Leaving Tsunayoshi's room, Anqi and Alicia walked softly down the corridor.
"Alicia… isn't it such a waste for Raul?"
Anqi stared at the ring on the middle finger of her right hand, feeling it was a pity Raul couldn't keep pace.
"Raul always wanted a talent for magic and worked so hard for it. Now there's a chance to gain a power like magic—and he's missed it."
"Did you forget he secretly diverted Familia funds?"
Alicia hadn't forgotten and reminded her plainly. "If Loki hadn't been merciful last time, do you really think Raul would still be here?"
"..."
Anqi had no defense. Those were the facts. Loki had stayed her hand and, instead of expulsion, handed Raul a 'punishment': take on informant work at a leak point and shoulder some responsibility for the embezzlement.
That "punishment" even brought him unexpected benefits.
At the very least, a beautiful elf with curves in all the right places had been the best "reward" for Raul's actions. He served Loki's penalty for the funds, and he completed a major step in his personal life. From Raul's point of view, it hadn't turned out badly.
But after he got involved with that elf, he got a little too absorbed in the business of "reproduction," and in less than three months, he'd planted his seed.
"Raul… couldn't he just tell Loki about the child?"
"That's obviously impossible," Alicia said. "No matter how much Loki cares for us, asking her to go demand that elf from Ishtar is a nonstarter. Raul knows that."
"Really no way?"
"You want to help Raul persuade Loki?" Alicia didn't share Anqi's soft-hearted impulse. "Think it through first. Raul hasn't finished saving enough to buy the elf's freedom. Ishtar set the price to make it difficult. When Raul learned she was pregnant, what do you think he'd do?"
"He'd work harder to earn the ransom, of course. He can't let her remain a courtesan."
"Right. But Raul already emptied himself once for her ransom—and even bought a house outside. Do you think he still has that money now?"
Anqi fell silent—then a thought struck, and she recalled how quiet Loki had been earlier.
"Raul must have touched the Familia's funds again."
With almost no personal money left, and hiding the pregnancy, Raul had resolved to free Liz by his own means. That left him very few choices.
Either sell his most valuable weapon… or embezzle Familia funds again.
No matter which he chose, he'd lose the right to be treated as a priority in the core.
"Loki must be furious. Doing the same thing twice… that's the worst choice."
"…Yeah."
However Anqi tried to excuse Raul, there was no way to wash it clean. In the short term, only two channels could raise that ransom.
Well, there was a third—selling Familia intel. But Anqi believed Raul wouldn't be that foolish. That would mean a complete break with Loki, immediate expulsion, and likely collateral trouble for the newly pregnant Liz.
"Don't worry too much about Raul," Alicia said. "If Loki hasn't thrown him out, she's not going to move against him now. But at this rate, he'll drift out of the core."
She didn't want Anqi wasting more thought on Raul; it wouldn't help. His outcome was set by his own choices—shifting his focus to Liz and the child, even embezzling again. In today's Familia, that mindset was self-abandonment.
Alicia raised her hand and looked at the ring on her finger. A purple flame—symbol of "Cloud"—kindled softly.
"The Joint Expedition is about to begin. We don't have much time to adapt to this power. Anqi, train with me?"
"…Okay."
Anqi calmed herself and put her worries for Raul away. Gaining a magic-like power mattered immensely to her. As an adventurer without magic or skill, she cherished any chance to move forward. Raul's effort had always inspired her, which was why she cared so much. Even if that figure at the front had vanished from view, she still had to keep walking—and become the example at the front herself.
She glanced at the ring on her finger again.
A power she'd never had was now part of her. What better opportunity could there be? This was the turning point of her life.
"As for Bete—who'd have thought he'd be the one to recommend us to Tsuna."
"Hard to imagine," Alicia smiled. "But we should thank Bete properly. Without him, we wouldn't have this chance."
(End of Chapter)
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