Stigma Effect

Proofreader: kuroneko_chan

Shudmuel threw a handkerchief at Yuriel, who had finally stopped crying, and said,

“It seems to have something to do with monsters, so you are anxious for a long time.”

“You are not surprised….”

Yuriel picked up the handkerchief that had fallen in front of her and caught her breath. Shudmuel did not show any signs of surprise at her shocking declaration.

He was still clenching his chin sullenly. Shudmuel, who had reduced Yuriel's hour-long story to one sentence, opened his mouth.

“There were plenty of signs that you might have something to do with monsters, so it’s no surprise. It wasn't normal to have precognitive dreams."

“You are saying that I am not wrong.”

"Yes."

“… It would have been nice if you would have rebuked me for thinking useless thoughts.”

Yuriel lowered her hand and said in a weak voice. It would have been better if Shudmuel had dismissed it as nonsense and told her to see a doctor.

If that had been the case, Yuriel would have felt ashamed of her terrible imagination, blushed once, and would never have thought that she was related to monsters ever again.

Shudmuel’s reaction was what Yuriel didn't want the most.

Shudmuel looked up at a calmed down Yuriel, and sighed and stood up. When he lifted his hand from his chin and straightened his back, she could see that he was looking at her with cool eyes.

Yuriel silently watched as the dark light gradually entered the eyes as he looked at her. Shudmuel's cold eyes filled with pain at a glance.

He looked like he was thinking of someone. Yuriel looked at him, pressing the corners of her wet eyes with the handkerchief.

Yuriel knew that Shudmuel's attitude had changed slightly after she became pregnant. He looked at Yuriel with confused eyes and opened his mouth as if he had sorted out his emotions.

“If you want to have a child safely, you will have to leave the capital as soon as possible.”

He said coldly. Shudmuel, who looked at Yuriel with his expressionless eyes, warned in a tone close to a threat.

Yuriel shrugged at his terrifying voice. Hearing Shudmuel's words, the thought that she should leave the capital at any moment ran through her head.

Still, in the corner of Yuriel's head, Raphlet's face came to mind. Yuriel hadn't seen Raphlet in a very long time. She spent more time with Shudmuel than Raphlet.

The memories of 7 years of not being by Raphlet's side tormented Yuriel. It would take more than a year to have a child, disguise the child's origin, and return to Raphlet's side.

Yuriel didn't have the confidence to survive that long without Raphlet. She wanted to stay in Albraka for as long as possible.

“I’m going to leave before I start showing.”

Yuriel, who was exhausted, answered with a hoarse voice.

“If the alchemists keep experimenting, you will be found even if you are not showing. You should have thought that you were lucky that the monster had disappeared, and that you should leave right now. What kind of guts do you have to stay in Albraka even though you think your pregnancy has something to do with monsters?”

Shudmuel said as if reproaching Yuriel for giving a foolish answer.

It was an irrefutable opinion. Yuriel responded to his scolding by only fiddling with her long hair.

“The monster ran away, so we can’t do the experiment anymore…. As long as I don't do the experiment, I won't be found out."

“Do you think the experiment will stop if the monster ran away?”

Shudmuel said as if he was stunned. When he finished his words, he bent his lips. It wasn't a smile of kindness, it was a sneer.

He asked a question, sneering at Yuriel's carefreeness.

“Do you know about the prophecy?”

"The prophecy…. If it's a prophecy about a saint, I know it. Why?”

“You know that Commander Raphlet is the saint, right?”

"Yes."

Yuriel tilted her head and waited for the explanation.

“Alchemists want to find out how Commander Raphlet is still intact even after receiving the monster core. Anyone who can receive a core transplant and gain power like Commander Raphlet will be welcomed.”

After confirming that Yuriel was listening to the explanation, Shudmuel continued to speak.

“Commander Raphlet is valuable, but he is incomparable to figuring out how to transplant cores. If he wasn't the saint, he would have been cooperating with the experiment in the Alchemy Tower instead of being the Commander."

“Are you saying that the alchemists were experimenting with Lord Raphlet’s body?”

“It would have been if there had been no prophecy that the saint should be worshiped.”

Upon hearing Shudmuel's story, Yuriel's face hardened. Yuriel was thinking that Raphlet was being sacrificed because he was the saint.

“Assuming that the prophecy is correct, if Raphlet is not worshiped, the monsters cannot be suppressed. He deserves to be the Commander he is now.”

It was the opposite of Yuriel's thoughts. Raphlet was a saint, therefore he could not be sacrificed.

“But you?”

"What?"

This also meant, anyone could be sacrificed, as long as they were not the saint.

Yuriel, who was organizing her thoughts while listening to Shudmuel's explanation, blinked in surprise. Shudmuel stopped his explanation and asked Yuriel a question.

He erased the sneer and spoke coldly.

“I’m asking what would happen if they found out that you, who is not a saint, were related to a monster.”

"That….”

“You have the ability to detect the movements of monsters, so you are of course useful. But, do you think that the power of the monster is worth more than finding out how to be protected by the monster?”

“… no."

Yuriel shook her head slowly.

“When the alchemists find out that monsters started to protect you once you became pregnant, they will try to find out why. You're not a saint like Commander Raphlet, so there's no way you can escape the experiment....”

Shudmuel, who paused for a moment, lowered his gaze and added lightly. There was not even a slight warmth reflected in the gaze looking at the still flat stomach.

“I am curious as to why. I don't want to dissect you or your child to find out, but that's what alchemists think."

The more Shudmuel continued, the more Yuriel's face turned white. Yuriel accepted Shudmuel's words without any doubt. She was still deeply engulfed in brainwashing, so she did not recognize Shudmuel as an enemy, but the alchemists he spoke of began to feel like a great threat to Yuriel.

Yuriel's hand, which was touching her hair, fell down.

Shudmuel watched closely as Yuriel's hand wrapped around her stomach trembled.

No one would know with the naked eye that she was pregnant. Using Yuriel's ability, there would be no problems in convincing everyone about the dangers of using monster cores as a power source for the city.

The terrorist attack that was intended to be triggered during the festival failed, but there was still a chance to use Yuriel.

Shudmuel thought, unable to face the green, watery eyes. He considered taking advantage of her, but while staring at the back of her white hands that wrapped around her stomach, he was suddenly reminded of someone who has already died.

The image of his mother, who did not return after childbirth, was overlaid on Yuriel's face. It was only after a very long time that Shudmuel found out what had happened to the child, who would have been his younger sibling.

Shudmuel closed his eyes to erase the fragile face that floated over Yuriel's face. With his eyes closed, he recalled his purpose.

All monster cores must be destroyed. Destroy all the conveniences enjoyed in the imperial capital, even at the expense of someone.

He felt guilty for taking advantage of the weak, but he skillfully dispelled the guilt. After using Yuriel, he was going to watch over her so that she could safely leave the imperial capital.

It wouldn't be a bad thing for her either. Compared to being tested by alchemists, it was not dangerous to receive some criticism from the people of the imperial capital.

The reason that he told her not to announce the pregnancy to Raphlet was to avoid any other variables, but Shudmuel believed that it would not harm Yuriel either.

It seems that Raphlet cares about Yuriel, but he was from a noble family. Even knights from commoners would clench their teeth if there was an illegitimate child, but if they were from nobles, it was hard to guess what it would be like.

Therefore, this path could be said to be beneficial not only to himself but also to Yuriel.

Shudmuel, who shook his thoughts, raised his eyes. He had to make eye contact so he could infuse his thoughts into Yuriel.

To Yuriel, who looked at him with terrified eyes, Shudmuel spoke in a calm tone, as if releasing her breath.

“Don’t worry, I can help you.”

“I don’t know what would have happened without Sir Shudmuel.”

Yuriel said in a calm voice. Without him, the pregnancy would have been discovered and Raphlet's reputation would have been tarnished.

However, the problem was that Shudmuel's negative expectations did not match the relationship between Yuriel and Raphlet. The ideal situation had long gone wrong after Shudmuel intervened.

Yuriel couldn't remember the details of the dream she had a long time ago when Raphlet informed her that she was pregnant.