How to Run Away from Obsessed Men

Episode 76

Lindsey glared at Raysis as he approached her.

There was something unsettling in his gaze.

Feeling a sense of foreboding, Lindsey furrowed her brows.

‘Could it be… has he noticed who I really am?’

Raysis was someone who had never shown interest in others. And yet, here he was, lingering around her?

‘No, he hasn’t figured it out.’

If he had realized her true identity, his reaction wouldn’t be this subdued. Shaking her head, Lindsey dismissed her brief doubt about the artifact that temporarily altered her appearance.

The artifact was working perfectly fine. It was Mikhail and Kenyan who were the abnormal ones for seeing through it.

Even Crain had looked at her without the slightest suspicion.

Raysis finally spoke to Lindsey.

“I don’t care what happens to the family.”

Lindsey tilted her head, puzzled.

Raysis was someone who once considered gaining the family’s recognition his greatest goal.

Because of that, she had thought Kalia’s actions would have dealt a significant blow to him.

But it truly seemed like Raysis was indifferent to the situation.

Even with all the attention being drawn to the illegitimate child Kalia had brought back, he didn’t so much as glance in that direction.

It was Lindsey who broke eye contact first.

The murmurs of the crowd grew louder.

“He looks exactly like Prince Flute in his childhood.”

“Why did the Duke of Riken bring that boy here?”

“There must be a reason for his presence in the banquet hall.”

The sharp glances of the nobles gleamed with curiosity and speculation.

Watching them, Lindsey smiled faintly. Her gaze shifted to Crain, who was nervously approaching Kalia.

But he couldn’t bring himself to touch her. It was almost laughable, considering how tyrannical he had acted within the Kesion Marquisate.

Lindsey found the sight amusing. She had returned to this nauseating place just to see Crain squirm like this.

Kalia, holding the boy’s hand, finally spoke.

“I have something to share with all of you.”

As soon as Kalia’s words ended, the boy lifted his head.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Standing beside Prince Flute, the boy looked even more like him.

“He is a descendant of Prince Flute,” Kalia declared.

⋆★⋆

Lindsey moved through the halls.

Kalia’s statement had dropped a bombshell. The banquet was over in an instant, and the nobles hurried back to their estates, eager to discuss what had just happened.

From her room in the marquisate, Lindsey could still sense the lingering unrest. Felia, standing beside her, observed the situation with sparkling eyes of intrigue.

“Who would’ve thought Prince Flute had an illegitimate child?” Felia remarked, shaking her head in disbelief.

“…”

“It seems like winds of change are about to sweep through the Rohan Empire. I can’t even imagine how the Kesion Marquisate will respond.”

“Who knows? One thing’s for sure—tonight feels like it will be a long one,” Lindsey replied calmly.

The lights of the Kesion Marquisate showed no signs of dimming.

It was clear that they wouldn’t go out for several nights. Crain would be desperately searching for a way out of this predicament.

But Lindsey already knew what was going to happen next.

When she said tonight would be long, it hadn’t been a metaphor.

‘Will Crain just sit still and do nothing?’

She knew him too well—Crain was an emotional man. After observing him for so long, she could predict exactly how he would react.

And, as expected, the silence didn’t last.

Lindsey slowly turned her head.

Bang!

A loud noise echoed as her door burst open without warning.

Standing there was Crain, his eyes bloodshot with rage.

“Did you know about this too, Priestess Roana?”

“…”

“The illegitimate child! That’s right, you and Kalia knew, didn’t you? You must have been laughing behind my back! For over ten years, you’ve all been deceiving me, knowing about that child!”

“Though I may come from another empire, I take a keen interest in the political affairs of each realm,” Lindsey replied calmly.

“And what is that supposed to mean?” Crain snapped.

“Was it not you, Marquis, who willingly aligned yourself with Prince Flute?”

A faint, mocking smile tugged at Lindsey’s lips.

The man who had once instilled fear in her was now a pitiful figure, scrambling for answers. His desperation to cling to something—anything—was laughable.

It was evident that Kalia’s actions had struck a significant blow to Crain.

“And yet, you choose to blame the Duke of Riken…” Lindsey added, her words fanning the flames of his anger.

“You! Even you dare to look down on me now? Are you mocking me?”

Crain’s hand shot up, trembling with fury.

‘Here we go again,’ Lindsey thought.

Crain was the kind of man who resorted to violence whenever things didn’t go his way.

Yet, seeing him like this only amused her further.

‘I can tolerate this much,’ she mused.

Crain wasn’t ignorant of the consequences of harming a member of the delegation. If he dared to strike her in his rage, it would only bring her more satisfaction.

“Father, please calm yourself,” came a sudden voice.

Lindsey’s brow furrowed.

Crain’s hand, poised to strike Lindsey, was firmly caught by Raysis.

“Let go of me, Raysis!” Crain roared.

“If you harm a member of the delegation, do you even understand the consequences? It would bring great harm to the family,” Raysis stated coldly.

At his words, Crain visibly suppressed his rage, his trembling hand lowering slightly.

Lindsey, watching the scene unfold, shrugged as if she had expected this outcome. Her conversation with Raysis the previous night surfaced in her mind.

‘He said he didn’t care about the family…’

His actions now were the complete opposite.

“Fine, you’re right,” Crain finally conceded, though his tone remained seething. “But that doesn’t mean I can just let her off.”

“Don’t speak of Priestess Roana in such a manner,” Raysis countered sharply.

What’s wrong with him?

‘Why is he acting like he’s defending me?’

A chill ran down Lindsey’s spine, and she instinctively brushed her arm as if to wipe away the unsettling feeling.

“What are you implying? Just because she’s part of the delegation, I’m supposed to show respect to some insignificant priestess?” Crain spat.

“You’ve always treated Lindsey the same way, Father,” Raysis replied, his voice calm yet biting.

“What does that have to do with anything? Why are you bringing up that dead girl? I’m already in a foul mood, so don’t you dare mention her name!”

Lindsey let out a silent sigh, almost incredulous at the absurdity of the situation.

‘I don’t want to be a topic of your conversation either, you know.’

Watching the argument between Raysis and Crain was unexpectedly entertaining.

Raysis had always bowed down to Crain, adopting a submissive attitude whenever they interacted. It was an unavoidable reality while Crain remained the head of the family.

As long as Crain controlled the family register, Raysis had no choice but to act cautiously to avoid meeting an untimely end at his father’s hands.

Of course, someone as powerful a transcendent as Raysis wouldn’t be so easily killed by Crain, but the dynamics of power within the family forced him into this position nonetheless.

Especially now, when Crain’s position had significantly weakened.

‘And Raysis dares to act so arrogantly, relying on that?’

It didn’t suit someone as cautious as Raysis to behave this boldly.

“Let go of me!”

Crain shook Raysis’s arm off roughly.

Raysis complied and released his grip without resistance.

“You’ll have to pay for everything you’ve done to Lindsey,” Raysis stated coldly.

“You’re begging for death, aren’t you?” Crain snarled.

“No, Father. The elders are convening as we speak.”

“What?”

“It means your position as head of the family is in jeopardy.”

“What nonsense are you spewing now?”

“You know it as well as I do. If the family is put in danger, the head of the family can be replaced.”

“Who dares to make that decision?”

Lindsey watched the scene with growing amusement. Things were getting more entertaining by the second.

‘The elders are actually taking action?’

Replacing the head of the family wasn’t a simple matter.

The unanimous agreement of the council of elders was required, and the emperor’s approval was also necessary.

But with the revelation of Prince Flute’s illegitimate child, the emperor would undoubtedly be furious with Crain.

After all, Crain had been the one tasked with handling Prince Flute’s affairs.

“You dare betray me? Do you think I’ll just sit back and let this happen?”

Crain stood up, his bloodshot eyes blazing with fury.

Lindsey quickly realized what he intended to do.

‘He’s going for the family registry.’

Before the council could finalize their decision, Crain would likely try to eliminate all his potential successors.

It was an unthinkable act for most, but entirely plausible when it came to Crain.

As Lindsey observed the unfolding drama with fascination, Crain’s voice suddenly turned bright, filled with a desperate hope as though he had found salvation.

“Mikhail! Why are you so late? No, never mind. It’s good that you’re here now.”

Crain beamed at Mikhail, who had just entered.

He looked at Mikhail as though he were the most reliable person in the world.

To Crain, Mikhail’s loyalty to his orders was a given.

“Immediately make those traitors kneel before me. They dared to betray me,” Crain commanded.

Something felt off.

Crain sensed unease creeping in. Normally, Mikhail would have silently obeyed and acted without question.

But Mikhail stood still, his gaze fixed not on Crain, but on Priestess Roana.

A low voice rumbled from Mikhail’s throat.

“Did you raise your hand against the priestess?”