Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!-Chapter 591: King Of The Red Light District

Maria couldn’t stop smiling as their horses clopped along the cobblestone streets.

Everywhere she looked, there was laughter, music, and the scent of freshly baked bread.

Farmers hauled carts full of ripe produce, merchants greeted customers warmly, and children ran barefoot, waving ribbons through the air.

It was as if the entire town pulsed with life and gratitude.

"Everywhere we go, people look...alive." She murmured softly. "It’s like joy itself is in the air."

And truly, that’s how it felt.

The whole town radiated an invisible warmth, a kind of energy she’d never experienced anywhere else.

Even the most ordinary scenes seemed touched by light: a father playfully lifting his daughter onto his shoulders; a group of teenagers repairing a shop sign together, laughing.

Cassius’s influence could be felt everywhere and Maria’s heart swelled.

She’d travelled all over the continent with her daughter and she had seen misery in countless forms.

Towns left broken by war or greed, places where nobles had drained every drop of wealth and compassion from their people.

She remembered starving mothers begging her for bread to feed their children, young boys scavenging in trash for scraps, and women on their knees in the mud asking her to pray for them.

Every sight had been a wound she carried.

But this—this was different.

This was hope incarnate.

Her eyes softened as she looked ahead, her voice trembling with quiet admiration.

"Cassius really...is a great man."

But then, her thoughts shifted, her smile faltering slightly.

’And that same great man...asked for my hand in marriage.’

She looked around again—at the women giggling in groups, at how they paused to glance up at the statues of Cassius scattered throughout the town.

Some of them even had dreamy looks in their eyes, their cheeks blushing faintly.

It didn’t take much to see that half the women in this city were utterly enamored with him—some with love, others with desire.

And realizing that, Maria’s chest tightened a little.

’Even these young women would give up everything to be near him.’ She thought quietly. ’And yet...he wanted me.’

She pressed a hand to her chest, her face warming slightly. The thought stirred up a mixture of emotions—flattery, nervousness, confusion, and something deeper she couldn’t yet name.

But just as she was lost in her thoughts, the atmosphere around them began to change.

The lively, family-filled streets slowly gave way to an area that looked...different.

The buildings were taller, sleeker, and more lavishly decorated.

The air grew thick with perfume, laughter, and the sound of instruments playing softly behind curtained doors.

Maria blinked, realization dawning on her as she noticed what kind of place they had entered.

It was the Red Light district.

She could tell immediately by the women standing near the entrances of the inns and bars—dressed in revealing gowns, their lips painted bright, their eyes lidded and inviting.

They leaned against doorframes or approached passing men with sweet, practiced smiles.

Maria’s cheeks turned pink as she instinctively looked away. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Even Isabelle seemed to be bothered as she put a scarf over herself to cover herself up, almost as if she didn’t want to stay in this place for another second.

This surprised Maria as she hadn’t expected someone as kind as Isabelle to show such didain towards this sort of area.

But at the same time she couldn’t blame her.

She had visited places like this before during her travels, though she had never lingered. And normally, such districts were sad, shadowed places, filled with the heavy stench of despair.

But here...something was off.

She frowned slightly as she looked around.

The women here, though dressed and posed like any other courtesans didn’t have the hollow eyes she was used to seeing.

Their smiles weren’t forced.

Their laughter wasn’t the brittle, fake kind born of survival.

They looked...normal.

Happy, even.

Their faces glowed with energy, and some even chatted casually with each other in between calling out to men passing by. None of them looked exhausted or drugged or frightened.

Maria’s brow furrowed.

She had seen many red-light districts before—most were festering pits of exploitation and sorrow.

There were always addicts shivering in alleys, or women crying softly in corners, or bruises hidden under layers of makeup.

But here, there were none.

The air was clean, the atmosphere strangely peaceful. It was almost...organized.

She tried to dismiss it as her imagination—maybe it was just that the rest of the town’s harmony was rubbing off on this place too.

But then she noticed Carmela’s expression that was equally puzzled, her crimson eyes narrowing as she scanned the surroundings.

Finally, Carmela turned to Joy, who had also noticed where they were.

"You’re not going to investigate this place?" She asked curiously.

Joy turned her head slightly, giving her a skeptical look.

"And why would I?"

"Because nobles often have their dirtiest dealings in districts like this."

Carmela said bluntly.

"Gambling, trafficking, prostitution—these businesses generate massive profit margins. Around twenty percent of most noble incomes come from such places."

"So, if Cassius really has something to hide, this is where you’d find it."

"Hey, Carmela!" Aqua frowned instantly. "Whose side are you even on here? Are you trying to help her or help me?"

"I’m on no one’s side." Carmela shrugged coolly. "I’m simply stating the obvious."

Joy looked at Carmela with an intrigued gaze. "You speak as if you’ve dealt with nobles before."

"I have." Carmela replied calmly.

"In a good way?" Joy asked.

Carmela turned her eyes toward her.

"In the worst way possible." She said flatly. "The kind where either they die...or I do. And since I’m still here, you can guess the outcome."

And hearing this Joy’s lips curled up as from the few lines that they had exchanged, it made it obvious how much Carmela hated nobles.

And as a fellow noble-hater, she was rather pleased by that.

But then Joy’s expression grew serious again as she glanced around.

"But you’re right. Places like this are where nobles hide their filth. They traffic young girls, run illegal gambling dens, and sell flesh for profit."

"They destroy lives in the name of luxury and greed. It’s disgusting."

She adjusted her gloves, her tone cold.

"As for the reason I’m not doing anything now even though I say this, is because we have already investigated this area before coming here. It was one of the first areas of investigation for my team."

Carmela’s gaze sharpened. "Then the fact that you aren’t reacting means Cassius isn’t involved, is he?"

"Of course not!" Aqua said immediately, cutting in before Joy could respond. "My brother would never be part of something like this! He’s too pure and too kind for this world!"

And hearing this statement, Joy couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Everyone turned to her, startled. Aqua frowned.

"What’s so funny?"

Joy finally turned her head, a faint smirk playing on her lips.

"Oh, nothing much. I’m just amused by how confident you sound."

"After all you just said your brother has no involvement with this district, right? None at all?"

Aqua nodded stubbornly. "Exactly! My brother would never—"

"Well." Joy interrupted, her voice sharp with amusement. "Unlike most nobles, Cassius doesn’t just take a small share in districts like these."

"No. He’s not the kind who dips a toe in filth and pretends his hands are clean."

Aqua blinked. "What are you—"

Joy grinned. "He owns it all."

There was a collective silence as everyone froze.

Joy slowly extended her arm, gesturing at the entire street—the bars, the inns, gambling halls, the bright lanterns.

"Every single building here. Every brothel, every tavern, every parlor. The entire pleasure district belongs to him."

"Cassius Vindictus Holyfield—your beloved saintly brother—is the owner of this entire industry."

Aqua’s eyes went wide, her mouth falling open.

"W-What?! That—that can’t be true!"

"Oh, it’s very true."

Joy simply smiled, her tone almost pitying.

"Every license, every deed—all under his name. The taxes, the wages, the regulations all managed directly by his estate."

"Basically, he doesn’t just control this district...he is this district."

Even Carmela looked startled, and Maria blinked, speechless, her blush deepening as she looked around again.

But Aqua—poor Aqua—could only clutch her reins tightly, her face frozen in utter disbelief.

"No...No, that’s impossible! There must be some mistake! My brother—my brother would never—"

But deep down, she knew Joy wasn’t lying.

The Saint of Judgment might be ruthless, but she wasn’t the kind of person to make up a lie this bold without proof. Aqua’s throat tightened, and her heartbeat quickened as the implications sank in.

If her brother did own this entire district...then that meant—

He was tied to this.

She’d always known what places like this represented. The shame, the pain, the filth that nobles thrived on.

Behind every curtain and painted smile lay the same horrors she’d seen across the continent—women broken, exploited, treated as commodities until their bodies gave out, then discarded like trash.

Gambling dens built on deceit, addictions, and debt that tore families apart.

These were the pits of humanity’s cruelty, and the nobles who owned them were the ones who perpetuated that cycle.

To think her brother—her brother—could be part of that made her heart drop like a stone.

’No...it can’t be true.’ She thought desperately, her breath coming in quick, shallow bursts. ’Cassius isn’t like that. He’s not one of them. He’d never hurt anyone...never.’

Her breaths came quicker, panic welling in her chest.

Maria looked at her in worry. "Aqua, dear—"

But before she could finish, Isabelle’s calm voice cut through the rising tension, soft and steady.

"Oh, Aqua." Isabelle said gently, her tone warm but firm. "Please, don’t panic. It’s not what you think."

Aqua looked down, her eyes wide and glistening.

Isabelle gave a small, reassuring smile.

"Yes, it’s true that the Young Master owns this entire district." She said evenly. "But that doesn’t mean what you’re imagining."

"The truth is...quite the opposite."

Carmela frowned. "What do you mean?"

Isabelle turned her head slightly toward Joy, her expression now carrying a hint of playful knowingness.

"Isn’t that right, Lady Joy?" She said sweetly. "You’ve already conducted your investigations here, haven’t you? You know exactly what changes the Young Master made—how he transformed this place."

Joy’s jaw tightened slightly. For a brief moment, she looked as though she’d been caught red-handed.

"Come now, Lady Joy. Why don’t you explain it to us yourself?"

Isabelle tilted her head, smiling innocently.

"After all, you are the Saintess of Judgment. Surely you wouldn’t withhold the truth, would you?"

Aqua’s gaze darted between them, desperate for answers.

"Joy...please...tell me it’s not what I think." She said quietly, almost pleading.

Joy’s lips pressed together before she looked away for a moment, clearly irritated.

"Tch..." She exhaled sharply and finally muttered. "Yes. I investigated this place thoroughly."

"Yes." She repeated, her tone flat and begrudging. "Cassius owns the entire district. Every single establishment here. But..." Her voice lowered a little. "...there’s nothing I can do against him. Not in this matter."

"W-Why do you say that?" Aqua blinked through her tears, confused.

Carmela frowned. "If you were any other official, you would’ve either taken a bribe or shut the matter quietly. But you’re not like that, are yout? Why leave it alone?"

"Yeah, please tell us, Lady Joy?" Isabelle also taunted with a smirk. "Why can’t you do anything against my Young Master?"

Joy glared at Isabelle, who only smiled sweetly in return.

"Because..." Joy said after a pause, her tone heavy with reluctant honesty. "...he’s done nothing wrong."

The words stunned everyone.

"Nothing...wrong?" Aqua repeated in disbelief.

Joy crossed her arms, looking annoyed but resolute.

"If there had been exploitation, abuse, trafficking—anything, then I’d have acted immediately. I would’ve burned this entire district to the ground. But..."

She exhaled again, shaking her head.

"My investigation found no such thing. Nothing I could use against him."

"And not only has he committed no crime here...

"...he’s actually helped this district. Helped the women in ways no one else ever has."