Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!-Chapter 531: The Scarlet Tyrant

There was little truly known about Empress Marina, the Scarlet Tyrant of the Human Empire.

Her past had been erased, rewritten, and sealed away so thoroughly that even the most elite historians of the capital dared not speculate about the truth.

No one knew where she had truly come from, who had trained her, or what power she wielded behind her smile.

But there was one thing—one single, irrefutable truth—that every man, woman, and child on the continent knew.

Marina had killed her own father.

Yes—her own blood father, the former King of the Human Realm.

She had slain him in cold blood, personally cutting off his head and hanging it upon the palace gates for all to see.

That was how she had become Empress.

Not through inheritance.

Not through marriage.

But through blood.

And yet, those who thought she did it for greed or ambition couldn’t have been more wrong.

The story that had survived through the years, whispered from nobles to commoners, was that Marina was once a gentle girl.

A soft-spoken princess, kind, humble, even a little naive—someone who cared nothing for titles or power. She’d been content to live quietly, with dreams as simple as the flowers in her garden.

But everything changed when she saw what her father had done to the country.

He had been a disaster of a king—drunken, gluttonous, and cruel.

The taxes he collected from the people were squandered on indulgence and debauchery. He surrounded himself with sycophants, drowned in luxury while his people starved, and let corruption infest the Empire like a disease.

For years, Marina turned a blind eye, hoping it would change. Hoping her father would recover from his madness.

Until one night—something happened.

An incident so terrible that even the historians who tried to record it had their records burned. Whatever it was, it broke Marina completely.

That very night, she raised her sword.

By dawn, the palace was painted red.

Marina led a mutiny—an uprising of guards, servants, and outcast knights who had once sworn loyalty to the people instead of the crown. She slaughtered her father and half the royal court. Heads rolled.

Flames rose over the capital. And when it was over, she stood upon the palace balcony with her father’s crown in her hand and his head displayed on the gate below.

Thus began the reign of the Scarlet Tyrant.

But the coup didn’t end there.

Her father’s tyranny had been supported by the Five Noble Houses—the wealthiest and most powerful families in the Empire, who controlled over sixty percent of the army and trade.

Many believed Marina would never survive their retaliation.

But she didn’t merely survive. She crushed them.

To this day, no one knows exactly how. Some say she possessed power beyond human limits. Others whisper that it was her younger sister—a terrifyingly powerful mage—who stood by her side during the purge. Whatever the truth, within a week, the Five Noble Houses had pushed back and tamed.

And when it was done, Marina placed the crown upon her own head.

No one dared object. Not even those who despised her.

For the first time in history, the throne was taken by conquest and betrayal...not by lineage.

And from that day onward, she rebuilt the Human Empire from the ashes.

She reduced corruption with the edge of a blade, executed dozens of noble families for abuse of power, reformed taxation, improved roads and trade, expanded military training, and began a golden age of infrastructure and prosperity.

Under her thirty year reign, the Human Empire had grown richer, stronger, and more organized than it had ever been.

The nobles called her a tyrant.

The people called her a savior.

And history itself called her many names since she couldn’t be defined by one.

—

Now, within the hall of the Royal Court, the woman herself sat upon her golden throne and even through the translucent magical veil before her, her presence alone commanded the air.

Finally, that perfect smile deepened, and her voice rolled through the chamber like velvet thunder.

"Well now." She began, her tone smooth and teasing. "I see that my sword of justice has not been sitting idly in its sheath."

Her fiery gaze shifted toward Joy.

"It seems, Saintess, that you’ve been doing your work well, drawing blood wherever you go, just as I desire. Or..." She tilted her head playfully. "...should I assume that you’ve merely spilled some paint over yourself, and that is why your robes gleam so red today?"

The court chuckled nervously, afraid to breathe too loudly.

Joy, however, did not flinch. She stood upright, eyes sharp and reverent.

"Of course not, Your Majesty." She said solemnly. "The blood upon my robes is real—the blood of sinners who dared to defy your name and the Goddess’s will."

"And I swear, I will never allow any other stain upon these robes save for the stain of sin itself."

The Empress’s smile widened, her laughter low and sultry.

"Good...Good." She purred. "That’s exactly what I expect of you, my darling sword."

Her eyes eyes gleamed behind the screen.

"Tell me then." She said lazily. "How did these sinners of yours die? What crimes earned them the honor of bleeding for our cause?"

Joy bowed slightly.

"The full reports have been submitted to Your Majesty’s desk."

But Marina waved a hand dismissively.

"Oh, come now, dear. I can read later. I want everyone here to hear it."

Her gaze shifted toward the rows of trembling nobles.

"Let them all listen and remember what happens when they think themselves untouchable."

Joy nodded once, then turned toward the ministers. Her voice rang clear and unyielding.

"Eight officials..." She began. "...and twenty-three accomplices were found guilty of corruption. They diverted funds meant for the poor, taxes, supplies, even sacred donations. They fed their greed while the common people starved."

Murmurs spread among the nobles. Joy’s expression did not change.

"Their families..." She continued. "...will be hanged for complicity. Their estates have been seized. Their servants are under investigation."

"And the sinners themselves?" Marina’s voice floated from behind the veil.

Joy met the Empress’s hidden gaze.

"Cut into pieces, Your Majesty."

The court went utterly still.

But Marina leaned forward, her tone light—almost playful.

"More details, my child." She said. "Spare them no mercy, and spare me no softness. Tell them exactly what happens to those who betray my Empire."

Joy inclined her head obediently.

"They were cut..." She said coldly. "...into so many small pieces that even their own families would think of them as minced meat. And when I left the square, their flesh had already begun to rot. The cobblestones were slick with blood."

She paused, then added, her voice still the same as ever like she was listing out a chore.

"If any here wish to verify my words, they may visit the marketplace. What remains of the traitors is still hanging there. The crows have begun their work, and by dusk, half their bodies will be gone—fed to birds and rats, as they deserve."

A few of the younger ministers turned pale. One gagged quietly. Another gripped the railing in horror.

Marina, however, only smiled. That cruel smile that made the air seem to burn.

"Magnificent." She said, her tone laced with approval. "Truly magnificent. I did not train my sword of justice for nothing, it seems."

"It is my duty, Your Majesty." Joy bowed her head humbly.

Marina then turned and said lightly.

"Give Saintess Joy a reward of one thousand gold coins for her work."

Immediately, attendants rushed to prepare the pouch, but Joy quickly shook her head.

"I am unworthy of such gifts. I act only as a servant of the Goddess and Your Majesty. I seek no gold."

Marina chuckled, resting her chin on her knuckles.

"Take it anyway." She said firmly. "I know you won’t spend it on yourself. You’ll donate it to your temples or your orphanages, as always."

"So consider it a gift from your Empress to the people through you."

Joy hesitated, then finally nodded.

"As you command, Your Majesty."

A servant stepped forward, presenting her with a pouch of gold coins heavy enough to make the nobles watching grit their teeth in resentment.

Maria on the other hand, watching from behind, could only stare in disbelief.

She had just watched the Empress reward Joy for wearing robes stained in blood just like she had predicted earlier.

But the nobles on the platform knew the truth. They understood exactly what this scene was.

This wasn’t generosity. This was a warning.

The Empress was rubbing their faces in her power—mocking them for their corruption, daring them to defy her. It was her way of reminding them all that no one, no matter how wealthy or influential, was beyond her reach.

And it worked.

Some nobles trembled where they stood. One quietly wiped sweat from his brow.

But most of them were filled with rage.

Silent, burning rage.

They hated her—hated how the Empress humiliated them so publicly, rewarding one servant while mocking the rest, turning the court into her theater.

But none dared to show it.

They knew what happened to those who let anger show on their faces in front of the Scarlet Tyrant.

So they stood there, stiff as statues, pretending to admire her justice while praying she wouldn’t turn her gaze upon them next.

The Empress, of course, noticed and her eyes lips curved in amusement. She thrived on this—the balance of fear and fury, loyalty and hatred.

Then, her gaze slid across the hall, past trembling nobles and stoic guards, until it rested on a familiar figure standing a little to the right.

"Well, well." Marina said, her tone softening. "And here stands my dear niece."

The murmurs that followed were immediate. Heads turned as Aqua stepped forward gracefully. With that ever-playful glint in her eyes, she gave a polite bow and said sweetly.

"My dear aunt."

Marina rested her chin on her palm, one eyebrow arching.

"I trust you’ve been well, child?"

"Oh, I’ve been splendid, Auntie." Aqua said brightly, straightening up with an impish smile. "Though...I couldn’t help but notice all this generosity flying around."

She clasped her hands together innocently.

"You’ve been giving out gold coins left and right. So, I was wondering..."

She leaned forward ever so slightly, her tone mock-polite.

"Do you happen to have any gifts for me as well? I wouldn’t mind a thousand coins in my purse, either."

The nobles blinked in disbelief at her boldness, while Aqua continued, completely unfazed.

"There’s this lovely new dress I saw in the market the other day." She said with a dramatic sigh. "But sadly, I didn’t have enough coins for it."

"And I thought perhaps my dearest aunt—the most generous and merciful ruler in all the land—might be kind enough to spoil her beloved niece a little?"

Laughter rippled softly through the hall, though most of it was nervous. The nobles knew better than to laugh too freely in the Empress’s presence.

Marina, however, only smiled. Slowly. Dangerously.

"Oh, my sweet niece..." She said, her tone dripping with fond menace. "You think I should reward you, do you?"

Aqua blinked, feigning innocence.

"Why yes, Auntie. Isn’t that what loving family does?"

But Marina tilted her head, her eyes hair spilling over her shoulder as she chuckled darkly.

"Hmm...rather than reward, I think I should actually punish you instead for what you’ve done."