Stigma Effect - Chapter 8: Ablution

This is an Isekai styled story, written from the point of view of the protagonist.

Discover the secret of the new, unknown world with Peter, as he sets his first steps in an empty, ruined city. Meet new people from all around the globe. Fight, laugh, and cry.

30-year-old Jo Minjoon has always wanted to become a chef. He started his culinary career late in life, however, and is currently chopping onions at a restaurant. Regretting his life choices, he wishes he could go back to change it all and falls asleep. Meanwhile, someone out there is willing to give him another chance and send him back in time. How will he use the new powers he obtained from this mysterious being?

Enemies always meet on a narrow road and when they meet war breaks out.

They met as kids and fought but Zi Han lost.

They met in the army as recruits and even then Zi Han lost.

He lost again as he remained a sergeant while Yi Chen was promoted to the position of Marshal.

Even when his dark history swallowed him whole and shifted allegiance to become the Universe’s most infamous assassin he still lost to Yi Chen.

Zi Han, “Damn it! Why won’t you let me win.”

Yi Chen, “I can let you win in bed if you like?”

Zi Han, “……”

When did enemies graduate from rolling in the dirt fighting to rolling in the sheets….. fighting? That’s the million-dollar question.

.....

It was in the middle of the night that the woman who would be the Duchess came to see me.

She said my father and mother died, and my kind uncle became king.

She said it’s not worth it for me, the crown prince, to be living in hiding, too.

“A while ago, Your Highness had been hiding from me. With all due respect, is that for the sake of survival? Just because your parents died doesn’t mean you have no reason to survive. Actually, that fact alone made it all the more reason why you should live. If you die now…”

If I died now?

When I asked her while looking at her eyes, the woman eventually brought out the harsh truth with empathetic eyes.

“It’s like a dog’s death.”

“That’s rude….”

It’s been a long time since I said that. In a short while, he has been treated as a madman and beaten to death just by saying similar things. She loosened her arms that held me and I suddenly stiffened up due to it. Because I thought she might have loosened her arm to hit me. But she didn’t.

She knelt down with one knee in front of me, just like a knight.

“Hastred’s Sarian raised her salutations. May you accept it gladly.”

My first knight is beautiful and kind.

“Are you on my side?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

It was all a lie.