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.