful thinking.
"By the way, are your parents still home?"
The question caught Shinichi off guard. "Why? Do you need something from them?"
Silvain vaguely recalled that in the original story, Shinichi's parents were attacked by Parasites while traveling. His mother was even killed and parasitized.
"I just wanted to visit your house."
"They left for a trip yesterday. They won't be back anytime soon."
"So fast!" Silvain blurted out.
"What?" Shinichi stared at him, sensing something strange.
Silvain felt a headache coming on. He was one step late. Maybe Shinichi's mother had already been killed. "You don't understand the situation with Parasites. Why didn't you stop them? Now is a terrible time to travel. You know Parasites like to attack people in remote areas."
Silvain's words reignited Shinichi's anxiety.
He hadn't dissuaded his parents because he didn't have a good excuse. He was afraid that telling them about Migi would prompt Migi to kill them. After all, Migi was still a creature without emotion—just like Ryoko Tamiya and Mr. A.
"There haven't been any Parasite attacks recently. Everything should be fine," Shinichi muttered, trying to convince himself.
"Where did they go?" Silvain asked, wondering if the situation could still be salvaged.
"They didn't say when they left."
Shinichi shook his head.
Silvain put down his coffee and sneered, "So you're gambling on whether your parents will be attacked? If they die, can you live with that? Or do you just not care?"
Enraged by Silvain's words, Shinichi suddenly stood up, accidentally knocking over the coffee on the table. Hot coffee splashed onto his clothes. The sudden outburst drew everyone's attention.
But as the unease in his chest grew stronger, Shinichi looked down at his right hand.
"You're right. Traveling now was a mistake. Not until the Parasites are dealt with." Being drenched in coffee seemed to snap Shinichi back to his senses. "Some things, no matter how scary, have to be faced eventually."
He opened his phone, scrolled to his mother's contact, and tapped the call button.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Finally, after more than ten seconds, the call connected.
Hearing his mother's familiar voice, Shinichi trembled with emotion.
"Ask them where they are right now," Silvain reminded him.
"Tell me your location, quick!" Shinichi urged.
"There's no time to explain. I'll tell you everything when you get back."
Soon, Shinichi got their location. "They're at Mount Takao. It's only about an hour from here."
Hanging up, Shinichi couldn't wait any longer and sprang into action.
"Shinichi, no human should know about me," Migi said, emerging from Shinichi's palm.
"Shut up! Say another word and I'll cut you off right now."
Shinichi grabbed the small knife used for cutting food and held it against his right arm.
Migi could feel it—Shinichi was serious this time.
"Are parents really that important? Humans are such strange creatures."
"Of course you wouldn't understand. You Parasites don't have emotions!" Shinichi shouted. Soaked in coffee, he didn't even bother changing. He walked out onto the street and flagged down a taxi.
"To Mount Takao. Please, hurry."
(To be continued.)