They are all characters I control.

She knew she was stupid. The guiding god called her stupid, her aunt called her stupid, and even she herself thought she was stupid.

“Lia.” But Earl Orlando spoke again, with a hint of seriousness.

"Actually, your engagement to the royal family is a good thing."

Lia frowned. "Good news? Auntie, didn't you just say you didn't like Prince Alvin?"

“I wasn’t talking about Alvin.” Earl Orlando walked up to her, leaned against the dressing table, and crossed his arms. “I was talking about the engagement itself.”

Lia turned around and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Your engagement is a marriage alliance between the Rost family and the royal family. It's written in black and white that she is a 'royal member,' not 'Prince Alvin.'"

Earl Orlando's voice was soft, but every word was clear.

These words surprised Lia greatly.

She hadn't seen any marriage contract, so this was the first time she'd heard of it.

“Right now, Alvin is the only heir to the royal family. But what if the royal family changes?” Earl Orlando said with a smile, looking at Leah, who had become so interested so quickly.

Lia's pupils contracted slightly. "Auntie, what are you saying?"

"Your 'Guiding God' is the Evil God Emperor Claire. Claire is also royalty, and from a more orthodox lineage than the current one."

At this moment, Earl Orlando's tone carried a clear hint of provocation, because Leah could not hide her true feelings at all.

Her face was filled with joy and anticipation, which naturally piqued her interest even more.

"As far as I know, Claire has no queen. No wife, no children. If you can overthrow the current royal family and put Claire back on the throne, then your betrothed will no longer be Alvin, but him."

Lia's mind went blank.

"You...you mean..."

“I said, you can marry the evil god emperor, or rather, your guiding god,” Count Orlando finished for her. “As long as you try.”

Liya's face flushed red instantly. "Auntie! What nonsense are you talking about!"

“Nonsense?” Earl Orlando tilted his head. “You are a descendant of the Nolan family, and he has the blood of the Hero King. Your marriage is a match made in heaven.”

“The Nolan family was suppressed in the past because they supported Claire’s older brother and sister and other royal candidates.”

“But this time, if you, Lia, represent the Nolan family and stand with that guiding god, I think the Nolan family’s ambitions will be somewhat restrained, and there won’t be any problems then.”

"Lia, even though you dislike engagements so much, you'll start to like them later."

Lia's heart was in turmoil, but she felt mostly ashamed and had an indescribable bittersweet feeling.

Seeing that Leah remained silent, Earl Orlando leaned closer. "So? Don't you think it's a good idea?"

"What's so great about it! Auntie, you're teasing me!" Liya blurted out.

Earl Orlando raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to?"

"I..." Lia's face turned even redder.

Just then, Lia's body suddenly paused.

Her gaze changed; the panic and shame in her deep blue eyes receded like the tide, replaced by an extreme calm and a superior composure.

Claire took over the body.

“I said, Earl Orlando.” He glanced at his aunt, Leah, who was dressed as a man. “Don’t say such nonsense. This guy will overthink things; don’t ruin the plan.”

Earl Orlando looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips. "You were listening, after all."

"You said that on purpose for me to hear."

"Really? I didn't know that~"

Claire stared at her for a few seconds. "What exactly do you want?"

Countess Orlando didn't answer. She simply looked at Claire, a sly glint in her eyes. "And what do you think of our Leah?"

Claire was silent for a moment. "Okay."

Earl Orlando's eyes lit up. "How about Leah becoming your wife?"

[Lia: Auntie!!!]

The barrage of comments exploded in my mind, filled with shame and panic.

Claire ignored Leah's comment. "So stupid."

[Lia: I'm not stupid!]

"Then don't want it?" Earl Orlando asked with a smile.

Claire was silent for a moment. "What you've seen is mine."

[Liya:...]

The live chat stopped.

It wasn't anger, it was shame that left me speechless.

Countess Orlando laughed even harder. She patted Claire on the shoulder. "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Go to the study, Prince Alvin is waiting."

Claire fastened the last button, turned, and walked towards the door. After a few steps, she stopped, without looking back.

"Lia is pretty."

Earl Orlando raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"You're not bad as an aunt either."

Earl Orlando's smile froze for a moment. "You—"

Claire quickly helped Leah change into some casual clothes, then pushed open the door and went out.

Count Orlando stood in the room, staring at the closed door, a slow smile playing on his lips. "That guy..."

Chapter 99 Even a Maid Can Educate a Prince

In the study, Prince Alvin sat on the sofa, holding a cup of tea in his hand, but did not drink it.

His gaze swept across the study. Tall bookshelves, thick files, maps on the walls, quill pens and ink on the table.

This is Earl Orlando's study, not Leah's.

It's clear that Leah holds a very high position in the Earl of Orlando's mansion.

He had come to talk to Leah, but Count Orlando had casually arranged for him to stay in the study, which was enough to show how comfortable Leah was here.

Even though she was actually a guest, she already had the same status and identity as Earl Orlando.

However, it seems that Earl Orlando has forgotten that Lydia is still nominally engaged to him as the prince.

Even so, Prince Alvin was too ashamed to question Earl Orlando about it, since Earl Orlando had sought his consent beforehand.

In the Earl of Orlando's house, Leah was clearly living a very good life; even in the Rost family, she probably wouldn't have such a life.

Even Prince Alvin has never been here. Although Earl Orlando is no longer on his father's side, his position remains unshakable.

The count is now so close to Lydia, and stands with Bishop Simon, and Miss Rosemary, the attendant of the newly arrived Bishop Augustine, also lives here.

It could be said that Earl Orlando may appear to be close to everyone on the surface, but in reality, he maintains a certain distance from everyone.

So, if he tries to plead with Leah next, Count Orlando will probably interrupt his plans.

Thinking this way, Prince Alvin was completely helpless.

Miss Rosemary definitely couldn't help, so I could only ask Lydia for help.

Prince Alvin, sitting in the study, was becoming increasingly restless, looking out the window with a sense of anxiety as he awaited Lia's arrival.

At that moment, the door opened.

The maid Anna brought in a pot of fresh tea, replaced the cooled tea, and poured a new cup.

Her movements were light and practiced, as if she had done it countless times. Prince Alvin looked at her face and suddenly felt that the face looked somewhat familiar.

"You were... a maid in the Rost family before?"

The other person seems to have been at the Royal Academy? It seems they've always been the maid who's always been by Lia's side?

But this maid is with Earl Orlando? Isn't she a maid from the Rost family?

It was Lia who brought her to Earl Orlando's mansion.

Anna paused for a moment, then calmly replied to the prince before her, "Yes."

“I’ve seen you before,” Prince Alvin replied affirmatively after a few glances. “Back at the Royal Academy, you were with Elena.”

Anna didn't say anything. It was perfectly natural for her to be recognized, and there was no need to be surprised at all.

The only surprise was that the prince hadn't recognized him before.

It's only now, after thinking about it for so long, that I've realized it. Clearly, I didn't take her seriously before and didn't care about her as a maid.

But that's only natural, since I'm just a lowly maid.

The maid Anna placed the teapot on the table, stepped back, and closed her eyes, showing no intention of speaking to Prince Alvin.

However, Prince Alvin's interest was piqued. He looked at the maid Anna. "You weren't Miss Lia's person before, were you?"

After a moment's thought, Prince Alvin remembered that this maid seemed to frequently report to Elena in private.

And every time she and Elena appeared, the maid would pull Lia away to a farther place.

"You're Elena's person, I mean you should obey Elena? And you're here with Miss Lia now?"

If this maid is Elena's spy planted next to Lia, then is Lia still carrying her around because she is unaware of it or deliberately ignoring it?

Of course, Prince Alvin wasn't too curious about these things.

At this moment, he was more concerned about whether Elena had any spies around Lia. If so, and if Lia hadn't discovered that they were loyal to Elena, then they were loyal to her.

Could that help me plead with Lia to release Elena?

This was Prince Alvin's very simple thought at that time.

Anna looked at him, paused for a moment, and then answered, "I used to be Marquis Mara's informant, sent to monitor Miss Leah."

Prince Alvin's pupils contracted slightly; just as he suspected.

The infighting within the aristocratic circles of the capital was no secret.

Prince Alvin, however, was more convinced that Elena was being bullied by Lia than that Lia was being bullied by Elena.

Of course, there's no need to guess now; it's obvious that Elena is ostracizing Lia.

But what good will knowing this do? Prince Alvin's past actions will not change in any way, and Prince Alvin is well aware of this.

Therefore, he was even more curious about the stance of the maid Anna in front of him.

"Then why are you now..."

“Now I belong to Miss Lia.” Anna’s voice was calm. “Completely devoted.”

Prince Alvin stared at her for a long time. "Why?"

Even a maid could notice Lia's changes so quickly?

Was it because he knew that Lia would go beyond her original status as an ordinary young lady? Or was he persuaded by Lia?

"Because Miss Lia saved my life."

This was an answer Prince Alvin hadn't expected, and he was taken aback. "Save you?"

Anna didn't elaborate, nor was it necessary to tell the prince so much.

She merely looked at Prince Alvin, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes. "Your Highness, you think Miss Leah is different now, don't you?"

Prince Alvin remained silent.

“You think she’s changed. Become cold, domineering, and unapproachable.” Anna’s voice gradually rose.

Facing the prince before her, the maid Anna felt no fear or humility whatsoever.

This wasn't due to a difference in their social status, but rather to their understanding and control of the current situation, which gave the maid Anna a condescending attitude towards Prince Alvin, who was still thinking about rescuing the troublemaking Elena.

Even Anna, who was a maid, thought the prince before her was far too foolish and naive.

“You think she shouldn’t be like this. You think she should still be Miss Leah, who wouldn’t fight back when bullied, wouldn’t defend herself when wronged, and would only hide and cry when her engagement was broken off.”