Stigma Effect
Proofreader: kuroneko_chan
Yuriel’s fever hardly fell. Shudmuel came once in the morning and once in the afternoon, but he did not think that her condition would get any better.
It was expected because she didn’t take antipyretics.
Raphlet checked Yuriel’s condition while doing his business in the room. Even if he put a cold towel on her forehead, the towel quickly became hot from Yuriel’s heat.
The longer the fever didn’t go down, the more anxious Raphlet became.
Irrespective of Yuriel’s illness, the alchemists clamored every day to find out where the monster went.
The alchemists came to Yuriel on the day the monster escaped. Because the monster was trying to protect Yuriel, the main opinion was that it would try to take Yuriel even after it escaped.
It wasn’t long after she had a fever. Yuriel, whose complexion was pale as if waking up from an unpleasant dream, was called to the parlor and listened to the alchemists’ stories.
Raphlet watched Yuriel from behind and focused on the alchemists’ stories. She collaborated with the alchemists, but receiving their experimental records was separate.
Alchemists were not cooperative in passing on their knowledge to other groups. It was also known that there was a lot of information among them that they did not want to share because of their desire to achieve results.
Only Commander Baraha, who belonged to both the Knights Order and the Alchemist group, was an exception and able to receive all information immediately.
It was for this reason that the interview with the alchemists was permitted.
Raphlet needed information about what kind of experiments they were doing on Yuriel. As soon as they entered the parlor, the alchemists who hesitated while glancing at Raphlet began to ask questions regardless of whether they knew Raphlet had any intentions of leaving.
It was information that would be passed on anyway, as they had to organize the experimental records and hand them over to the Albraka leaders soon.
“Did you hear that the monster escaped?”
“The power of the monster in one day….”
“As Miss Yuriel knows, the only variable is contact with Miss Yuriel.”
“So this is….”
Their excited voices were difficult to understand. Yuriel reached out for a cup to moisten her parched throat and noticed the gaze of the person looking at her.
He was a man threatened by Baraha for having drawn her blood. His eyes, looking at Yuriel’s pale complexion, gave off a creepy light.
It was similar to the princess’ eyes when she saw what she coveted.
His eyes gleaming with greed fixed on Yuriel from behind the senior alchemists who sat down and poured out their stories.
While examining Yuriel’s face, he spoke into the ear of the alchemist in front of him.
“What if we take another blood sample from Miss Yuriel?”
“Blood? Oh, come to think of it, the syringe was broken because of Commander Baraha at that time. I wasn’t paying attention because of the monster. We need a syringe… ”
“I brought it.”
“Really?”
“Can I draw it now?”
“We need to draw blood before Commander Baraha interferes. If we have it and finish the experiment before it, what can he do?”
“Miss Yuriel, please reach out your arm.”
“… Yes?”
Yuriel, who had been listening to the muffled sound as if it submerged in water, frowned as she saw people waving their hands at her. The man was holding the large syringe she had seen last time.
Yuriel sighed and took off her coat. Baraha had told her not to let them take her blood, but Yuriel now had no strength to argue with the alchemists.
As she held out her weak arm, the man smiled and pushed in the syringe.
The man stretched out his arm, ready to take the blood from Yuriel’s body, but it was not the alchemist’s hand that touched Yuriel’s arm.
From the moment the alchemists began to talk about the experiment in an excited tone, Raphlet, who had been silently listening to their conversation, was holding Yuriel’s arm.
Raphlet, who draped the robe that had flowed down over her shoulder, said in a low tone.
“Didn’t I say that only a light interview is possible? Please go back.”
Raphlet, who had issued a dismissal order, supported Yuriel before the alchemists got up.
“Commander Raphlet, wait a minute.”
“There are still many things I want to ask Miss Yuriel!”
“Can’t you see that she can’t even stand properly? If you have any further questions, please write them to me. I will deliver it when Yuriel’s condition is improved.”
Concerned about Yuriel’s reputation, Raphlet, who would not try to touch Yuriel in crowded places, reached out his hand first.
Raphlet raised Yuriel’s body, which had no strength. Yuriel’s head fell on his chest.
His heart sank as she stretched out like a corpse.
There was no point in caring about the opinions of the revolting alchemists.
He was able to understand what kind of experiment Yuriel was cooperating with, and how the alchemists treated Yuriel just through their conversation.
All alchemists are like this.
Raphlet left the parlor immediately.
“It looks like she was not feeling well.”
“I can’t help it today.”
“Let’s go back and not waste time.”
When Raphlet disappeared supporting Yuriel, the alchemists vomited their dissatisfaction and stood up one by one.
The man holding the empty syringe glared at the seat where Yuriel had been sitting, and finally left.
＊＊＊
After the alchemists returned, Yuriel fainted once.
When Shudmuel forced her to take medicine, she opened her eyes for a moment, looked at him with resentful eyes, and then closed her eyes again.
The heat, which was enough to affect a life, fell, but the heat that did not drop below a certain temperature bothered Yuriel.
The constant fever caused headaches and dizziness. Shudmuel said it was a natural symptom in the early stages of pregnancy, but Yuriel, who was nervous with the headache, couldn’t stand the anxiety.
What Shudmuel said was a mild fever, but what Yuriel was suffering from was a high fever. It wasn’t morning sickness, but the heat that made her stomach churn and she couldn’t eat properly, so her body started to get weaker and weaker.
It was fortunate that she had been training with Raphlet before.
Even if she was weakened a little, she was at a normal level, but if this state continues, she never knows when it will become dangerous.
Had she known that pregnancy was so difficult, she would have worked out harder.
When she was in Raphlet’s arms, it was a little bearable, but when she was away from him, her fever rose.
She was terrified that this might lead to a miscarriage.
The news of the monster that escaped on the day she collapsed also contributed to Yuriel’s deepening anxiety.
The monster that escaped, the nightmare where Raphlet came, her condition that did not improve, and the rumors of her controlling a monster that did not go away.
Since she came to the Imperial Capital, there has not been a case where the shadow of a monster did not catch up with her. There was always a monster behind Yuriel.
Immediately after hearing the news of the pregnancy, Yuriel was disturbed by worries that she had not felt when walking around in good health. Even when she returned to Grand Duke Mogris’ residence, it would be quite troublesome if monsters followed her like now.
The people in Mogris were kind to Yuriel, but that was kindness only when Yuriel was helpful to them.
It was a kind of kindness so they wouldn’t suffer from the monster’s hand, rather than to save her if monsters flocked to Yuriel’s surroundings.
She had known since childhood. She never dreamed of having someone risking their life for her, and she didn’t presume to want it.
A person who risked his life appeared.
Yuriel has worked tirelessly to help him not regret that he saved her.
But now, far from helping….
“Master….”
“Do you need anything? Would you like some water?”
Yuriel groaned as he placed his hand on her forehead and asked so. When a weak voice leaked out, Raphlet answered quickly.
As she sniffled, the hand that brought the cup of lukewarm water to her lips was gentle.
There were many times when she drank water while she was sick, so while Yuriel was drinking, Raphlet wiped her back.
Tears welled up at the compassionate care.
The fact that she had not been of any help to Raphlet after the subjugation stopped was more terrifying than the pain she was experiencing now.
Raphlet took the cup away as Yuriel, who gulped down the water, started to cry.
“Did you drink too much…. Are you okay?”
“This is what I have to do for the Master….”
“… If you’re okay, drink a little more.”
The hand that was about to pat Yuriel on the back stopped in mid-air.
Raphlet took back the cup he had put down. Having regained strength enough to hold the cup herself, Yuriel emptied the cup, frowned, and dug into Raphlet’s arms.
“Once I get healthy, I will serve the Master…”
“Yes. I’ll let you do whatever you want, so be healthy and tell me.”
Raphlet sighed, pulling back Yuriel who was digging into his arms.
The servitude Yuriel wanted to do was not what Raphlet wanted, but it was better for her to demand vigorously than lying down.
It was not like he couldn’t accept Yuriel’s demands.
Raphlet thought while holding Yuriel, who had regained some energy.
It was surprising to see how he did not bring up the words to return to Mogris’ Estate while watching Yuriel sick.
If it was in the past, when she came back from being kidnapped, he would have tried to send her to a safe place right away.
But not now. Yuriel had to be by his side.
Raphlet wrapped Yuriel’s hair around his fingers and leaned his back against the bed.
It was fortunate that Yuriel didn’t say that she wanted to go back.
Even if she wanted to go back, he had no intention of letting her go.