They are all characters I control.

"Lia probably misunderstands me as her mother. Actually, I'm often strict with her because I want to protect her..."

Upon hearing that Earl Orlando wanted to know more about Leah, the Marchioness began to tell him all about her.

Of course, everything she said was utter nonsense.

However, Claire did not refute or interrupt her at this moment, but simply watched her continue performing.

"I see. Madam, you are such a gentle and kind person. Perhaps a goddess is a beautiful woman like you?" Count Orlando said these disgusting and nauseating words without batting an eye.

This is all thanks to her face; after all, her face is exceptionally beautiful.

As she spoke, Count Orlando, as if playing a test of obedience, poured the wine from her glass into the Marquise Margrave's glass.

"Is that so? But I'm already quite old."

Marquise Mara swirled the wine in her glass, her cheeks flushed as she watched the wine being poured from Earl Orlando's glass. As if afraid Earl Orlando would change his mind, she immediately raised her glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Seeing this, Earl Orlando, who was standing behind Marquise Mara, smiled with satisfaction and wiped the wine stains off Marquise Mara's lips.

Setting down his cup, Earl Orlando gently squeezed the other's shoulder, ignoring Marquis Rost sitting beside him, and began his usual lines to the Marchioness: "Why do I suddenly feel that you, Madam, still retain your charm?"

“Even compared to your daughter, you have an indescribable charm.”

"Oh my, why is your skin so white? It's like exquisite silver, and your hair smells so wonderful."

"If I had known you were like this, Madam, I should have gotten to know you sooner. Your fingers are so beautiful, they would suit this ring of mine perfectly."

To be honest, Claire admired Earl Orlando's flirting skills at that moment.

Even when Claire was the emperor, he never spoke to women like that. After all, he was the emperor and didn't need sweet words at all.

Claire's interactions with the opposite sex have always been characterized by sheer force and determination, like a brick flying high as she stands up and pushes her way to the top of a mountain.

Claire would never be able to learn how to charm women like Earl Orlando.

However, another spectator, the Marquis of Rost, was not in the mood to learn the Earl of Orlando's flirting skills; the Earl of Orlando was flirting with his wife.

I initially thought Earl Orlando wanted to get close to Leah, but why is the Earl suddenly interested in his wife?

If I obstruct the Earl now, will I be unable to get promoted?

The Marquis of Rost, fidgeting and blushing, held his wine glass, his conflicted expression clearly visible to Claire across from him.

However, that's not enough.

Claire spoke up at the opportune moment and pushed the progress bar forward.

“Your Excellency, why don’t you take a look at the Marquise Marla’s room? Perhaps it contains many memories of my childhood and my mother’s old belongings. Your Excellency can have a good look around.”

The moment these words were spoken, the air at the dining table froze.

The Marquis of Rost suddenly raised his head, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, his knuckles white as he gripped the wine glass.

His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Claire.

"Nonsense!" he spat out through gritted teeth, veins throbbing on his forehead. "The lady's room is not... not a place one can just walk into! Lia, you're becoming more and more ignorant of manners!"

"But Father, that's not what you said when you asked the Earl to go to my room, is it?"

The more anxious the Marquis of Rost became, the less anxious Claire became.

They used to call him "Old Deng", but now they call him "Father".

“That’s because you weren’t married or had a husband back then!” Marquis Rost blushed.

There's nothing wrong with an unmarried daughter being taken a liking to a young, philandering count.

If a married wife is flirted with by a young, philandering count, then there's a big problem.

However, what made the Marquis of Rost even more uneasy at this moment was not the rebellious 'Lia' causing trouble, but the Marquis de Marla.

"Marquis!" Marquis Marla glared at her husband reproachfully, her tone tinged with displeasure. "The Earl is a distinguished guest, and he cares deeply for Leah!"

"What's wrong with showing the Earl his old things? Those things are just gathering dust anyway. It's a good thing that it will help the Earl understand Lia and her mother better!"

After saying that, Marquise Mara slightly tugged at the straps of her low-cut evening gown, put down her wine glass, and fanned herself as if she were very hot.

"Perfect timing, I'd also like to change my outfit."

"Thinking about it carefully, my outfit is not dignified enough and is a bit too inconspicuous. It would be good if the Earl could give me some advice on what to wear."

"My lord, let's go now!"

The Marquis of Rost felt a surge of anger rising in his chest, making him feel dizzy and his vision blur.

However, Marquise Marla ignored him and eagerly stood up from her seat to grab Earl Orlando's hand.

Just as the Marquis of Rost was about to say something, Claire casually uttered a sentence.

"For the sake of the bigger picture, for the future of the Rost family, we must be patient, Your Excellency."

That same phrase again.

The Marquis of Rost looked as if he had been choked, his face turning from warm red to ashen.

However, he didn't try to stop them anymore. He just silently crushed the cup in his hand and followed them.

"Ha, how interesting. So there are people who can be this cowardly? What's the difference between this and a corporate slave struggling to get a promotion and a raise?"

Claire watched with a sneer as the Marquis of Rost followed the pathetic figure of the Earl of Orlando and the Marchioness Mara.

Later, I reckon the Marquis of Rost will have to hold the door open for the Earl.

Bow deeply to Earl Orlando and say: "Please come in? Be careful?"

[Lia: But why would the Marchioness do this... in front of Father...?]

Claire is an outsider, while Leah is a proper family member.

While Claire was enjoying watching the drama unfold, Claire wasn't.

Claire: What's so strange about that? That's just the nature of the Rost family; they're all together for mutual benefit.

[Lia: But even so, you shouldn't do that, right? That's so indecent...]

[Claire: Oh? Leah, you're still a warrior of pure love? Why would you sympathize with the Marquis?]

[Claire: Ha! You've forgotten that your mother married the Marquis of Rost for personal gain, and what happened? Your mother died young, and the Marquis immediately married his current wife.]

[Claire: Back then, the Marquis also did the same thing in front of your mother, fooling around with the current Marquises. Don't you feel sorry for your mother? Don't you think the Marquis deserves what he got?]

[Lia: ...Serves you right!]

Claire nodded in satisfaction after seeing Leah's reply after a few seconds of silence.

He had figured out how to control Lia. He didn't care about anything else; he just needed to bring up Lia's mother.

If you want Lia to get rid of her excessive kindness and cowardice, all you need to do is bring up the grievances her mother suffered.

"Should we follow them?" Anna, the maid, asked, watching Earl Orlando, the Marquis, and the Marquis's wife disappear down the corridor.

She now felt a little sorry for the Marquis of Rost, especially at the moment when her wicked, cunning, and unfathomable master formed an alliance with the talented, handsome, and high-status Earl of Orlando.

Everyone in the Rost family is destined to be manipulated; no one can escape it.

And this is just the beginning.

"Yes, definitely! Let's have some fun!" Claire wiped her mouth, picked up a plate of desserts, and followed.

Given Earl Orlando's current performance, it shouldn't be difficult for him to get information out of Marquis Marla and obtain the badge.

But just in case, it's better to go and check it out.

Last time, he went to his stepmother and stepsister's room to search, but he couldn't find the other two tokens that opened the treasure chest in the underground tomb.

If Count Orlando took the wrong one, he can go back and continue searching.

When the Earl goes in and out seven times, the Marquis of Rost's expression will surely be quite something.

Chapter 57 The Anxious Goalkeeper

The door to Marquise Mara's room was initially open.

The Marquis Rost stood outside the door, while the Earl of Orlando and the Marchioness Marla had already entered the room.

However, the Marquis of Rost's face was much darker than before, and Claire could hear the conversation coming from the open door beside him.

“Oh dear, Your Excellency, this cabinet is a bit too high. I can’t reach that rosewood box on the top shelf.”

"Shall I do it, Madam?"

"No need, how could I trouble you, Earl? I just hope you can help me up, I can stand on the stool myself."

"No problem, I'll help you."

"Your Excellency's hands are a little cold, but they feel surprisingly nice. Please don't be shy, Your Excellency, could you put your arm around my waist?"

"Madam, the Marquis is still watching over there."

"Sorry, I forgot..."

Marquise Margrave didn't even glance at Marquis Rost, and slammed the door shut.

Okay, the door is closed now.

Claire wasn't in a hurry, but the Marquis of Rost was.

As he stared at the closed door, the Marquis of Rost gritted his teeth so hard they almost broke.

He seemed to be nailed to the spot, his face turning from ashen to deathly pale, then from deathly pale to a purplish-red like a pig's liver, his body trembling slightly.

Marquis Rost stared intently at the closed door, the faint knocking sounds emanating from inside constantly stimulating his nerves.

"..." Marquis Rost reached out and placed his hand on the doorknob.

But he didn't push the door open; he stood outside his bedroom door like a comical clown.

Just then, a soft, undisguised chewing sound came from beside him.

The Marquis Rost turned his head sharply and saw his "good daughter" Lydia eating a small plate of honey almond cookies that she had taken from the restaurant with great relish.

"You..." Marquis Rost's voice trembled with rage, and his finger pointing at Claire (Lia) quivered. "How can you still eat?!"

Claire slowly swallowed the cookie in her mouth and asked, "Why can't you eat it?"

"Why don't you try to attract Earl Orlando properly?!"

As if he had found a punching bag, Marquis Rost roared menacingly at 'Lia'.

“It’s not that I’m not attractive enough, it’s just that the Marquis de Marquis insisted on giving it to me, didn’t you see?” Claire looked at the Marquis de Rost with the eyes of someone looking at a pitiful wretch.

Not a family, do not enter the door.

"Shut up!" Marquis Rost roared, veins throbbing on his forehead.

"Shh, keep your voice down," Claire reminded him, pointing to the door next to them. "Don't disturb the Earl and your wife's conversation."

"..."

The Marquis of Rost was even angrier, but he immediately lowered his voice obediently.

"Lia! I'm warning you, don't forget your place! You need to please the Earl! It doesn't matter if he's a bit of a womanizer, men like novelty."

"You can learn more about what happens after marriage, and remember to buy lots of pretty clothes and such."

"Don't speak so rudely. You could learn from your sister how to be charming! How can you expect men to like someone with your sudden arrogant and rude personality?"

The Marquess of Rost had no idea that the Earl of Orlando was actually a woman.

Therefore, his remarks were utterly shameless, and even the maid Anna next to him couldn't help but raise her eyes, a hint of disdain flashing in them.

Lia remained silent, not uttering a single comment.

Claire smiled broadly, uttering the most cutting words: "I understand, of course I understand. For the sake of the family, we must endure. Just like you are doing now, Father."

Ignoring the Marquis of Rost's incompetent and furious expression, he mimicked the Earl of Orlando's tone.

"This is all for the family, really. Father, you've gone to such lengths, it's truly admirable. Look at your face, so dark, and your hands are shaking like that? Would you like a bite of dessert?"

“You—!” Marquis Rost was so angry he couldn’t utter a complete sentence.

After a moment's pause, he glared at 'Lia' with bloodshot eyes: "From now on, I'll double your allowance! I'll grant you whatever you want! Understand? As long as you keep Count Orlando in your sights!"

Just then—

With a soft creak.