C64
Samuel shrugged, shaking off the guards' touch vigorously.
"It seems you've forgotten that Ambassador Leok is a benefactor and all that, but not even a great person can carelessly interfere in family matters."
"Yes, that's right!"
The Count Wallace retorted.
"Legally, you have an obligation. You have to support us!"
"Even if my sister escapes abroad, we'll follow her to the end. Just know that even if my sister dies, you can't violate the Celestial Law."
"They literally seem like leeches."
I let out a weak voice.
"To the end, you don't have to worry about sucking other people's blood."
"Do you understand now? You have to pay for being born and raised, right?"
"Yes, that's how a son should behave."
Count Wallace and Samuel smiled victoriously.
"... ."
The countess observed the situation calmly.
"Is that all you want to say?"
Samuel revealed his true colors, perhaps gaining confidence from my calm behavior.
"Firstly, I have some debts from the unfortunate loss last time, don't I? Please pay this."
"Pay your gambling debt?"
"They're terrible people who ignore the law and everything else. If they decide I'm bankrupt, they'll look for my sister. It's better for my sister's reputation to return the money."
A whistle escaped my mouth. Samuel wrinkled his nose.
"Why are you laughing? Is this funny?"
"Yes. If they're such terrible people, they'll have to squeeze you for money."
I pointed my index finger at Samuel.
"Hey, pay back the money you borrowed. Even if you have to rot on a shrimp boat for the rest of your life."
"...Oh, it seems like my sister only trusts Leok and acts like this. Do you think they'll be able to protect my sister forever?"
Samuel's face distorted.
"Furthermore, if I can't repay it, the obligation to repay will pass to my parents, and if my parents can't repay it, my older sister will eventually have to pay it legally."
It seemed like he had done some research on his own.
"When my sister got married, she already received our father's property as a wedding gift and dowry, so she can't say anything now. Are you willing to accept only the property and no debt? How can it be this easy?"
In legal terms, Samuel's logic was correct. Moreover, as the property I received at that time was the abandoned mine in Andala, I had no intention of giving it up. So, I prepared a different card.
"Isn't that so? Actually, it can be very easy."
"What?"
"Because I am no longer your daughter or a member of the Wallace family."
"Ha-ha, are you stupid? If you leave Cassius, you go back to being Wallace, what nonsense..."
"Just as you said, I was expelled from the Cassius family. But that doesn't mean I'll return to Wallace, so what should I do?"
"Don't act like a fool. I investigated everything with a lawyer."
"Did that lawyer say that? Legally, if a woman divorces, does she automatically return to her original family?"
"......!"
Samuel's complexion changed completely.
It seemed like he finally realized what I was trying to say.
"It's strange. There aren't that many divorces, so how can the law be so good?"
According to imperial law, the moment a woman marries, she becomes a member of her husband's family. You become a person who no longer has much connection with your parents.
"It's quite sexist. Even family property cannot be inherited except in extremely exceptional cases where there is no other heir but oneself."
But what if the woman gets a divorce? Only when she applies to return to her parents' house, and the family accepts her, can her family rights be restored.
Fortunately, Liena, who later became the empress, changed the law, and these evils disappeared. I'm not sure exactly how it was resolved because it's not described in detail in the novel.
Of course, I didn't ask for anything. In other words, I was currently caught in the middle of the situation. This was a blind spot that arose because the law is created by people.
"Any lawyer would know. Since divorce itself is a taboo in society, the parties remain silent. Or maybe you gave him very little money and he gave you a rough idea."
Did he adequately pay the lawyer's consultation fees when he didn't have money to pay his debt?
"That's a lie! Do you think I'll fall for that lie?"
"If you want to believe that, so be it."
"Even if it's true, if the family lineage isn't restored, my sister won't be noble anymore, right? Are you okay? Why are you so calm?"
"Don't you know? Changes in the status of nobles are handled by the Noble House, and according to the rules there, unless it's a serious crime at the level of treason, noble status isn't revoked."
Originally, the more people who had it, the less they tried to take what they had in their hands. Would an aristocrat have established a rule for their status, which is the minimum protective device, to be easily deprived when they don't know what will happen depending on the political situation?
"I'll find out for myself!"
Samuel, who was trembling, shouted and tried to leave the room.
"Please, let him go."
When I winked, the guards blocking the door obediently stepped aside. Anyway, Samuel was going to come back once the outside world confirmed that what I said was correct.
"Sa-Samuel!"
Count Wallace, who had been watching me, quickly followed his son. Now, the only guest left in the hall was the countess.
"If you keep talking about that, my opinion won't change, so sit down."
There was no response.
"If you don't like it, you can drink tea. I suppose I'll have to rest in my room until your husband and son return. Excuse me..."
"How can you do that? How can you talk about your father and brother as if they were strangers?"
Because they really are strangers.
"I'm sure when we met before, I said I would sever ties with Wallace."
"Please help your brother just this once. How much pain has that delicate child suffered during this time?"
"Stop. It's your fault that Samuel has become such a irresponsible adult."
"He's your brother!"
"That's all I have to say to you."
I carefully placed a delicate business card on the table. In the past, Sharon had received a lot of money and said she had made a new selection with funds provided by Terence.
"If you want a divorce, consult my friend, lawyer Sharon Matings."
"Di-Divorce..."
"Even after being treated like this, do you still want to follow the lead of those two people? From now on, as I don't have money, the countess will have to take care of everything."
It's impossible for those who have never had a drop of water in their hands to change overnight. The countess must have already expected this, so she kept her mouth shut and couldn't refute it.
"Fortunately, Sharon also offers free legal representation to those with little money."
"I won't have anything like a divorce! If only you had stayed with Cassius in the first place...!"
"Follow your heart. The decision is yours."
One's life is something that no one else can live.
"Then, I'll see you later."
"Ethel!"
I left the hall, ignoring the countess. The last thing I saw through the closing door was her rising hesitantly and looking at the business card on the table.
A few hours later, as I was reading, I returned to the hall when I heard that Samuel had come back. When I looked at the table, the business card was gone, and the countess was silently avoiding my gaze.
"He-Sister..."
Samuel, who constantly rubbed his hands, seemed clearly more anxious than before.
"I was a little naughty earlier, right? I'm sorry. Look what happened to me for a moment. Understand me. I went crazy because of the debt."
"The Count didn't come?"
"My father was so surprised that he collapsed in the lawyer's office."
His blood pressure must have increased a lot. The sight of Count Wallace shouting, "Why isn't my daughter Wallace?" was clearly visible even without looking at him.
"He's very old. He's been suffering here and there lately. Sister, if we end up on the street, my father will have real problems."
As the threat didn't work, Samuel tried to appease me by resorting to sympathy. But there was no way.
"Now you'll have to return the money you borrowed. Let's say you've had a good life experience. I don't think I have anything else to say, so I'm leaving."
"Wait! Uh, then..."
He desperately stopped me as I tried to get up. While I looked at him unable to keep his gaze in one place, I felt like I could hear the sound of his head spinning.
"Let's make a deal! I won't ask you to return the wedding gift or the dowry you received just because you got divorced. In return, you must settle our debt."
"Are you kidding? Once you give it, it's over. I probably don't have any legal obligation to return it."
"Don't be too narrow-minded between us. And the lawyer said it's not unlikely."
In short, he had the advantage, but there were also chances of victory on the other side.
"He's a servile bastard. How can he move just as I thought?"
As expected, Samuel changed his stance in an instant and surrendered to me. In other words, he didn't have the will or the free time to plunge into a difficult fight. The gambling debt was choking him.
"..."
For now, I tried to pretend I was concerned. Samuel took the bait and said it was true.
"I swear! You can even write a memorandum! Considering our past affection, just this once..."
"Where do I get the money? The amount is too large."
While waiting a little longer with those words, Samuel's face gradually turned earthy.
"Really not? Not even this amount?"
"You would know if you read the newspaper, right? I didn't receive any alimony."
"Why didn't you accept it like a fool? No, sorry for shouting... Don't go, sister."
He briskly brushed his bangs, cursed a couple of times, and made his final decision.
"So, since Cassius's debt is the family's, just pay my debt."
"Samuel!"
Countess Wallace looked surprised at her son.
"Don't talk nonsense! There are priorities!"
"..."
A servile and selfish guy. In the end, you only care about your own safety. Most of the debt they had with Cassius was money that the count or countess owed to Leandro. However, Samuel also enjoyed luxury with that money.