Chapter 508: He Tried… She Ended It
Raviel moved quickly, not slowing as he crossed the distance from the training hall to the restaurant.
The moment he reached the entrance, he pushed the door open without hesitation.
Inside, his eyes locked onto his sister.
Rachel sat at a table, a bowl of porridge in front of her. Her posture was slightly slouched, her movements slower than usual.
Even from a distance, she didn’t look well.
Her complexion was pale, her expression drawn, and there was a heaviness about her that immediately set him on edge.
So it was true.
They hadn’t exaggerated.
He closed the distance in a few long strides and stopped at her side.
"Sister, are you okay? What happened to you? How can you be like this?"
Rachel paused mid-bite, spoon hovering just above the bowl.
She looked up at him, surprised by his sudden arrival and the intensity in his voice.
For a brief moment, she said nothing, as if weighing whether to respond or let him continue.
Raviel didn’t give her the chance.
He turned sharply, his gaze snapping toward Garion. His expression hardened, jaw tight, eyes burning with accusation.
"Just what the hell have you done to my sister, Garion?"
He gestured toward Rachel, frustration spilling over.
"How can she be this sick? Damn it, Garion! What did you do?"
Rachel exhaled, long and tired, setting the spoon back into the bowl. The noise was small, but it cut through Raviel’s anger.
"Just shut up for a minute, Raviel," she said, her voice firm despite the fatigue behind it. "Didn’t they already tell you that I’m pregnant?"
Silence followed.
Raviel froze, the words sinking in slower than his anger had risen.
His expression shifted, confusion pushing against the remnants of his outrage.
He looked back at Rachel, really looking this time, noticing details he had missed in his rush.
He drew a breath, steadier now, though still tense. "So... do you need anything? Just tell me what you need."
Rachel sighed, the sound low and tired, but not irritated. She didn’t look up immediately.
Instead, she kept her attention on the bowl in front of her, scooping another spoonful of porridge before answering.
"For now, I don’t need anything. Garion has already taken care of it." She paused briefly, then added, "Just go back and continue training others."
She took another bite, slower this time, as if trying to settle herself. "Let me eat in peace."
From the side, Garion nodded once, arms loosely crossed. "She just finished vomiting earlier."
Raviel turned toward him at once, the brief calm unraveling. His brows drew together again, frustration rising back to the surface.
"And you still let her come here in this state? Are you out of your mind?"
Rachel set the spoon down again, more firmly this time. The soft clink was enough to cut through his voice.
She turned to Raviel and raised her hand, not forceful, but enough to stop him. "Just stop and go back, Raviel. You’re too loud."
There was no anger in her tone, but there was enough weight to it that he hesitated.
Raviel frowned, clearly unwilling to let it go, his mouth parting as if to argue again.
But Rachel’s expression didn’t change. If anything, it hardened just enough to make her point clear.
That was enough.
He exhaled through his nose, the tension in him loosening in reluctant increments.
The fight drained out of his posture, leaving behind a quiet frustration he didn’t voice.
Without another word, he stepped back.
Then he turned and walked away, his pace slower than before, the urgency gone but not the concern.
---
Outside the restaurant, Dahlia and the others had already arrived.
They didn’t go in right away. Instead, they lingered near the entrance, close enough to watch what was happening inside without being noticed.
A moment later, they moved in unison to the side, slipping out of sight just as Elder Raviel stormed out of the restaurant.
His steps were sharp and quick, his expression tight, and he didn’t spare a glance at anyone as he passed.
Clara blinked and pointed after him. "Did you all see that?"
Valtor nodded, a grin tugging at his lips. "Yeah. Still, I didn’t expect him to walk out like that."
Rynar tilted his head slightly, watching the direction Raviel had gone. "It’s unusual for him."
Rynor gave a small nod. "Very unusual. He used to be a respected patriarch."
Dahlia crossed her arms, her gaze steady. "Of course he was. And the one who shut him down was his own sister."
The group fell quiet for a beat, letting that settle. Inside, the tension hadn’t faded; it had only shifted.
Then a voice cut through the air.
"Have you had enough of the show?"
Rachel stood just inside the doorway, her eyes fixed on them. She had clearly noticed their presence long before they realized it.
Clara and the others let out short, awkward chuckles, the kind that faded almost as soon as they began.
Rachel didn’t return the reaction.
Her gaze moved across each of them, slow and deliberate, making sure they felt it. "If you’re done watching, then go. Train."
There was no room for argument in her tone.
Valtor was the first to straighten, the hint of amusement gone from his face.
Rynar shifted his weight, then gave a small nod as if confirming something to himself.
Rynor exhaled quietly, his earlier curiosity replaced with focus.
Dahlia didn’t move right away, but her eyes flicked once toward the restaurant interior before she turned.
Clara rubbed the back of her neck, then forced a more composed expression. "Yes, Elder Rachel."
The others echoed her, their voices aligning, more steady this time.
Rachel watched them for another moment, as if measuring whether they would actually follow through.
Then, without another word, she stepped back inside. The door closed behind her with a soft, final sound.
No one spoke as they began to walk.
The noise from the restaurant faded with each step, replaced by the quieter rhythm of their own movement.