Grand Duke Richard held the contract in one hand, glaring at me with a skeptical expression before delivering a scathing remark.
“So, once I'm acquitted and my confiscated assets are returned, you expect me to hand over half my fortune?”
“Yes. Although, to be precise, it won't be a gift. It'll be a division of marital property following our divorce. Gifts are subject to taxation, but property settlements aren't.”
“Hah. Unbelievable.”
I shrugged.
What? Never met a lawyer who knows how to minimize taxes?
“As a rule, I don't take cases without an upfront retainer. But since it's you, Your Grace, I'm making a very special exception. No retainer. Just a success fee.”
“Do you have any idea how much half my fortune is worth?”
Of course I did.
I'd read all about how he'd amassed an enormous fortune in the novel by constantly interfering with the male lead's business ventures and snatching up promising investments right under his nose.
“Of course. And without my help, every last coin of that fortune is going to be confiscated.”
Surely getting half of it back is better than losing everything, wouldn't you agree?
I gave him a meaningful look.
He took a moment to steady his breathing before fixing me with a sharp stare.
“How exactly do you intend to prove my innocence?”
“Oh, come now. I can't reveal that just yet. It's a trade secret.”
So you can steal my strategy and defend yourself without me? Nice try, you conniving bastard!
Did he seriously think I'd fall for such an obvious trick?
I shook my head firmly.
The grand duke clicked his tongue, clearly displeased by my refusal to give him a straight answer.
I merely smiled.
“Now then, all you have to do, dear client—I mean, Your Grace—is sign this contract.”
“Wait. I'd like to add another condition.”
I'd been a little worried he might try to negotiate down my fee, but instead, he made the rather trivial request that neither of us develop any personal feelings for the other.
If anything, that worked in my favor.
Clients who lost their cases had a nasty habit of developing grudges against their lawyers.
There was a reason I'd always been careful walking home at night in my previous life.
“Ah… Sure. Whatever you say.”
Unlike my halfhearted response, the grand duke watched intently as his condition was added to the contract.
Frankly, the clause seemed more pointless than useful, but he looked more solemn about it than anything else we'd discussed.
Determined to maintain my impeccable customer service until the very end, I put on my most trustworthy smile and produced another document.
“Now, please sign this one too.”
“You've already prepared the marriage registration…?”
His eyes widened slightly in surprise.
I shrugged.
“I like to come prepared.”
While he filled out the marriage registration, I gazed fondly at the contract that was going to make me fabulously wealthy.
“Elena Christie.”
“Yes?”
I answered instinctively, then glanced up at him.
“I thought I should at least know the name of the woman I'm about to marry, even if this is only a marriage of convenience.”
“Oh…”
Apparently, he'd been reading the personal information on the registration form.
Come to think of it, I'd proposed marriage without ever bothering to introduce myself.
I scratched my cheek awkwardly.
At some point, the grand duke seemed to have lost the will to question the absurdity of the situation. His expression had settled into one of utter resignation.
“Very well, Elena Christie. What happens next?”
Having finally signed everything, he looked almost relieved.
Perhaps he'd simply decided that, since he'd already come this far, he might as well see where this madness led.
“Well, Your Grace, the next step is…”
With a triumphant smile, I slowly drew another sheet of paper from inside my clothes.
There was one final document for him to sign.
******
With every document signed and properly prepared, I left the prison in high spirits and headed straight toward the protesters led by Lieutenant Victor Genoa.
The men were gathered in a restless cluster, muttering among themselves as though something had gone wrong.
The youngest-looking soldier spotted me first and thrust out a finger.
“Lieutenant! Isn't that her? That woman over there!”
Every head turned in my direction.
Victor Genoa immediately marched toward me, his face dark with anger.
“See here, miss! Don't tell me you're the one who stole my identification badge earlier!”
“You mean this?”
I innocently held out his badge.
Victor exploded.
“Hah! You shameless little thief! Men, seize this woman and report her to the police—”
“Hold it!”
I threw out an arm to stop the young soldiers advancing on me with angry growls.
Then I beamed at them.
“As it happens, I was just looking for you gentlemen. How kind of you to come over first!”
“…?”
They stared at me as though I'd lost my mind.
But who did they think they were dealing with?
I continued without the slightest hesitation.
“From this moment forward, all of you are under my command.”
“W-what?”
“Has this woman gone mad?”
Angry mutters broke out among the soldiers.
Victor stepped closer, his voice turning threatening.
“Miss, you'd better think very carefully before you say anything else.”
“If you don't believe me, perhaps you'd like to examine these documents.”
I pulled two sheets of paper from inside my clothes, unfolded them, and held one in each hand directly beneath Victor's nose.
He frowned as he began reading.
Then the color slowly drained from his face.
One document was a marriage registration.
The other was the very last document Grand Duke Benedict Richard had signed.
An authorization bearing his own handwritten declaration.
I, Grand Duke Benedict Richard, hereby delegate all my authority to my wife, Grand Duchess Elena Richard. I command all those who owe allegiance to the House of Richard to accord the Grand Duchess the same obedience and respect they would show me.
Victor blinked, utterly dumbfounded.
The other soldiers stood frozen, equally speechless.
“Th-this… What on earth…?”
“Well, gentlemen? I believe that means you'll be faithfully carrying out your grand duchess's orders from now on.”
Armed with the most versatile document any legal representative could hope for—a handwritten power of attorney from my client—I promptly set about putting matters in order.
My first order of business was dispersing the protesters, who looked for all the world like an army of sinister henchmen straight out of a villain's lair.
“Protests like this will only hurt his chances at trial. Starting tomorrow, you'll do exactly as I instruct.”
The soldiers looked thoroughly dissatisfied.
Several opened their mouths to object, but after another glance at the authorization, they exercised remarkable restraint and bowed respectfully.
After all, everything they'd done so far had accomplished precisely nothing for the trial or public opinion.
“We shall obey, Y-Your Highness.”
After issuing the grand duke's men a few more instructions, I headed home.
Predictably, my father was drunk again.
And just as predictably, he started bellowing the moment I walked through the door.
“Elena! Elena, you damned girl! How dare you skip work today!”
A mocking voice chimed in from the side.
“Heh. I told you there was no point keeping a useless freeloader like her around.”
This time, Elena's older brother, Kane, was home too.
Judging by the fact that he'd returned after several days away, he'd probably run out of money to gamble with.
A nasty smirk twisted his lips.
“I put you up as collateral for a bet.”
“Y-you did what?”
“The amount I wagered is more than you could earn in fifty years. So you'd better keep your mouth shut and come along quietly.”
Kane snickered as he seized my wrist in a brutal grip.
Elena's arms were already painfully thin, and an ugly purple bruise immediately began forming around her delicate wrist.
I shouted and violently wrenched my arm free.
“Why the hell should I earn money for either of you?”
“What? Have you lost your mind?”
Both men looked genuinely shocked.
Apparently, Elena had always obeyed them without complaint.
They clearly hadn't expected her to fight back.
Her father jabbed an accusing finger at me, his face flushed with anger.
“We raised you! The least you can do is repay us for everything we've done!”
“Raised me? Don't make me laugh! The very thought of being tied to people like you by something as disgusting as family makes my skin crawl!”
I'd initially started talking back simply to provoke them.
But as I spoke, memories of my previous life began overlapping with Elena's circumstances.
A sudden surge of hot, bitter resentment rose in my chest.
“Two perfectly healthy grown men, and all you can do is leech off a helpless young woman!”
These were the words I'd never had the chance to say in my previous life.
Back then, I'd been too desperate to escape to confront my family properly.
Now, facing these two men with their faces twisted by greed and malice, I finally let everything out.
“I wish parasites like you would get out of my life and stay out forever!”
“You little bitch!”
Thud!
A burst of light exploded across my vision.
Kane had punched me in the face.
“Ugh…”
Smack!
Before I could recover, the man who called himself my father grabbed a fistful of my hair and slapped me hard across the cheek.
“You stupid girl! Just because you've got a mouth doesn't mean you can say whatever you please! I'll beat some sense into you right now!”
He snatched up the broken handle of a shovel.
I gingerly touched my rapidly swelling cheek, then twisted one corner of my mouth into a crooked smile.
“You're the ones who need some sense knocked into you.”
At that very moment—
Bang!
The battered wooden door flew open with such force that it nearly splintered.
Several uniformed men stormed into the house.
Did you really think I'd come home without a plan?
I'd arranged for the officers to be there before I returned.
One look at the scene was all they needed.
They immediately rushed toward the two men.
“Don't move! Greg Christie! Kane Christie! You're both under arrest for assaulting a member of the nobility!”
I stretched my split lips into a wide grin.
People always said the first person to strike had the advantage.
They were wrong.
In a real fight, throwing the first punch was the fastest way to lose.
After all, whoever struck first was the one who got sued.
And nothing taught a lesson quite like a lawsuit that hit where it hurt most.
The wallet.