The author is definitely setting us up for some major slaughter just fyi. Like Athy getting killed in front of Claude kind of slaughter.
Athy isn't running away but I think it's because of the high level of dependency between her and Claude. It's also been at least 14-15 years since Athy was reborn so her reincarnation memories have slowly been buried. Or at least the severity of the situation lessened till Claude lost his memories. Yea, yea Athy's been "taming" this cluster-fuck but I had sincerely hoped that she wouldn't have gotten sucked into Stockholm syndrome. Even she calls herself out on it. Like she's out! She's out! But that sweet sweet dysfunction calls her back in.
Athy's Plan C backfired on her because she came to love Claude. She was right to fear it and should've crossed it off her list asap.
For me the good point was when Felix and Lily were basically her foster folks.
Claude is a really hot psycho that has to be catered to to the point of absurdity (almost). Part of which is understandable due to the trauma he's faced but he dishes it out too. Slaughtering a whole palace full of people? That's insane, literally total madness. Athy has to walk on eggshells because her complaints would end in someone's execution.
Lucas is probably the one of the few sane people that is lucky enough not to be sucked into the absurd situation. He can hold his ground only because he's got strong magical power. He really was balancing things out for everyone. He gave Athy respite from the high stakes situations.
I've lived with someone like Claude. Given enough time you normalize that type of behavior. Even if you're not at the receiving end of it. You become an enabler because you won't step in to stop it. The flip-flops and general chaos created just twists your heart into a weird shape.
Maybe Lucas and Athy should take off or Athy and Jeannette. I'd be happy with either situation. Maybe just Athy simply calling it quits and walking away from the whole toxic mess.
Ezekiel is not going anywhere he has a stake in all of it so I won't consider it because he seems pretty attached to all of it. It's implied that he knows about the plot to overthrow Claude.
The "mysterious" black haired man is a shitfest too. Him and Claude are on the same level at this point in the game.