The Edge of Death

“I’m just telling you this; in reality, I won’t be negligent in my attitude.”

Ryan immediately said, “I won’t underestimate this recruitment either… But this isn’t that difficult, is it?”

Flora shook her head.

“Your Highness, do you know the common trait of bullied people?”

“Cowardice? Timidity? Darkness?” Ryan pondered.

“No, it’s arrogance.”

“Arrogance?”

Ryan was stunned.

He couldn’t connect bullied people with arrogant and overbearing ones.

“Not the kind of arrogance you’re thinking of, Your Highness… Or rather, they are all very strong-willed individuals.”

Flora said with a pained expression,

“When faced with bullying, they don’t trust others to help them, they don’t trust that they can be understood by others.

They believe they can solve things alone, thinking that enduring and conceding will make everything better.”

“At the same time, in their hearts, they despise those who bully them, believing them to be wrong, not understanding why no one punishes the perpetrators, not understanding why those who do such things can still live good lives.”

“They are unwilling to understand the reality, unwilling to understand the objective reasons why others couldn’t help them, and unwilling to cooperate with others…

Then, they will only stubbornly dwell on their own thoughts, and after being betrayed by reality again and again, they lose trust in the world.”

“However, they have never trusted the world, nor chosen to understand others, nor believed that anyone other than themselves could truly help them, much less believed in things that naturally exist and are effective.”

“They are just a group of overly strong-willed fools.”

Flora was naturally not blaming the victims of bullying, nor did she believe the victims were guilty.

Rather, she felt regret and sadness for them.

She could understand their forbearance and persistence, but most people, like Ryan, believed them to be weak.

But in reality, these people were spiritually strong… at least, in their own minds, that’s how they saw themselves.

Therefore, sympathy, pity, and condescending help… often backfired, ultimately leading to tragedy.

Flora also didn’t think this situation applied to the saying, “Weakness and ignorance are never obstacles to survival, arrogance is.”

She believed that if more people understood the victims’ thoughts, helped them in more reasonable ways, or if the victims recognized the fact that they were actually weak and actively sought help from the outside… then everything would surely change.

“The root of all this trouble is my own ignorance.”

After understanding the blonde girl’s thoughts, Ryan generously admitted his mistake.

“Upon closer reflection, indeed, only the weak would band together.

Those who bully others are undoubtedly weak morally and spiritually, which is why they gather together.”

“In fact, all of us are weak, and we all need help from others, which is why we spontaneously formed societies and established nations… to better protect every kind of weak person.”

Ryan understood that the blonde girl’s statement was meant to subtly educate him, especially since the damned old geezer, even as emperor, didn’t act this way.

Soon, they arrived at the academy’s cafeteria.

This wasn’t because Flora had forgotten to make lunch, but rather to follow local custom and avoid people saying Ryan was haughty, only eating food from home.

So, for the next three days, they would eat in the school cafeteria and wouldn’t need any luxurious private rooms.

Similarly, they would stay in the dorms for two nights, so the chef Cook was also granted leave.

However, their arrival caught the other students by surprise.

The moment they entered the main door, the previously noisy and bustling cafeteria instantly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Ryan couldn’t help but smile.

His mindset was clearly to treat these people as enemies.

Perhaps even his future subjects were…

The people he would one day redeem.

“Your Majesty, please don’t be shy!”

Flora quickly interjected.

This wasn’t because she had forgotten her role again, but because, regardless of one’s stance, feeling pleased at this moment was abnormal.

“Come in.”

Ryan didn’t temper himself much, striding forward with confident steps.

Flora could only sigh internally, silently following behind, carefully observing the expressions of others.

“He… why is he here?”

“I don’t know, the atmosphere is so suffocating. Will it always be like this from now on? Please, no.”

Some couldn’t tolerate it and began to whisper, but Flora could sense that these individuals harbored ill will towards Ryan; they were just somewhat afraid and found it troublesome.

It was the silent ones with unfriendly gazes who were truly dangerous.

Flora quickly memorized the appearances of these individuals.

As they approached the food counter, the students already there dispersed to both sides, clearing a path.

Flora felt a bit speechless inside, but her actions on the surface were not at all sluggish. After asking what Ryan wanted to eat, she quickly stepped forward to get the food.

“Wow, even getting food has a maid helping… I’m so envious.”

“As expected of His Highness the Crown Prince, truly independent and self-reliant.”

Seeing Ryan remain arrogant, some people sitting farther away began to mock him softly.

Flora actually recognized that Ryan should act like a student and get his own food.

However, there was no need to deliberately change their approach at the moment. After serving two portions of food, she quickly went to their seats.

Similar to getting food, wherever they went, that area cleared out.

As the two sat down and Flora began her poison detection, people once again made sarcastic or contemptuous remarks.

The good news, however, was that most people weren’t as fixated on them as before, and the cafeteria’s clamor began to return to normal.

Just then, Flora noticed in a corner that Flax Mounten, who had clearly brought more lunch than one person could eat, left the cafeteria.

‘[Your Highness, could you help me pack some food afterward?]’

‘[No problem.]’

Ryan also saw it and nodded immediately.

As Flax Mounten finished his meal, the noise subsided once more.

“Third Brother, why are you eating alone? So lonely.”

A feminine-looking black-haired, purple-eyed youth approached with two attendants.

Ryan didn’t recognize the two attendants, but they wore school uniforms with Heavenly Knight and Grand Mage insignias, and golden cloaks of the Royal Knight Order draped over their backs—a display clearly meant to show off their powerful connections.

“…”

“None of your business.”

Ryan said coldly.

The surrounding crowd stirred again.

“How is this none of my business? I am the student council president. It is my duty to care about the mental and physical well-being of my junior classmates.”

Anos said, acting as if he alone was responsible.

His two attendants immediately applauded, and a group of followers and onlookers also clapped or cheered.

Ryan silently ate, bothering not to deal with this guy.

“Speaking of which, Imperial Brother.” Anos sat down beside him familiarly, and in a voice only Ryan could hear, he said, “You don’t think you’re safe here in the academy, do you?”

“Just bring it on.”

Ryan sneered.

“As expected of Imperial Brother, always so confident.”

Anos praised, “I’m different. I never dare say I can definitely protect the safety of those around me, especially those maids who leave my sight—”

Crash!

Food and dishes fell everywhere.

Ryan grabbed Anos by the collar, pulling him up furiously.

“If you lay a hand on her, I’ll kill you!”