How to Run Away from Obsessed Men

Episode 40

Lindsey could only watch Baek Ji-Hyuk. Her dream always showed her what had already happened.

‘No, Baek Ji-Hyuk, you idiot!’

Lindsey screamed toward him, but her voice never reached him.

‘Say no, please!’

But Baek Ji-Hyuk spoke resolutely.

“I will.”

As soon as he said those words, Lindsey screamed even more desperately.

‘No, don’t do it.’

She cried out.

‘Stop, Baek Ji-Hyuk, please!’

She watched as Baek Ji-Hyuk stood before the dimensional gate.

Even without seeing it all, Lindsey already knew how this would end.

When Baek Ji-Hyuk placed his hand on the gate, his body began to disintegrate, turning to dust. He vanished without a trace.

That was the end of the world she left behind after her death.

Baek Ji-Hyuk was dead.

The realization struck Lindsey like a lightning bolt, making her body tremble.

Why did I ever think they would be fine without me?

Why did I believe that, in time, they would forget everything and live happily?

In his attempt to find her, Baek Ji-Hyuk had met his death. All because of her. Despair swallowed Lindsey whole.

He had died because of her. An unchangeable fact.

‘He wasn’t someone who deserved that. He was someone who should’ve lived a more meaningful life…’

She had wished he would forget. That he would forget about Han Ji-Yu, the guide, and live a new life.

But Baek Ji-Hyuk never forgot.

He searched for her soul, wandered through the place where she had disappeared…

And then…

Died a miserable death, unnoticed by anyone.

He didn’t deserve that.

His death should have been far more glorious. No one knew how much of a brilliant person he had been as well as Han Ji-Yu did.

“No, no. Please…”

Lindsey shook her head, reaching out her hand. Baek Ji-Hyuk’s figure seemed so close, almost within her grasp.

“Please, don’t. Please…”

She sobbed.

“I’ll come back… I’ll return…”

At that moment, Lindsey felt a strong grip on her shoulder.

“You fool, wake up!”

Ah, that familiar, unpleasant voice.

“This is reality. This is the real world!”

It was a desperate grip, as if refusing to let her go.

“What kind of nightmare are you having!”

⋆★⋆

Kenyan was watching Lindsey. She had closed her eyes and fallen into sleep. The sound of her steady breathing filled his ears.

‘Better that she’s asleep.’

Normally, Lindsey always showed him thorns. But as she slept, she looked different from the usual version of her he saw.

She looked peaceful.

Kenyan rested his chin on his hand and observed her, thinking that this moment wasn’t so bad after all.

But it was only a brief moment.

Soon enough, Lindsey’s expression began to contort.

‘Is she dreaming?’

At first, he didn’t think much of it. After all, anyone could have nightmares.

But that was until she started crying.

“Please, no, no!”

Lindsey sobbed and screamed, her tears streaming down. Kenyan was frozen in place.

“Don’t do it. Baek Ji-Hyuk, please…”

Kenyan remembered the time she had cried during the subjugation mission when she had been hurt. Even then, she had cried bitterly.

‘Who on earth is this guy?’

He had no idea who this person was that was making Lindsey cry. He could hear her murmuring faintly.

“I’ll come back… I’ll return…”

Kenyan was suddenly gripped by fear.

‘Where is she planning to go?’

She had already left the Kesion Marquisate.

‘It’s definitely not about Reysis or Mikhail.’

She didn’t seem to have opened up to anyone at the Kesion Marquisate either.

So where was she planning to return to? Lindsey was breathing heavily, as if she might stop at any moment.

Fear seized Kenyan. He grabbed her shoulders firmly.

Without realizing it, he shouted out.

“This is reality! This is the real world!”

“……”

“What kind of dream are you having!”

As Kenyan finished speaking, Lindsey opened her eyes. Only then did Kenyan feel a sense of relief.

“Are you okay?”

Lindsey pulled away from Kenyan’s hands, which had been gripping her shoulders.

She looked exhausted.

Kenyan sensed something was wrong. Lindsey’s tears hadn’t stopped.

“I asked if you’re okay.”

“Don’t look at me.”

“You…”

Kenyan realized then that there was nothing he could do for her.

“Right. I forgot. You… hate me.”

He knew Lindsey despised him. No matter what he said, she would surely feel disgusted.

But was she truly hurt inside all this time? Kenyan’s jaw tightened as he thought about it.

He looked down at her.

There was nothing he could do in this moment.

In fact, staying in the carriage with her would only make her more miserable.

As that realization hit him, his heart ached.

“Alright, I’ll leave. I’ll send in Lady Bianca, okay?”

Lindsey nodded absentmindedly. Gritting his teeth, Kenyan stepped out of the carriage.

“Lady Bianca!”

There was no need to search far. Bianca was riding a horse nearby.

“Lindsey Kesion is asking for you.”

No explanation was needed.

Bianca quickly dismounted and approached the carriage. Before the door closed, Kenyan saw Lindsey visibly relax the moment she saw Bianca.

It was a completely different expression from when he had been with her.

⋆★⋆

“My goodness, why are you crying so much? You’re burning up.”

Bianca pulled Lindsey into an embrace. She placed her hand on Lindsey’s forehead and cast a gentle wind spell.

Lindsey quietly nestled into Bianca’s arms.

Right now, what she needed was human warmth.

“Calm down, everything will be okay. No one will be able to harm you, Lady Lindsey.”

Lindsey gave a small nod.

Seeing her begin to settle down, Bianca sighed in relief.

“Kenyan didn’t mistreat you, did he?”

“It’s not because of him.”

Lindsey wiped her eyes roughly as she replied. Satisfied that Lindsey was calming down, Bianca hesitated, glancing around.

‘Should I bring it up now?’

She had heard Lindsey’s earlier cries. Most likely, every nearby transcendent had heard them too—those sorrowful, heart-wrenching cries. It wasn’t easy to speak after witnessing something like that.

‘She must have experienced something very painful…’

But Bianca felt this might be the only chance she had to be alone with Lindsey.

She waved her hand, creating a thin barrier of mana that silenced the sound within the carriage.

“Are you feeling a bit better now?”

“……”

“If your mind is calmer, I have something I need to tell you.”

Their eyes met, and Lindsey nodded slightly.

“Lady Lindsey, as you know, I possess the ability of foresight.”

One of the reasons Bianca had wanted to speak with Lindsey was to reveal this.

“But I cannot control my ability at will. What I see is only what the goddess allows me to.”

“Bianca?”

“This concerns your future, Lady Lindsey. Specifically…”

Lindsey looked up at Bianca, puzzled by the hesitancy in her voice. It was strange to see such fear in someone as powerful as Bianca.

“Your death.”

Bianca’s fingers trembled slightly.

She still couldn’t shake the shock of what she had seen in her vision.

“In my dream, I saw you die, Lady Lindsey.”

The light coming through the carriage illuminated Lindsey’s face.

Bianca froze in place.

Despite being told about her own death, Lindsey remained unnervingly calm.

Her empty gaze made Bianca feel uneasy.

‘It’s as if she doesn’t care at all.’

But that couldn’t be true. Who wouldn’t care about their own death?

Bianca, trying to offer some comfort, continued.

“Dreams have many paths. What I saw was just one possibility.”

Lindsey carefully grasped Bianca’s arm.

“How did I die in your dream?”

“Marquis Kesion and Sylvia Radian were the ones who tried to kill you.”

Lindsey let out a hollow smile.

“And they succeeded.”

“……”

“I saw monsters as well, which makes me think it happened during a mission. Even if it’s not this mission, they will try to kill you someday.”

Something was wrong.

Bianca felt uneasy as she watched Lindsey listen to her calmly.

Lindsey seemed completely unfazed.

“My father and Sylvia are going to kill me… Sounds plausible.”

“What?”

“Well, that’s good.”

“……?”

“I need to die anyway.”

Bianca’s eyes widened.

She couldn’t understand what she was hearing.