Stigma Effect

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Yuriel and Raphlet confirmed their hearts, but their relationship didn’t change much. Only when they were alone in Raphlet’s room would he start speaking to Yuriel in a friendly tone, just like when he was a child.

As winter came, the two of them spent more time together, and the time they spent in the bedroom increased.

＊＊＊

Winter was not a good season for subjugation. Instead of going out on a distant expedition, the Knights stayed in the capital and concentrated on training.

It also started snowing in the capital. Due to snow on the training ground, Yuriel was excluded from the daily training schedule.

“I’ll clean the snow too!”

“Go in and check your gun with Commander Baraha, Yuriel.”

“No, the snow….”

“The gun inspection is more urgent.”

“Uhh… . Yes.”

Raphlet said firmly when he saw Yuriel coming with a large shovel and preparing to clear the snow. Seeing the tips of Yuriel’s fingers that were red from the cold, he pushed her back. It was clear that she would not listen if he told her to rest, so when he gave the order to inspect the gun, she couldn’t refuse and went inside.

“After the inspection, you should write a report and bring it to me.”

“All right….”

Raphlet said to Yuriel, who had a history of doing a rough inspection. He gave a stern expression to Yuriel, who looked back at him slightly and drooped her shoulders more as she entered the building.

After being kicked out, Yuriel headed to the South building in search of Baraha. While walking in the falling snow, she pulled up the hood that was attached to her coat.

Snowflakes smaller than the snow falling at Mogris mixed with her white breath. It wasn’t long before Yuriel arrived at Baraha’s office. The window was wide open. All the windows and doors were open, so there was almost no temperature difference between the outside and inside.

Baraha, the owner of the office, was not even cold while his Albraka’s uniform was hanging over the window. Albraka’s uniform fluttered in the wind.

A little bit of snow had piled up on his uniform from how long the window had been open.

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Baraha, who had been staring blankly at the snow falling in front of the window, turned to Yuriel. Albraka’s uniform, which had been hanging over on the window sill, was blown away by the wind and landed at Yuriel’s feet.

Baraha saw his uniform tossed around, but he didn’t pay any attention to it. His gaze was indifferent as if he had seen garbage fly away.

Yuriel looked at him quietly as the wind passed through his office. Her hood was tossed back by the wind.

Eyes that showed no emotions were looking at Yuriel. On a snowy day, Baraha made that kind of expression. There were no feelings and it looked more dangerous.

She remembered another snowy day where his face showed no emotions. He was wandering in the forest of the Mogris Estate.

Yuriel was not interested in people other than Raphlet, but Baraha was special. He was someone she could comfort whenever she saw his gloomy figure.

Yuriel didn’t say a word to him, but first closed the door where the wind came in. The wind that was coming through the windows and doors had calmed down a bit. Yuriel went straight to the fireplace. As soon as the firewood was placed in and the fire was ignited, there was a buzzing sound from the burning firewood in the fireplace.

There was a bit of smoke in the office from the burning firewood. Yuriel clasped her hands and warmed her frozen fingers over the fireplace. Shetook off her robe and approached Baraha. She closed the open window and placed her coat over his cold shoulders, slowly blinking his longing eyes.

Knowing that Baraha wouldn’t divulge his feelings, Yuriel brought up another topic instead of asking him why he was like this.

“Lord Raphlet told me to check the gun with you. Baraha, come here.”

When Baraha appeared lethargic, giving him a job was the best way to comfort him. When he was at Mogris Estate, he was asked to clean or sew.

When they worked together like that, Baraha, who had regained his energy, suddenly disappeared from Mogris Estate.

Baraha, who had been fiddling with the coat that Yuriel had put on him, opened his mouth.

“I finished the gun inspection two days ago.”

“Really? Do you have an inspection report?”

“There isn’t. Did Commander Raphlet tell you to bring it?”

“Ah-huh.”

“The inspection is done, just check the number of ammunition and write a report.”

Baraha, who had returned to his usual mood, said as he got up, leaning against the window.

＊＊＊

Yuriel, who was checking the number of ammunition, glanced at Baraha filling out the paperwork next to her.

His room was now warm enough, but Baraha was still wearing the coat she had put on him. Although her coat was spacious, it was small for Baraha’s body as it was a woman’s suit.

Baraha was completing some paperwork, pulling the collar so that the little coat wouldn’t fall off.

He put down the gun Yuriel had been checking with his eyebrows crumpled

As she approached Baraha’s side, he looked up at Yuriel. Blurred eyes turned to Yuriel.

“Why? Is there anything strange about it?”

“Baraha, do you still write like that? You said that was a document that Lord Raphlet should check later. I wonder why it takes so long for Lord Raphlet to check the documents these days, it was because of you.”

“What did I….”

“Because you write letters like this! Lord Raphlet doesn’t recognize it!”

As if to avoid Yuriel’s gaze, Baraha hid the paper with his body. Yuriel, who leaned against his desk, slammed Baraha’s back, and pushed him away from the documents, and took his place.

Baraha, who had been pushed by Yuriel’s body, got up from his seat, in a stumble.

“I will write. You just sign it.”

“How much time do you have to take? And it’s okay because Commander Raphlet likes to work the most. When you weren’t here, he didn’t have any personal time, he just worked.”

Yuriel, who spoke firmly, pushed Baraha away and took up the pen from the seat she occupied. Baraha muttered in displeasure, but brought another chair and sat down next to Yuriel.

Yuriel said proudly as she watched Baraha take a seat next to her.

“Maybe it used to be, but not now. He likes lying in bed with me the most.”

“… Ah, I see.”

A late answer came back to the unexpected remark. Yuriel spoke her words, not noticing whether Baraha had a shaky expression on his face or not.

“But he never gets into bed until he’s done with work.”

“… I don’t want to know about Commander Raphlet’s private life.”

Baraha put his forehead on the desk and muttered. Turning his head, he asked, pulling Yuriel’s long hair.

“Why do you like Commander Raphlet so much?”

“So much?”

“Ah-huh. When I look at it, I feel like you’re crazy about Commander Raphlet. Commander Raphlet is not the kind of person worthy to be liked so much….”

“If you curse Lord Raphlet, even I won’t let you go, Baraha.”

Yuriel countered, leaning in the direction Baraha was pulling. Yuriel threatened Baraha with a flash in her eyes.

Baraha stopped talking when he saw Yuriel’s sad blue eyes. Yuriel glared at Baraha, who was looking at her with unknown eyes, and then poked his head with a pen.

Baraha gave off a particularly unstable atmosphere today. If he had been someone else, she would have been more angry, but when she looked at his empty eyes, her anger vanished.

Yuriel sighed and turned around.

“Tell me what to write. I have to write this and finish the gun inspection report.”

Yuriel, who continued to speak in a light tone, loosened the sharp atmosphere. Baraha, who confirmed that Yuriel had released her expression, turned to look at the documents and opened his mouth.

“You said that Commander Raphlet saved you.”

“Ah-huh.”

“What do you think would have happened if the person who saved you was Commander Helio? Then you would have liked Commander Helio rather than Commander Raphlet, right?”

“Why do you keep talking nonsense? How can Sir Helio rescue me at the Mogris Estate?”

“Still, if so.”

“Is it because of the snow? Baraha, you know you’re a little weird today, right?”

Yuriel sighed and said. Yuriel, who put down the pen she was holding and turned to Baraha, answered in a serious tone.

“I don’t think I would have liked Sir Helio even if he had saved me. Okay?”

“Then what if I saved you?”

“You don’t even have to think. I would never have liked you.”

Yuriel, who had been seriously considering it during Helio’s story, now said without hesitation.

“I don’t think there was any way you could have saved me. Even if you saved me, I think you would have left me. You’re not like Lord Raphlet who keeps taking care of me.”

“That’s right.”

“Now that you’ve said all the strange things, tell me what to write on the paperwork.”

There was no way that Baraha, who was too bothered to take care of himself, would have taken care of others.

If Baraha had rescued her and taken her back….

Yuriel imagined such a scenario for a moment.

She imagined dreaming of a monster appearing, and then Baraha entering the room where she was trembling in fear, telling her to go to sleep and blowing out the candles.

This was also a good idea.

Baraha, who was gazing at Yuriel as she was shaking her head while imagining that scenario, slowly opened his mouth.