Who is your master?

At the same time, Ryan realized something.

This Stella Arlos seemed completely unaware of Flora Haggia’s existence, not even recognizing her.

Yet Flora Haggia was still diligently helping Stella.

This reminded Ryan of a characteristic of the Blue Lion family—arrogance.

Looking down on inferiors… this classic manifestation goes without saying.

Beyond that, their arrogance also manifested in wanting to stand out from their peers, wanting to become noble in a spiritual sense as well.

For instance, they would loudly proclaim noble glory, encouraging nobles to strive and restore past splendor…

At first glance, there seemed to be nothing wrong, but what the Blue Lion family desired was not actual achievement, but rather to differentiate themselves from ordinary nobles who merely idled their lives away, creating a unique identity.

The most typical example was before Marquis Champion’s rise, the Blue Lion family had the best reputation among commoners because they often performed charitable deeds, making various donations to orphanages and churches.

Make no mistake, unlike those corrupt and decadent nobles, there were no illicit operations involved, such as human trafficking or organ selling.

The Blue Lions genuinely engaged in these acts, just not with true earnestness.

What they sought was still that differentiation—to be unlike the nobles involved in illicit operations.

They aimed to occupy the moral high ground, severely despising those who couldn’t achieve it.

As for whether they truly helped people, they didn’t care.

When adopting and sponsoring orphans, they specifically chose healthy, good-looking children.

Already an orphan and still ugly? Then you might as well reincarnate early… that was their approach.

Those adopted orphans didn’t live particularly good lives either.

The Blue Lion family would consider themselves benefactors, exploiting their kindness by making various excessive demands on those they helped, not seeing them as equal human beings at all.

Ryan couldn’t help but recall some suggestions Flora Haggia had recently made regarding solving the slum problem—

In summary, it involved providing jobs for the poor, and once their living standards improved, having them consume products from Ryan’s own businesses.

With funds, the businesses would expand further, hiring more of the poor… repeating this cycle.

For poor children, they would be given limited educational opportunities, with talented children selected for further education, while the rest would be trained in vocational fields, ensuring they at least had a skill to enter industries such as metallurgy, textiles, civil engineering, mining, and so on…

Only those past the age of learning would be given low-skilled labor.

And between these beneficiaries and Ryan, the relationship was not that of master and s*ave, but an employment relationship.

Both parties would sign fair and reasonable contracts, clearly stating in black and white how much training commission Ryan would receive in the future.

If they decided to switch jobs in the future, as long as they had worked for the required number of years and completed the necessary handover and confidentiality procedures, Ryan would not hinder them.

Of course, Ryan was well aware that this was a grand plan that would be difficult to yield returns or show results in the short term, requiring ten, or even several decades.

But undoubtedly, this was true philanthropy.

This was truly doing good for the nation and its people.

An ordinary member of the Blue Lion family would never have conceived of such a method, and even if they did, they would never implement it.

Flora Haggia and the Blue Lion family were so fundamentally incompatible.

The Blue Lion family, as referred to by the world and Ryan, actually comprised a group of esteemed noble families led by the Arlos family, not a single family.

However, these families all deferred to the Arlos family, acting in concert, so people habitually referred to the Arlos family as the “Blue Lion family” or simply “Blue Lion” itself.

Therefore, Ryan deduced that Flora Haggia must be a member of a subsidiary Blue Lion family.

Due to differing philosophies, she was completely disregarded by her own family, leading to her perpetual obscurity, her talents left untapped.

The main Blue Lion family, the Arlos family, was completely unaware of her existence.

But Flora Haggia’s strong sense of collective honor and responsibility prevented her from standing by as the Blue Lion family declined.

So, she spontaneously found someone to pull strings, infiltrated Ryan’s mansion, hoping to understand Ryan’s situation and lend Stella a hand at a critical moment…

To this, Ryan could only say that the Blue Lion family simply didn’t deserve her!

His so-called fiancée was no exception!

If Ryan hadn’t misjudged, upon seeing that Flora Haggia was far more beautiful than herself, the Blue Lion heiress had quietly deemed Flora Haggia a competitor, even an enemy.

When Flora Haggia pointed out her shortcomings, not only did she feel no gratitude, but she took it as an insult.

And after learning that Flora Haggia was not Ryan’s lover and that the rumors of his philandering were false, she immediately thought of capturing Ryan’s heart, thoroughly suppressing Flora Haggia and other noble ladies.

It could be said that in her eyes, Ryan, the Crown Prince, was merely a trophy to prove she was an excellent woman.

Faced with such a person, Ryan certainly had to retort.

He also had to give such a person the spiritual contempt and disregard they most detested.

However—

“Your Highness overpraises me. While I did participate in these rules, regulations, and proposals, their successful implementation was by no means solely my achievement.”

Flora Haggia, seeing the situation was unfavorable, quickly stepped forward,

“Moreover, to present the plan, I was actually somewhat arrogant due to my talents back then…

It was thanks to Your Highness’s generosity and willingness to patiently listen to my words that these plans did not die in their infancy…

I believe Your Highness absolutely deserves this praise.”

This was not thoughtless flattery.

Flora Haggia’s last sentence didn’t say she was unworthy but shifted the topic to Ryan being deserving of praise.

Ryan couldn’t help but think of the reward and punishment system Flora Haggia had been advocating.

It clearly stated that rewards and punishments must be distinct and proportionate, and one should not be stingy with rewards for deserving individuals…

“I understand. Thank you for the compliment.”

Ryan had to admit that while the greatest credit belonged to Flora Haggia, he shouldn’t remove himself from the record of achievements either.

Besides, Ryan didn’t actually dislike reasonable praise.

So, he only expressed his gratitude to Flora Haggia.

“Hiss…”

Ryan’s obvious differential treatment was clear to everyone.

Stella couldn’t help but bite her red lip tightly, desperately suppressing the grief and indignation in her heart, looking as if she were about to burst into tears at any moment.

“Your Highness, please accept Miss Arlos’s compliment as well.”

Flora Haggia noticed the blue-haired young woman’s distress and quickly said to Ryan.

Though she said “please,” it was actually a demand.

Previously, Flora Haggia would only use words hinting at such intent with Ryan when she had solid reasons.

But this time, Flora Haggia broke that custom.

For that arrogant Blue Lion heiress.

And her anxious demeanor was strikingly similar to a loyal dog desperately protecting its master.

Although this further confirmed Ryan’s earlier conjectures.

He was still very displeased.

However, considering Flora Haggia was like family, he merely said somewhat coldly:

“I do not need thoughtless flattery.”

“No, Your Highness, Miss Arlos is expressing her goodwill towards you!” Flora Haggia quickly explained.

Ryan looked at the blue-haired young woman, sensed carefully with his ability’s “side effect,” and his face grew even colder.

“I don’t think so… This arrogant woman doesn’t even have me in her eyes.”

Hearing this, the blue-haired young woman could no longer hold back. With a sob, she covered her face and ran out.

“Your Highness, how could you say such a thing?” Flora Haggia exclaimed.

“I am merely speaking the truth.”

Ryan insisted.

He had wanted to say, “that woman is not sad at all, but instead harbors hostility towards them,” but considering Flora Haggia’s position and the presence of others, he rephrased it.

Seeing Ryan wouldn’t listen, Flora Haggia decided to chase after Stella, but as she turned, a slightly annoyed voice came from behind her.

“Come back, leave that woman alone!”

Flora Haggia ignored him, but after just two steps, she stumbled and fell to the ground.

“If you still consider me your master, then stop!”

The voice behind her grew even angrier.

Flora Haggia quickly got up, turned around, and bowed deeply to the black-haired young man whose face was as cold as frost.

“Your Highness Ryan, I am very sorry, I will be right back!”

With that, Flora Haggia turned and ran off.

Even when the sound of something shattering came from behind her, her steps did not falter.