Stigma Effect

Biggest thanks to Skye, SE’s previous translator who proofread this chapter! <3

--

There was a gorgeous garden with red petals in full bloom. Yuriel, who entered the palace in the four-wheeled vehicle sent by the Princess, exclaimed.

It was the day of the banquet which the leaders of Albraka set and were vigilant for.

“Baraha, look at that. The flowers are blooming a lot. It would be pretty if the garden of the Mogris estate was cultivated like that later. Or even the gardens of Albraka.”

A fascinating scent pierced the tip of her nose. The scent of the garden mixed with the strong smell of grass, the smell of earth, and the scent of flowers was clear. Yuriel shook Baraha's shoulder, who was lying on her lap.

Yuriel asked, opening the window wide so that Baraha could see the outside of the window more easily.

“What do you think?”

“It’s a rose.”

Baraha, who got up and looked out the window, muttered in a disinterested voice. Baraha, who barely made a fuss about the roses, fell back to Yuriel's thighs.

Yuriel, who was delighted with the roses, pushed his head away and moved to the seat opposite him. Baraha, who suddenly lost his pillow, frowned.

"Are you really doing this to me even though I agreed to come with you, Yuriel?"

“What’s wrong with the Princess, and why did Lord Raphlet and Sir Helio warn me to be so careful? And I really don't understand why the Princess likes you."

Yuriel rested her chin on her hand and looked into Baraha's face. From an objective point of view, he was a person who did not possess any good corner at all. The indifferent attitude that it doesn't matter whether we live or die sometimes caused anxiety in those around him.

"I….”

Baraha said as he crumpled his large body into the seat. It was an act that showed his will to sleep even a little more. His words continued slowly as he crumpled his body.

“I invented the gun. So she likes me.”

“Now I’m even more confused on why she likes you. What does the Princess need to use a gun for?”

“It’s a hobby.”

“Shooting a gun… ?”

"Yeah. And I’m sure she invited you with the expectation that you can predict where the monsters will appear. You'll be able to get to the monsters before anyone else. It will be late when news comes in to Albraka.”

Baraha said, dropping on the seat.

Yuriel, who heard the muttering voice, said, sweeping her chest down.

“Well then, she is a good person. She’s trying to destroy monsters."

“She is a person who is very interested in what comes out after killing monsters.”

“Ah, you’re talking about the core of a monster.”

“Killing monsters is a last resort thing. When she sees useful monsters, she collects them ....”

Yuriel shook her head and stood up. Yuriel could not understand why people were so obsessed with the monster cores.

“Why is everyone so obsessed with monster cores? I’m scared of them.”

"Scared?"

“That’s right. It is said that for a monster to die completely their core must be destroyed, but you’re saying the cores are kept intact. All over the city too. I'm worried about that. Sometimes it feels like a city of monsters.”

“City of monsters.”

Yuriel said, wrapping her arms around herself. Baraha raised the corners of his lips and repeated Yuriel's words.

Baraha, who had been drooping, got up as if he was interested. His tired face lit up with vitality.

“Then what do you think of this?”

“Ah, fragments…. Those are even worse.”

Baraha, who was sitting opposite Yuriel, asked, showing the back of his hand. Fragments of the monster core embedded in the back of his hand that had been covered by his gloves were revealed. Yuriel shivered when she saw how the skin had turned black like Helio's shoulder she saw last time.

Perhaps because Baraha was also the leader of Albraka, he was implanted with a fragment of a monster core. From the moment Yuriel remembered, he had always been wearing gloves, so she couldn't tell when the transplant was done.

He didn't seem to want to tell her when he had the transplant either, so she didn't bother to ask.

Yuriel sighed and said.

“I want to get rid of it right away if I can. Baraha, is there any way to get it out? I want to get rid of what Lord Raphlet has implanted.”

“It is easy to implant, but difficult to remove. Not one or two people have fallen apart and died. I do not know either."

“Let me know when you figure out how to get rid of it later. In a safe way. You are an alchemist.”

“Are you going to admit it now? You always say ‘self-proclaimed’ each time.”

“I saw you in the alchemist tower, how could I not admit it?”

The vehicle stopped when Yuriel and Baraha were in the midst of talking about the monster's core, fragments, and things that use core power as energy.

The moment the two of them wondered whether they had arrived or had stopped for a while, the door swung open.

It was none other than the Princess who opened the door directly. Yuriel saw the red blonde hair that Helio had been talking about, so she could recognize her right away.

The Princess was dressed like a fairy. Her short hair, slightly raised eyes, and the playfully raised corners of her mouth created a unique atmosphere about her. The blooming rose garden and the Princess matched very well.

The Princess, Ithaca, suddenly put her hand into Yuriel's four-wheeled vehicle and pulled Yuriel's arm and said.

“Welcome, Yuriel. I have been waiting a long time.”

Yuriel smiled without hesitation at the friendly way she spoke. The Princess smiled mischievously and grabbed Yuriel's arm. As Yuriel was pulled out by her hand and looked around, the Princess looked at the face of the person left in the vehicle and was delighted.

“No, Baraha is with me.”

"Yes. Princess.”

“Today is going to be a good day. That is, if Yuriel lives up to my expectations.”

After finishing her speech with an accent as unique as her atmosphere, the Princess took Yuriel and Baraha directly to the banquet hall. The knights of the Princess tightly covered Yuriel and Baraha’s surroundings.

It was strange that no one seemed to be a servants. A lot of servants are essential for a banquet....

From a distance, she wondered if this would look like she was being dragged into prison instead of being invited to a party.

Yuriel was nervous at the sharper atmosphere than expected. She had been invited to a banquet, but her spine was chilling.

It felt like the eyes of the knights were scanning her, so her heart felt cold. She felt like a prey. Baraha frowned and looked around, sighing and leaning close to Yuriel.

The gaze that seemed to dig into Yuriel subsided a little.

The Princess was holding Yuriel's arm with a strong hand.

The place where the Princess took Yuriel and Baraha to, was the garden. It was no ordinary garden. The Princess smiled in front of a large maze garden whose end was difficult to predict.

“This is a special banquet hall made just for you. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”

Yuriel had prepared a banquet for nobles several times, but this was a fairly unfamiliar scene. No, it was better to say that it was the first time she saw it.

To be more exact, Yuriel had never seen anyone holding a banquet in a place like this.

They finally arrived at the banquet hall, but Yuriel blinked. Not knowing how to react, she looked at Baraha, but he wasn’t much help as he was looking at the maze with a slow gaze.

What was she supposed to enjoy here? Only the Princess's knights and Baraha were present.

Talking and dancing did not seem to be the purpose of this banquet. The dress she was wearing was embarrassing.

As Yuriel looked around and smoothed her pitiful fingers, the Princess explained, handing over Yuriel's arm to the knights.

“There are six monsters in the maze. If you come out without any injuries, then I will be able to acknowledge your abilities.”

"What?"

“Whether you kill the monster or avoid it, use that power that was published in the newspaper and try to make it out safely.”

“Come on, wait a minute. Princess? What is this... !”

Yuriel was grabbed in the arm by the Princess's knight and dragged to the entrance of the maze. As Helio said, she was being dragged and forced to attend the banquet.

Now she could see why they had been so worried.

‘What kind of banquet is this!’

Baraha clings to Yuriel, who is being dragged away, and puts the two guns he had brought in the pocket of his clothes.

“I put a silencer to reduce the blast, so even if you use it inside, the outside won’t be able to hear it well.”

He murmured in a low voice. He gave ten bullets per gun and took it off his body.

And that was it. Baraha then calmly sent Yuriel off.

"See you soon."

“Wait a minute, no, this, this really is….”

Baraha waved his hand to say good-bye. Then, muttering for her to cheer up, he disappeared saying he wanted to see the side road beside the maze.

“Go.”

The Princess's voice was heard. Yuriel made long footprints on the floor, avoiding to be dragged somehow.

The Princess frowned at the traces of her feet dragging on the floor.

“My garden is ruined. Lift her and put her in.”

As the Princess resolutely ordered, Yuriel's body lifted lightly, and Yuriel immediately fell into the maze alone.

A demonic cry was heard from beyond the maze.

“I should listen to Baraha’s story until Yuriel comes out. Baraha?”

Through the blocked entrance, the voice of the Princess looking for Baraha was heard.

As if Baraha had not appeared, the voice giving an order to the knights to bring Baraha along was terrifying.

Yuriel sighed as she looked at the blocked entrance and lowered the gun that Baraha had given her. She tore off the hem of the dress she was wearing on the outside and properly organized the pants she was wearing inside.

“I didn’t actually think I would have to take the dress off....”

This time, it was an active trouser with pockets. Holding the gun that had been on the floor for a while, Yuriel looked around.