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Chapter – 05
The client is fine, but I would prefer never to see a man as disgusting as that again if possible. Especially someone who talks about maintaining a family through sacrifice like that.
“Should’ve thrown some salt at him or something.”
Just then, while I was grumbling, Kan approached me.
He slightly pushed up his small glasses and tilted his head slowly. Rather than his handsome face, I preferred this intellectual look of his—the sharp jawline and long hair tied low. Even his name, Kan, sounded refined. Looking at the kind Kan, I quickly relaxed my expression.
“Lady Raviel. Is something wrong?”
“Something did happen. Kan, did you see the man who just left?”
“The man wearing a hood?”
“Yes. Which noble house is he from?”
Kan shrugged his shoulders.
“I only saw the hood from where I was standing… I’m not sure. Why do you ask? Did he say something?”
“He said nothing but extremely unpleasant things.”
Thanks to Kan, who had become completely loyal to my side thanks to my daily expensive tea gifts, he looked serious.
“If Lady Raviel wishes, I can investigate his background.”
“No need. I just… have a feeling I’ll run into him again.”
But that man did not appear again until much later.
I began handling Iz’s divorce case in earnest. In truth, Iz’s divorce was not that difficult.
After meeting me at the temple, Baron Stork immediately placed people to monitor Iz and her husband, Daven Leiddick. Once Baron Stork confirmed that Daven Leiddick had been abusing Iz, he immediately visited a physician and verified multiple injuries caused by violence.
But humans are often incapable of reflection.
“I refuse the divorce!”
In court, Daven immediately began shouting.
“Why can’t I refuse it?”
“Arguments happen between married couples, and sometimes a bit of violence can occur. Is it really reasonable to divorce over that? At this rate, all couples would get divorced!”
Daven Leiddick, who hadn’t even hired a lawyer and instead mocked Iz for having a female divorce attorney, shouted loudly. I calmly set down the documents I had been reviewing.
“Arguments between spouses can happen. But who said violence is acceptable? Then, Daven Leiddick, are you saying it would be fine if Iz Leiddick hit you right here and now?”
“Men and women are different! Men are the heads of households who build and lead families. Such men and women who only do housework are as different as heaven and earth!”
At that, I let out a faint laugh.
“Daven Leiddick. Have you ever properly fulfilled the role of a head of household building a family? In fact, you quit your job right after marriage. Wasn’t that because you intended to leech off your wife’s family’s wealth?”
His face instantly turned pale.
“That’s slander! And what does that have to do with this case? You’re just twisting things with assumptions! Your Honor! Please stop this malicious behavior!”
I looked directly at the judge.
He had clearly been uncomfortable since I entered the courtroom, disliking the very presence of a female lawyer. As expected, the judge shook his head.
“Please refrain from making statements that portray assumptions as facts without clear evidence, attorney.”
“…Yes. Understood.”
Iz looked at me with worried eyes. But this level of resistance was expected.
“There is a legally defined minimum duty of marriage and family maintenance between spouses. Of course, simply not working cannot be considered a violation of that duty. However, if he deliberately quit his job—and more specifically, did so to extort money from his wife—that is a different matter. Moreover… according to his own words, isn’t a man supposed to take responsibility for building a household? Then he has, by his own admission, abandoned his duties as a husband.”
“Y-you’re acting like I did something terribly wrong, but that’s… that’s because of circumstances…”
Daven Leiddick now stammered, trying to act pitiful.
“What circumstances?”
“I… I was dismissed under orders from above. I just didn’t want to admit it because it was embarrassing.”
No matter the world, men facing divorce always seemed capable of shameless lies.
“You were fired?”
“That’s right! Do you really not understand simple words? Your Honor! This person is falsely accusing me to destroy my family!”
Pointing at me, he tried to provoke the court. I tapped the stack of documents with my finger.
“However, according to records, you voluntarily quit immediately after marriage.”
“W-who says that!”
Smiling slightly toward the judge who already disliked me, I lifted the document stack.
“We obtained records from the knight order where Daven Leiddick was employed. We also have witness testimony stating that after marrying Iz Stork, he bragged that he would now live in luxury thanks to her wealthy family, and even encouraged others to marry rich noblewomen.”
“That’s… that’s all a misunderstanding!”
Sometimes, truth can be cruel. That was the case for Iz as well. Divorce is not a walk into a flower garden. It is the process of realizing how the life you lived was actually a field of thorns, and cutting through your own body piece by piece in the process.
But even so, divorce means facing the truth for one’s own happiness. Iz had chosen divorce over staying in a marriage that hurt her. I held her hand tightly, raising my voice so she would not regret her decision.
Her slightly trembling hand soon steadied.
“In marriage, there is a legally recognized minimum duty for maintaining the household. Of course, simply not working is not enough to claim a breach of duty. But if he intentionally quit his job—and did so to extract money from his wife—that changes things. Especially since, by his own claim, a man has the duty to build a household.”
“That’s all speculation!”
At that moment, Iz finally spoke in a small, trembling voice.
“I heard it. I heard it every time. If I didn’t want to be beaten, I was told to go to my family and bring money. And that I was useless… that I was only pretending to be loved, not actually loved.”
Daven shook his head violently.
“This is defamation! You’re saying all this just to force me into divorce!”
The judge, who had remained expressionless throughout the trial, finally spoke as if going through procedure.
“So, the defendant husband wishes to maintain the marriage?”
“Yes. I love Iz.”
He did not even blink as he lied. I smiled faintly.
“Love, you say. Then let me ask you one thing, Daven Leiddick. If Baron Stork were to offer you a large sum of money right now in exchange for a quick divorce, would you refuse?”
“W-what…?”
“Answer. Is it love, or money?”
After a brief hesitation, he looked around, then seemed to decide something. A sly grin spread across his face as he fidgeted with his hands.
“How much are we talking?”
“So you’re saying you would only divorce if paid?”
“No… I wish for my wife’s happiness.”
“And that means you don’t need money?”
“If she wants a divorce, then refusing it would only make her unhappy. I will gladly divorce for her happiness.”
At that moment, I turned to the judge.
His true intention was obvious: he would divorce for money. From the beginning, it was never about love. The judge understood immediately.
“I have no further questions. Your Honor.”
“…I believe the conclusion is clear.”
“So the divorce will be granted?”
“Yes. Since both parties agree, the court officially recognizes the divorce between Daven Leiddick and Iz Leiddick.”
At that moment, a foolish grin spread across Daven’s face.
“Then my money….”
“Your Honor. As you have heard, Daven Leiddick has repeatedly committed violence against Iz Leiddick. Whatever the reason, domestic violence cannot be tolerated. We now submit the evidence and witnesses.”
I handed over the evidence collected by Iz and Baron Stork.
“W-what is this…?”
Daven looked shocked, and the judge looked even more shocked..
