“When you pushed my hand away…”

I died.

No, it’s better not to say it. Lindsey, thinking this, smiled faintly at Kenyan.

That smile made Kenyan freeze like a fool. He remembered the words he had said to Lindsey when she pleaded for her life.

‘If you’ve done something wrong, you must pay the price.’

He had said that without even thinking to find out how Sylvia was treating her.

Lindsey decided to throw his words right back at him.

“Kenyan, I believe that if you’ve done something wrong, you must pay the price.”

Lindsey despised guides who used guiding for their own gain.

To her, guiding was a crucial job that gave her a sense of duty.

But it was different here.

Lindsey had no choice but to use her power.

She began guiding Kenyan. His complexion turned pale as he recoiled.

“You… you’re using that damned divine power again…”

Lindsey looked down at him silently. She saw the tree Kenyan was holding had been deeply indented.

He was probably holding back his anger.

He might even want to kill her right then and there.

‘So what if he does?’

Lindsey shut the window without hesitation.

⋆★⋆

Kenyan couldn’t understand.

Did Lindsey die because he ignored her?

When she said those words, it felt like something had fiercely clawed at his chest.

He couldn’t concentrate even when he tried to train.

He came to this place to deal with monsters, but he couldn’t do anything. The words Lindsey had said to him kept echoing in his mind.

When had Lindsey Kesion almost died?

Even if Lindsey had been an outsider in his house, there was no one who could dare to kill her.

Killing Azhet Radian’s fiancée? Kenyan couldn’t believe it.

Kenyan swung his sword.

Since his conversation with Lindsey, he couldn’t regain his composure.

Clang! Clang!

Swords clashed.

He felt his subordinate, Lenald’s hand trembling as they sparred.

“Kenyan, at this rate, you’ll kill me.”

Only then did Kenyan turn his head towards Lenald. Lenald groaned with a pale face.

Kenyan stopped his sword.

After standing there blankly for a while, he suddenly asked Lenald.

“Lenald, has Lindsey Kesion ever been in a situation where she almost died?”

Lenald, who had been deep in thought for a moment, nodded.

“Ah… yes. She was very ill once.”

“When exactly?”

“Don’t you remember? It was when you ordered her to be sent back to the Kesion Marquis family.”

Kenyan tried to recall when that was. Realizing it, his face turned pale.

It wasn’t long ago.

It was a day when his mother was particularly angry. Lindsey had failed to awaken her divine power by the time she became an adult, and Sylvia decided to kick her out.

And Kenyan had stood by, doing nothing to stop Sylvia.

He thought it was just Lindsey paying for her misdeeds.

For him, it was just that level of an incident.

Lenald, his subordinate, nodded and said.

“It was a close call.”

“…”

“If Lady Bianca hadn’t come, it would have been a disaster.”

Kenyan fell silent at Lenald’s words.

“People can… end up like that just by being outside?”

Lenald sighed while looking at Kenyan. He knew transcendents didn’t understand the physical limitations of ordinary humans, but Kenyan was exceptionally ignorant.

He had been used to rigorous training since childhood.

From his perspective, it was something he couldn’t comprehend.

“Yes, normal people die if they stay in the cold for too long. It’s different for you.”

Kenyan remained silent.

Unbelievably, he looked towards the mansion where Lindsey was staying.

She almost died, Lindsey Kesion…?

Kenyan knew his mother had driven Lindsey out of the mansion. But he didn’t care much.

He thought she would just return to the Kesion Marquis family. That’s what he assumed.

“Why… didn’t she go back to the Kesion Marquis family?”

At Kenyan’s question, Lenald responded with confusion.

“Don’t you know about the Kesion Marquis family?”

“Just answer the question.”

His cold words made Lenald scratch the back of his head.

“If she had gone back… she would have been discarded.”

“Discarded?”

“She could have been sold to an old noble and lived a horrible life or ended up as a slave. She isn’t a pureblood, after all.”

“…”

“So she couldn’t go back.”

“…”

“Still, it’s fortunate. She awakened her divine power, so she won’t face such harsh fates now.”

Lenald spoke as if it was no big deal, in a casual tone.

Kenyan found Lenald’s tone irritating. After all, his older brother would inherit the dukedom, and Kenyan only had to focus on subjugating monsters.

That was true.

So Kenyan didn’t know much about the situations in other noble families.

Kenyan felt an unusual tightness in his chest. He was a cold person.

Lindsey Kesion was a stranger, and no matter how tragic her story was, it had nothing to do with him.

‘When did I become such a kind person…’

Kenyan knew the fate of those with dirty blood.

If they didn’t prove their worth, it was only natural for them to live a miserable life. It was the first thing nobles learned as they grew up.

He knew, he was aware.

It was an obvious fact.

Bianca Rosset wasn’t treated as a special transcendent for no reason.

Lenald’s casual mention of Lindsey’s fate was also because he thought it was a natural course for her.

But why did those words bother him so much?

‘Did I almost kill that woman?’

Did a moment of negligence almost lead Lindsey Kesion to her death?

“Kenyan? Are you alright? Do you need healing?”

Lenald’s concerned voice echoed in Kenyan’s ears, but Kenyan remained frozen, unable to move.

He saw Lindsey’s face. The eyes that looked at him as if seeing something filthy. He hadn’t understood why before, but now he knew. Her words, ‘You killed me,’ kept swirling in his head.

That voice, repeatedly.

⋆★⋆

Rosalyn was sitting in the carriage with her eyes closed. The maid, Sarah, sitting next to her, looked at her with worried eyes.

Sarah wasn’t the only one.

Besides her, two of Rosalyn’s closest maids were also in the carriage.

It was an uncommon sight for a noble.

‘Only because it’s Rosalyn can such a thing happen.’

Thinking this, Sarah sighed. She remembered why they were in such a hurry.

They were heading to the Radian family’s villa in the north after hearing news from a messenger sent by the Kesion Marquis family.

“Being hit by such a bolt from the blue while at the academy. Our lady has to suffer because of Lindsey…”

At Sarah’s words, Rosalyn’s eyelashes trembled.

“Lindsey Kesion… that dirty blood awakened divine power.”

Rosalyn’s face contorted at Sarah’s words.

“Sarah… don’t speak ill of Lindsey. She’s not as bad as you think.”

Sarah closed her eyes tightly at Rosalyn’s words.

Kind Lady Rosalyn was the only person in the Kesion Marquis family who was kind to Lindsey.

That’s why Sarah found Lindsey even more detestable.

‘Ingrate.’

She thought this as she clenched her fists. Sarah wasn’t the only one who disliked Lindsey.

No one in the Kesion Marquis family liked her.

Rosalyn’s existence played a major role in this. Kind Rosalyn Kesion, so kind she showed compassion to someone with dirty blood, was a saintess.

“Lady, you must steel your heart. If you don’t, that dirty blood will continue to treat you badly.”

Rosalyn’s complexion darkened at Sarah’s words.

“Sarah, I always told you. It’s all my fault. Lindsey has done nothing wrong.”

At Rosalyn’s words, Sarah hugged her. Her eyes turned fierce.

“Not long ago, you got hurt after visiting the Radian family and meeting that dirty blood. What did she do?”

“She couldn’t have. Lindsey isn’t that kind of person.”

Rosalyn said with a pitiful smile.

“Kind lady, always defending her.”

“The rumor that Lindsey Kesion awakened divine power must be nonsense. Even if she did, it would be insignificant.”

“Yes, the benevolent goddess wouldn’t grant power to someone so wicked.”

The maids thought that Lindsey, with her bad personality, was tormenting Rosalyn.

Kind Rosalyn was just overlooking Lindsey’s faults.

Rosalyn didn’t respond to the maids’ words. She just quietly looked out the window.

In her sight was the Radian Dukedom’s mansion.

That person is there.

Thinking this, Rosalyn’s cheeks flushed. A strange longing filled her eyes.