Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!
Chapter 297 297: You Can See Spirits And Ghosts?!

Julie's shoulders slumped slightly as she continued,

"It got to the point where even my tutors gave up on me. They said I wasn't cut out for noble etiquette. And eventually...even Father said it was fine if I didn't learn those things."

"He told me I didn't need to waste my time on such things since I was already a prodigy in combat. He said my future was in the battlefield, not in the ballroom."

She laughed faintly again, but there was no humor in it, only a trace of bitterness.

"If any other noble girl heard that, they'd probably be happy. They'd feel relieved to be freed from all the burdens of noble expectations. But me...I wasn't happy at all. It felt like my heart was breaking."

Cassius's hands clenched slightly on his knees, but he stayed silent, letting her pour her heart out.

Julie looked down, her voice barely above a whisper. "Even though I was a prodigy with the sword, even though I easily defeated all my brothers at a young age, and later even Father himself, it never felt like enough. I didn't care about being called a genius at war. In my heart, all I truly wanted…"

She paused, inhaling sharply as her fingers trembled in her lap.

"…Was to master noble etiquette. To become a lady like my mother."

Cassius's chest tightened as he watched her speak, the raw honesty in her voice striking him.

Julie went on, her voice steadier now though tinged with melancholy.

"Over the years, I came to accept that I wasn't cut out for nobility. That I wasn't destined to be a lady like my mother. I realized my purpose was to be a warrior, to protect others, to use the talents I do have for the good of the people. And I am grateful for that gift. Truly, I am."

Her eyes met Cassius's for a moment, her gaze steady but soft. "But even so...In some small part of my heart, I still long to make my mother proud. To show her that I can be like her, even if it's just a little."

She exhaled shakily, her lips curling into a wry smile.

"So ever since I was little, I've been sneaking off to learn noble etiquette on my own. And even now, as an adult...I'm still doing the same thing. Trying and failing over and over."

Julie looked at Cassius with a faint smile that barely hid her vulnerability.

"So there you have it, Cassius. The answer you were looking for. My motivation, my reason for doing all this...It's just me wanting to be like my mother and make her proud."

She inhaled softly, her voice trembling as she asked. "So...what do you think? About my little story?"

Her eyes searched his face nervously, unsure how he would react to her confession.

Julie watched him carefully, her heart pounding as the silence stretched on longer than she'd expected.

In her mind, she thought, 'There's no way...no way Cassius would ever say something rude after I just poured my heart out like this. He's not that kind of man. He's too refined for that. Too understanding.'

She tried to reassure herself, 'He'll probably say something calm. Something gentle, to cheer me up, just like he would with any other girl struggling like this.'

But even with those thoughts, a small part of her chest tightened with worry. 'Still...this is the first time I've ever told anyone the truth about this. What if...what if he doesn't understand? What if he laughs, even just a little?'

Her fingers curled tightly into her skirt as she steeled her heart, bracing herself for his answer.

But then, two seconds passed. Five. Ten. And then a whole minute.

Cassius didn't say a word and Julie blinked in confusion.

"...Cassius?" She asked softly, peering at him.

But shockingly, he wasn't even looking at her.

Her heart skipped a beat as she followed his gaze and realized he was staring past her, his eyes fixed on the sky above.

His expression wasn't neutral, either, it was filled with awe. A big, uncharacteristically serene smile tugged at his lips, and his eyes shimmered as though he was seeing something magnificent.

"...Huh?" Julie turned around instinctively, wondering if there really was something there.

But all she saw was the pale blue sky stretching endlessly, dotted with cotton clouds lazily floating by. The sunlight streamed down gently, warm on her back...Nothing out of the ordinary.

She frowned slightly and turned back to him. "Cassius…? What are you looking at? Is something wrong?"

Cassius didn't answer right away, still staring upward.

Julie tilted her head and asked again. "Why are you looking at the sky with that big smile on your face? Are you seeing something I can't?"

This time, Cassius finally spoke, softly, almost reverently. "Of course I am."

Julie blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

He exhaled slowly, his smile widening a little more. "I'm looking at your mother."

Julie's breath hitched at the unexpected answer that came out of nowhere. "My...My mother? Did you just say my mother?"

Cassius nodded, his gaze still fixed on the clouds above. "She's up there, you know. Watching you. And right now...she's smiling so damn proudly at her daughter."

Julie froze, her eyes widening as her lips parted in shock and her heart thumped wildly in her chest. "W-Wait...what do you mean?"

She glanced upward again, her gaze scanning the sky desperately. Nothing. Just the endless blue and the drifting clouds.

"What are you saying?" She asked, her voice almost breaking.

Cassius finally lowered his gaze to look at her. His expression didn't waver, it was utterly sincere.

"I'm saying...I can see her. Your mother. And she's so proud of you, Julie. She's looking down from the heavens with a smile that could light up the world. She's proud of the woman her daughter has become."

Julie felt her heart lurch in her chest. Her throat tightened, and for a fleeting moment, she wondered, 'Could it be true? Could he really…?'

Her voice trembled. "Wait...Cassius. Are you saying you can actually see her?"

Cassius nodded slowly. "Of course I can."

Julie's heart skipped another beat, and she stared at him with wide eyes, her mind racing. 'Wait...does he…? Could he actually have some secret power? It wouldn't be too far as this is Cassius, who keeps on giving surprise after another.'

She swallowed hard and whispered, almost in awe. "Y-You...You're able to see souls in heaven?"

Her imagination ran wild, 'Is he...an esper? A medium? A ghost whisperer? Did he always have this ability and just never tell anyone?'

But before she could ask, Cassius's lips twitched slightly...And then, he let out a low laugh.

Julie blinked. "Huh…?"

Cassius shook his head with a small smirk. "I'm joking."

Julie stared at him, stunned. "...What?"

He raised his hands slightly as if in mock surrender. "I can't actually see your mother, Julie. All I can see up there is a beautiful blue sky. The clouds. That's it."

Julie's face flushed red as a blend of embarrassment and irritation surged through her.

"Wha, you...you absolute—!" She puffed out her cheeks in a pout, glaring at him. "For a second there, I actually thought you were serious! I thought—! Ugh!"

Cassius laughed softly again, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "Sorry, sorry. I couldn't resist."

"You're horrible." Julie muttered, looking away as her face burned hotter.

"Maybe." He admitted with a grin.

But then his expression softened, his grin fading into a gentle, solemn smile. He straightened slightly, his eyes locking on hers.

"But…" He said quietly, his tone firm and steady. "I wasn't joking about one thing."

Julie's pout faltered as she glanced at him, caught off guard by the change in his voice. "...What do you mean?"

Cassius's eyes held hers, unwavering and sincere.

"I wasn't joking when I said your mother is proud of you."

Julie's breath hitched. "Cassius…"

He leaned forward slightly, his voice calm but filled with quiet conviction. "Julie, this whole time you've been talking about making your mother proud. About living up to her image. About wanting people to look at you and say, 'She's her mother's daughter.' But here's the thing—"

He smiled gently, a faint glow in his eyes as he spoke. "I think you've already done that."

Julie's lips parted, her heart pounding to which Cassius nodded.

"You said you wanted to be like her. The kind of woman who could inspire others. But Julie...you're already there. You just don't see it."

Julie gasped softly, her chest tightening.

Cassius's voice softened even further. "Your mother...I'm sure she's up there, looking down at you right now. And I guarantee you, she's thinking: That's my daughter. That's the woman I raised. And she's wonderful."

Julie didn't know why but she felt her vision blur slightly, heat welling in her eyes even though she knew that he was saying some words to comfort.

But even though they were simple words and nothing real, when they came out of Cassius's mouth it seemed so true that she couldn't help but think if what he was saying was true.

If her mother up above was really proud of her at the moment and just that thought alone was awakening an emotion Inside of her that she had buried for so long...