Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!-Chapter 532: Spoiled Princess

The room fell silent.

Aqua, of course, didn’t even flinch. She placed a hand on her hip, smirking.

"Oh? Punish me? For what, I wonder?"

Her voice turned teasing.

"Is it treason? Betrayal to the crown? Or perhaps I’ve been dabbling in corruption lately?"

The crowd shifted uncomfortably. Aqua continued, her grin widening.

"No, wait—maybe I’ve been luring noblemen away from their wives at night?"

She turned her head toward the nobles, winking at one particularly red-faced official.

"That would explain why some of them can’t stop staring."

A few gasps escaped. Several ministers flushed.

Marina chuckled, her expression unreadable.

"Oh no, my sweet niece." She said finally, tapping one nail against the armrest. "Nothing so dramatic. It is technically a betrayal, yes...but not of the crown."

She paused for effect before saying,

"Rather...of the gardeners."

A murmur of confusion rippled through the court.

"The gardeners?" Aqua repeated, blinking.

"Yes." Marina said smoothly. "I’ve been receiving complaints—quite desperate ones, in fact—from the poor souls who maintain the royal lawns and the courtyards."

"They tell me that Princess Aqua has been destroying the gardens. Blowing apart fountains, shattering stone benches, uprooting flowerbeds...all in the name of ’experimentation.’"

Marina continued, her tone half-serious, half-mocking.

"They’ve been crying to me, begging that I do something before they lose their minds and their jobs."

"So tell me, dear niece...what do you have to say for yourself?"

Aqua let out a small, theatrical sigh, placing a hand on her heart.

"Oh, that?" She shrugged. "That’s simply unfortunate."

"Unfortunate?" Marina repeated, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes!" Aqua said defensively. "I was merely practicing a few new spells I’ve been developing. It’s research, Auntie. You can’t expect innovation without a few...well, minor explosions."

Marina’s smile thinned.

"One or two explosions, perhaps. The Royal Treasury can handle a few broken statues and burnt hedges."

But then her eyes suddenly narrowed, voice sharp as glass.

"But I’ve been informed that this has happened over a hundred and fifty times already."

The court collectively gasped. Aqua winced like she was caught in the act.

"When you were a child..." Marina leaned forward slightly. "...I thought it was adorable that you kept blowing up the gardens with your practice spells. I truly did."

"I assumed that once you grew up, once you became a refined archmage, you’d stop turning my palace grounds into a war zone."

Her tone grew darker.

"But even as an adult, even as one of the Empire’s most powerful mages, you’re still blowing up my gardens."

"Tell me, child, should I tolerate that forever?"

Then Marina’s tone dropped to a low, almost dangerous murmur.

"Perhaps I should have you punished this time."

Several nobles perked up immediately.

A punishment for Aqua? From the Scarlet Queen herself?

This, they thought, would be a show worth remembering.

But Aqua only blinked and then, in a heartbeat, dropped her proud demeanor.

She clasped her hands together, leaned forward with big pleading eyes, and said in the most pitifully sweet tone imaginable.

"No, Auntie, please! Please don’t punish me! I won’t do it again, I promise!"

Her eyes widened in a pleading sparkle that could melt glaciers.

"It was just a small mistake! Please forgive me just this once!"

The newer nobles that had just joined the court looked on in disbelief.

Surely, no one could plead their way out of the Scarlet Queen’s punishment. Marina was infamous for her coldness, begging only made her angrier.

And yet...

The Empress looked at her niece for a long moment. Then sighed.

"Oh, gods above..." She muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose, though there was unmistakable fondness in her tone. "When you make that face, it’s impossible to stay angry with you."

A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she leaned back on her throne.

"Alright, alright. I’ll let it go this time. No punishment."

Aqua’s eyes lit up instantly.

"Really?"

Marina gave a reluctant smile.

"Yes, really. But don’t make a habit of it, little one."

"Thank you, Auntie!" Aqua beamed, grinning from ear to ear.

The court, however, erupted into murmurs of disbelief. Some of the younger nobles ministers. Others exchanged bewildered glances.

But before anyone could even process what they had witnessed, Marina waved a hand again and said casually.

"Oh, and give my niece a thousand gold coins as well. For being such a lovely niece. My mood has improved after seeing her."

That was the breaking point. Several of the nobles’ jaws dropped.

"What?" One whispered in disbelief.

"She rewards her after all that?" Another hissed.

The older courtiers, however, merely sighed and rolled their eyes.

They’d seen this before—many, many times.

Aqua Florendale Holyfield wasn’t just the Empress’s niece.

She was the daughter of the Empress’s younger sister—Marina’s most trusted aide and dearest companion since the revolution.

From the beginning, Aqua had been adored, doted upon, and spoiled beyond measure. Her talent, her charm, her mischief—it was all part of her appeal.

And the Empress, for all her ruthlessness, had always been powerless against her niece’s ’please.’

But everyone present understood something else too.

This wasn’t just affection. It was a message.

The Scarlet Tyrant had a habit of turning her personal whims into political statements.

And today’s message was clear:

Those who stood by her, those she favored would be protected and rewarded.

Those who opposed her, no matter how high their rank, would share the fate of those hanging in the square.

Already, some of the nobles from the rival factions of the Five Great Houses were exchanging glances, doubt flickering in their eyes and a few were actually wondering if perhaps...it was time to change sides.

Aqua also knew exactly what her aunt was doing.

She wasn’t naive—far from it. She could see right through Marina’s political maneuvering.

Every word, every gesture in the throne room, every playful tease cloaked a calculated message meant for the nobles.

Her aunt was a master puppeteer, pulling strings with a smile and turning affection into power. And right now, Aqua was the bright, harmless little niece being used to make a very public statement: stand with me and you’ll prosper.

But did Aqua mind?

Not at all.

In fact, she adored her aunt for it.

After all, she did get a pouch of gold coins out of it—and she wasn’t about to complain.

She glanced down at the heavy pouch of gold coins resting in her hands, her smile widening playfully.

"A thousand gold coins." She murmured, shaking it slightly so that the metallic chime rang through her fingers.

"Not a bad day’s work, Aqua." She whispered to herself with a wink.

But then...she felt it.

A gaze.

Not just any gaze...an intense, lingering one.

Her instincts sharpened immediately, and her head tilted slightly.

’Oh dear.’ She thought with an amused smirk. ’Don’t tell me one of these tight-collared old men is already coveting my prize?’

She turned, expecting to find some greedy noble eyeing her winnings.

But to her surprise—

It wasn’t a noble.

It was Maria!

The nun was standing primly where she stood moments ago, but her usually calm, motherly demeanor was...different.

She was nibbling gently on one finger, her lips pursed in thought, her eyes fixed on Aqua’s pouch of gold.

There was something almost childlike in her expression as if she were a little girl watching other children receive sweets while she was too shy to ask for one.

But before she could even speak, another voice—smooth as silk filled the air.

"Ohhh?"

The Empress’s tone rang through the chamber like a teasing melody.

"What is this, my dear Maria?" Marina purred, leaning forward slightly from her throne. "My sister from another mother, my beloved saint of the cloth."

"I was under the impression that you were a woman of the Church, one who had abandoned all earthly attachments, all desires of the flesh and the coin."

Maria froze not expecting to be caught, while the Empress’s lips curled into an amused smile.

"But..." Marina continued, resting her chin upon her palm. "...from the way you were just looking at those gold coins..." She trailed off with a smile. "...it almost seemed as if you were about to rob my dear niece on her way out of the palace."

A collective gasp rippled through the court and Aqua covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

Marina wasn’t done.

"Tell me, Maria." She said in mock seriousness. "Have you decided to abandon your vows? To forsake the Goddess in exchange for gold and silk? Perhaps live a life of luxury after all? Hm?"

"W-What!?"

Maria stammered, completely flustered, her face turning bright red.

"N-No, Your Majesty! Absolutely not! I-I would never do such a thing!"

Her hands waved frantically before her chest, the panic on her face genuine.

"I-I serve the Goddess and no one else! The Goddess is my one and only devotion, and I would never be swayed by worldly riches!"

Marina’s eyes glinted as Maria’s voice grew higher in pitch.

"Even if—if Your Majesty herself brought the entire treasury before me." Maria continued desperately. "I would avert my eyes and not consider a single coin of it! Not one!"

Her words came out in a rush, her cheeks flushed crimson, her ears glowing red with embarrassment.

"Please, Your Majesty, do not think that I’ve changed sides! I assure you, my faith is unwavering!"