Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!-Chapter 528: He’s My...Little Brother

Maria stood frozen for several seconds, eyes darting between Joy and Aqua as if she were trying to make sense of a riddle that kept getting harder the longer she looked at it.

Finally, she managed to breathe out.

"W-Wait...You’re telling me you’re the one opposing my daughter?"

She blinked twice, as if waiting for someone to shout, ’just kidding!’

When no one did, she turned toward Joy, then back to Aqua, her expression slowly crumbling into bafflement. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"This doesn’t make sense...why would you two be on opposite sides of anything?"

But then her face softened suddenly with a thought dawning upon her, and before anyone could stop her—she clasped her hands together dramatically, and rushed toward Aqua with an expression full of motherly guilt.

"Oh, I see now!" She exclaimed, tears already welling in her eyes as she grabbed Aqua’s hands in both of hers. "Aqua, my poor dear girl! I’m so sorry for whatever my stubborn daughter has done to you!"

"Eh?" Aqua blinked in complete confusion.

But Maria just nodded vigorously, her expression full of pure sincerity.

"The fact that you’re opposing her now, after all the years of friendship you two shared, must mean that something happened! Some argument, some misunderstanding—something that turned your friendship into a rivalry!"

"And I’m sure my Joy must’ve done something terrible to offend you, because you’re such a sweet and easygoing person, and she’s...well...she’s Joy."

"Mother." Joy muttered warningly, but Maria was already too far gone.

"She can be so prideful and stubborn sometimes!" Maria continued passionately. "I know she’ll never apologize herself, not even if she’s wrong, so I’ll do it for her! On her behalf, as her mother!"

She bowed her head deeply, still holding onto Aqua’s hands.

"Please, forgive my daughter, Aqua. She doesn’t have anyone else in the world but you. If you leave her side, she’ll be completely alone!"

Her voice trembled with emotion, and her eyes glistened.

"And as her mother, I can’t bear to see her like that. So please, forgive her, whatever she’s done. Be her friend again, my sweet Aqua!"

Her tone was so genuine, so adorably pitiful, that even Aqua—who had faced down demons and nobles alike was caught completely off guard.

For a moment, she could only stare before bursting out into a small, warm laugh.

"Oh, Aunty Maria." She said softly, gently squeezing Maria’s hands back. "You don’t need to apologize for anything. Joy and I...we’re still friends. We always have been, and we always will be. That hasn’t changed."

Maria blinked. "Really?"

Aqua nodded with a smile.

"Yes. We never had a fight, never broke up. Joy’s just...being Joy." She shot her friend a teasing glance. "She pushes me away like she always does, and I—well—I keep following her around like a lovesick puppy. Nothing new under the sun."

Maria’s eyes lit up with relief, though confusion still lingered.

"Then if that’s true, dear...why are you opposing her right now? You’ve always been the first one to stand by her side whenever something serious happens! I’ve seen you defend her more times than I can count."

"So why now? Why on the opposite side?"

Aqua hesitated, her playful smile faltering slightly as she scratched the back of her head.

"Ah...well...that’s a little complicated."

"It’s not that there’s any problem between us." Aqua continued carefully. "It’s just...let’s call it a conflict of personal interests."

"Personal interests?" Maria tilted her head, brow furrowing. "What kind of interests could be strong enough to make you stand against her?"

Aqua let out a nervous laugh.

"Well...the person at the center of this case—the so-called criminal Joy wants to investigate—or rather, as I see it, the victim..."

She trailed off for a moment, her eyes flickering toward Joy, who rolled her eyes like she’d heard this speech a hundred times before.

"...is none other than my own dear baby brother."

The color drained from Maria’s face. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Your...your brother?"

Aqua nodded, smiling awkwardly.

"Your baby brother?!" Maria gasped. "But—wait—when did this happen?! You never mentioned having a brother before!"

Then realization struck her like a bolt of lightning and her eyes widened even further as her mouth formed a perfect O.

"Ohhh...of course!" She exclaimed. "You’re a Holyfield, aren’t you? I completely forgot!"

"You...forgot?"

"Yes, dear!" Maria said animatedly, waving her hands. "You’ve lived here in the capital for so long, and you never talk about your father’s side of the family!"

"And since your mother is the Empress’s sister, I suppose I just forgot that she’s also one of the wives of the Holyfield patriarch! So that makes you part of that great, terrifying family after all!"

"That’s...one way to put it." Aqua chuckled softly.

"So then..." Maria’s eyes sparkled with dawning curiosity. "Does that mean this Cassius Vindictus Holyfield—the one Joy’s investigating—is actually your brother?"

"Technically, yes." Aqua nodded slowly. "But not fully. He’s my father’s son from another wife, so he’s my half-brother. But still, he’s my brother nonetheless and that bond matters."

Her tone grew gentler as she continued,

"He’s someone I care for dearly, Aunty Maria. Someone I want to protect, no matter what."

"So, it’s only natural that I’d stand against Joy when she’s trying to put him under scrutiny." Aqua went on. "Even if she believes it’s justice, I can’t stand by while my brother is painted as a monster."

Her words carried an unexpected weight—earnest, protective, unyielding and hearing this, Maria tilted her head slightly, studying her expression.

"You’re...really that close to him, aren’t you? But I’ve never once heard you mention him before."

"We were...when we were children." Aqua have a nostalgic smile. "But things changed later."

"Still...this surprises me, dear." Maria folded her hands together thoughtfully. "You’ve always told me that you stand for justice, no matter who it is—that you don’t care about blood or titles."

"That even if it were your own kin, you’d fight beside Joy to purge evil. That was what bonded you two together."

Aqua smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach her eyes.

"I remember saying that." She admitted quietly. "And I meant it."

"Then why...?" Maria began gently.

Aqua sighed and looked down, her voice turning quiet and conflicted.

"Because I don’t believe he’s guilty. Not one bit. There’s no real evidence linking him to any of the crimes. And more than that..." She paused, gaze distant. "...the Cassius I remember. He was timid, gentle, frightened of the world."

"A fragile boy who couldn’t even raise his voice, let alone harm anyone. I can’t believe he could commit something so monstrous."

Maria nodded slowly, her brow furrowing with curiosity.

"You truly believe in him that much..."

"I do." Aqua said softly. Then, after a pause, she added with a faint, trembling smile. "And even if...even if he did do something wrong, I still feel I have to defend him...to a certain extent, at least."

"Why would you do that, dear?" Maria said in surprise, as she wasn’t expecting such a like from someone as righteous as her.

Aqua’s gaze fell to the ground. Her voice grew faint, tinged with regret.

"Because I failed him once. I couldn’t protect him when it mattered most. And maybe, if things had gone differently back then, he wouldn’t have become what he is today...whatever that may be."

Her words hung in the air like a ghost, heavy with something unspoken.

Maria’s expression softened. She reached out gently, touching Aqua’s arm.

"You say that with such sorrow, dear. What exactly happened between you and your brother?" She asked softly. "It sounds like there’s a story there...something you still carry with you."

Aqua fell silent for a long moment. The playfulness had completely faded from her now, replaced by something older, sadder. She took a slow breath, then murmured quietly—

"Cassius and I...we weren’t always strangers."

And with those few words, the corridor seemed to grow quieter, the air heavier, as if the memories she was about to summon carried years of buried emotion.