Stigma Effect

Proofreader: kuroneko_chan

Raphlet arrived just as the sun was setting after the Princess knights had left the premises. Yuriel, hiding in Baraha’s office, was the first to notice that Raphlet had entered Albraka.

Raphlet’s presence was stronger than anyone else. He entered Albraka and came within Yuriel’s awareness.

Yuriel, who was talking to Helio, jumped up and shouted.

“I think Lord Raphlet is back!”

Yuriel, who had been waiting for him the whole time, bowed her head toward Baraha and Helio. That was an urgent greeting that they did not know who was being addressed.

“I will go first. Thank you for staying with me. Baraha, Sir Helio.”

Yuriel bowed her head and said farewell to Helio and Baraha. Yuriel quickly left the office without giving them a chance to reply.

Helio, who was looking at Yuriel’s empty seat, who disappeared without saying anything, whispered in vain.

“I didn’t even say goodbye. Does she like Commander Raphlet that much?”

“I’m going back too.”

While he was muttering in despair, Baraha too got up and left the office. Helio was left alone in the office that had emptied instantly, became even more vain and only blinked blankly.

A smirk leaked out as he saw himself sitting quietly in someone else’s office.

＊＊＊

Yuriel knew exactly which direction Raphlet was moving. Raphlet entered the building and started heading straight to the North Building.

He looked like he was about to go back to his room. He may have been heading into the room to find her . Yuriel, who knew where he was headed, ran right there.

Finally, in the hallway where Raphlet and her room were, she met him. After confirming that no one was around, Yuriel hugged him. Yuriel, who was smiling while hugging Raphlet’s hard body to her heart’s content, realized that Raphlet wasn’t hugging her.

“… Lord Raphlet?”

Raphlet, who always wrapped around her shoulders when he hugged her like this, remained the same. Yuriel looked up at his face while calling for Raphlet.

Raphlet’s eyebrows had narrowed considerably. He was looking at Yuriel with a serious face.

“Yuriel.”

The voice calling out to her was too serious.

Raphlet hesitated, and raised his hand to caress Yuriel’s forehead. It was a gentle touch, the tip of his finger barely touching her. If she weren’t watching his actions, she wouldn’t even know that his fingers were touching her.

“If I hadn’t called you out to the Alchemy Tower…. You wouldn’t have had to use such a stigma.”

“Stigma? Oh, you mean controlling monsters?”

The voice calling out to her in a serious voice was something Yuriel was already not paying attention to.

“You don’t have to pretend you’re okay.”

Raphlet frowned and said. He had a sad expression on his face as he thought that Yuriel was trying to look positive.

“I’m not pretending to be okay, I’m really okay. Everyone will soon find out that it’s nonsense. Controlling monsters, is that a reasonable thing to say? If I don’t leave Albraka until the next subjugation, the rumors will soon disappear….”

Yuriel diligently explained, but Raphlet’s sad expression did not resolve.

He was carefully examining Yuriel with calm eyes, as if he was making up his mind to do something. Finally, it seemed that he was trying to capture Yuriel in his eyes.

Yuriel quickly noticed what he was thinking.

He must have wanted to return her to Mogris Estate. The thought crossed her mind that if she stayed like this, Raphlet could try to send her back like before, or even avoid her.

“Yuriel, go back to Mogris….”

The words that did not deviate from Yuriel’s expectations continued. Yuriel grabbed Raplet’s face with both hands before he could finish speaking. When Yuriel’s hand touched him, Raphlet habitually bowed.

Yuriel leaned closer to Raphlet’s face with his head lowered. Yuriel kissed Raphlet.

His golden eyes, which had been subdued by worry for Yuriel, flashed fiercely.

＊＊＊

Yuriel’s figure is clearly engraved on the paper printed in black and white. In reality, she had soft, creamy hair, and friendly green eyes that were covered in gray.

Yuriel’s appearance in the newspaper looked quite cool. Concentrating on dealing with monsters, the face was terribly expressionless. The corners of her lips, which were always raised, were hardened with tension, and her eyes looked sharp.

Raphlet looked down silently at the newspaper with articles criticizing Yuriel. There were not a few people who believed that controlling monsters was true.

He had confirmed that Yuriel had returned safely to Albraka, but Raphlet could not control his anxiety.

Raphlet was the one who should take care of Yuriel, who had lost strength to deal with the monsters. He remembered Yuriel, who proudly said that she had dealt with many monsters and protected the people.

Even if no one threatened Yuriel, if Yuriel had read this article, she would have been quite shocked.

‘It might be better to return her to the Mogris Estate even now.’

How Yuriel was doing was regularly communicated. In the Mogris Estate, Yuriel is a person who was loved by everyone because of her unwavering personality.

There was no reason for such accusations in the Imperial Capital.

Raphlet began to think of words to persuade Yuriel to return to the Morgris Estate.

‘If I tell her to go back first…. She won’t even listen.’

Raphlet knew how terrified Yuriel gets when separated from him. She hated to be apart from him.

If it’s not within the same Imperial Capital, and if he tells her to go back to Mogris Estate, she’ll shed tears.

Raphlet released a bewildered sigh at the thought of a crying Yuriel.

The more he slept with Yuriel, the more difficult it became to control himself. His sadistic feelings toward Yuriel were growing stronger.

If he sees Yuriel crying, instead of sending her back to Mogris Estate, he would lock her up in his room.

An uncontrollable desire was driving Raphlet.

Although he confirmed that Yuriel and his own heart were the same, Raphlet was still uneasy about keeping Yuriel by his side.

Looking at the picture of Yuriel in front of his eyes, Raphlet clenched his fists and thought.

He must use this incident as an opportunity to persuade Yuriel to return to Grand Duke Mogris’ residence.

＊＊＊

Raphlet’s determination was completely shattered the moment Yuriel’s lips touched his.

Raphlet entered the room holding Yuriel’s waist, locking Yuriel in his arms, and let out a long breath.

Although facing the wildly rising and falling chest and terrifying eyes, Yuriel was not afraid at all. She laughed again and triggered Raphlet even more.

Yuriel, who leaned against the wall and looked at Raphlet, raised her hand. She grabbed his arm that was stretched out by the side of her face, tilted her head and gently leaned her cheek against his arm, and said with a smile.

“This is the safest place for me.”

Yuriel declared as she was wrapped in Raphlet’s arms. Yuriel truly believed that Raphlet’s arms were the safest place in the world.

She didn’t know what kind of impulse Raphlet gets every time he sees her. The sadistic feelings toward Yuriel, who was relieved, seemed to burst at any moment.

It wasn’t just sexual desire.

Raphlet was feeling the desire to completely destroy Yuriel. It was a strange feeling that even he couldn’t understand.

Even though he was taking care of Yuriel more than his own body, he was caught up in a convulsive feeling.

The feeling subsides when he is intervourse with Yuriel, but the feelings immediately return afterwards, never going away completely. Raphlet was always suppressing the urge for Yuriel.

Even though she was standing in the most dangerous place, Yuriel was smiling, not sensing the danger she was facing.

“If the Princess finds out that I have left Albraka, won’t the Princess try to take me right away? She sent a knight today…. Oh, do you know what present the Princess was going to send me, Lord Raphlet?”

In front of Raphlet, who didn’t say anything, Yuriel fluttered her lips in a lively way. Raphlet caught his breath and listened to Yuriel’s voice.

As Yuriel’s voice continued, he could feel the rationality returning little by little.

His heart, which had been pounding enough to ring in his ears, gradually calmed down.

The moment Raphlet was stable enough to put on a faint smile, Yuriel’s story broke his composure.

“The knight who brought the letter said he was the gift. I think the Princess was misunderstanding something. Watching me serve Lord Raphlet, it seems that she thinks that I like knights.”

Raphlet immediately guessed the intention of the Princess who sent the knight as a gift. The banquet that attracted demons, the incident at the Krug Ruins, and even the present she sent this time.

The Princess tried to touch Yuriel again.

“It’s not like that, but I like Lord Raphlet.”

Raphlet’s gaze, who had been dispelling his anger towards the Princess, turned to Yuriel.