Flora was walking along the gravel path, admiring the various plants around her.
The more she looked, the more she felt that the plants here possessed a peculiar beauty — a seductive, dangerous kind of beauty.
Just as Flora was closely examining a vine, a discordant sound shattered the tranquility of the garden and pierced her ears.
“Idiot! Do you not have eyes!”
It was the voice of a demon male, filled with arrogance, contempt, and fury. Moreover, his noble accent made his tone exceptionally grating.
Flora’s footsteps came to an immediate halt. She frowned slightly and looked toward the source of the sound.
Not far ahead in a small clearing stood two people, and the scene was a complete mess. An exquisite kettle lay overturned on the ground, its clear liquid spilled everywhere.
Beside it, a blood clan maid had fallen to the ground, a large section of her light-colored skirt soaked. Various pastries were scattered around them.
Standing in front was a tall demon male with a refined posture, dressed in magnificent clothing. His back was turned to Flora, but the exquisite, well-tailored fit of his attire made his high status obvious.
The demon male was using a silk handkerchief to wipe away nearly non-existent water stains on his hand with extreme disgust, as if he had been touched by something filthy.
“You useless waste, you cannot even handle the most basic service.”
He continued to berate the blood clan maid in a harsh, contemptuous tone.
“Do you have any idea how much this formal dress is worth? Even selling you wouldn’t be enough to compensate me! Is this how you blood clan members treat your guests? Sending such a clumsy thing like you?”
The maid was clearly terrified. She lowered her head and said tremulously, “I am sorry… My Lord, it was my mistake… I will take care of it immediately.”
“Take care of it? How will you take care of it? With those filthy hands of yours?”
The demon male continued to harass her, refusing to let the blood clan maid go.
Flora’s expression gradually darkened. She spotted the family crest on his formal attire — a family famous for their minerals, the Rozes family.
This kind of plot involving a bully using their influence happened everywhere and was almost a cliché. However, seeing it with her own eyes this time, Flora could not help but feel angry.
At that moment, Flora recalled Ilya’s warning: remain dignified and avoid conflict.
‘But if I do not do something about this, would that not be a form of condoning it? Honestly, this kind of person is truly detestable.’
The demon noble seemed to feel that scolding alone was not enough to vent his frustration.
He took a step forward, looking down at the maid from above, and then raised his foot, seemingly intending to step on the maid’s skirt with the tip of his shoe. It was a highly insulting posture.
“It seems I must do something.”
As he spoke, a trace of weak mana surfaced in his hand — though weak, it was enough to cause pain.
Flora was stunned for a moment.
Just because of such a small matter, he was going to use mana to punish an ordinary maid who had no way to fight back?
This was no longer just arrogance; it was despicableness.
Just as that trace of mana was about to touch the maid —
“Stop.”
A calm, cold voice rang out, carrying an air that brooked no argument. The voice was not loud, yet it was filled with authority and anger.
Flora stepped forward.
The demon male froze for a moment upon hearing the voice, and the mana in his hand solidified. Very few people usually came here; who would suddenly appear?
‘What is going on? Someone actually dares to ruin my business!’
He turned around with a displeased expression, wanting to see exactly who dared to stop him.
When he saw Flora standing not far away, the displeasure in his eyes turned into scrutiny.
Flora was currently wearing ordinary clothes, not a banquet dress. She had nothing on her to display her identity, and her aura was not being leaked.
‘Probably some minor noble here for the first time to see the world.’
The demon noble thought to himself. Seeing her unfamiliar face, he became even more certain.
“Another nobody? Stay out of things that don’t concern you.”
“Who are you?”
He looked Flora up and down, his tone carrying obvious contempt.
Flora sneered in her heart.
‘This demon noble actually did not recognize me. For someone who is supposed to be a member of the high nobility, he cannot even tell who I am. However, a nobody? Then let him continue being so self-righteous.’
Flora’s gaze swept over the maid who was still trembling on the ground, then landed back on the demon noble’s face.
“Sir, please mind your words and actions. Your behavior lacks the dignity of our demon race.”
Flora’s voice remained steady, yet it carried a hint of a chill.
“Dignity?”
The noble youth sneered and took two forceful steps to stand in front of Flora, seemingly trying to use the height difference to oppress her.
“A nobody like you thinks you’re qualified to talk about dignity with me, Klaus? What a massive joke. Do you not know that I am of the Rozes family?”
He deliberately emphasized the words “Rozes family,” clearly intending to use his family name to crush her.
It was the same old routine.
Family, status, power…
And yet, he possessed not a single shred of cultivation.
Truthfully, Flora had heard of this person — a profligate young master who was always causing trouble.
Flora did not move an inch, merely staring at him quietly with her golden eyes. That gaze seemed capable of piercing through his magnificent exterior to see the bluffing, empty shell inside.
“Before my mood turns completely sour.”
Klaus’s tone became even more unpleasant, even carrying a hint of a threat.
“Leave this instant.”
As he spoke, he reached out, seemingly intending to use his palm to push Flora’s shoulder.
Just as his fingers were about to touch Flora’s shoulder —
Flora moved.
Her petite palm grabbed the arm he had extended toward her in a firm grip.
“Take it away.”
Flora’s tone was icy. Her originally sweet voice had become extremely dangerous at this moment.
Klaus’s extended arm was held firmly, unable to move forward even half an inch.
Then, Flora gave a forceful toss, throwing his arm back.
“You… you bitch, how dare you treat me like this!”
Klaus’s tone and eyes were full of rage, but they could not hide a trace of panic.
Flora did not speak, only taking one step forward.
Just one step.
Yet that invisible sense of pressure suddenly intensified.
She tilted her head slightly, looking at his handsome face which was slightly distorted by fear. Within her golden eyes, it felt as if flames were burning.
Her voice was clear as she said word by word, “It seems your parents did not teach you how to speak to people politely.”
“Since they did not teach you…”
Flora’s gaze was as sharp as a blade, locking onto the other man’s flickering eyes.
“Then now, I shall give you a reminder.”
A trace of ice element mana surged from her palm, instantly freezing Klaus’s right hand and forearm.
Klaus was so frightened that he stumbled back several steps, staring at Flora in a panic.
Then, a surge of resentment grew in his heart.
‘This woman… she actually dared to humiliate me like this, to humiliate the Heir of the Rozes family! I must make her pay! Father… right, Father will definitely seek justice for me!’
Flora no longer looked at him, as if he were merely a clump of eyesore-inducing air.
She turned toward the blood clan maid, who was already staring in a daze. Her tone slowed and returned to its previous gentleness, as if everything that had just happened had never occurred.
“Everything is fine now. You should leave first; I will handle things here.”