Sianor fell silent. For a moment, he had no idea how to refute the argument.
From the crowd, Dahlia let out a quiet snort. "Tch… that bastard really put him in a corner."
Behind Rachel, Arden stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"Elder Rachel, why don't you raise your hand and say something? It might help Sir Sianor."
Rachel kept her gaze forward.
"If I could, I would," she said softly. "But I don't know what to say."
Arden adjusted his glasses, thinking quickly.
"Just tell them to change the angle," he murmured. "Like this..."
He gestured subtly with his hand, outlining the idea.
Rachel stayed quiet for a second, listening. A small smile formed on her lips. "I see…"
Then, without hesitation, she raised her hand. "If that's the case… may I offer an opinion?"
The room paused.
Heads turned toward her, one after another.
The murmurs faded into silence as people tried to make sense of what they were seeing.
A woman. And not just any woman; she was carrying a baby.
