Leave the Divorce to a Professional Lawyer

“First, when Madam was Lady Blanche, I wrote a couple of those many complaints that were sent. So, I should at least know the face of the accused.”

Natasha set aside her teacup and continued.

“Secondly, the fabric of that garment is too fine for a mere servant. But since it’s not adorned with flashy patterns, it’s just right for a noble on a covert mission.”

At those words, the lady flinched and clutched at her clothes.

“Lastly, the crest of the Duke of Richard’s family is engraved on the uniform of the knight standing outside the window.”

“…I thought I was visiting a lawyer, but it seems I mistook it for a detective’s office.”

“It’s basic knowledge for a lawyer.”

Natasha shrugged nonchalantly.

“Please, have a seat, Duchess.”

“But I have nothing more to say…”

“A lawyer knows how to use any means necessary.”

Natasha smiled brightly.

The lady let out a helpless chuckle at those words.

“Earlier, you called it a prejudice!”

“It’s a prejudice to think all lawyers are like that. But I happen to be one who will use any means necessary.”

Speechless, the lady unconsciously sat back down at Ivan’s suggestion.

“Shall we reintroduce ourselves? I’m Natasha, a divorce lawyer.”

She offered a picture-perfect smile.

“…Estelle Richard. Please, just call me Estelle.”

Even after the formal introduction, Estelle continued to use formal language.

Of course, it’s never good for the client and the lawyer to be on bad terms, so most clients respected their lawyers.

Some used formal language as a sign of respect.

But that was usually the case when the lawyer was also from a noble background. Few people used formal language with Natasha, who was from a common background.

Especially someone as noble as a duchess.

‘She must have realized I was a commoner when we just introduced ourselves.’

And yet, Estelle’s demeanor hadn’t changed in the slightest, which was quite surprising.

“Hah. My visit here must remain a secret.”

Estelle urged as she pushed her robe back.

Her flowing pink hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Her green eyes began to sparkle as if they had found their true match.

Just looking at her eyes alone, one wouldn’t notice, but the color combination was dazzling beyond words.

Even without a single sparkling ornament, anyone would be able to tell she was a noble just by looking at her face.

‘…Estelle Blanche.’

Even when she was Lady Blanche, her beauty hadn’t faded.

Rumor had it that her looks were the only reason she managed to maintain her engagement despite all the mischief she caused.

‘I thought Duke Richard had married her for the diamond mines of the Blanche family, as he wouldn’t have been swayed by her beauty.’

But now, Natasha had a fleeting thought that it might actually be true.

“So, do you have some other method in mind?”

Estelle’s prompting brought Natasha back to reality.

With an appearance straight out of a fairy tale, she was here to push for a divorce. How bleak.

“Of course.”

“How?”

“Even a small flaw can be blown up to be a valid reason for divorce.”

Natasha kindly added, “Truth can change depending on the context.”

“It’s likely that it was the Duke of Richard who hid the prenuptial agreement.”

“…Could that be true? I might have just been careless and lost it…”

“In the Duke’s mansion?”

At those words, Estelle pressed her lips together.

“You don’t seem to have much resentment toward the Duke of Richard. What’s the reason you want a divorce? There must have been a reason for drafting such a contract.”

“Well…”

Estelle couldn’t hide the uncertainty in her eyes at Natasha’s words.

“What is it?”

“It’s… a bit hard to say…”

“Duchess.”

“Please, call me Estelle.”

“…Mrs Estelle, a lawyer is always on their client’s side.”

Her expression was dispassionate, but her words were surprisingly emotional.

When Estelle looked as if she couldn’t quite believe it, Natasha continued.

“To be precise, I’m on the side of the person who pays me.”

“That’s better.”

“Honesty is also a basic quality of a lawyer.”

Natasha winked, and Estelle let out a light laugh.

“A lawyer keeps their client’s secrets. So from now on, you must tell me everything honestly. If you get too concerned with appearances or honor, it could lead to a big disaster in court. I will also fully trust what you tell me.”

Estelle nodded as if she understood.

Yes, having come this far, she had to say something.

“This… might sound strange…”

“It’s alright.”

Natasha was a seasoned lawyer who had seen it all.

She was confident that she wouldn’t be surprised, no matter what was said. Whether Duke Richard was secretly very perverse or a vile scoundrel, she could handle it…

“If I continue this marriage, I… will soon die.”

“Sorry, but this is not quite alright.”

Natasha was still smiling. For a moment, Estelle thought she had misheard.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s troublesome to get involved in cases of noble assassination. And I don’t have the power to protect you from the Duke of Richard.”

“But…!”

“In such cases, it’s typical for everyone involved to be held accountable, including me, who met with you recently. Noble assassination carries a minimum of 10 years in prison and a fine of over 5,000 gold. And as a duchess, you’d likely face at least 50 years.”

“Wait a moment!”

“I can at least notarize your will.”

Estelle felt slightly dizzy from the rapid shift in tone.

It was like dealing with Mudir, the mythical creature known for changing its form.

“It’s not my husband who’s trying to kill me!”

“Which brave noble would dare to attempt to assassinate the Duchess of Richard? No, don’t answer. I don’t want to know.”

“It’s not another noble family. This is, well, because of some circumstances in the original story… no, for some reason, I might die soon. So, I really have to get a divorce…!”

Estelle pleaded desperately with Natasha.

But it was truly an undesirable case.

Getting involved in something so suspicious… It was madness unless one had a death wish.

“I’m sorry, but it would be better for you to find another law firm. I’ll refund the consultation fee, so take care~.”

With a kind smile, she pointed to the door.

Faced with such firm rejection, Estelle exhaled a deep breath.

“Double!”

Natasha hesitated.

“How much was the attorney’s fee for your last case?”

“…5,000 gold.”

“I’ll give you twice that. No, four times.”

The prosperous East.

Even among the famous fields and vast granaries of the East, the Blanche family was one of the wealthiest.

This was due to the various gold mines, diamond mines, and ruby mines that dotted the territory.

Estelle, the only daughter of the Blanche family, was truly born with a “diamond spoon.”

A family that even the great Duke Richard would envy.

Gulp.

Natasha involuntarily swallowed her dry throat.

When she met Ivan’s eyes, he, too, was wearing an unusually troubled expression.

For a moment, a sense of pride she didn’t know she had as a lawyer reared its head within Natasha.

‘Are you trying to buy me with money? Are you trying to insult me?’

It was too much money to say those words.

“Shall we hear more details, dear client?”

Natasha once again flashed her business smile.

Silently, Ivan collected the now cold teacup.

“Hmm… So, Miss Estelle narrowly avoided death and had a dream in which she saw herself being brutally murdered?”

“Yes, very cruelly!”

She nods emphatically as if that part is crucial.

“And it felt so vivid, like it wasn’t a dream but real?”

“Exactly! It didn’t feel like just a dream.”

“So, before that dream becomes a reality, you plan to divorce and flee abroad… You even signed a prenuptial agreement and got married with a three-year term to buy time to prepare the funds?”

“Precisely!”

Estelle looked at her with eyes filled with emotion.

“You’re taking my story so seriously. I’ve never told anyone because I was afraid they’d think I was strange…”

At that moment, Natasha suddenly asked Ivan, who was next to her.

“What do you think? Could we claim mental and emotional instability?”

“It seems a bit lacking.”

“Right? Estelle, could you perhaps speak a little more passionately in court? Like you’re really absorbed in it. Or, it might help to see a doctor or priest first.”

Natasha acted as if she would drag Estelle to a priest right away to get a diagnosis of mental instability.

“I’m not crazy!”

“Of course not. Naturally. You do exhibit some of the objective indicators needed to judge someone’s mental state as abnormal, but without a medical certificate, you’re ‘not’ crazy… yet.”

“…5,000 gold more.”

“You must have been so distressed. To have such a horrible prophetic dream.”

Estelle sighed deeply at Natasha’s sudden change in demeanor.

She thought she was beginning to understand how to deal with Natasha.

“Anyway, now that all the preparations to move abroad are complete, all that’s left is to divorce before it’s too late. But… suddenly, the contract disappeared.”

“Where did you store it?”

“…In my personal safe.”

“It must have been stolen.”

Estelle mumbled, “I thought so, too.”

“Even if the contract is missing, it doesn’t mean all hope is lost.”

“Really?”

“As long as we can indirectly prove the existence of that contract. I’m not sure if Duke Richard will fall for such a simple trick… but we have to try.”

Duke Richard was a maverick of the East.

The people of the East were famous for their unique relaxed atmosphere and shamelessness, but the Duke of Richard, the ruler of the East, had a completely opposite temperament.

As the heir to the long-established knightly family, the Richard Dukedom, he was renowned as a genius from a young age.

Perhaps because of that, he had a slightly arrogant demeanor. The kind of nobleman who genuinely believed that no one could refuse him.

And Natasha personally hated such nobles. Because they reminded her of someone.

“You don’t happen to have a personal recording device, do you?”