Leave the Divorce to a Professional Lawyer

–Claude loves me? That can’t be true.

But love had always been like that. Unpredictable and beyond anyone’s control.

Would even Claude Richard want to fall in love with the woman who had been stalking him?

There were undoubtedly many stories Natasha didn’t know about between the two, but that didn’t change the conclusion.

Claude Richard was in love with Estelle.

After confirming this clear truth, Natasha knew what she had to do next.

“I thought you’d like it,” Claude murmured softly. “Didn’t you?”

“What?”

“That garden. Didn’t you say it was beautiful? I heard you were upset when I restricted access to it.”

“Oh… Yes, I probably did…”

The real Estelle might have been sad about that.

But it wouldn’t have just been because she could no longer see the beautiful garden.

It was likely because she missed the chance to “accidentally” run into the Duke while pretending to admire the garden.

Estelle nodded vaguely, as if she had guessed as much.

“If you want, you can visit anytime.”

“Oh… Thank you.”

“Speaking of which, how about we visit the garden together after the meal? I doubt you got a proper look last time.”

Estelle rolled her eyes before nodding in agreement.

“You may leave now.”

Simultaneously, Natasha was also dismissed.

She spat inwardly but maintained perfect decorum as she exited.

It was only after the door closed and the head maid rushed in that Natasha could return to her duties.

The garden was as beautifully tended as ever, showcasing the gardener’s meticulous efforts.

Claude, having frequented the garden often, knew it well.

“These flowers bloom in full around this time each year. I don’t know their name yet.”

“The color is beautiful.”

Claude gently plucked one of the flowers and tucked it behind Estelle’s ear.

“It suits you.”

Then he smiled softly.

“Oh…”

Estelle was momentarily entranced.

Seeing his bright smile up close, after only ever seeing his stern face, was almost too much for her heart.

But it was fleeting. Claude quickly returned to his usual stoic expression.

“Just once…!”

“?”

“Please smile again, just once more!”

It was an impulsive request, born out of sheer instinct.

Claude obliged with a slight smile, but unlike before, it was a forced one.

It even felt a bit chilly.

“Not like that! Like this, a real smile!”

Without realizing it, Estelle urgently lifted the corners of her mouth with her hands, making a commotion.

Seeing this, Claude’s smile naturally returned.

“Yes! That’s it!”

“Really… you always surprise me,” he said, chuckling softly.

“Ahem, ahem. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking… But why didn’t you smile like that sooner? It looks much better on you.”

“Better?”

“Yes. Doesn’t a genuine smile make a person shine more?”

Estelle smiled brightly.

It was an innocent, uncalculated smile.

“…Is that so.”

“Yes. At least for me, it does. My maid, Kate, too. At first, she had no expression, and it was a bit scary, but now she smiles often, and she seems so much warmer.”

Claude half-listened to her chatter, his gaze fixed on Estelle.

Or more precisely, on her radiant smile.

“Estelle.”

Estelle wondered if her name had always sounded so sweet.

Claude’s face was overly sweet as he called her.

Suddenly, Estelle’s face flushed with heat. A bright red blush quickly spread over her.

“Estelle?”

“Le-let’s move on! Wow! What’s the name of this flower?!”

Claude could only play along as she awkwardly led the way.

“I don’t know either. I could summon the gardener if you like.”

“No! I’ll just appreciate them as they are. Even if I don’t know their names, they’ll always be blooming here when I visit, right?”

“…Yes.”

He murmured softly.

“Always…”

Estelle didn’t catch his quiet words.

After changing into her nightwear, Estelle lay her weary body on the bed.

“Hah…”

Maybe it was because of what Natasha had said. She couldn’t stop thinking about every little thing Claude did.

‘That he loves me…’

At first, it seemed impossible. But after their walk in the garden, she wasn’t so sure anymore.

‘Could it be my imagination? His gaze seemed… different somehow.’

It wasn’t the way one would look at a wife in a mere contractual marriage.

Even someone as insensitive as her could sense that.

‘It’s impossible. Claude has a heroine. Lydia…’

Thinking of that made her feel a bit gloomy. She reassured herself that everything would change once the heroine appeared, that it was only because she hadn’t shown up yet.

But even then, it made her heart ache.

“I have a great idea.”

“Kyaaa! Mmff!”

“Are you incapable of learning?”

Estelle let out a startled scream as Natasha suddenly appeared.

“Are you alright?”

Bang!

The guard knight burst through the door and entered the room again.

“I’m fine! It’s nothing!”

Estelle hastily reassured him.

“I just suddenly thought of something scary, that’s all!”

“Pardon?”

Gideon, Estelle’s guard knight, looked at her suspiciously.

“Are you sure?”

“Y-Yes. Really!”

But Gideon knew that this reckless young lady was a troublemaker on a different level than the typical noble ladies.

“It was the same last time… Are you perhaps having nightmares?”

“It’s not that! More importantly, I’d like you to leave. I’m really tired and want to sleep!”

Listening to her clumsy acting, Natasha clicked her tongue inwardly.

‘As if he’d believe that.’

Whoosh.

A cold wind swept over her. Although it was early spring, the wind was still chilly.

‘Phew…’

If she wasn’t careful, she could fall straight down.

Natasha was barely leaning against the window sill. If her hands or feet slipped, she might plunge to the ground.

‘I swear, life…!’

Anyone who saw her could easily mistake her for an assassin and attack her.

Her palms were sweating, and she desperately wished Gideon would leave, but he didn’t seem inclined to go.

“…Alright. Then let me just close the window for you.”

“?!”

“It’s still too cold to sleep with the window open. If the room gets too warm, I can bring you a cold towel soaked in water…”

Gideon approached the window, but then paused.

He had vaguely seen the outline of a person behind the curtain.

“…Just let me know. Or I can order some ice to be brought up. So…”

Step, step.

Pretending not to notice, he moved closer to the window.

His muscles tightened and tensed, ready to spring into action.

He placed one hand on the window and with the other, he gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist.

At that moment, Estelle shouted.

“Nooo!”

Shing!

But the sword was already drawn!

Clang!

“Hah…!”

When Estelle opened her tightly shut eyes, she was met with an unexpected sight.

Natasha had drawn a dagger from under her maid’s uniform and blocked the sword.

Whoosh!

Swoosh!

Gideon deflected the dagger and aimed for Natasha’s neck. She quickly dodged and threw herself into the room.

Slash!

Gideon, anticipating her movements, slightly nicked her thigh with his sword.

“Ugh!”

When Natasha swallowed her pain and lifted her head, the sword was already pointed at her neck.

“Who sent you?”

“Gideon!”

The sharp blade shimmered dangerously close to her neck. Before Natasha could respond, Estelle intervened.

“Put away your sword. She’s my guest.”

“If you consider a nighttime visitor a guest, then yes, she’s a guest.”

“I’m not playing word games!”

“Neither am I. This woman clearly trespassed into the Duke’s residence and attempted to harm the Duchess. I could behead her on the spot, but I’m sparing her to find out who sent her.”

Gideon made a compelling argument. It was a situation that could easily be misunderstood by anyone, so Estelle finally confessed the truth.

“Hah… Actually… Natasha is my hired attorney.”

Gideon looked at Natasha for a moment. Her skills were lacking to be an assassin, but an attorney?

“That’s absurd. What kind of attorney clings to window sills and blocks swords? It’s not something easily done even once. If you’re trying to deceive me with lies because you’re afraid of bloodshed…”

“It’s true! Remember when we went to the shopping district, and I told you to keep my visit a secret? That time I actually visited a law office on the second floor.”

Natasha realized that the knight she had seen then was Gideon. The one in uniform visible through the window.

“But… why would an attorney… sneak into the Duchess’s room dressed as a maid with a dagger?”

“That… Why did you do that, Natasha?”

Estelle was also somewhat disturbed when Natasha pulled out the dagger. The possession of weapons by servants was strictly prohibited.

Natasha gently pushed away the blade with one hand.

“Let’s talk, shall we?”

Natasha didn’t seem at all bothered by the slight blood pooling at her fingertip. Gideon frowned and withdrew his sword slightly.

“One false move and you’ll lose your head.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Natasha rubbed her neck lightly and continued.

“The dagger is just a self-defense weapon. I’ve made many enemies, so I sometimes have uninvited guests at night.”

Normally, Ivan would have protected her, but unfortunately, she couldn’t bring him to the Duke’s residence.

It would have drawn too much attention if a maid and a servant transferred to the same place at the same time.

“And I don’t always have a bodyguard, so basic self-defense skills are essential for an attorney.”

With a bright smile, Estelle was almost convinced. Almost.

But Gideon’s face darkened immediately.

“There’s nothing more to say. My Lady, this woman is definitely an assassin pretending to be an attorney.”

His suspicion persisted even after Natasha showed him a lawyer’s license stamped with the imperial seal.