Breaking off Lindsey and Azhet’s engagement was a given, but the process should not be smooth.

Sylvia had many things to extract from Lindsey.

“She must have used some spell to charm Kenyan. It must be some kind of enchantment!”

Otherwise, it didn’t make sense. Sylvia grimaced as she remembered the genuinely confused look on Kenyan’s face.

Her proud son, Kenyan Radian.

He had always acted according to her intentions.

A close brother to Azhet.

And someone who unconditionally believed and followed his mother.

She had raised him that way.

‘He never once defied me.’

But since meeting Lindsey Kesion, he started to change. Sylvia did not welcome the change.

She detested situations that didn’t move according to her will.

Kenyan had inherited this trait from her. Yet, despite sensing her anger, Kenyan seemed unaffected.

‘He even went to the hunting grounds with Lindsey… that wretch.’

Gnashing her teeth, Sylvia seethed.

“Anna! You sent my message to the black mages at the northern tower, correct?”

The maid standing behind her nodded and replied.

“Yes, yes! The black mages agreed to cooperate with you, Madam Sylvia.”

Sylvia nodded as if she had expected this. The northern black mages hated the Kesion family.

The Kesion Marquis’s loyal hound. Mikhail Dweisi had always troubled them. Now that someone in the Kesion family could heal Mikhail, they would see Lindsey as a thorn in their side as well.

‘Dare to provoke me?’

If Lindsey disappeared, she would be the only one able to heal Mikhail again.

Then the Kesion Marquis would deeply regret mocking her. They would pay for their transgressions. And for that to happen…

‘Lindsey Kesion must disappear.’

⋆★⋆

Kenyan thought about Lindsey.

Since his subordinate had spoken about Lindsey, he had deliberately avoided her.

That Lindsey Kesion almost died because of him…

It wasn’t just that.

After personally investigating through his men, he found that Sylvia’s claims about Lindsey’s extravagance were entirely false.

‘It was all my mother’s doing.’

It was his mother who had whipped the maids and extravagantly spent the family’s wealth.

‘I never even tried to find out.’

When his mother had told him about Lindsey, Kenyan hadn’t bothered to seek the truth.

To him, Lindsey was just an eyesore.

Not only him, but his brother Azhet also had little interest in Lindsey.

If it hadn’t been for the news of Lindsey arriving at the hunting grounds, he wouldn’t have thought of seeing her.

‘What was that woman thinking? Why didn’t she make any excuses? If she had told the truth…’

Would anything have changed?

Thinking this far, Kenyan felt an emotion he couldn’t identify. Every time he thought of Lindsey, an unpleasant feeling surfaced.

It was as if the goddess’s power was tormenting him. Finding out the truth had been very simple for him. But he had chosen to believe what was convenient. As Lindsey said, he thought dirty blood like hers was nothing.

He hadn’t bothered to find out or care.

Kenyan recalled an incident with Lindsey in the past.

Walking through the mansion, he had seen Lindsey. She had been on the verge of tears, being interrogated by the maids.

“Kenyan! Lady Lindsey has made a mess of her room again.”

“I didn’t… I didn’t do it. I didn’t do anything.”

“What are you talking about? You threw all the decorations in the room because you were in a bad mood!”

“I never did such a thing…”

“You’re really terrible.”

At that time, Lindsey had looked at him, denying the accusations, and what had he said to her?

“Your behavior is utterly vulgar.”

Thinking back, Lindsey had always tried to speak to him.

He simply hadn’t listened.

“Damn it!”

Kenyan found it uncomfortable to look at Lindsey. But he couldn’t avoid going to the hunting grounds.

‘I need to stop seeing Lindsey Kesion. Let’s expedite the breakup. Now that she’s already at the hunting grounds, there’s no avoiding it…’

The only answer was to break off the engagement as quickly as possible. He couldn’t tolerate the strange feelings he had whenever he saw Lindsey Kesion.

‘I heard Mikhail was deployed to the battlefield immediately.’

Kenyan’s brow furrowed.

He could imagine what Lindsey’s situation would be like by now.

‘She must be terrified.’

That was the typical reaction of priests facing monsters for the first time.

Kenyan had often participated in the hunts and seen many priests in such a state.

They usually couldn’t pull themselves together and caused trouble because they couldn’t perform any healing.

Kenyan assumed Lindsey would be no different.

He was certain she would be like that, but…

‘What is this calmness?’

He stared at Lindsey in bewilderment. Lindsey, who was healing the transcendents, looked remarkably composed. Even experienced priests found the hunts in the northern region challenging.

The monsters in the north were known for being fierce and powerful, and it was common for them to appear where the priests were stationed.

He could see the tired faces of the transcendents visibly improving with Lindsey’s touch.

“Kenyan! You’re here.”

Kenyan turned his gaze to the voice calling him.

Rosalyn was waving at him with a welcoming expression.

“Ah, Rosalyn.”

“It’s been a while, Kenyan! This is the first time you’ve seen Lindsey since she went to the Radian family, right?”

Kenyan nodded. His heart reacted again at the mention of Lindsey’s name. He pressed down the unsettling thumping.

He still didn’t know what these feelings were.

“I heard the rumors. Lindsey caused quite a bit of trouble at the Radian family. I apologize on her behalf.”

At Rosalyn’s words, the maids standing beside her murmured.

“Oh my, the lady is apologizing.”

“Such a kind lady. She’s been through so much because of that wretch.”

“She’s causing trouble just like the dirty blood she is.”

The maids said this while watching Kenyan’s reaction. Normally, they wouldn’t dare speak ill of a family member in front of him. But the people of the Radian family didn’t consider Lindsey one of their own.

Even if people insulted her, they wouldn’t care because she wasn’t part of the family.

‘Maybe they even like it?’

It was a reaction influenced by the rumors that Sylvia enjoyed hearing people badmouth Lindsey. But soon enough, the maids fell silent, their faces turning pale.

“Enough. Are you daring to insult a member of the Radian family in front of me?”

Kenyan made no effort to hide his displeasure.

His energy began to spread in all directions. Some maids even collapsed from the pressure.

The one who was most taken aback was Rosalyn. She stepped in front of Kenyan.

“Kenyan, what’s wrong?”

“Why are you just standing there watching? Aren’t your maids insulting your family?”

Rosalyn couldn’t understand Kenyan’s reaction.

Family? Lindsey Kesion is family?

“Kenyan, you’re acting strange.”

“…”

“You never cared about such things before.”

“…”

“I also feel sorry for Lindsey, but it’s not something to get angry at my maids for.”

Kenyan wanted to tell Rosalyn that Lindsey Kesion hadn’t done anything to deserve such treatment.

But wasn’t he the same as those maids before?

‘It’s annoying.’

Kenyan ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Then, Rosalyn grabbed his sleeve, looking up at him with pitiful eyes.

Her action reminded him of his past self, and he felt a sudden wave of nausea.

It was at that moment that Kenyan pushed Rosalyn’s hand away. He sensed a familiar presence nearby.

He slowly turned around.

And there she was. Lindsey stood there. Her expression twisted upon feeling Kenyan’s gaze.

“Don’t mind me and go about your business. I need to pass through here to get to the other side.”

At Lindsey’s words, Rosalyn smiled brightly. It was a pure, blooming smile.

A smile that didn’t show any malice to others.

“Lindsey, you’re amazing. You look so proficient. Anyone would think you’re an experienced priest.”

“…”

“But it’s not good to overexert yourself.”

Lindsey narrowed her eyes and stared at Rosalyn.

“You’re overexerting yourself right now.”

Her message was clear.

She was implying that Lindsey was overusing her abilities from the start.

“Overexerting yourself will only have negative consequences.”

“Negative consequences?”

“Yes, I know rumors tend to be exaggerated.”

Though Rosalyn was speaking indirectly, Lindsey understood her message immediately.

‘She must have heard the news.’

Rosalyn was completely dismissing her. She dismissed the rumors that Lindsey had healed Mikhail, too.

Ignoring the truth so blatantly.