Stigma Effect

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The doctor left and Helio grabbed Yuriel and crossed to the window of the treatment room.

Her fever was going to go down soon, so he had to find a way out of this place. Yuriel wrapped her arms around Helio’s neck and groaned.

Contemplating where to go, Helio decided to visit the place he knew best first, so he headed to the site of the temple.

He was about to ride a chariot or four-wheeler but they tried to verify the identities of both of them so he had to borrow a horse.

“Tell me if you feel dizzy.”

Helio asked Yuriel to get on the horse. He grabbed Yuriel’s body and headed straight for the temple.

“When I was with the Princess, my illusion broke earlier. I don’t know why it doesn’t break now.”

Yuriel, who was being held by Helio, sighed and said. She didn’t know what the conditions were for breaking the illusion.

Will it break over time like this?

Heat mixed with sighs. She got an injection, but she was still dizzy. She seemed to get dizzier as she rode on the horse.

Yuriel rested her head on Helio’s chest and drooped.

The two arrived at the place where the temple ruins remained. In the place where only the site remained, there was a training ground similar to that in Albraka.

In the structure, the appearance of the knights training was visible.

“That’s ridiculous….”

She heard a murmur from Helio, who confirmed the appearance of the knights. Yuriel lifted her face that had been buried in his chest.

She looked at the place where his eyes had reached, but she only saw the usual sight.

It’s just a scene where the knights are training, what’s wrong with that? Wouldn’t it be more surprising to verify their identity with a monster core, like earlier?

Not knowing that Yuriel was bewildered, Helio took Yuriel and got off the horse.

“Sir Helio, what’s wrong?”

“The knights who died during the subjugation….”

“Yes?”

“Would it be okay if I approached over there for a moment?”

Helio asked as if possessed. As soon as Yuriel permitted him, he quickly entered the training area.

“Commander Helio?”

“Phil.”

“What did you come to the training ground for? No, who is that lady!”

“Did Captain Helio come with a woman?”

“Bart.”

Helio called the names of the knights approaching him with a puzzled face. Yuriel looked at their faces, but couldn’t tell who they were, so she tilted her head.

These were people she had never seen in Albraka. But Helio was biting his lips as he looked at the faces of people he knew.

Looking closely, they looked familiar, but they were faces she had never seen in Albraka.

“How are you….”

Yuriel looked at Helio’s muttering face and remembered what he had said as he got off his horse.

Did he blur his words while saying that they were knights who died during subjugation?

“Ah, that’s it….”

Helio, who looked at them blankly, murmured as if he had regained consciousness. His voice hardened.

Helio said in a harder voice than usual.

“It looks like an illusion of my wish, Miss Yuriel.”

Looking at the noisy knights with subdued eyes, Helio said with a sigh.

“They are already dead.”

Helio’s face, who spoke in a low voice so as not to be heard by the knights, was bitter.

“So, Sir Helio, why are you here?”

“Are you here to introduce us?”

“Yes?”

The knights roared and surrounded Helio. Yuriel, who suddenly became the object of interest, buried her face in Helio’s chest. She felt uncomfortable with their eyes.

It is more burdensome if the main characters of that gaze are dead people. They were living people just by looking at the bright faces, but she felt strange to hear from Helio that they were dead.

Helio left the training ground without answering the knights.

“Commander Helio! Are you running away because you’re embarrassed?”

“You came this far, so introduce us!”

Helio, ignoring the knights, walked to the place where he had left his horse. Yuriel looked at the knights who were screaming passionately and said bluntly,

“The Princess said that the illusion is the future.”

“Ah, Princess. That’s right. This is not the time, but we need to find the Princess first. I want to go back to the ruins again.”

Helio looked around the training ground for a moment before getting on his horse. The knights were seen waving their hands to Helio.

He put Yuriel on the horse first, and then he got on the horse and grabbed the reins and embraced Yuriel.

Yuriel leaned her head in his arms and muttered helplessly.

“I don’t know what kind of illusion this is, but I hope this is the future rather than the one the Princess said is the future.”

A future where she will meet people she will never see again seems better than a future where monsters are treated like slaves.

The moment Yuriel muttered while looking at the knights, the two’s vision turned black.

＊＊＊

“Oh, it’s the future.”

Yuriel recited along with a sigh in the empty space.

She knew the conditions under which the illusion would break. If she hopes that the vision she’s seeing is the future, the illusion stops.

In the Princess’ illusion, the Princess wished for it, and in Helio’s vision, Yuriel wished for it.

Yuriel, who gave strength to her staggering body, lowered her head as she gazed at the ceiling where the light was coming in. Light slowly spread through the empty space.

It was upon the stone which Yuriel had first stood.

“Is it over?”

“Miss Yuriel!”

She could hear the voice of the Princess who seemed sad and the voice of the surprised Helio. Helio hurriedly approached and supported Yuriel as she stumbled.

She thought that she had the fever only in the illusion, but the fever was still there after the illusion was over.

There was absolutely no strength in her body. The Princess approached Helio, who was supporting Yuriel’s body, which was drooping down like wet cotton.

“Yuriel, what’s wrong with you?”

It was a dry voice, as if asking a broken object.

“I will return to the base. Princess, please return to the base with the knights as well.”

Helio said, pushing the Princess away.

＊＊＊

“Commander Raphlet.”

Helio took Yuriel and went straight to the medical center. After confirming that Yuriel’s condition was slightly stabilized by the medical officer’s treatment, he went to visit Raphlet.

“What’s going on?”

“Miss Yuriel is in the medical barracks. Take a look.”

Helio thought he was going to get caught by the neck when delivering the bad news, but Raphlet didn’t care about Helio. Before Helio could finish his words, Raphlet passed Helio and headed for the medical barracks.

Helio sighed and followed Raphlet. He had to explain why that happened to Yuriel.

But he was embarrassed because he didn’t know anything about it. Helio arrived at the barracks, contemplating what to explain, and found Raphlet standing motionless in front of Yuriel, who was sleeping.

Raphlet had no expression on his face when he saw Yuriel, who had returned.

Whatever happened, her whole body was a ball of fire. Raphlet was motionless, having carefully touched the parched lips and cheek.

Her breathing was weak.

Yuriel looked like she was about to lose her breath at any moment. Raphlet placed his finger on Yuriel’s slender neck and confirmed her life. And she couldn’t move. Raphlet looked at Yuriel quietly, feeling the tender pulse beating under his own fingers.

Helio looked at Raphlet’s fingers, trembling finely, and lowered his eyes.

Now Raphlet looked like a human. The awkwardness of seeing a machine that mimics a human has disappeared a little bit.

The person acting as if they felt nothing was trembling and scared that Yuriel collapsed.

“It’s alright. The medic said she’ll wake up when the fever goes down.”

Helio first informed him of Yuriel’s condition.

Raphlet asked with his hand on Yuriel’s neck. While talking to Helio, his gaze was fixed on Yuriel.

“What happened?”

“After entering the building in the ruins, the Princess, Miss Yuriel, and I had a vision. Miss Yuriel collapsed right after the vision was broken.”

After hearing Helio’s explanation, Raphlet removed his hand that was touching Yuriel’s neck. His fingertips were still trembling.

He asked as he looked at Helio with hideous gleaming golden eyes.

“Is it the Princess’ work?”

The question that came out was harsh. Raphlet asked the question in a sharp tone, as if it was difficult to judge normally.

“No. Right now, Commander Baraha has gone to investigate the ruins in detail. Calm down, the results will come soon.”

If it was the Princess’ work, he would be able to cut off the head of the Princess regardless of the circumstances

Helio had said that he had sent Commander Baraha to investigate the ruins, but Raphlet was still agitated. He seemed to need a place to pour out his anger.

If he went out like this and faced the Princess, it was self-evident that his anger would be directed at her.

Helio let out a long breath.

Captain Raphlet does look like a human now, but he looks like a little kid who doesn’t understand the situation and runs rampant.

The problem was that the little kid was someone who could kill the Princess’ knights and cut off her head with ease.

There was no one who could stop Raphlet. He was strong even before the monster’s core was transplanted, but after the core transplant, it was difficult to deal with him with any weapon.

He needed something like a poisoned weapon or a tool made from the skin of a monster to barely hold his ankle.

Raphlet said in a calm tone,

“Let’s meet the Princess.”

The moment Helio heard that voice, he got goosebumps as if he was covered in cold water. As if he had suddenly found a reason, Helio could feel murderous intent coming from Raphlet.

Helio saw Raphlet turning his body and unwittingly grabbed the handle of his sword.

Raphlet’s gaze as he saw Raphlet gripping the sword was lodged in Helio’s face.

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