How to Run Away from Obsessed Men

Episode 92

Lindsey slowly took a step forward.

To meet Crain, she needed Raysis’s permission. Before his execution, he was imprisoned in the basement dungeon of the Kesion Marquisate.

Mikhail spoke to Lindsey.

“If you don’t want to meet him, we can skip the formalities.”

“No, I don’t want that.”

The memory of being deprived of all formalities when she was broken off from the Radian family resurfaced.

Though it was uncomfortable to face Raysis, she wanted to do what needed to be done.

‘And right now, Mikhail is with me.’

It wasn’t just Mikhail.

Lindsey thought of her family, who had been waiting for her.

‘I wonder if they’ve arrived by now.’

The delegation had headed to the Asen Empire. Kalia had not wanted to leave Lindsey, but because of matters related to the Eastern Empire, she had no choice but to depart.

“Come back when you’re ready, Lindsey. We will always be waiting for you.”

“Take care of yourself, sister.”

“Go and witness their end.”

Recalling the words of her family, Lindsey gripped Mikhail’s hand tightly.

Mikhail looked at her with surprise.

“It’s okay now.”

Now, seeing Raysis’s face didn’t bother her.

Knowing that she had a place to return to brought a warmth to her heart that she hadn’t expected.

‘The empire will be noisy for a while.’

There were still many unresolved matters with the Eastern Empire. It wasn’t just Kalia; even the nobles of the Rohan Empire and Princess Rebecca were extremely busy, she had heard.

‘It’s not my concern, though.’

Lindsey continued walking slowly.

Raysis had become the Marquis of Kesion. She had always wondered what he would look like in the position he had desired for so long.

It was a position he had wished for since childhood.

But the moment she saw Raysis’s face, Lindsey thought to herself,

‘He doesn’t look happy at all.’

Raysis’s face was expressionless.

He didn’t even wear the smile that used to resemble a painted picture. His cheeks, which had once been fuller, looked even more carefree before becoming the Marquis of Kesion.

‘He probably doesn’t feel the need to fake it anymore.’

Despite sitting in the position he had so longed for, he looked rather unhappy.

Lindsey locked eyes with Raysis for a long while. Raysis opened his mouth to speak, then closed it repeatedly.

Finally, it was Lindsey who spoke first.

“I’m sorry for coming here when you’re busy with matters concerning the Eastern Empire.”

“……”

“I came because I wanted to see Crain.”

After a long silence, Raysis spoke.

“You can go see him.”

Lindsey turned and walked away.

For some reason, she felt a sense of relief.

The grudges that had been with her for decades had disappeared.

Now, when she looked at Raysis, no pain or memories resurfaced.

⋆★⋆

Lindsey moved forward.

She was going to see Crain. It was different from when she had seen Raysis.

Perhaps it was because she now knew that Crain’s fate was to kill her?

Lindsey couldn’t hide the strange feeling that overcame her.

Mikhail, noticing her state, spoke.

“You don’t have to push yourself.”

Lindsey looked up.

With just one more step, she would be able to see Crain’s face. He would surely look at her with hateful eyes.

He probably wouldn’t even regret his crimes. After all, that’s the kind of man he was.

‘What if Crain hadn’t hated me?’

Crain had many opportunities.

As a child, he could have extended his hand to Lindsey. Even if he didn’t love her, he didn’t have to torment her.

If he had allowed her to grow under Kalia’s care, things might have been very different.

But he ruined all those opportunities with his own hands.

“I’m really okay now.”

Lindsey said this as she took her final step.

It didn’t take long before she saw Crain, and she held her breath.

Crain was howling, looking like a beast.

Lindsey looked down at him.

She saw him lift his head, his eyes wide in disbelief.

“How… How are you still alive…?”

“……”

“Was it because of you that they betrayed me? How did you seduce Mikhail!”

The words he spoke to his returned daughter were crude and disrespectful.

Lindsey felt a sense of relief. Crain hadn’t changed at all. The last trace of emotion she had for him seemed to vanish from her heart.

“Have you ever, even once, thought of me as your daughter?”

Crain stared at her, dumbfounded by her words.

In a daze, he muttered to himself.

“Am I finally losing my mind, seeing illusions?”

He scrunched his face in frustration.

“I never thought of you as anything but a failure in my life.”

Lindsey smiled at him, and his face began to redden.

“Do you think I’m an illusion?”

“What?”

“I’m not an illusion.”

“How can a dead girl come back to life?”

“I know what you wanted.”

Lindsey shrugged.

She continued.

“You wanted to feel superior to my mother and torment her, using me as a hostage.”

“Did you meet Kalia?”

“You must have been happy when I died. There was nothing more shocking for her than that.”

But none of what Crain wanted came to pass.

When Crain realized that Kalia had regained Lindsey, his face turned to despair.

Even in the underground prison, he took comfort in one thing.

He had taken the most precious thing from Kalia Riken.

The fact that Lindsey learned of Kalia’s existence, and that she returned to her mother in good health, was the one thing Crain had never wanted.

Lindsey whispered the words he never wanted to hear.

“Father, because of you, my relationship with mother is stronger than ever.”

Lindsey smiled, as if she were happy.

“My mother loves me very much. So do my siblings. I’m going to the Asen Empire and become Lady Riken.”

“……”

“No matter what you wanted, Father, everything was wrong. My mother and I are incredibly happy.”

The more Lindsey smiled, the more despair painted Crain’s face.

Crain looked up at Lindsey. In the past, when Lindsey was being punished, she would look up at him like this.

With those sorrowful eyes, as if seeking love.

But now, the positions were reversed. Crain was looking up at her feet, from below.

He realized his situation.

In a few days, he would disappear as the morning dew on the execution ground. Lindsey would live fearlessly as Lady Riken.

With his eyes bloodshot, Crain spoke to her.

“Don’t tell me you believe that woman, Kalia? Kalia Riken abandoned you.”

“……”

“You’ll be abandoned again, in the end!”

Despite Crain’s curse, Lindsey remained unaffected. She glanced at Mikhail, who was glaring at Crain with terrifying eyes.

Lindsey stopped Mikhail, who was about to rush at Crain.

There was no point in killing Crain right now. All that awaited him was despair.

He would tremble in the cold underground prison, and eventually meet his end at the execution grounds.

With a faint smile, Lindsey responded.

“Stay well in the underground prison, Father. You’ll be able to leave in a few days. I hope your journey to the imperial palace is comfortable.”

She turned away.

“Wait!”

Crain’s scream echoed, but Lindsey didn’t stop.

She held Mikhail’s hand and spoke to him.

“Let’s go. It seems there’s no reason to stay here anymore.”

⋆★⋆

Lindsey trembled.

Her body, awakened after a year, was exceedingly weak.

She felt Mikhail carefully wrap his arm around her shoulder.

Lindsey felt his warmth.

She could feel that he was alive. And she was alive too.

‘It’s fine.’

Even after hearing Crain’s curse, Lindsey didn’t feel anxious.

Could it be because Mikhail, who had returned after such a long time, was here with her?

She was now certain of something.

She would never be alone.

Crain’s curse had no impact on her.

As she felt Mikhail’s warmth, Lindsey could sense a comforting heat spreading through her heart.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Lindsey answered, looking up at the sky. After a brief moment of thought, she turned to Mikhail and asked.

“Once the weather warms up, would you go to the Asen Empire with me?”

“To the Riken Duchy?”

Lindsey’s face turned red.

She wondered if Mikhail would even want to go to the Riken Duchy.

It might feel more comfortable for him to stay at the Kesion Marquisate.

Seeing Lindsey’s worried face, Mikhail smiled faintly.

His smile made Lindsey’s face turn an even brighter shade of red, almost as if it would burst.

Mikhail spoke without hesitation.

“Of course. I will go wherever you go, anytime.”

“……”

“Even if that place is another world.”

Lindsey and Mikhail looked at each other. Mikhail’s hand gently touched her cheek.

At that moment, Lindsey felt a deep sense of fulfillment rise within her.

It had taken a long time to face him again.

Lindsey held Mikhail’s hand tightly, as if she would never let go.

【End of Main Story】