Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!-Chapter 527: You’re Asking The Wrong Person

The friendship between Joy and Aqua went back years, long before the two had become the formidable women they were now.

Their bond was something that had been forged in the fires of loneliness, expectation, and fate itself.

When Joy was first appointed as the Saintess, it had not been a moment of glory.

Far from it.

Her ascension had caused a storm within the Church. Many of the senior clergy and sisters had already chosen another candidate—a young, docile girl whom they had carefully groomed for years to be the next Saintess.

She was gentle, obedient, and molded perfectly to fit the image the Church wanted to present to the world.

So when the Goddess’s divine light chose Joy instead—an orphan girl born out of scandal, a girl who had once massacred over a hundred people in a single night—it was nothing short of heresy to them.

A murderer turned Saintess?

A child of sin declared the vessel of divinity?

It was blasphemy in their eyes.

From that day forward, Joy’s life in the Church became a quiet war.

Behind every prayer was whispering.

Behind every bowed head, venomous gazes followed her.

Those who had served the Church for decades refused to accept her, calling her a false Saintess, a cursed child pretending to be holy.

Only a few of the older, more devout members—the ones who truly believed the Goddess’s will was beyond mortal judgment—accepted her with open arms.

But they were few. Too few to protect her.

There were days when the hostility was so strong, so suffocating, that it became dangerous for her to even remain within the Church walls.

Rumors of assassination attempts circulated. Some even said that if she slept in her quarters, she might never wake up again.

And that was when fate intervened—once more in the form of a woman.

The Empress of the Empire herself.

Known across the continent for her cunning, her beauty, and her relentless pursuit of justice, the Empress had always had an eye for talent.

She had watched the events surrounding Joy unfold with great interest.

The young Saintess’s ruthlessness, her strength, her ability to command divine power through sheer conviction—all of it fascinated the Empress.

And when she heard of Joy’s mother, Maria—an exiled nun who had suffered unspeakable cruelty yet still preached mercy and compassion—her interest only grew.

The Empress saw in them what others did not: potential.

So she sent for them both.

She invited Joy and Maria to live within the Royal Palace itself under her direct protection. She offered Joy a place where she could train, pray, and grow under her watchful eye, far away from the venom of the Church’s politics.

It was there, within the halls of the Empire’s heart, that Joy’s new life began.

Maria flourished under the Empress’s kindness, returning to her warm, cheerful self, while Joy found herself growing into something new—something terrifying and revered all at once.

Under the Empress’s command, she became the Sword of the Throne.

Whenever the Empress uttered an order, Joy carried it out without hesitation.

If the Empress wished a traitor dead, Joy executed them by sunrise.

If corruption festered within the noble houses, Joy purged it in blood.

Her faith in the Goddess merged perfectly with the Empress’s pursuit of justice and together, they became an unstoppable force—divine authority and imperial power united in one purpose.

To cleanse the land of sin.

And while Joy’s name spread across the continent as the Saintess of Judgment, feared by nobles and sinners alike, it was within these same palace walls that she met her opposite.

Aqua Nightingale Holyfield.

At that time, Aqua had been no less of an enigma.

The daughter of the second wife of the Holyfield family—her mother, Lady Nightingale, was the Empress’s personal aide and her own little sister.

Due to certain political issues, Aqua had been sent to live within the royal palace. But her relocation turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for it was soon discovered that she possessed an almost mythical gift—affinity with all five elemental attributes.

Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and Lightning.

It was a combination unseen in centuries—something so rare that even the oldest scholars called it an omen.

At once, she was placed into the Imperial Academy of Magic, the greatest institution of magical learning in the entire continent, and trained by the Empire’s finest mages to hone her abilities.

Despite her immense talent, Aqua found her life at the capital lonely. She was young, mischievous, and curious by nature, and most of her instructors treated her as an experiment rather than a person.

That was, until one fateful afternoon.

She had been wandering the palace gardens, humming a tune to herself, when she stumbled upon a girl kneeling beneath the statue of the Goddess—a girl about her age, her head bowed, her voice whispering soft, solemn prayers.

The moment Aqua saw her, she froze.

There was something hauntingly beautiful about the girl. The air around her felt heavy with holiness, but also with sorrow. The sunlight framed her figure perfectly, and her pink hair glowed faintly in the light, as though kissed by heaven and blood alike.

That girl was Joy.

And from the very first moment Aqua laid eyes on her, something within her stirred.

Curiosity. Amusement. And an irresistible desire to break through that wall of coldness surrounding her.

She wanted to make that stoic girl smile.

But Joy, even then, was not someone easily swayed. When Aqua first approached her with her usual boundless energy, the Saintess-in-training barely glanced up. Her responses were short, polite, and distant.

Every attempt Aqua made—every joke, every invitation, every playful poke—was met with quiet indifference.

But if Joy was immovable as stone, Aqua was relentless as fire.

She simply refused to take no for an answer.

Day after day, she appeared in Joy’s path. During lessons, during prayer, even during meals. She teased her, annoyed her, and laughed at her solemn attitude until Joy finally, out of sheer exhaustion, began responding.

And slowly...something changed.

The cracks began to form in Joy’s cold demeanor.

A small smile here. A dry comment there.

And before either of them realized it, they were inseparable.

Aqua became the only person Joy ever allowed into her personal space, the only one who could call her by name without fear of retribution, and the only one who could make her laugh.

Their paths, however, diverged as they grew.

Joy became the terror of sinners, the divine executioner whose name was whispered in fear. Her robes grew redder, her eyes colder, her heart heavier with every soul she condemned.

Aqua, meanwhile, became the star of the capital.

Thanks to her unparalleled magical abilities and her mixed heritage—human from her father’s side and fairy from her mother’s—she rose faster than any mage in recorded history.

She became the youngest Archmage ever appointed by the Royal Council, her magic brilliant and mesmerizing, her personality as dazzling as her power.

The people adored her.

The nobles respected her.

The royals trusted her.

They called her the Royal Witch, not out of insult, but reverence—a title that blended charm and authority, for she had become a symbol of brilliance and freedom in a rigid world.

She was technically still a Holyfield by blood, but it hardly mattered anymore. She had long since outgrown that name.

Within the palace, she was simply Aqua Nightingale—the Empress’s star mage, the royal court’s beloved troublemaker, and the only woman alive who could tease the Saintess of Judgment without fear of divine wrath.

Now, Aqua was still holding Joy in her arms, resting her cheek against the Saintess’s stiff shoulder with that same shameless grin—until something caught her eye.

Her expression froze, then shifted subtly, her bright blue eyes flicking downward.

She stepped back, her gaze trailing from Joy’s face to her robes before she gave a small, awkward laugh, scratching her head.

"Ahh...I see." Aqua said, her tone a mix of amusement and mild disbelief. "You still have the same sense of fashion, Joy. White or red, red or white...it’s always the same endless cycle."

"For years, not a single new shade in your wardrobe! I swear, you’ve got less color variety than a priest’s prayer book!"

Maria immediately covered her mouth to hold back a giggle, while Stella politely looked away, pretending to study the walls.

Joy, however, only gave her usual cold look of indifference.

"The color of my robes is irrelevant. It’s the purity of one’s heart that matters."

"Yes, yes, I’ve heard that one before." Aqua waved her hands dismissively. "But come on, even your mother changes outfits more often than you do."

Then her eyes narrowed, her smile turning sly.

"Although..." She leaned forward slightly, examining the deep crimson stains smeared across Joy’s sleeve. "Please don’t tell me that the person who...decorated your outfit met their end recently."

"Because if that blood’s fresh, and I get even a drop of it on my gown, I swear I’ll scream loud enough to shake the entire court since this dress is silk, Joy. Imported from the northern isles."

"Do you know how much fairy-thread fabric costs?!"

"Don’t worry." Joy didn’t even blink. "The blood isn’t fresh."

Aqua sighed in relief. "Good. Because—"

Joy’s next words, however, completely derailed her.

"But the sins of those who were brought to justice are still alive..." Joy continued coldly. "...and they still breathe through the fabric of my garments. Their essence lingers as a reminder to those who witness it, that no one escapes divine judgment."

"..."

Aqua froze mid-breath, blinking slowly.

"...What the hell are you talking about?"

She finally blurted, throwing her arms up.

"Joy, I asked a simple question about whether the blood was fresh, and you start reciting some sermon about ’lingering essence’ and ’divine judgment!’ Can’t you just say ’no’?!"

"I know!" Maria immediately nodded in agreement, crossing her arms dramatically. "Every time I ask her a simple thing—’Joy, did you sleep?’ or ’Joy, did you eat?’—she starts preaching about discipline, penance, and balance of the soul!"

"I barely understand half the words she says!"

"Honestly, I think she does it on purpose. It’s her deflection method." Aqua huffed in amusement. "See, when she doesn’t want to answer properly, she throws in a few holy phrases, confuses everyone, and walks away like she’s just quoted scripture."

"That makes so much sense!" Maria gasped, her face lighting up in realization. "She’s been doing that since she was a child! I’d ask if she broke something, and she’d respond with, ’Everything that is broken can be mended by faith.’"

Aqua snorted.

"Exactly! She’s terrified of confrontation! It’s how she wins arguments—she makes us feel guilty before we can even reply."

Maria clapped her hands together, laughing.

"See, technically, that means she’s still a child. A real adult faces problems directly! But my daughter? She dodges them like arrows and then hides behind prayers!"

Joy’s expression tightened ever so slightly, a vein twitching near her temple. She narrowed her eyes and called out,

"Sister Stella."

Stella, who had been trying her best not to burst out laughing, straightened immediately.

"Yes, my Lady?"

"Is there a law that allows me to arrest someone for being an intolerable nuisance?" Joy asked dryly.

"Unfortunately, no, my Lady." Stella smiled serenely, her voice carrying just a hint of amusement. "The Kingdom has yet to outlaw excessive talking."

Joy sighed, long and weary and that was all it took.

Aqua and Maria exchanged a look—and both burst into laughter.

Their laughter echoed through the entire corridor, full of light and mischief, clashing beautifully against the solemn aura of the palace.

This was how it had always been. No matter how terrifying Joy had become to the rest of the world, to these two women, she was still that easily-taunted girl they loved to tease.

After a while, the laughter subsided, and Maria suddenly remembered why they were all there. Her eyes widened as she gasped softly.

"Oh! Right, right! That’s what I needed to ask!"

She turned eagerly toward Aqua and clasped her hands together.

"Aqua! Did you hear about the case going on today?"

Aqua blinked. "The case?"

"Yes!" Maria said, her tone excited, as if she were sharing a secret. "Apparently Joy and the others have submitted a case against a man named Cassius Vindictus Holyfield! Some mysterious nobleman that no one knows if he’s good or bad."

"And Joy is trying to push the case forward today to investigate him properly, but for some reason, someone in the royal court is against it! They’re trying to have the whole thing dismissed!"

"Do you know who it is? And if you do, can you please help us?" She took Aqua’s hands earnestly. "If we had your support, I’m sure we could win the court’s approval! After all, the Empress is your Aunt! It would mean so much if you helped Joy!"

The moment she said these words, a weird atmosphere filled the area.

Aqua’s lively smile faltered into a nervous, awkward grin. Her eyes darted toward Stella, who immediately looked away, pretending to admire a painting, her shoulders shaking slightly from suppressed laughter.

Meanwhile, Joy’s calm demeanor cracked just a little as she exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Maria looked at all three of them in confusion.

"What? What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that? I just asked a simple question! It’s Aqua—we’re practically family! What’s wrong with asking her to help?"

Joy lowered her hand and gave her mother a long, unimpressed stare.

"It’s not what you asked, Mother." She said dryly. "It’s who you asked it to."

"What do you mean?" Maria blinked, confused.

Joy turned slightly and gestured toward Aqua.

"The person who’s fighting against this case—who’s doing everything in her power to have it dismissed—is standing right in front of you."

"Wha—what?" Maria’s mouth fell open.

Joy’s voice remained calm, but there was a clear edge to it now.

"Yes. The very person leading the opposition against my case...is none other than Aqua Nightingale Holyfield herself."

Maria turned slowly toward Aqua, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Aqua...is that true?"

Aqua’s expression twisted into an awkward smile, her hand rising to rub the back of her neck.

"Ahaha...well...you see..."

She gave a sheepish laugh, her usual confidence dimmed by guilt.

"...Surprise?"