C21
Terence is extremely alert and cautious. A life full of assassination threats made him that way.
Also, being close to me as Tay and being close to Terence Friheiden are completely different cases.
Unlike what happened when he overthrew the City Hall through the emperor, he now must actively cooperate with me.
"Yes, find out everything you want about me and then judge."
I will show him how seriously I take the divorce and how petty I am with no other goal than the divorce!
Terence probably distrusts if I have any other political purpose for now, but he will soon realize my true nature.
"Please respond slowly and carefully."
I turned in the opposite direction from where he was going.
"From now on, I plan to stay at a hotel called Crystal Branch, which is a bit far from here. Feel free to contact the hotel's reception anytime..."
"I really don't know what you mean."
"Yes? But you have to give me an answer, whether positive or negative..."
"No, that's not what I meant."
Terence approached.
"Where are you going alone, leaving your escort here?"
Eh?
Is he going to continue acting as an escort even though his identity has been revealed...?
"How dare I have the Marquess as an escort?"
The man's eyebrows raised when I asked a reasonable question.
"It's sad. Was our relationship really just this?"
Am I wrong?
"But doesn't the Marquess need time to think alone...?"
"I can think whatever I want while protecting you."
And.
"An offer is an offer, an escort is an escort. They are two separate things."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes."
"...Well."
Terence, this guy. He's much more difficult to understand than I expected.
"I don't know what you're thinking."
As much as he was pursued for being an illegitimate child, would he want to continue having me as his employer when he had lived his whole life being attended to by others?
If it had been another man, I would have doubted that he had any rational interest in me. However, the opponent was Terence Friheiden.
In the novel, it was a dark secret that didn't fall into Liena's hands until the end, who made prisoners of almost everyone, regardless of age or gender.
The book clearly states that Terence's purpose in approaching Liena was for a headache.
The blessing of the goddess, which attracts the affection of others, didn't work for him at all. Consistently before and after the "darkening."
He was described as someone who felt no affection for others.
"Mmm. Just thinking about this..."
There is no way a man like him would be attracted to a married woman whose appearance is dull except for the color of her hair.
So there is only one answer left. The intention is to find out what kind of person I am.
To be honest, I thought that he would first order an intelligence guild or something to investigate my background. In the novel, he used to thoroughly discover other people's personal information through a secret information guild and then devise cunning plans.
Since the novel mainly focuses on Terence after his "darkening," there will be a significant difference with him now.
"Well, it's a good thing for me."
It may be different from what I know, but it would be easier to deal with a person of common sense rather than a dark villain.
"What will be our next destination?"
He asked, looking to see if any carriages were passing by.
"Calle Williams, Marquess. I'm thinking of going to see a lawyer. Fortunately, there is some time left before the business hours end."
But he shook his head.
What? Can't I see a lawyer?
"Tay."
"...?"
"You should call me Tay."
It seemed like the Marquess enjoyed his role more than I expected.
-------------------------
Back alley of Calle Williams. On the 3rd floor of a rundown building.
"Here, you can help yourself."
"Oh, thank you."
Without hesitation, I tried the snacks personally served by the lawyer Sharon.
The taste of the tea made from inexpensive black tea leaves was mediocre, but the cheese bun that accompanied it was very tasty.
"This bun is delicious."
"It was brought as a gift by a client I represented before. It looks rough, but it's quite edible."
Her face reflected both relief and pride in the fact that I, a noble, had praised the snacks she provided.
"What about your escort?"
"Yes, thank you."
Terence, sitting next to me, also took the bun at Sharon's insistence.
"Eats much better than I expected."
I heard that you also have experience sleeping outdoors, so I guess this is easy.
Indeed, Terence frowned when he saw the exterior of the building before entering the room.
Are you really willing to entrust your defense to a place like this?
Sharon's office is located on a corner of Calle Williams, where many law offices are situated.
However, I politely declined her offer to introduce me to a better place and entered Sharon's office.
Divorce attorney Sharon Matings.
Unlike her somewhat exaggeratedly crumbling office, her skills were genuine.
This is a fact that Liena certifies in the novel.
Liena visits Sharon to save a woman suffering from abuse by her husband because she knew from her memories before returning that Sharon would succeed in the future.
Thanks to Liena's help and Sharon's efforts, the woman was able to safely divorce, and shortly after, a surprising fact was revealed.
She was the long-lost daughter of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Leok!
The ambassador expresses deep gratitude to Liena, the benefactor of his daughter, and since then becomes a strong ally of Cassius.
Of course, everything went according to Liena's plan.
In Liena's first life, when the ambassador found his daughter, she had already died at the hands of her husband. Liena remembered it clearly because it was an incident that had quite a social impact.
"Anyway, Sharon's skills are remarkable."
Just in case, after running out of the Duke Cassius's house, I investigated her on my own, but I only got confirmation of what I already knew.
The reason why Sharon isn't very wealthy despite her extraordinary skills...
I said, setting the tea cup on the table.
"Sharon, I want to hire you as my lawyer."
Sharon understood it immediately because she had already received advice from her.
"Have you decided to divorce?"
"Yes. My will is firm."
"As I said before, it won't be an easy fight."
"It doesn't matter. I will definitely end up divorcing."
Sharon did not readily open her mouth.
"Are you afraid of taking my case and losing?"
A small sigh.
"Honestly, yes. You can call me a coward."
Sharon shook her head and tried to get up.
"I'm sorry, but I have a prior commitment, so I'll apologize. Enjoy some snacks at your leisure. If you need more, the servant over there..."
"No, I just decided. I leave it in your hands."
She stopped, hesitant.
"There are many lawyers who are more skilled than me."
"That might be true. But you are the only divorce attorney in the Empire."
In the first place, there aren't many divorce cases in a year.
Right now, even Sharon specializes in divorce, she makes more money with other matters.
Everyone chooses to separate, but it is very rare for them to go to court.
Mainly because commoners cannot afford it, and nobles have issues related to honor and the division of property.
"And you are someone who won't be swayed by Cassius's temptation."
"...You're overestimating me."
"I saw you for who you are. You have never mentioned money to me."
I glanced at the office, which was by no means tidy.
Items scattered haphazardly. The only person helping Sharon with her work is a servant.
In addition, the pile of letters that the young and inexperienced servant left on the desk, which he couldn't hide, were reminders and notices. Terence, who has good eyesight, informed me as soon as he entered.
"I'm sorry if I'm touching a sensitive area, but honestly, things in the office don't look very good."
"It's fine. Anyone with eyes could see it."
"If I were you, I would have accepted my request without hesitation. Shouldn't we put out the fire immediately?"
"When I first visited here, even now, you showed no interest in my money. Although I said the amount of money I receive from my husband every month is considerable."
Of course, most of it was left behind in Cassius Mansion.
"Would you like to say that I have integrity?"
"Yes. Duke Cassius will definitely try to bribe lawyers and judges with money. That's why I need someone who can't be swayed by money."
"You sought the wrong person. It's not that I'm not greedy for money; it's just that I'm afraid of being too big."
Sharon briskly brushed her bangs.
"Ethel Wallace's lawsuit will be the biggest divorce lawsuit in recent times, or even since the country's foundation. It will touch the wealth of the most powerful family of the time."
Her shoulders slumped.
"I'm scared. I don't want to be cruelly defeated in a situation like that. Feel free to despise me. Because this is all I can do as a human being."
I put my hand on her shoulder and gently stroked it.
"I don't despise you."
Their gazes met.
"Are you worried that my failed divorce will lead to a decrease in all divorce cases?"
"....!"
What she feared was not a blemish on her career or Cassius.
It is said that divorce cases succeed in one out of ten cases.
The money and time invested in litigation and the outdated notion that divorce is impious. The risk an individual must bear is too great.
But how much courage must those who challenge it gather?
My failure is not just my failure.
As a hot topic, it will likely directly or indirectly affect many people.
In addition to linking subsequent divorce lawsuits with precedents, there are probably quite a few people who are burying the will they managed to get out, saying, "Well, that's right."