How to Run Away from Obsessed Men

Episode 36

The position of the next head of the family wasn’t certain yet, making Raysis’s comments even more inappropriate.

‘Has the goddess’s power driven him mad?’

“When I was a child, I thought that once I became the head of the family, I’d treat you properly,” Raysis continued.

Lindsey no longer saw any reason to continue the conversation. She walked past Raysis without a second glance.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but I’m leaving for the capital now.”

“……”

“I’m not interested in what you thought back then.”

Lindsey let out a hollow smile.

“Even if you’ve finally realized I wasn’t the one who took your mother’s keepsake, it’s meaningless.”

With a blank expression, she walked past him. In Raysis’s ears echoed the memory of Lindsey’s voice from their childhood, pleading desperately as she clung to him.

*Please, just listen to me. Please, I beg you…*

⋆★⋆

The glass in Raysis’s hand shattered into pieces. His gaze remained fixed on Lindsey as she boarded the carriage.

“That man Gio… He was the one who pushed Lindsey off the balcony, wasn’t he?”

The knight standing in front of him nodded, his face pale.

“Yes, Sir Mikhail cut off his right arm for it.”

Raysis’s eyes turned cold as he looked toward Mikhail. He had grown increasingly suspicious of Mikhail’s actions regarding Lindsey.

“Cutting off his right arm won’t be enough.”

At Raysis’s words, the knight broke into a cold sweat.

“So, you’ve locked them up, right?”

“Yes, they’re in the underground prison.”

For months, Raysis had used all the power at his disposal to track down the people involved, all while carefully avoiding Crain’s notice.

But now he knew the truth.

Crain had known everything and had simply watched from the sidelines.

He had done nothing because he knew Raysis would be powerless to act.

‘A cruel father.’

Once, Raysis had admired Crain. The tyrant of the family.

A man no one could challenge.

But Crain’s indifference had eventually allowed Raysis to capture one of the servants.

What he heard from the servant was shocking.

“L-Lady Rosalyn was the one who took the keepsake.”

“If that’s true, how are you still alive?”

“They said there’d be no consequences even if the truth came out. That’s why I was allowed to live.”

The servant had survived because Crain knew no one would be able to do anything about it. Crain was fully aware that Lindsey had no power to fight back.

So, he had turned a blind eye to the fleeing servants. He had even allowed Raysis to uncover the truth without interference, because he knew it posed no threat to him.

Crain had the power to control everything within the family, and he knew that nothing Raysis discovered could shake his position.

Crain would likely begin observing how Raysis would act in this situation, testing him.

‘I really am powerless.’

Until he became the head of the family, Raysis knew he wouldn’t be able to exact any revenge on Crain.

Raysis stumbled back, overwhelmed by despair. Everything Lindsey had said was true.

Lindsey hadn’t stolen his mother’s keepsake. His hatred had been misdirected all this time.

Lindsey had been nothing more than a victim of a cruel prank. And the person who had fallen for that prank was none other than Raysis.

He had been deceived and had condemned her for something she didn’t do. He truly knew nothing.

‘But does that even excuse me?’

Raysis knew Lindsey would never forgive him.

Ten years. For almost ten years, she had been blamed for something she didn’t do. The depth of his despair consumed him.

⋆★⋆

Lindsey sat across from Mikhail in the carriage heading to the imperial palace.

“Do you want to leave?”

What was he talking about now? Lindsey felt a sudden pang of unease. Could he know something?

‘No, there’s no way he could know.’

She had always wanted to leave, and she had been preparing for it.

Her act of pretending to comply with Crain’s commands was all part of her plan for the future.

“You know as well as I do. Even if I want to leave, it’s not that simple.”

“I can help.”

Lindsey looked out the window, a bitter smile forming on her lips.

“Help? Can you erase my name from the family registry?”

Silence filled the carriage. Lindsey hadn’t said it with any real expectation.

If Mikhail answered, it would mean betraying the Kesion Marquisate. She knew there was no way Mikhail would agree to something like that.

She sighed softly.

Erasing her name from the family registry was something even Mikhail, one of the empire’s most powerful transcendents, couldn’t do. The thought of it made her future feel bleak.

‘Besides, he has no reason to do it.’

Still, she appreciated the offer. For reasons she couldn’t quite understand, Mikhail seemed determined to help her.

‘It’s not bad to build up goodwill.’

Lindsey fidgeted with her hands resting on her lap. But aside from erasing her name from the registry, there was nothing else she really needed help with.

That was the only thing keeping her tied to the marquisate.

But then Mikhail’s response shocked her.

“Yes.”

Lindsey’s eyes widened in disbelief. Did she hear him right? Did Mikhail just say “yes”?

“What did you just say…?”

Before she could fully process his words, Mikhail wrapped his arms around her. There was a loud noise as the carriage was suddenly torn in half.

Lindsey’s eyes widened in shock. The carriage had been split cleanly in two.

Mikhail, holding Lindsey securely, swung his sword.

*Slash!*

Cold blood splattered across Lindsey’s face. She grimaced and wiped it off with her hand.

Bright blue blood stained her fingers.

It wasn’t human blood.

This was…

‘A monster’s blood.’

“An ambush?”

“Monsters!” shouted one of the knights battling nearby.

“Get to safety!”

The knights glanced at Lindsey with an irritated expression, likely worried that she would start screaming or act uselessly.

‘Such unnecessary concerns.’

She could feel Mikhail gathering power, and quickly moved out of the way. Her presence during these moments would only be a hindrance.

As Lindsey calmly distanced herself, she noticed the knights’ surprised expressions.

‘Dodging is my specialty.’

Whenever espers fought monsters, part of a guide’s job was to skillfully evade the danger without completely disappearing from the battlefield.

‘In case the esper loses control, after all.’

From her hidden position, Lindsey watched Mikhail.

‘He really is strong.’

But soon, she frowned. There was a significant problem.

Mikhail had just returned from a mission.

‘He hasn’t received any guiding since then!’

The aura around Mikhail as he fought the monsters was becoming more and more ferocious.

The knights seemed to notice this as well. It was as if they feared Mikhail more than the monsters themselves.

Lindsey could see the knights subtly retreating from Mikhail. She sighed and rushed toward him.

Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms tightly around Mikhail’s waist.

She felt his body stiffen.

“I know you don’t like it, but bear with it.”

In urgent situations like this, direct-contact guiding was the best option, especially now.

“Buy me just a little time!” Lindsey shouted as she held onto Mikhail.

The knights, though confused, quickly moved to block the monsters from reaching him.

Lindsey cupped Mikhail’s face and brought her lips to his.

Contrary to her expectations, Mikhail didn’t resist. Instead, he froze, his body more rigid than usual.

The guiding was over in an instant.

Direct-contact guiding was never meant to be a complete solution. Its purpose was simply to prevent the esper from losing control.

Mikhail, still holding Lindsey, raised his sword.

“There were a lot of monsters.”

“……”

“If this happens again, just leave me behind.”

Lindsey was incredulous. That was hardly something a transcendent on the verge of losing control should say.

“You really have a strange way of thanking people who save you,” Lindsey muttered.

Without responding, Mikhail continued cutting down the monsters, moving more smoothly now.

It was then that the tide of battle shifted, and the number of monsters rapidly decreased. A group of knights appeared on the horizon.

“Reinforcements! The imperial knights have arrived!” someone shouted.

The imperial knights, along with several transcendents, quickly dispatched the remaining monsters.

The situation was resolved in no time.

And then, a man with striking silver hair and piercing blue eyes appeared.

“How remarkable.”

Lindsey frowned.

It was none other than the empire’s Second Prince, Flute.

“Truly remarkable.”

Flute’s gaze was fixed squarely on Lindsey.

“Filthy blood…”

Though he spoke softly, it felt as though the words were whispered directly into her ear.

‘That cursed phrase again. Why do all transcendents say the same thing?’

Lindsey raised one eyebrow in defiance, while Flute’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.