Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!-Chapter 474: You Have An Older Sister?

The moon hung high above the lake, gleaming like a silver coin tossed into the heavens. The air was still, except for the faint hum of crickets and the occasional rustle of the trees surrounding the clearing.

Midnight had settled over the land.

Back at the warehouse, hundreds of women slept soundly, sprawled across makeshift hay beds that had been quickly thrown together after the exhausting ordeal.

The once loud place was now a scene of strange serenity—soft breathing, the occasional sleepy giggle, and quiet murmurs of dreams that still carried Cassius’s name.

A few women whispered in hushed tones to each other, reminiscing with flushed cheeks and starry eyes about the night’s events, how incredible it had been, how unbelievable Cassius was.

"Honestly, I don’t even care about the payment anymore." One said, sighing dreamily as she hugged her blanket. "If he asked me to pay him, I’d do it."

"Same here." another giggled. "I can’t believe that actually happened. Tonight was...like a dream. A dream where I wake up with a stain in my underwear"

Their laughter faded into a sleepy hum as they drifted off.

Meanwhile, Cassius and the others were nowhere to be found.

Neither were the hundreds of brimming steel buckets that had once filled the warehouse.

—

Far from the village, in a wide clearing near the great lake, the night was alive with firelight.

Dozens of torches and glowing mana-crystals lined the edge of the clearing, bathing everything in a steady golden hue.

The once-dark forest edge was bright enough to rival daylight. The lake rippled under the moonlight, serene and calm, but every soul there knew that beneath its still surface lurked the monster they had come to face.

Rows of steel buckets also stood ready near the water’s edge, arranged neatly like weapons in an arsenal.

A little distance away from the shore Aisha, Julie and Skadi stood alert, their weapons gleaming, their expressions hard.

They weren’t fighting mere soldiers this time; they were preparing for a battle against the Leviathan, a creature of legend, a SSS-class monster that had haunted the region for over a century.

Their usual banter was gone, replaced by that razor focus only war could bring.

Cassius, though...Cassius stood apart, calm as ever, gazing up at the starlit sky with that faint, unreadable smile. He looked more like a poet admiring the moon than a man about to face a beast of myth.

Nala who was also there, however, didn’t share the somber mood.

She looked around and broke into an excited grin.

"A battle between the Holy Guard and the Leviathan." She said, her tail flicking with enthusiasm. "You have no idea how much people would pay to watch this. If I record it and sell it later, I could be rich! Or even better..." She snapped her fingers dramatically. "...if this were in a colosseum, the seats would sell out in a minute! People would go mad for it!"

Aisha rolled her eyes, exhaling sharply.

"Nala, for heaven’s sake, this isn’t some kind of sporting event. We’re about to fight a legendary monster, a creature that’s killed armies. Even the royal knights failed to slay it. So please, stop talking about profits like this is some festival."

But Nala only shrugged, smirking.

"Oh, please. I’ve faced it twice already and I’m still alive, aren’t I? If a little snakefish like me can handle it, then surely you can too, right?"

She teased, stepping closer and patting Aisha’s shoulder.

"Come on, Aisha, don’t tell me you of all people are scared. Especially since it would be quite embarrassing for you to feel that way when I’ve faces the same worm and come back unscathed."

Aisha blinked, momentarily taken aback. For a second, she thought Nala was mocking her.

But there was no malice in her tone, only confidence. Concern, even. It was her clumsy, teasing way of saying be careful out there.

A small smile tugged at Aisha’s lips.

"I’ll come back safely, don’t you worry." She said, squaring her shoulders. "Who do you think I am? Aisha Noctus, battle mage and tactician of the Holy Guard. A fish like that can’t even dent my shield."

"Yeah!" Skadi cracked her knuckles with a grin. "If someone like me is going down, it’s gotta be something epic. Like, gods descending from the sky or a legendary Fenrir! No way I’m losing to a glorified water worm."

"I’ll agree with you on that one, Skadi." Julie chuckled softly. "I’ve only ever lost once in my life—and that was to my sister. I don’t plan to add any new defeats to that list."

Cassius, who had been quietly observing, turned his head curiously.

"Your sister?" He asked. "I didn’t know you had one. And you’re telling me she’s even stronger than you?"

Julie smiled faintly, adjusting her sword strap.

"She’s not a blood sister." She explained. "But she’s every bit my family. She taught me everything I know about leadership and war—she’s also a grandmaster and a veteran of countless battles."

"You’d also probably know of her. After all, she protects the other half of the Holyfield domain—the most valuable mining territories."

That caught Cassius’s interest.

"Strange. Why haven’t I ever met her, then?"

"She rarely leaves her brigade." Aisha replied. "She commands the Blood and Iron Army. Their headquarters are quite from the main estate, and her duties keep her busy year-round. So you wouldn’t see her unless she wants to be seen."

Then Aisha grinned slyly, wagging a finger at him,

"And before you even think about it, Cassius,.don’t you dare try to flirt with her. She’s not like us. She’ll break your ribs if you so much as wink at her."

"Yes, Master! Listen to her!" Skadi nodded frantically. "Big Sis is terrifying. I trained under her when I was a little puppy, and I always cried for a few days straight afterward! She’s brutal!"

Cassius, instead of being deterred, only looked more intrigued.

"Really now?" He murmured, his lips curving into that all-too-familiar smirk. "A powerful woman with a temper and a strong arm...sounds like a challenge."

They didn’t even have to say it aloud, they could already imagine the mess that would come when Cassius inevitably tried to lay his hands on their older sister.

The mental image alone was enough to make them all smirk, shaking their heads as if already mourning the disaster to come.

Julie broke the silence first, sighing with a small, resigned smile. "When that day comes, I’m not saving him. He’ll deserve every broken rib she gives him."

"Oh, I’m not stopping her either." Aisha chuckled, twirling her wand between her fingers. "Honestly, I might bring snacks to watch it happen."

"I’ll sell tickets to the rest of the girls back home and buy myself a lot of meat with it later!" Skadi nodded enthusiastically, grinning wide.

Their laughter broke the tension for a brief moment..but only briefly.

Because Nala, standing a few steps away, was not laughing. She wanted to lighten the mood earlier so she joked around.

But Cassius on the other hand was too free-spirited right now like he wasn’t scared of the battle ahead at all and that scared her.

Her tail lashed in irritation as she stomped over to Cassius, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Come on, Cassius! This is really not the time to be talking about other women!" She barked, her voice cracking with a mix of anger and anxiety. "You’re about to fight a beast that spits acid—whose scales have deflected every blade for over a century, and you’re out here flirting?!"

"What kind of timing is that?!"

Cassius turned to her, raising an amused brow.

"Oh, my dear Nala...are you worried about me?"

"Of course I’m worried!" She snapped, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him furiously. "You’re my fiancé, my future husband! There’s no way in hell I’m letting you die before we even get married!"

"That’d be—ugh, tragic! Way too tragic!"

Her words tumbled out in a breathless rush, her tail swishing in frustration. Then she gave a sly little smirk.

"At least if we were married already, and you died, I’d get to enjoy your fortune. But we’re not even married yet, so no, you’re not dying on me, Cassius! Not now! Not ever!"

Cassius chuckled softly. He knew her tone, knew the fiery words were her way of saying she was scared. So, gently, he placed a hand against her cheek, his thumb brushing along her skin as he smiled that calm, infuriatingly confident smile.

"It’s alright, Nala." He said, his voice low and reassuring. "There’s no chance in hell I’m dying tonight. I’m not about to let some overgrown worm bully me around."

Then, with that trademark smirk of his, he leaned closer and added,

"Especially since...I haven’t had my proper first night with you yet."

Nala’s eyes widened, her blush deepening as he whispered,

"Only after I’ve filled you up with a few eggs of my own will I even think of leaving this world."

"C-Cassius!" She stammered, glaring at him in embarrassed fury, her tail coiling around her legs as if to hide her flustered state.

Cassius only chuckled and turned toward the lake.

"Besides..." He said, his tone light but confident. "...this battle won’t even last long. It’ll be over before you know it and you’ll wonder when it even started."

That made her blink.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked, frowning.

"You’ll see soon enough." He gave her a sly smile over his shoulder.

Even though she didn’t understand, something in his tone made her heart ease a little. That same cocky confidence had a strange way of calming everyone around him, even when it probably shouldn’t.

But still she wanted to give him something to feel even more confident, so without warning, Nala stepped forward, grabbed him by the collar—and pulled him into a fierce, passionate kiss.

Cassius blinked in surprise, then smiled against her lips before kissing her back just as deeply.

When she finally broke away, she looked into his eyes, cheeks burning but her smile bright.

Then, she turned, walking over to the trio.

And to their complete surprise, she planted a quick kiss on each of their cheeks—Julie, Aisha, then Skadi—before stepping back with a mischievous grin.

Julie blinked, wide-eyed. "What was that—?"

"A good luck charm." She said simply. "Come back safely, all of you."

And with that, she leapt away toward the edge of the clearing, climbing a tall tree with agile grace until she was perched high above, safe, but close enough to watch.

For a moment, the clearing was still.

Then Aisha laughed softly, her grip tightening on her wand."After a send-off like that, there’s no way I can lose." She said, a cocky grin spreading across her face.

"Same here." Skadi raised her dagger and claws, her expression bright and fearless. "I feel invincible right now. Let’s bring that overgrown eel out already!"

Julie drew her sword with a sharp, metallic ring that cut through the night air.

"I’m the beacon of hope for our people." She said proudly. "I can’t afford to fall, not here, not now. A snake like that won’t tarnish my name."

Seeing that they were all ready, Cassius laughed, clapping once, loud and clear.

"Well then! Since all three of you seem ready for battle..."

He turned toward the water, the wind catching his hair as his eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Let’s fuck this over-grown maggot up!"