Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!-Chapter 589: Gifts Upon Gifts

Usually, whenever Joy entered a new region, be it a town, a village, or even a faraway province—people would immediately know who she was.

The Saint of Judgment.

The girl chosen by the Goddess herself.

The herald of divine justice who could see through the lies of men and the sins of their souls.

Even if they had never met her before, her presence was unmistakable—the pink hair, the pink eyes, the holy aura that seemed to chill the air around her.

Wherever she went, whispers spread faster than wildfire.

Children were dragged indoors, windows were closed, and townsfolk would peer nervously through cracks in their doors just to catch a glimpse of her.

They both feared and revered her.

Feared her power, yet respected her righteousness.

They knew she never harmed the innocent, never brought judgment on those pure of heart, but the sheer gravity of her reputation was enough to make the bravest man tremble.

That was how it always was.

But today...something was very different.

As she rode into the town square with Maria, Aqua, Isabelle, and Carmela following close behind, there was not a single scream, whisper, or fearful glance.

The streets were packed, yet not one person stopped to kneel or bow.

No one called her Saintess.

No one even spared her a curious glance.

In fact, no one looked at her at all.

Joy frowned deeply. "What is this...?" She muttered.

Maria blinked in confusion too, glancing around. "

That’s strange." She murmured. "Usually by now everyone would be whispering, hiding, or praying."

But of course this wasn’t because they didn’t know who she was.

The Church had spread tales of Joy throughout the continent—her miracles, her divine verdicts, her unwavering devotion to the Goddess.

There was no chance these people hadn’t heard of her.

No—it was simply that they didn’t care.

Because every single one of them was busy.

The wide stone streets of the town were alive with noise and color.

Shops overflowed with people.

Workers carried wood and metal beams, hammering together stalls, scaffolds, and ornate arches.

Bakers were rolling dough, frying sweets, and sprinkling sugar, filling the air with rich, unfamiliar aromas.

Flower sellers were stringing garlands across balconies, and painters were decorating massive banners that fluttered above the streets.

Children ran by carrying lanterns, laughing, while others helped string flags between lampposts.

It was a scene of celebration.

Carmela, who had never seen anything like this, stared around in fascination.

"What’s going on here...?" She muttered softly.

Isabelle smiled, clearly amused by their bewilderment.

"I’m guessing you’ve already heard about the festival? The Harvest Festival that’s happening here?"

"Yeah! Stella told us yesterday." Aqua nodded eagerly. "She said Cassius decided to do something big this year, took charge of the whole thing, and elevated it to another level."

She looked around at the growing commotion—stalls going up, stages being built, banners being hung.

"But...wow. This is even bigger than I imagined. I’ve never seen anything like this in the capital. Not even close."

Maria nodded slowly.

"In all my travels with Joy across the continent, I’ve seen many festivals...but nothing on this scale. I don’t even know what to make of some of these things."

She gestured ahead, where a group of workers were constructing something massive and circular—a wide wooden platform surrounded by carved poles, with small painted ponies mounted on top.

"Like what’s that thing supposed to be?"

Isabelle’s eyes lit up.

"Ah, that will be a carousel! Another one of the Young Master’s creations." She said proudly. "It’s a ride—children can sit on those ponies, and once it’s complete, the whole structure will spin around slowly."

"He said it’s something meant to bring joy and laughter to families."

Aqua leaned over eagerly, pointing at another strange construction.

"And what about that one? Those...metal rails being laid out along the ground?"

"That..." Isabelle said with a hint of pride. "...is called a roller coaster. Another of his designs. It’ll have a small cart that rides along those rails—fast, thrilling, full of twists and turns. He said it’s meant to make people scream with excitement and also a bit of fear.."

"He’s actually making rides?!" Aqua’s jaw dropped.

"Oh yes." Isabelle giggled. "The Young Master was quite insistent that this festival shouldn’t be just about worship or commerce—it should be about fun. A carnival, he called it. There’ll be dozens of rides like this throughout the grounds."

"Carnival..." Maria repeated softly, smiling. "What a beautiful idea."

Isabelle nodded. "And this area we’re in? These are just the finishing touches. The real festivities will be in the main plaza once everything’s complete."

"Then don’t tell us more!" Aqua practically bounced on her horse. "I want to see it when it’s all done—I want it to be a surprise!"

Just then, Carmela sniffed the air lightly, her nose twitching.

"Wait...what’s that smell?"

Maria inhaled too. "Yes...something sweet. And buttery?"

Isabelle laughed softly.

"That would be all the food being prepared! The Young Master personally added several new recipes for this occasion—caramel popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs, sugared nuts...all sorts of festival dishes!"

"Every baker and cook in the town is working together to prepare them."

Aqua looked delighted. "Caramel...popcorn?"

"Yes!" Isabelle grinned. "He said it’s so good you’ll smile immediately once you take a bite...And I think he’s right since the entire household was grinning when he gave us some test samples."

But as they rode through the crowd and Joy reluctantly listened to all new dishes that Cassius invented, she noticed another group of townsfolk performing strange movements on the street corner.

They were dressed in colorful costumes, waving ribbons and props and they moved in rhythm, spinning and laughing.

Joy frowned slightly.

"And what about them?" She asked. "They’re wearing masks and dancing oddly. Is this some sort of ritual to summon an evil spirit?"

Isabelle giggled behind her hand.

"Of course not, Lady Joy. Those are performers! They’re rehearsing for the festival. In fact, there will be many performances—singing, dancing, comedy acts, even talent shows."

"The Young Master wants everyone to join in, so every craftsman, every musician, every artist is contributing something."

"Oh, this is going to be so much fun! I can’t wait anymore!" Aqua practically sparkled at the thought. "I thought I was excited yesterday, but now I feel like I’m going to explode!"

Isabelle laughed softly.

"You’re not the only one. The whole town is like this, buzzing with excitement. And it’s not just this town."

"People from neighboring regions are traveling here just for the festival. Word of mouth has spread far and wide."

Joy, however, looked skeptical. She searched for something, anything to criticize.

"Surely an event like this must cost something." She said. "Tickets, perhaps? I doubt the commoners could afford to attend freely."

Carmela nodded in agreement. "It must be restricted somehow. Nobles always find a way to profit from these things."

But Isabelle only smiled gently and shook her head.

"Not this time. Everything—the rides, the games, the shows—is free. The only things that cost money are the food stalls, and even then, the prices are capped to be affordable for everyone."

"The Young Master personally covered almost all the expenses himself."

"He’s funding the entire thing?" Aqua gasped.

Isabelle nodded proudly.

"Yes. He wanted even the poorest worker, someone who’s never had a single day of joy in their life to experience happiness without worry. He said the purpose of the festival is to remind people that life is still beautiful."

Maria’s eyes softened.

"Truly remarkable..." She whispered. "Even the Church, when holding its own events, asks for donations."

"Yet Cassius...he carries all the burdens himself. He really is extraordinary."

Joy’s brows twitched, her frown deepening.

Hearing her mother speak so fondly of him—hearing everyone praise him—irked her to her core.

Still, she couldn’t deny what she was seeing.

Everywhere she looked, the people glowed with energy and joy.

Laborers who should have been weary and downtrodden were smiling, laughing, working with pride.

’This is impossible...’ She thought bitterly. ’How does he make them so happy? What kind of spell is this man weaving?’

But before she could say anything, a woman’s voice suddenly shouted from the distance—

"Isabelle! Isabelle, dear, hold up! Hold up, just wait a second!"

Everyone turned.

There, running toward them through the street, was a middle-aged woman carrying a basket in her arms, panting heavily as she hurried toward Joy and the others.

As soon as the woman came running toward them, Isabelle’s expression softened in instant recognition. She smiled warmly and waved.

"Oh, Miss Dahlia!" She called out cheerfully. "I knew that sweet and delicious smell in the air had to be yours."

"I thought my nose was playing tricks on me—but of course, if it’s coming from your bakery, everything makes sense now."

The middle-aged woman, slightly out of breath but beaming, laughed in delight as she stopped before Isabelle.

"Oh, you and your sweet mouth, Lady Isabelle! You speak just like Lord Cassius himself."

"Well, I am his maid after all. A maid takes after her Master." She said with a proud little tilt of her chin before leaning forward curiously. "But tell me, Miss Dahlia—why did you run all this way? You look like you’ve sprinted across half the district."

Dahlia straightened, still panting slightly, and lifted the basket in her arms with a wide grin.

"Because of this!" She said proudly. "Open it, dear. It’s for you."

Isabelle took the basket and carefully peeled back the linen cloth covering it.

The moment she did, the scent of freshly baked goods filled the air—warm bread, buttery cupcakes, frosted pastries, and golden-brown pies that looked soft enough to melt at a touch.

Aqua leaned forward eagerly from her horse, her eyes sparkling.

"Ohhh my Goddess, that smells heavenly!" She said. "Is that caramel glaze I smell?!"

"So much sugar...So, much that even the blood would start tasting sweet."

Carmela muttered under her breath, though her gaze lingered on the chocolate-topped loaf longer than she intended.

Dahlia smiled bashfully.

"I just baked a fresh batch this morning, and when I saw you passing by, I had to run over and give it to you! I made sure there’s enough for everyone in the mansion to have something sweet."

Then she leaned forward slightly, her tone turning almost pleading.

"But please, Lady Isabelle—please make sure that Lord Cassius gets some too! I’d be so happy if he tried them. I even made extra soft rolls—the kind he liked last time!"

Isabelle’s face lit up with tenderness as she held the basket close.

"Of course, Miss Dahlia. I’ll make sure he gets them." She said warmly. "And I’ll even tell you exactly what he thought about them later."

Dahlia clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!" She said joyfully. "But I really must go now—if I stay any longer, the cakes in my oven will burn!"

And with that, she turned and hurried back toward her shop, apron fluttering behind her.

The group watched her go in amusement and slight confusion.

Aqua was the first to speak.

"That was...incredibly sweet." She said with a grin. "But why did she give so much?"

Before Isabelle could answer, another voice called out from across the street.

"Don’t go yet, lass! Hold on for this old man!"

Everyone turned again to see an elderly man hurrying toward them, a wide straw hat bobbing on his head and a massive bouquet of colorful flowers clutched in his arms.

His wrinkled face beamed as he approached Isabelle.

"These are from my garden!" He said, holding out the bouquet proudly. " Picked ’em just this morning. Thought I’d give ’em to you to brighten up your room, lass—and maybe you could put a few in Young Master Cassius’s office too."

"They’ll make the place smell nice, help him relax while he works."

Isabelle blinked in surprise again but accepted the flowers gracefully, smiling so warmly that the old man’s eyes twinkled.

"Thank you, Mr. Theo. I’ll make sure he sees them and I’ll put them right by his desk so he can admire them while he writes." She said kindly.

The man nodded happily. "Ah, bless you! He’s done so much for us folk. It’s the least we can do."

He tipped his hat, grinning, and shuffled off with a spring in his step.

Aqua blinked at Isabelle again. "Okay, first a basket of sweets, now a bouquet of flowers...I’m sensing a pattern here."

But she didn’t even get to finish her sentence before another shout came—then another.

"Wait, Miss Isabelle!"

"Hold on, dear maid!"

"Please, take this too!"

In the span of a few seconds, the group found themselves surrounded.

From every corner of the busy street, people were approaching—shopkeepers, farmers, artisans, even children—each one holding something different.

A butcher’s apprentice handed Isabelle a wrapped bundle of smoked meat.

A florist pressed a garland of fragrant herbs into her hands.

A young girl shyly offered a carved wooden charm shaped like a heart.

A seamstress gave her a folded piece of embroidered cloth with Cassius’s initials stitched on it.

A brewer handed over a bottle of homemade honey-wine, proudly declaring,

"Tell the Young Master this was made with gratitude!"

Within moments, Isabelle’s arms were full—completely buried under gifts, baskets, and boxes of every shape and size.

"W-Wait—thank you—but I can’t carry all of this—Ah!"

She stammered, laughing nervously as another person pushed forward with a bag of cookies.

Aqua leaned over and grabbed a few boxes from her.

"Here, give me those—before you collapse!"

She laughed, clutching a few packets of fruit preserves to her chest.

Carmela sighed quietly but reached out to help as well, taking several bottles of perfume and small ornaments, her expression both bewildered and faintly amused.

Maria, smiling softly, took a few wrapped loaves from Isabelle’s overloaded arms.

"Oh dear, the people here really do love your Young Master." She said kindly.

Even Joy, despite her stoic front, was soon forced to help as an old lady walked up and pressed a basket of ripe fruits into her hands, followed by a child handing her two small chocolates tied with ribbons.

By the time the crowd began to disperse, Isabelle was holding her breath, Aqua was covered in ribbons, Carmela had a bag of flowers hanging from her saddle, Maria was juggling cakes and Joy herself sat there, utterly frozen, with a handful of apples in one arm and an awkward bundle of chocolates in the other.

The street fell into laughter again as the townspeople waved them goodbye, calling out cheerful wishes.

"Give our love to the Young Master!"

"Tell him we’re all waiting for the festival!"

"Long live Lord Cassius!"

As the group slowly began to move again, they all looked at each other in stunned silence.

Finally, Aqua broke into laughter.

"Okay, seriously—what just happened?!" She said between giggles. "Don’t tell me, Isabelle...are you the one who’s so popular around here?"

"Does everyone in town just throw free gifts at you wherever you go?"

Isabelle laughed softly, shaking her head.

"Oh, no, no, Lady Aqua—it’s not me who’s popular."

She said modestly, her smile warm but knowing.

"It’s actually the Young Master who’s beloved by everyone here. All these people love him so much that whenever they see me—or any of the maids, guards, or even the cooks—they rush to give us gifts or treats, just so we can take them back to him."

Aqua blinked in astonishment. "Wait, wait, hold on...you’re saying this happens every time?"

"Every single time." Isabelle nodded confidently. "Without fail. And honestly, it’s not surprising—after everything Young Master has done for them, this is their way of showing gratitude."

Maria tilted her head curiously.

"Everything he’s done for them? What sort of things are you talking about?"

Isabelle’s eyes brightened as she exhaled deeply, like someone proud to finally tell a long-kept secret.

"Oh my...where do I even begin?"

She said, smiling faintly.

"There’s so much that I could list, but let’s start with the big ones."

Aqua leaned forward, eager as always. Carmela crossed her arms, trying to look disinterested—but even she was listening closely.