Jarrod, by pressing the Watts and Schultz families into a union through marriage, had unwittingly played into Miguel's hands.

Miguel's machinations were indeed cunning.

After pondering briefly, Miguel decisively instructed, “Do it. Revive him now. I need this wedding to continue flawlessly.”

This action would signal to the community that the Watts family remained robust and stable, ensuring the smooth operation of his covert investment endeavors and securing long-term safety for his other heirs overseas. This way, the Watts lineage was poised for enduring prosperity.

The woman in red's expression turned to one of reluctance. "Sir, the risk increases with each use of the parasite. If he suffers another seizure, he may not make it..."

Miguel responded with visible irritation, "I've invested heavily in your witchcraft tribe for this task. Spare me the excuses. You are to follow my orders, understood?"

The woman in red pondered for a while and noted he was right. Miguel was their employer, mot Roscoe. They would have to comply with whatever Miguel demanded, even if it meant harming Roscoe.

The witchcraft tribe specialized in using parasites for such mental control that even the precise machine might not detect anything amiss.

Should Roscoe now be examined at a hospital, no signs would be apparent until the parasites had devoured his brain.

Once satiated, the parasites would exit the host's brain either to find another host or to return to their origin.

The woman in red retrieved a small sandalwood box from her belongings.

The elderly man immediately grasped what was about to occur upon seeing the box and began to vehemently rebuke her. He was adamant that his disciples not engage in harming others with the use of parasites.

The woman in red had only told the elderly man, her master, about Miguel's request for mental control of Roscoe, with a hefty sum of money as a reward that was sufficient enough to preserve the base of their tribal, a sacred site soon to be demolished.

Losing that site would mean the loss of a crucial breeding ground for the parasites and potentially the end of their tribe without any heirs.

Every one of their tribe nurtured the parasites from infancy within their own bodies, serving as the first hosts. Over time, the parasites matured into movable entities and they would coax the parasites out using a specific herb upon reaching maturity.

These parasites were then gathered at the world's clearest lake, nourished by mist and dew until they reached a viable size, after which they were stored in sandalwood boxes for further use.

The parasites cradled in the hand of the woman in red were aged forty years and possessed an unimaginable toxicity.

Despite the elderly man's efforts to stop inflicting harm on Roscoe, guards, under Miguel's orders, forcibly removed him.

Miguel, observing the woman in red's hesitation, stroked his beard, his face twisting into a sly grin. "Emerie, remember our initial agreement that neither party could renege? Otherwise, you and your master might not safely exit Ardlens."

Miguel's threat was clear.