"You can imagine, if the royal family learned about your great achievements and, in their happiness, rewarded you with something as measly as a feather, wouldn't you finally break free from being a nobody? Wouldn't that be perfect, a win-win?"
Nonsense! Ridiculous! Damn you!!!
The white-haired old man, face flushed with purple from the utmost mockery and insult, was about to retort when he saw Leon's eyes.
*There were two parts disdain, three parts scorn, and the remaining five parts were filled with sincerity.*
This damn bastard was actually telling the truth! *He genuinely believed from the bottom of his heart that it was more valuable for a 'nobody' noble like himself to die immediately rather than live!*
After being struck by the sincerity in Leon's eyes, all the rebukes and even the most poisonous curses got stuck in his throat, turning into a blood pressure exceeding two hundred and a mouthful of thick, hot phlegm that burned like fire, causing the old man to roll his eyes and collapse stiffly backward.
Leon, surprised by the sudden collapse of the old man after just two sentences, instinctively took a step back.
"You all saw it! I just poked him with my finger twice, it was he himself who fell over!"
Yes, we all saw it, you indeed only poked him twice with your finger, but you just stabbed his heart with at least a thousand verbal daggers!
Most nobles cared about their face, at least on the surface. Seeing an old man faint on the spot after just one rebuke and being stripped of his dignity and severely insulted, the dozens of nobles in the ward immediately fell into complete silence.
This new Duke of Lionheart was indeed somewhat reckless and indifferent. The white-haired old man's situation was a warning. If anyone else dared to speak up, risking such public embarrassment in front of so many in-laws might not be worth it.
After a short wait, several familiar nobles called for people to carry the old man out, and the entire group of nobles tacitly maintained silence. Even though no one reproached Leon again, surprisingly, no one suggested replacing him with another heir, essentially indicating a direct agreement.
After all, he was a successor of the Ryan Family, not theirs. The trouble couldn't affect them. As for the dignity of the nobility… let's laugh. Face meant nothing compared to tangible interests!
If the successor Duke of Lionheart had been shrewd and capable, everyone might have opposed it. After all, the more the new duke could protect the Ryan assets, the less there would be to divide among themselves. But now...
Seeing the new duke, who, during the Ryan Family's need for support, brazenly offended the in-laws and even caused a public scene, satisfied looks appeared in the eyes of the dozens of nobles.
Fine, a reckless fool with no cunning, no brains, and arrogance, is just the right fit as the new Duke of Lionheart for now!
It's just that after a month or two, when everyone has almost divided the Ryan family assets, this duke's tenure will likely end, right?
There were not many real power players in the Ryan Family who could decisively influence the inheritance of the title.
Aside from the old duke who "strongly supported" Leon, most were already killed or crippled by Bobby Layne, then suppressed into silence by Leon. What remained were only a few old or weakened cats.
The people with the most influence were the "in-laws" present in the ward.
Ignoring the strong opposition of the new duke himself, the Ryan Family in-laws took less than five minutes to decide to follow the old duke's will, allowing Leon, who had black hair and eyes, far from looking any part of the "Ryan," to become the new leader of over 90,000 golden-haired Ryan members.
This was... too absurd! It was simply child's play!
Upon learning from the officer who brought Leon into the ward how the new duke was chosen, the Minister of Defense felt both thrilled and annoyed.
Thrilled because his daughter assured him, patting her chest, that Leon wasn't someone who would side with the nobles. Rather than worrying about him colluding with the old nobility once he became a duke, it was better to worry that he'd upend the table altogether or even conspire with the rebels for another bloodbath, wiping out all of the Ryan Family in-laws in one stroke.
If Yisha's assessment was correct, having such an "un-noble" duke successfully take the helm would be a tremendous boon for the princess's reforms. Having an "insider" in the impenetrable Upper House was like stabbing a knife into the heart of the old nobility.
As for why he was annoyed...
"Your Highness! These old nobles must be dealt with quickly!"
Glaring angrily at the calm-faced princess behind the desk, the old man couldn't help but say,
"The Ryan Family's influence lies with the Department of Road Administration and the military, mainly in public infrastructure and arms procurement. But the core power of these crucial departments is still tightly controlled by the old nobility, and they can essentially hand off power without formal appointments! The candidate they've chosen is someone you just have to stamp your approval on! How can this be allowed?"
"Yes, I will, but it can't be now."
The princess behind the desk continued reviewing the "New Duke's" file, her expression serene as she spoke: