Lindsey entered the study without hesitation. Raysis, left alone, found himself momentarily speechless.

 

‘You’re really going to get yourself killed.’

 

No matter how much Lindsey had become a Saintess, she couldn’t surpass Sylvia.

 

She was an outstanding Saintess even within the empire. His father, Marquis Kesion, was ruthless.

 

A man who couldn’t even be called a good father, even in empty words. Yet Lindsey’s action of opening the study door was decisive.

 

‘I’ve done everything I can. There’s nothing more I can do here.’

 

Raysis thought as he watched Lindsey enter the room. If she couldn’t prove her usefulness, Lindsey would be dragged off to Radian.

 

Not only facing Azhet Radian and being separated, but he also didn’t know if she would be disposed of by their angry father.

 

‘That’ll be the last time I see her.’

 

He clearly intended to return to his room. He tried to forget that there was someone named Lindsey Kesion. But Lindsey’s figure kept flashing before his eyes.

 

The confident face that had claimed she had done nothing wrong…

 

He felt like he was going to vomit.

 

For some reason, Raysis couldn’t bring himelf to face Lindsey.

 

But he couldn’t leave her in this state.

 

“For heaven’s sake!”

 

Raysis followed Lindsey into the study.

 

⋆★⋆

 

As soon as they entered the study, a heavy atmosphere filled the air. Familiar yet unfamiliar.

 

Contradictory emotions engulfed Lindsey. Yes, perhaps Raysis’s words were somewhat true.

 

For Lindsey, the Marquis’s study was a dreadful place. The space where her terrifying and cruel father resided.

 

“Lindsey Kesion.”

 

Lindsey turned at the voice calling her. There sat Crain Kesion, the Marquis, with bright blonde hair and crimson eyes. He looked completely different from Lindsey.

 

At first glance, one wouldn’t believe he was her father.

 

A malicious appearance, thick and sturdy hands. Lindsey Kesion knew how cruel Crain could be.

 

That’s why she had returned here.

 

To escape from him completely.

 

‘He used to be so frightening.’

 

Lindsey thought idly as she looked at him. Now, he was more repulsive than frightening.

 

Crain’s face was flushed with anger. He glared menacingly at Lindsey and demanded,

 

“What did you do to Sylvia Radian?”

 

“I didn’t do anything.”

 

“You didn’t do anything?”

 

Lindsey remembered why she had let Sylvia’s torment continue.

 

It was because of Crain Kesion right in front of her. When Sylvia’s torment had started, Lindsey had visited Crain.

 

Crain had been terrifying, but Sylvia’s torment at that time had made the fear momentarily forgettable.

 

When Lindsey had said Sylvia’s torment was too severe, Crain had looked at her with contempt and said,

 

“I don’t care what Sylvia Radian says to you or how you’re treated there.”

 

“Since you’re born of the Kesion bloodline, you should live for the revival of the family.”

 

“Endure!”

 

Even that was a merciful treatment from the man before her.

 

Perhaps it was because she had been deemed useful back then. Now, when she was considered useless.

 

Crain’s expression was so hardened it was terrifying.

 

“Sylvia Radian asked for you to be brought to her today. She said you behaved rudely to her. Did you still do nothing?”

 

“I only remember her pouring wine on my head.”

 

“Go and kneel and beg for forgiveness.”

 

“… “

 

“Come back after receiving forgiveness. Whether you did wrong or not doesn’t matter much. What’s important is that you’ve upset Sylvia.”

 

Lindsey looked straight at him as he spoke. Unwavering eyes. Determined demeanor.

 

Crain felt puzzled looking at Lindsey like that.

 

The Lindsey he knew had never been able to look him straight in the face. A failure of the Kesion Marquis.

 

A Marquis’s neglected child no one cared about. But now Lindsey was confidently meeting his gaze.

 

As if she wasn’t afraid.

 

Crain continued,

 

“Mikhail has returned from his mission. He’s currently locked in the family’s underground cell.”

 

As Crain spoke, Lindsey thought of Mikhail. Mikhail, born with a powerful strength even among transcendent beings, always fell into a near-rampaging state upon returning from a mission. That’s how dangerous the missions were.

 

She understood why Crain was so angry.

 

There weren’t many outstanding priests who could calm him down when he was rampaging.

 

Sylvia had always been the one to calm him down.

 

‘Now I understand.’

 

If Sylvia didn’t cooperate, the situation could escalate into Mikhail rampaging.

 

“If that guy goes into a rampage because of you…”

 

“If I can calm him down, do I still need to go apologize to her?”

 

“What?”

 

“If I succeed in calming Mikhail down.”

 

Crain twisted his lips.

 

“Yeah, I heard you claimed to be a Saint to the gatekeeper. Saying you awakened your divine power.”

 

“…”

 

“Do you know how absurd of a lie that is? Awakening your power after reaching adulthood?”

 

“Marquis…”

 

“Don’t test my patience. Lindsey!”

 

Lindsey tightly shut her eyes.

 

She didn’t expect Crain to believe her. It didn’t even upset her that he didn’t believe her.

 

She knew what kind of person he was.

 

“Lindsey Kesion. If you don’t get forgiveness from Sylvia Radian, there won’t be another chance.”

 

Lindsey couldn’t help but wonder what chance he was talking about.

 

Damn Kesion Marquis.

 

It was still repulsive.

 

If her past self were here, she might have burst into tears.

 

Then her father before her would’ve looked at her like a parasite. But she wasn’t anymore.

 

She was completely different from the Lindsey who had grown up under the Kesion Marquis’s roof.

 

So she smiled instead of crying.

 

Crain’s body momentarily stiffened at her bright smile.

 

‘She’s smiling?’

 

Was his daughter Lindsey Kesion someone who could smile in such a situation? Somewhere, the changed her seemed unfamiliar to Crain.

 

“Marquis, I’ll prove my capability.”

 

“You’ll prove your capability?”

 

“Yes, please send me to Mikhail.”

 

Crain’s face contorted. He couldn’t believe Lindsey’s words.

 

Yet, he found Lindsey’s request to send her to Mikhail intriguing. Most people feared Mikhail.

 

Even Mikhail returning from a mission. In that state, even most transcendent beings hesitated to approach him.

 

But she asked to be sent to him?

 

Crain looked at Lindsey as if seeing through her. A stifling silence fell in the study.

 

“No, father!”

 

The one who broke that silence was Raysis.

 

He stared at Lindsey with a shocked expression, now in Crain’s study.

 

Raysis doubted his ears.

 

What did Lindsey just say?

 

He froze in shock. Did Lindsey really want to die? Was her return here so terrible? To the point of walking into death herself?

 

If not, there was no way she could have said she wanted to be sent to Mikhail.

 

Raysis tried to divert Crain’s attention somehow.

 

“Father, you don’t have to pay attention to what was just said…”

 

“Interesting.”

 

But already, Crain’s gaze remained fixed on Lindsey.

 

“You can calm Mikhail down?”

 

“Yes, since there’s no better way to prove my superiority to Sylvia Radian.”

 

“Moreover, Marquis, I assume you don’t want ordinary divine power.”

 

“…”

 

“Please give me one chance. If I fail to prove myself, I will immediately go to the Radian Duchy and ask for forgiveness.”

 

Lindsey’s voice as she spoke was resolute. Raysis’s face turned pale at Lindsey’s words.

 

“Raysis. Take Lindsey Kesion to the underground prison. Mikhail, who has completed his mission, is there.”

 

“Father!”

 

“Hurry!”

 

Raysis gritted his teeth.

 

He looked at Lindsey as if he couldn’t understand her at all.

 

Lindsey couldn’t understand what Raysis was thinking. But under Crain’s firm gaze, Raysis reluctantly nodded.