"At this hour, I wonder how Liz is doing. Is she able to eat properly?"
Raul's mind was filled with worry for Liz, so much so that he could hardly focus on his own meal.
All he wanted now was for this banquet to end quickly—so he could hurry home and check on her.
Watching the event draw to a close, Raul noted that the atmosphere in the hall was beginning to wind down. Taking advantage of the moment, he searched for an excuse to slip away.
"You all keep drinking. I'm just going to the restroom."
"Oh, sure, go ahead."
The others didn't think much of it, accepting his excuse without question.
Raul seized the chance and quietly left the dining hall.
But the moment he stepped outside—his consciousness froze.
Darkness enveloped his body, and the next instant, the unconscious Raul was pulled into another space.
Inside that separate dimension, Tiona and Tione watched Raul—frozen midair—with sharp, scrutinizing eyes.
"This guy's been acting shady again. Sneaking off before the banquet's even over… what the hell's he up to this time?"
Loki's expression darkened. Raul's attempt to leave early didn't sit right with her.
Especially since he'd been going out far more frequently lately. Bete had mentioned that Raul's visits to the Training Space and Challenge Space had dropped drastically—he was no longer training or pushing himself like before.
That made Loki suspicious. Raul's constant absences, his lack of focus—it all felt off.
"Tsuna. Go check."
Without further discussion, Loki gave her order.
No need to overthink—first, confirm the truth. See if Raul had leaked Familia information again.
Tsuna immediately sent a Memory Worm into Raul's mind to scan his memories.
After a quick probe, Tsuna understood why Raul had been leaving so often lately.
"It's not betrayal. Raul's been going out for another reason."
"But he has been diverting Familia funds. He stole 120 million valis."
Not betrayal—but embezzlement.
And that was no small matter. Familia funds weren't personal property. Once money was traced back to an individual, it could lead to expulsion.
And 120 million valis? That was well past the threshold for removal.
"The hell!? Where'd that punk get the guts to pull something like that!?"
Loki's relief at hearing it wasn't treason vanished instantly when she heard about the stolen funds. Her temper flared.
Tiona and Tione exchanged looks, both equally baffled by Raul's behavior.
So he hadn't been selling secrets—he'd been embezzling.
"The reason, I think," Tsuna said calmly, "is that Miss Liz can't hold on any longer."
"Can't hold on?"
After seeing Raul's memories, Tsuna knew the truth. Loki, however, looked confused—so he clarified.
"She's pregnant."
"...Pregnant!?"
Loki's jaw dropped.
Not just hers—Tiona and Tione were equally stunned. They stared at the immobilized Raul in disbelief. None of them had expected that.
"Wait, wait, wait—didn't Raul and that elf only start seeing each other less than three months ago?"
Pregnancy? That was more shocking than betrayal! Loki's face twisted in disbelief. She hadn't expected Raul to move that fast—or to be that efficient.
They'd known each other for less than three months, and already this had happened.
"Ahem."
Tsuna cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Loki, even though Raul and Miss Liz haven't known each other long, their... interactions have been quite frequent. Their compatibility seems unusually high. They probably got carried away before realizing what happened."
"Looks like she found out about it a month ago."
That revelation left Loki speechless.
"Well, damn. The kid's got some skill in that department."
"No wonder he's been running off so often lately. Guess he got a taste of it and couldn't stop."
Loki thought for a moment—Raul was only seventeen, at that age where curiosity about such things ran wild. And when a beautiful elf woman took the initiative… losing control was hardly a surprise.
Still, getting someone pregnant in under two months was impressive—in a bad way.
"But the guts on this kid... to embezzle Familia funds again."
Loki hadn't forgotten that Raul had once taken Familia money to visit the Pleasure Quarter. Now, less than half a year later, he'd done it again.
"We'll sort out the money issue later. However much he took, he'll pay back every last coin."
She exhaled sharply. "Still, in this situation, Bete's effort really did go to waste."
Bete's plan to motivate Raul had been based on the idea that Raul was slacking off out of laziness. But it turned out his "distraction" had an entirely different cause—one that couldn't be fixed with competition or pride.
And now, with a child on the way, Raul likely wouldn't be able to focus on Familia duties for at least a year or two.
Losing that much time was devastating for any Adventurer.
Every member of the Familia was fighting desperately to grow stronger. In another year or two, even the lowest-ranked Adventurers might reach Level 3.
With the help of the Training Space, everyone's progress was accelerating. Raul, meanwhile, would fall behind—and might soon fade into mediocrity.
If that happened, Loki could only sigh in regret. Missing the right time and opportunity—that was Raul's greatest mistake.
"Loki, what did you mean just now—about Bete's effort being wasted?" Tsuna asked curiously.
"Oh, that." Loki glanced at Raul's suspended form and snorted.
"Bete thought Raul's slump was because he couldn't keep his pants on, so he arranged for Alicia and Aki—both pushing hard toward Level 5—to give him a bit of 'motivation.'"
"But Raul's problem wasn't just self-control—he actually went and got someone pregnant. No matter what kind of example Alicia or Aki set, it's pointless now."
"So yeah. Bete's effort was completely wasted."
Tsuna nodded slightly. Now he understood why Bete had introduced those two hardworking female Adventurers to Raul—it had been a calculated push.
But under the circumstances, that plan was doomed from the start.
Pregnancy alone would cost Raul at least a year or two of his Adventurer life.
And when that time passed, the Loki Familia might still have a place for him—but his days as a second-party commander were probably over.