Stigma Effect

Proofreader: kuroneko_chan

It was a very low voice. Baraha pondered whether he had properly listened to Yuriel.

Even if he discovered that the world had collapsed, he will not look more miserable than Yuriel who is in front of him now.

Untied, wavy, light-colored hair stuck to Yuriel’s cheeks. Baraha opened his mouth seeing Yuriel giving strength to her hand holding the gun with a miserable face.

His mind was clearer than ever.

“I’ll help you.”

Who can take Yuriel’s heart more purely than himself?

Baraha was convinced that he had stayed by Yuriel’s side for this moment’s sake.

“I can help with anything.”

Baraha spoke in a calm tone that was not like him. It was a sincere voice that even sounded sweet.

He said he could help with anything, but Baraha already knew what Yuriel wanted.

Yuriel wants to die on her own.

But if both of them died, it had to be Baraha who took the lead. Baraha did not have the courage to watch Yuriel’s death, and wait for his death.

From a very long time ago. Baraha had been waiting for this long-awaited moment even before he first faced the prophecy and found Yuriel.

Yuriel looked at Baraha in disbelief.

There was always a friendly smile on his helpless face. Baraha smiled and asked Yuriel.

“What can I do for you?”

It was similar to the expression on the day Raphlet opened his heart to Yuriel and smiled for the first time.

＊＊＊

“When did you plan to reveal that Raphlet Mogris is a monster?”

The High Priest asked sarcastically.

The High Priest, who had a skinny body from living in a temple for a long time, looked at the Grand Duke with squinted eyes. There was no muscle attached to his old body. A strange glare gleamed in his eyes, which were older than his age.

“If putting the energy of a monster in a weak fetus is possible, it would be possible for the elderly too.”

If they acquire the energy of a monster, they can have a body stronger than a human body. What the high priest wanted was the one right in front of him.

“Are you monopolizing such important information? If other priests find out, they will not stand still.”

The high priest spoke as if he had already understood everything. The Grand Duchess, who had been listening to the High Priest from next to the Grand Duke, turned while the High Priest was absorbed in the Grand Duke.

Except for the High Priest who is here now, no one knows about Raphlet. She doesn’t know how, but the High Priest discovered that Raphlet was a monster while coming here.

The Grand Duchess gave the knights a signal. The Commanders approached at her signal.

“Kill them all.”

“… Yes?”

“Close the estate and the knight, the priest, who came in today, kill everyone involved in Albraka.”

“Madam.”

“The estate’s survival is at stake. Those who do not follow will be governed by the estate’s law.”

She didn’t know who was holding the important information, so the answer was to process everything.

The Commanders who heard the Grand Duchess’s orders bowed their heads and obeyed. When she said that the estate’s survival was at stake, they had no choice but to comply.

“Is it okay to bring the knights of Albraka into the castle?”

“We have to deal with it without the civilians knowing, so it would be better to do that…. Use the weapon, not the sword.”

“Are you talking about weapons made from monster teeth?”

“Yes. All traces left on the body of the Paladins will look like traces of monsters. If necessary, you can use the monster poison.”

The Commanders asked questions before they left. A weapon made with the teeth and claws of the monster was a powerful and cruel weapon.

The wounds it inflicts leave a trace of being bitten by a monster. It was a cruel weapon to be used against humans.

The Grand Duchess finished her order and turned her back. One of the Commanders followed the Grand Duchess and said,

“I will escort you.”

“There is no need for an escort. Join the knights.”

“When the battle begins, it will be dangerous… ”

The Grand Duchess rebuked the Commander as he approached her.

“Did I order an escort?”

“… no.”

“Protect my husband as he is close to the battlefield.”

“Yes.”

The Commander saw the Grand Duchess walking alone. His eyes kept moving towards the black thing on the Grand Duchess’ clothes.

It was strange to see her rushing to somewhere in this urgent situation after ordering a battle.

As the Commander watched as she rode her horse, he saw the signal announcing the start of the battle.

It was winter with short days. The night was coming soon, so they had to hurry.

If the battle continues after the sun completely sets, the locals will notice the commotion.

The Grand Duchess and the commander headed in different directions. Seeing the Commander heading towards the gates, the Grand Duchess got on her horse and kicked the waist.

She headed towards the building and looked at the window of the room where Raphlet and Yuriel were staying. She looked at the dark window and frowned.

Thanks to the horse, she reached her destination in no time. The Grand Duchess’ steps became hasty when she saw the signal that meant the battle had begun.

After a few slips from her hand putting the key in, she unlocked the door to the lab. The laboratory she showed Yuriel was only a small part of the basement.

After she crossed the laboratory, the Grand Duchess arrived at the cage where the monsters were kept. The monsters that had undergone transformation and had acquired powerful strength growled inside the cage.

Their eyes were full of murderous energy, whether they recognized the one who caused their pain was the Grand Duchess. With the slimy saliva dripping down, the monster with its teeth exposed pushed its snout through the grate.

The Grand Duchess, who had been watching it, sneered at the ignorant beast, and said.

“You can’t learn. That’s why you’re a beast.”

The claws of the monster that could not reach outside were caught in the grate and black blood flowed out. The Grand Duchess laughed at them and opened the cage that had been closed.

The wall opposite the place where the Grand Duchess was, was opened. At the end of the dark hallway was an elevator leading to the ground.

It was used to send monsters outside. The monsters sent out using the elevator tended to perceive it as safe.

Stupidly, there was also a monster whose head was cut off after entering the elevator used in another building.

“It’s a pity that I studied them for a long time…. There is nothing we can do to claim that the cause of the Paladins’ death was monsters.”

The monsters growled as they looked at the Grand Duchess, and then moved along the only path that appeared. The underground laboratory full of monsters was empty.

After all the monsters were sent out, the Grand Duchess left the basement.

＊＊＊

Yuriel took off the clothes provided by the Grand Duchess and put on the familiar maid’s clothes.

The buttons were meticulously fastened, and a black cloth was wound into a ribbon. Her hair was also braided as usual and she looked in the mirror. The black maid’s suit looked no different from a funeral suit.

In the mirror was her own face with a sad and weary expression.

Yuriel, who had been stroking the corner of her lowered lips with her finger, gave up on changing her hard expression and looked away from the mirror.

She has to focus on just getting the job done right.

It was a waste of energy to spend on such a melancholy expression at a moment like this.

While Yuriel was changing clothes, Baraha looked out the cluttered window and didn’t move. Yuriel spoke to his back.

“I’m ready, Baraha.”

“Is it really okay to do that?”

“Yes. You? You are really….”

“I don’t care.”

Baraha answered in a reassuring tone and put out the candle that had been lit.

What Yuriel had asked him was difficult to listen to, considering Baraha’s position.

No, even if he was not a knight belonging to Albraka like Baraha, there would be no one who would listen to Yuriel’s request.

‘Who knows that Lord Raphlet is not the saint?’

‘The High Priest.’

‘Only the high priest?

‘Yes, me and the High Priest.’

‘… Baraha, I will kill anyone who knows about the prophecy.’

In order for Raphlet to continue to be regarded as a saint, there must be no real saint.

The fact that there were more people who had to disappear made Yuriel hesitant.

It was because she was prepared to die for Raphlet, but she was not prepared to kill others.

‘I’ll take care of the High Priest. That person, I hated him from a long time ago.’

Instead of the hesitant Yuriel, Baraha took the initiative. He became the most active and cheerful person since she met him.

He said cheerfully, as if he wanted to take on the funnest role.

No matter how aggressive he is, it will get his hands dirty. It’s different from killing monsters. Yuriel frowned and said.

‘Why you?’

‘The person who told the High Priest about the prophecy should fix it. I told him.’

‘Baraha. I…. I don’t know why you’re trying to help me.’

The biggest reason that made Yuriel hesitate was Baraha.

The High Priest was not the only one who knew about the prophecy and the identity of the saint.

Yuriel muttered in a low voice.

‘… I said I was going to kill everyone who knew about the prophecy.’

‘Yes, do whatever you want.’

Baraha replied with a relaxed face as if he could not understand the meaning of Yuriel’s words. Yuriel bit her lip with her teeth at his relaxed demeanor.

She was confused as to whether he was pretending to be stupid to distract her, or if he really didn’t understand the meaning of her words.

Seeing Yuriel biting her lips nervously, Baraha shrugged his shoulders and said.

‘You’re saying you’re going to kill me too.’

Before Baraha could finish his words, Yuriel distanced herself from him. Baraha, who saw Yuriel stepping back and aiming her gun at him, backed away as if not wanting to provoke Yuriel.

After reaching enough distance for Yuriel to be relieved, Baraha opened his mouth.

‘Good, Yuriel.’

He spoke in a sweet, gentle tone.

‘Do that.’