Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!

As Cassius turned back into the room, his eyes fell on Edmund, who remained seated at the table, his head bowed low, fists clenched tightly in his lap.

The dim light of the room cast sharp shadows across his face, highlighting the intensity in his tightly shut eyes.

Cassius's sharp gaze caught the faint movement of Edmund's lips as he muttered under his breath, the words too soft to hear but venomous in their rhythm, like a curse being silently woven. He didn't need to hear the words to know exactly what Edmund was stewing over.

The humiliation of being forced to pour a drink for the man who had so thoroughly claimed his fiancée was likely eating away at him, corroding whatever pride he had left.

He was clearly boiling in his humiliation, likely plotting something vindictive to even the scales.

Cassius's eyes lingered on him for a moment longer, his expression unreadable. He thought of the man's hatred, the inevitable schemes that would follow, and how those schemes would play out.

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, but he said nothing. He didn't need to. Whatever Edmund had in store, Cassius was more than ready to meet it head-on.

He gave one last glance in Edmund's direction, scoffed softly, and turned away, leaving the house behind.

Outside, he was greeted by a familiar presence standing at the edge of the pathway to his surprise.

Lucious, his ever-so-loyal butler, straightened the moment Cassius appeared, his bright grey eyes lighting up like a puppy spotting its master.

"You're back, Young Master!" Lucious said, practically bouncing on his feet as he hurried over, his soft dark hair catching the moonlight.

His youthful, almost androgynous features were framed by the glow, making him look more like a girl wearing her father's tuxedo rather than a butler.

Cassius squinted his eyes because of the energy radiating from him, almost as if he was looking at the sun itself, and then asked with his tone carrying a note of mild disbelief, "You've been waiting out here this entire time, Lucious? Out in this cold night without even a scarf to cover you up?"

Lucious nodded enthusiastically, his bright eyes wide. "Of course, my lord! I couldn't possibly leave you alone in there for too long. What if something happened?"

Cassius let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. "I can take care of myself, Lucious...You really don't need to bother, especially since you don't look like you can come out winning if a fight were to break out with that tiny frame of yours." He said dryly.

Lucious puffed up his chest, clearly unconvinced. "I know, Young Master. But it's my duty to ensure that you're always safe."

"...Not to mention that even though I may be useless in a physical fight, I still have a few tricks up my hand because I'm a user of 'Eather'." He declared proudly, his eyes gleaming with earnestness.

Cassius smirked, his gaze sharpening slightly as he leaned closer. "Well, it seems like you've been busy ensuring more than just my safety." He said with a knowing tone, his smirk widening. "Judging by how much you clearly enjoyed listening in on us back there."

Lucious froze, his wide eyes blinking up at Cassius in shock.

"Wh-What?" He stammered, his voice raising an octave in surprise. "How...How could you possibly know that, Young Master? I was quiet—I swear! I didn't even breathe too loudly when I put my ears against the door to hear what was going on inside!"

Cassius raised an eyebrow, his expression bordering on amused condescension. "Oh, Lucious." He said, chuckling softly. "Do you really think I wouldn't notice when it's written all over your face?"

"My...face?" Lucious repeated, confused.

"Yes, my adorable butler." Cassius said, gesturing toward him. "You're blushing like a maiden caught sneaking peeks at her crush...That's what gave you away."

Lucious's hands flew to his cheeks, his palms pressing against his warm skin as realisation dawned. "Oh no!" He exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine horror. "I-I didn't even realise! My face really is flushed!"

Cassius couldn't help but laugh at his butler's dramatic reaction, the sound rich and genuine as he leaned back slightly. "Calm down, Lucious." He said, waving a hand dismissively. "It's not the end of the world."

"But, my lord!" Lucious protested, his expression growing serious. "This is unbecoming of a butler like me! Showing my emotions so openly—it could be detrimental in certain situations!" He paused, his gaze turning contemplative as his fingers tapped against his chin. "Perhaps I should invest in a mask to hide my face...Something simple, but effective."

"A mask, you say? And what kind of mask are you thinking of, exactly?" Cassius asked, wondering how he would look with a butler wearing a Halloween mask following him around.

Lucious frowned thoughtfully, clearly taking the question seriously.

"Well, it would need to cover my entire face, of course." He said, his tone matter-of-fact. "Maybe something elegant to match your unbelievable charm, Young Master...Or perhaps something intimidating, like those worn by the knights of old to scare away anyone that tries to approach you. And that way, no one could ever read my emotions again!"

Cassius stared at him for a moment, his amusement growing as he imagined the ridiculous sight. Finally, he shook his head with a chuckle. "Absolutely not...Don't you ever wear a mask, Lucious. I command you not to do so." He said firmly.

"But why, my lord?" Lucious blinked, startled. "Wouldn't it make me more effective as your butler if no one could read my emotions?"

Cassius leaned closer, his crimson eyes glinting with faint mischief. "Because, Lucious." He said as he admired his butler's delicate features. "I'd rather let the enemies see your true emotions than be deprived of seeing your cute face myself."

"C-Cute?!" Lucious repeated, caught off guard by his master's sudden praise, and even took a step back in fright.

Cassius chuckled softly, patting Lucious on the shoulder. "Yes, cute...Pretty even." He said, his tone teasing but with a genuine warmth that only deepened the blush on Lucious's cheeks. "So don't go covering it up with some ridiculous mask, understand?"

Lucious nodded quickly, his grey eyes wide and bright as stardust as he replied, "Of course, Young Master! I promise, no masks!"

Cassius smirked but said nothing more, instead turning his attention ahead to the quiet path. Yet, as they walked, a thought crept into his mind, unbidden but persistent.

He glanced at Lucious out of the corner of his eye, noting the soft curve of his delicate features, the way his dark hair fell in gentle waves around his face, and—most frustratingly—the way his rose-tinted cheeks made him look even more enticing.

'Maybe he should really wear a mask for the sake of my sanity.' Cassius thought wryly, his smirk fading into a faint sigh. 'It's hard enough to consider him as a boy when he looks like that.'

'I mean, which man blushes so prettily that it makes you question everything?' He shook his head subtly, clearing the thought before it could take root any further.

There were more important matters to consider than the androgynous charm of his overenthusiastic butler. Still, the idea lingered at the edges of his mind, teasing him as they continued their walk through the crisp night air.

Lucious, oblivious to his master's internal musings, walked alongside him with the same boundless energy, humming softly under his breath, as if entirely unbothered by the world. If anything, his innocent demeanour only reinforced Cassius's amusement and his faint exasperation at how careless he seemed when he was by his side.

As they walked under the soft glow of the moon, Cassius remembered what Lucious had witnessed just now and wondered what he thought of him after seeing such an atrocious act take place. To ease his curiosity, he broke the silence, his voice quieter than usual.

"Lucious." He began, his crimson eyes glancing sideways at his butler. "What do you think of me now that you've seen...everything?"

Lucious blinked, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. "What do I think of you, Young Master?" He repeated, his tone confused.

Cassius nodded, his smirk fading into something softer, more contemplative. "Yes. After seeing me behave like that—indulging in something so depraved—do you hate serving a master like me?"

"...A debaucherous overlord who likes to feast upon the fiancée of others while they watched everything happen right in front of them?"

Lucious stopped in his tracks, his expression one of genuine bewilderment when he heard his master's words.

"Hate you?" He said, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Why would I hate you for something like that, Young Master?"

Cassius turned to face him fully, crossing his arms as his sharp gaze locked onto Lucious. "Because what I did wasn't exactly moral." He said as he observed his butler's expression. "I mean, it wasn't something anyone would look at and think, 'There's a good man."

Lucious stared at him for a moment, his expression softening as he took a step closer. He then shook his head slowly, a faint, earnest smile touching his lips. "Morality has nothing to do with how I see you, Young Master. So no matter what atrocious act you would commit, it wouldn't change the way I look at you at all." He said quietly, his tone steady but warm.

"Oh? And why's that?" Cassius raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued.

Lucious took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming with unshakeable resolve as he spoke.

"Because it doesn't matter if something is right or wrong. All that matters is that it's you, Young Master. My duty isn't to judge you or to question your actions...My only purpose is to follow you, to serve you."

His voice grew quieter, more intense.

"So even if the whole world turned against you—if you burnt cities to ash or led us all to hell—I would without a doubt still be by your side."

Cassius's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by the raw conviction in Lucious's words. For a moment, the only sound was the faint rustle of the wind through the trees.

"You'd follow me even then?" Cassius asked, his voice lower, almost tentative.

Lucious nodded firmly, his gaze unwavering. "Yes, my lord. Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will follow...That is my promise to you."

Cassius let out a slow breath, his arms falling to his sides as he studied the young man before him. There was no hesitation in Lucious's expression, no doubt—only a steadfast loyalty that made something twist deep in Cassius's chest as he wondered what caused him to be as loyal as a dog.

"Sigh...You're either the most devoted butler in existence..." Cassius said softly, his voice carrying a faint edge of wonder. "...or the most reckless fool I've ever met."

Lucious smiled, his bright eyes softening. "If it means I can stay by your side, Young Master." He replied. "I don't mind being either."