CHAPTER 64…………………………………..
Samuel shrugged his shoulders as he forcefully shook off the guards’ hands.
“Even though they call him a benefactor, Ambassador Leoc may treat you well, but even a great man can’t meddle in family affairs recklessly.”
“That’s right!”
The Earl of Wallace chimed in.
“You have a legal obligation. You’re supposed to support us!”
“Even if my sister runs off abroad, we’ll follow her to the end. Even if she dies, know this—blood ties cannot be broken.”
“You’re like a leech,” I muttered weakly.
“Desperate to suck someone dry until the very end.”
“Finally realizing? You should pay back the debt for giving birth and raising her, right?”
“Yeah, that’s what children are supposed to do.”
The Earl and Samuel exchanged victorious smiles.
“….”
The Countess watched quietly, observing the situation unfold.
“Is that all you want to say?”
Encouraged by my silence, Samuel revealed his true colors.
“First, you still owe us for the debt from last time you lost—pay that off.”
“You expect me to pay your gambling debt?”
“You’ll find out—they’re ruthless, law or no law. If they think I’m penniless, they’ll go after my sister. Better pay up—it’s safer for your personal affairs too.”
A snort escaped my lips. Samuel wrinkled his nose at me.
“What’s so funny? Is this funny?”
“Well, fine. If they’re that ruthless, you’ll squeeze money out of them one way or another.”
I pointed at Samuel with my index finger.
“You pay back the money you borrowed. Even if you rot your whole life on a shrimping boat.”
“…Oh ho, so you’re relying on Ambassador Leoc right now. How long do you think he can protect you?”
Samuel’s face twisted in anger.
“Moreover, if I can’t pay, the repayment obligation falls on our parents. If they can’t pay either, legally you’ll have to pay.”
He wasn’t an idiot; he had apparently done some research on the matter.
“You already got your father’s estate as dowry and marriage property. Now you can’t go back and demand otherwise. Take the property but refuse the debts? Where’s that ever reasonable?”
Legally, Samuel’s argument made sense. Moreover, the property I received was Andala’s abandoned mine, so I had no intention of giving it up. That meant I had my own trump card.
“There is such a thing as reasonable talk?” I said.
“What?”
“I’m no longer their child, nor a member of the Wallace family.”
“Haha, are you stupid? Once you came from Cassius, you’re Wallace again. What nonsense…”
“Exactly as I said—I was removed from Cassius’s family registry. That doesn’t mean I automatically return to the Wallace registry. What a predicament, huh?”
“Don’t pull tricks. I checked everything with a lawyer on the way here.”
“The lawyer said? Legally, if a woman divorces, she automatically returns to her original family?”
“…!”
Samuel’s face changed completely. He finally realized what I was going to say.
“That’s strange. Divorce cases aren’t that common—laws wouldn’t be so thorough.”
Under imperial law, a woman becomes part of her husband’s family upon marriage. She has no more ties to her birth family.
‘It’s very sexist. She can’t inherit family property unless it’s a rare case with no other heirs.’
But what happens if the woman divorces? Her surname reverts, but her family registry does not. She must apply to return, and the family must accept her—only then is the registry restored.
Fortunately, later, when Riena became Empress, she reformed the law, removing such inequities. Exactly how is not detailed in the novel.
I, of course, never filed any application. Thus, I was left in limbo. A loophole born from human-made law.
“No wonder even lawyers don’t know. Divorce is taboo in this society, so even the parties hush it up. Or maybe you paid too little and were barely informed.”
With no money to repay debts, did they even pay the lawyer properly?
“Lies! You think I’d fall for such a lie?”
“Believe what you want.”
“Even if true, if my registry isn’t restored, I won’t be a noble anymore. Are you okay with that? How can you be so calm?”
“Don’t you know? Changes in noble status are handled by the House of Nobility. According to their rules, except for major crimes like treason, noble status is rarely revoked.”
The wealthy always try to keep what’s in their hands. Even nobles can be affected by political shifts, but would the law easily allow such protections to be stripped away?
“I’ll check it myself!”
Samuel trembled and shouted as he tried to storm out of the reception room.
‘Let him go.’
I signaled the guards, and they stepped aside. Once Samuel confirmed outside that I was right, he would return anyway.
“Sa-Samuel!”
The Earl, watching my movements, quickly chased after his son. Only the Countess remained in the room.
“No matter how much you linger there, my mind won’t change. Please, have a seat.”
No answer came.
“If you don’t want to, that’s fine. I’ll rest in my room until your husband and son return. Excuse me…”
“How can you? How can you talk about your father and brother like they’re strangers?”
They really are strangers to me.
“I clearly told you last time we met—I’m severing ties with the Wallaces.”
“Just help your brother once. That poor child has been through so much mental suffering.”
“Stop. Your actions partly caused Samuel to become such an irresponsible adult.”
“He’s your brother!”
“That’s all I have to say to you.”
I placed a neat business card on the table. Sharon had given me a stack, saying it was for new hires funded by Terrence.
“If you ever want a divorce, consult my friend, Sharon Meetings, attorney.”
“D-Divorce…?”
“Do you want to continue cleaning up after those two even after being treated like this? From now on, without me or money, the Countess will bear it all.”
People who had never lifted a finger wouldn’t suddenly reform. The Countess, perhaps predicting this, kept silent.
“Fortunately, Sharon provides free legal services for those who lack money.”
“I won’t get a divorce! You should have stayed in Cassius from the start…!”
“Do as you wish. The choice is yours.”
Life is something no one can live for you.
“Then I’ll see you later.”
“Edel!”
Ignoring the Countess, I left the reception room. The last thing I saw through the closing door was her hesitating, staring at the business card on the table.
A few hours later, while reading, I learned Samuel had returned and headed to the reception room again. Glancing at the table, the card was gone, and the Countess avoided my gaze.
“Si-sister…”
Samuel rubbed his hands nervously, visibly more anxious than before.
“I was a bit rude earlier, right? Sorry. I just… lost my head for a moment. Please understand. I wasn’t in my right mind because of the debts.”
“Did your father not come?”
“He was so shocked he collapsed at the lawyer’s office.”
His blood pressure must have spiked. I could easily imagine the Earl shouting, ‘Why isn’t my daughter Wallace?!’
“He’s quite old. Lately, he’s had pains everywhere. Sister, if we end up on the street, father will really be in trouble.”
Failing to threaten me, Samuel tried to appeal to my sympathy. Not going to happen.
“He’ll have to learn to pay his own debts. Consider it a life lesson. I have nothing more to say, so I’ll leave.”
“W-wait! Um, that is…”
I stopped him from getting up. His restless movements betrayed the scheming thoughts spinning in his head.
“Let’s make a deal! You won’t ask for your dowry and marriage property back, since you’re divorced. But you repay our debts.”
“Are you kidding? Once given, it’s done. Legally, you have no claim to return it.”
“Don’t be so strict between us. The lawyer says it’s not entirely impossible.”
In short, I was in an advantageous position, but they had a chance too.
‘This cowardly fool. How does he act exactly as I think?’
Seeing no other option, Samuel quickly changed tactics and submitted. He lacked both the courage and composure for a tough fight—the gambling debts were tightening around him moment by moment.
“….”
I pretended to consider it. Samuel bit the bait.
“I swear! I can sign a written pledge! For old times’ sake, just this once…”
“Where do you think I’d get the money? The amount is too large.”
Dragging out the time, Samuel’s face gradually turned ashen.
“Really nothing? Not even this little bit?”
“If you read the papers, you’d know. I didn’t even take alimony.”
“Why on earth didn’t you take it? No, sorry for shouting… don’t leave, sister.”
He ran his hand roughly through his hair, muttered a few curses, and made his final decision.
“Then forget our family’s debt to Cassius—just pay my debt.”
“Samuel!”
The Countess looked at her son in shock.
“No more arguments! Priorities, remember!”
“….”
Cowardly and selfish. In the end, he only cared about himself.
Most of their debt to Cassius had been borrowed by the Earl or Countess from Leandro, but Samuel had also enjoyed the benefits.
