A few weeks after Duchess Bovary sent a letter to her husband’s mistress, the Empire was abuzz with the news of the Bovary Ducal House’s divorce lawsuit.
[Exclusive] Duchess Bovary files for divorce.
Will there be a Clash Between House Zacharias and House Bovary?
Duke Bovary: She’s free to file for divorce. But all partnerships with Zakarias end with the divorce.
“Elena, are you sure this is going to be okay?”
Duchess Bovary paced nervously inside the drawing room of the Ducal Residence, clutching a bundle of newspapers–all featuring her divorce as front page news. Meanwhile, I sipped my tea, the picture of calm.
“Of course. My lawyer’s license was officially issued just yesterday, so you don’t have to worry at all.”
“You mean… you didn’t have one until now?!”
Her face turned pale, as if she’d just been struck by lightning. I tilted my head like it was news to me.
“It was in the papers. Guess you didn’t see it? To be fair, it was tucked away on page seven.”
I had recently passed the Imperial bar exam without a hitch—earning the title of the first Grand Duchess in Imperial history to become a lawyer. But Duchess Bovary murmured blankly, still in a daze.
“You defended Grand Duke Richard and now you’re helping with my divorce… I just assumed you already had the license….”
“It was only for a little while. I’ve got it now, so it’s all good, right?”
“How can you say something so flippant? My husband jumped at the chance to agree to this divorce…!”
Duke Bovary reacted like a man who’d been waiting for this very moment. Since it was the Duchess who had initiated the proceedings, he declared he would strip her of all the privileges she’d enjoyed from House Bovary, and wouldn’t give her a single coin. He also stated he had no intention of returning any business rights that came from their arranged marriage.
It was as if he were saying the only reason he’d never sent divorce papers himself—despite all his countless affairs—was because of their joint business contracts.
“I received such a humiliating reply because of the letter you had me send, Elena!”
Choking up, the Duchess shook the reply she’d received from her husband’s mistress, Stephanie, roughly. I quickly snatched the letter from her hand.
“This is a precious letter from Miss Stephanie. You should handle it with care.”
At that, the Duchess looked utterly betrayed and glared at me with wide, horrified eyes.
“Elena, how can you say that about a letter like this! Just admit it—you’re working with Stephanie to torment me, aren’t you?!”
“Duchess, just put your trust in me.”
I clasped her trembling hands tightly in both of mine, smiling as I did. After all, everything was going exactly according to plan.
* * *
At last, the day of the divorce trial arrived.
The front of the Imperial Family Court was swarming with reporters.
“Is this the end of the 20-year alliance between Ducal Houses Bovary and Zacharias?”
“Is it true the Duchess has demanded half of the Ducal House’s assets?”
Duke Bovary showed up at court with a brazen expression, strutting in front of the reporters. He didn’t seem the slightest bit uneasy about appearing in public.
“I tried to preserve peace between our Houses and our families, but Claire was the one who broke that peace first. So, all responsibility for this divorce lies with Claire.”
“Is it true the reason for divorce is Your Grace’s complicated relationships with women?”
At the reporter’s question, the Duke dramatically raised his eyebrows, then answered with a relaxed expression.
“Well, sure. Let’s say that’s true. But love isn’t a crime, now is it?”
At his response, reporters scribbled away furiously.
A short while later, inside the courtroom.
Duke Bovary’s lawyer repeated every shameless remark the Duke had made in front of the press, word for word. The Duke’s side could be so brazen because, under Imperial law, love really wasn’t a crime. In other words, adultery wasn’t illegal.
“The plaintiff, Claire Bovary, had no involvement in any business matters within House Bovary during the marriage. All she ever did was host lavish balls and tea parties, squandering the estate’s wealth. Yet the defendant was a generous husband who approved it all without complaint.”
With utter confidence, the Duke’s lawyer presented a massive bundle of documents to the judge.
“We submit the detailed record of twenty years’ worth of luxury purchases and society expenses spent by the plaintiff using House Bovary’s wealth.”
The stern-looking, elderly judge adjusted his glasses and began reviewing the list. It outlined the Duchess’s expenditures over the course of the marriage, amounting to billions of gold. A deep crease formed between his brows as he scanned the documents.
“Plaintiff, do you acknowledge these expenses?”
“Yes, We do.”
As I readily agreed, the courtroom stirred. Duchess Bovary’s eyes went wide, her face turned pale, and she staggered slightly. I leaned in and whispered into her ear.
“You have to admit to what you’ve spent, fair and square.”
In truth, the Duchess wasn’t particularly talented in business. But her skills in social maneuvering were second to none—enough to place her at the very heart of Imperial society. In fact, the ‘Summer Ball’ that sparked my involvement in this case had started as her personal event back when she was still a ducal princess, and it had since become a staple of the Empire’s social calendar.
“My God… You really must be a spy sent by Stephanie….”
Duchess Bovary murmured blankly, burying her face in both hands. She looked like she’d lost all hope. Meanwhile, Duke Bovary looked more triumphant than ever.
“The plaintiff not only failed to contribute to the increase of the estate but also caused its depletion. Therefore, we cannot accept her demand to split the estate equally. The defendant asserts he bears no responsibility for the divorce.”
At that last remark, the Duke’s lawyer looked absolutely convinced of their victory.
“If the plaintiff has anything further to say, speak now.”
Finally, the judge turned his gaze on me. His expression seemed to say he pitied me for conducting the defense in such a way. I stood without flinching, clearing my throat.
“My client, Claire Bovary, spent approximately 6.7 billion gold over the past twenty years as the lady of House Bovary.”
“That much has already been acknowledged.”
“However.”
I deliberately lowered my voice, pulling out a prepared document.
“My client has also generated a total of 78 billion gold during that same twenty-year span.”
The gallery erupted in a buzz, and the judge’s eyes widened. The Duke’s lawyer shot to his feet and raised an objection.
“The plaintiff had no involvement in business affairs! Where in the world does this ridiculous 78 billion figure come from?!”
“I’ll now explain how the social connections my client cultivated through her society events contributed to House Bovary’s business growth. Shall we begin with Count Tristan’s exclusive textile import rights?”
The Duchess’s events weren’t mere parties—they were strategic gatherings that built ties with powerful noble families and key players throughout the Empire. These connections were directly tied to the Duke’s business ventures.
Thanks to the Duchess’s networking, House Bovary had secured dozens of business opportunities.
“There are at least twelve deals that wouldn’t have even gotten off the ground if not for my client. Those very deals are now bringing in enormous profits for House Bovary.”
“You—you have proof of that?”
I smiled sweetly at the trembling opposing lawyer.
“Isn’t it all spelled out clearly in the documents you submitted? Which society event, who was met, how much was spent—everything. It’s solid evidence that my client was actively investing to create those business opportunities.”
Realizing that their own evidence had backfired, the lawyer’s face went pale. Meanwhile, color was finally returning to the Duchess’ cheeks.
“The portion of wealth directly connected to this now accounts for more than half of House Bovary’s total assets. So my client’s request to split it equally is actually a generous compromise.”
The judge narrowed his eyes, clearly weighing my argument. Then the Duke suddenly sprang up and shouted at the Duchess.
“But you’re the one who destroyed the peace in our home! You have to take responsibility for that!”
“Oh, about that part—”
I took my time finishing my sentence, cool as ever.
“My client, Claire Bovary, will be filing an additional lawsuit today.”
“What are you talking about?”
The judge, thinking this was just a divorce case, stared at me in shock. Calmly, with careful hands, I unfolded a neatly prepared letter.
“Rosalyn, Lillian, Mary, Betty, Olivia, Isabel, Mia, Caroline, Elizabeth, Patricia, and lastly, Stephanie. We’ll be filing claims for damages against all of them.”
As I named the eleven women, Duke Bovary’s face crumpled in horror.
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