Stigma Effect - Chapter 112

Yuriel was startled and pushed Baraha’s chest hard. With Yuriel’s fierce refusal, Baraha stepped back with a slightly shocked expression.

“Baraha, how did you get here?”

Yuriel was wary of him and retreated when she saw Baraha wearing an Albraka uniform similar to that worn by Raphlet. It was a uniform similar to Raphlet’s, with only the epaulet decoration different.

Baraha, who was usually bothered by uniforms, was now wearing even his robe meticulously and was staring at Yuriel. His hair was drooping as usual, but the atmosphere was unfamiliar.

Seeing Yuriel stumbling backwards, Baraha said, raising his arms as if he had no intention of harming her.

“I don’t mean to harm you. I didn’t come here with the intention of taking you by force.”

“Then… ?”

“I’m here to show you that you don’t have to run away.”

Yuriel, who was nervous as if she was about to run out of the room at any moment, released the strength from her shoulders.

Baraha’s eyes vividly saw the tension draining from her body, as if she had heard an indescribably stupid word.

“Is that what you are going to say? Baraha, I think they sent you because I was close to you in Albraka…. I’m not stupid enough to follow those words.”

Yuriel sighed and said.

“I didn’t know you were going to deceive me….”

Yuriel, who had paused her words, added slowly. Hearing a very slow and heavy voice, Baraha stiffened his lips and shook his head.

“I am not lying.”

“I ran away after controlling the monster, but now I don’t need to run away?”

Yuriel said in a weak voice. The eyes, which were swollen and red as if she had been crying, entered Baraha’s eyes.

While Baraha’s gaze stayed at the reddened corners of her eyes, Yuriel spoke in a weak voice.

“Are you trying to kill me here? After all, you said you would die with me if I wanted to. I thought it was a joke, but it was the truth.”

From the moment she met him, there was something persistent about him. Every time she loses her energy and droops because she misses Raphlet, Baraha whispers that she might never see him again, so it might be better to just die.

‘It’s not bad to die.’

‘Don’t just talk like that everyday whenever the sun is shining! Stop being melancholic and if you have nothing else to do, help me with my work.’

She responded by hitting him on the back of his palm, but Barhaha did not stop his persistent suggestion.

He lingered around Yuriel, insisting on death like a devil.

Yuriel turned her back on Baraha and staggered away. As the sun was setting, Baraha’s lengthened shadow shone beside Yuriel. Baraha’s shadow moved under the light coming through the large window.

As if to catch Yuriel, he stretched out his arms and let them hang helplessly. Yuriel watched Baraha’s movements, then saw him dropping his arms.

He’s not in the mood to force her, so maybe they could chat for a while and buy time for Raphlet to return.

If Baraha tried to use force, it was Yuriel who would be in trouble. Even if Baraha looked helpless, he was also one of Albraka’s commanders.

Yuriel covered the gun so that Baraha could not see it in her hand. After Baraha heard Yuriel’s question, his face was lost as if he was unaware of what he was doing.

“I was thinking about dying together, but it was only for a moment. I wanted to save you, I tried to save you…. Really….”

The moment Yuriel put the gun in her hand, Baraha opened his mouth. It was a slow tone, as usual.

His slow voice trembled as if he was suppressing intense emotions.

Hearing the faint trembling in his familiar voice, Yuriel unknowingly released the strength from her hand. She felt sorry after hearing Baraha’s voice, who doesn’t seem willing to fight.

He was Yuriel’s friend no matter what. Her oldest friend. In Raphlet’s absence, he was the one who supported Yuriel.

As she swore to Raphlet, she couldn’t give up her life, but faith was something she could give up.

Yuriel hesitated, then put the gun back and turned around.

“Baraha, what happened?”

It was something she had guessed while in Albraka that Baraha wanted to save someone. She doesn’t know if Baraha was projecting someone onto her, but he seemed to have been distracted by guilt and sadness.

Yuriel approached him slowly.

Baraha stood nailed to his spot, looking at Yuriel, and opened his mouth. His face, mixed with melancholic emotions, turned to Yuriel.

“I wanted to save you. Yuriel, I’ll help you this time. Okay? Not Commander Raphlet… But I….”

She didn’t know what he was trying to say.

Yuriel walked over to Baraha’s side and placed a hand on his shoulder awkwardly. She had never had this kind of contact with Baraha, except for hitting him on the back to scold him for being stupid.

His shoulder, stronger than she thought, touched her hand. Yuriel gently rubbed his shoulder, and Baraha collapsed on the floor.

Yuriel nodded and sat down with him.

“I went out and someone scolded you? Who is it, Sir Helio?”

As Yuriel tapped him on the shoulder and spoke to him, Baraha reached out to Yuriel. His arms, which had fallen helplessly, this time tightly wrapped around Yuriel’s shoulders.

A heavy body pressed Yuriel strongly. Yuriel was dragged into Baraha’s arms, she panicked and pushed his shoulder. His heavy body did not budge in the slightest.

“Baraha?”

Confused, Yuriel called him. Baraha hugged Yuriel’s shoulder and didn’t say anything.

Yuriel sighed and muttered.

“I am not in a position to comfort anyone today….”

She said pitifully that she was comforting Baraha.

If there was anyone who needed comfort, it was Yuriel herself. It was the day she found out that the man who was going to be the child’s father didn’t want the child.

Yuriel gave up pushing Baraha and patted him on the back slowly. As she rubbed his back, Baraha’s breath had calmed down.

“… sorry.”

After a while, Baraha turned his head and released his hand. She could see his ears burning bright red, realizing that he had acted close to foolishness.

He was unable to make eye contact with Yuriel and muttered.

“But I really didn’t come to catch you.”

Baraha, pulling his own hair, lowered his head and said.

“I’m here to let you know that you are the real saint. Now there’s no reason to run away. Even the High Priest who came with me to Mogris Estate now knows this. It may be hard to believe when you suddenly hear this, but there is evidence….”

Baraha, who was talking while looking down at the floor, tilted his head. Because there was no answer, Yuriel’s face looked terrified with a strange thought.

“I am the saint… ?”

Yuriel’s lips trembled. Her face looked like she was in extreme confusion.

“Lord Raphlet. If the High Priest knew that Lord Raphlet, who went out now, was not the saint…”

What Yuriel was muttering was strange. Yuriel spoke as if she already knew she was the saint.

Baraha looked at Yuriel worriedly as she staggered. A strange curve was caught in his gaze.

The dress drew a small curve on Yuriel’s belly.

“Wait, Yuriel. You…. Are you pregnant?”

Baraha asked with a surprised face. Baraha, who was looking at Yuriel stunned, could understand the meaning of the words the High Priest muttered on the train.

‘The Grand Duke was continuing his experiments. If the child who was born and died is Commander Raphlet, the reason he is still intact even after receiving the monster core… !’

He now knew the meaning of the prophecy, which even the writer of the prophecy could not explain properly.

The saint embraces the monster.

Yuriel cannot have a relationship with anyone other than Raphlet, so that would be Raphlet’s child.

Baraha spoke in an enlightened voice.

“Commander Raphlet is a monster.”

It was a strangely clear realization that he had not been able to reach until now.

Seeing Baraha’s bright eyes, Yuriel rushed to the desk. Yuriel reached the desk, grabbed the gun and said,

“No, I controlled the monster. I am not the saint, Lord Raphlet is not a monster!”

The sound of the safety lock being released penetrated Baraha’s ears.

Unfortunately for Yuriel, it didn’t matter whether Baraha was threatened or not. He has a history of trying to die with Yuriel anyway.

It was unexpected and even though he was still alive, he had no regrets even if he died at any time.

The fact that Yuriel had a gun gave him a strange sense of liberation.

He couldn’t kill Yuriel, but if Yuriel kills him, eventually, according to Baraha’s wish, the Imperial Capital will lose one of the two necessary saints and fall.

Baraha imagined the muzzle moving towards him. There was no fear. Baraha, who had been watching Yuriel’s actions in a relaxed manner, had to throw away his leisurely slack.

The gun on Yuriel was pointed at her head.

Baraha had overlooked Yuriel’s heart. Yuriel is a person who worships Raphlet like a god.

When Yuriel knew that she was the saint, he had to anticipate what she would do when she threatened Raphlet’s place.

“… Yuriel, just because you die now doesn’t mean that Raphlet will become the saint. Calm down and put the gun down. You are pregnant. If you get hurt, even the child won’t be safe.”

Baraha persuaded him rationally. For Baraha, who was not good at persuading anyone, it was a very carefully uttered statement.

But those words seemed to be a fuse for Yuriel.

Yuriel’s face contorted sadly.

“… He doesn’t want it.”

Yuriel whispered in a voice so low that it could not reach Baraha.

“Lord Raphlet doesn’t want the child. Baraha.”