Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!
Chapter 301 301: I'll Be Your Tutor

Julie walked slowly toward the campsite, the sunlight flickered faintly through the leaves above, casting speckled shadows on the ground.

Her eyes drifted to the utensils and books stacked neatly off to the side, her calligraphy brushes, the half-wrinkled dance charts, the thick manuals on etiquette and noble comportment she'd painstakingly lugged around for years.

She stared at them for a long moment, her fingers brushing the worn leather of a book's cover.

'Maybe it's time I let all this go.'

After everything Cassius had said, after everything she had poured out of her heart, it felt like she finally understood.

'There really was no need for this anymore, was there? No need to continue this charade, no need to struggle with things she clearly wasn't made for.'

Her mother had been proud of her all along. She didn't need to become anything else to earn that pride.

'And besides...I'll never make it. No matter what I do, I'll never be like her.'

A small, sad smile curled her lips as she bent down, hands reaching for the utensils and books. She began quietly putting them back into her bag, ready to carry them away and leave this dream behind for good.

But as she stacked the items, a voice suddenly broke her quiet.

"What are you doing?"

She turned slightly, startled to find Cassius standing nearby with a curious expression. His brows were slightly raised, his tone confused.

Julie gave him a wry smile as she tucked one of the books under her arm. "Isn't it obvious?" She said softly. "I'm putting these useless things away."

"Useless?" Cassius blinked at her, his head tilting.

"Yes." She said with a faint laugh that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You made me realize something back there. There's really no point in continuing this...this nonsense. It's time I stopped clinging to impossible things and focused my strength elsewhere."

But instead of agreeing, Cassius shook his head slowly. "Wait. When exactly did I say there's no point in doing this?"

Julie stopped slightly, confusion flashing across her face. "What do you mean?"

Cassius stepped closer, his voice calm but firm.

"I said your mother is proud of you. Proud of the person you are now. But that has nothing to do with whether or not you want to pursue this dream."

Julie stared at him, her lips parting faintly.

"They're two completely different things." He continued. "Your mother's pride in you doesn't erase your own goals. I never said you should give up on this. That's your decision, Julie. Not mine."

His words made her pause, her hands tightening slightly around the bag. A look of understanding dawned on her face...but soon it was replaced with a pitiful smile. She lowered her gaze.

"I...I understand." She murmured. "But still…"

Her voice quivered faintly.

"I've been trying my best for so many years. No matter what I do, I manage to screw it up every single time."

Her eyes drifted down to the tattered books in her hands.

"These books...I bought them more than ten years ago. They've been with me all this time, rotting away just like my progress. And I still haven't managed to properly execute anything."

She laughed faintly, but it was hollow.

"It's utterly useless." She whispered. "Maybe it really is time to give up. Time to stop chasing something I'll never reach. Maybe I should just accept that I'm only fit to be a warrior, like everyone says."

For a moment, silence fell between them. Then Cassius tilted his head, his voice doubtful.

"Is that what you want to do?"

Julie hesitated, her breath catching slightly. "No…" She admitted softly, shaking her head. "No, I don't want to…"

But before she could finish, Cassius stepped forward sharply.

"Then don't."

She blinked up at him in surprise.

"Cassius—"

"If you don't want to give up, then don't." He said firmly. "Do what you want to do, Julie. Not what anyone else expects of you."

Her teeth sank into her lip as she looked away, her fingers trembling faintly.

"I do want to follow this goal." She said, her voice tightening with emotion. "But it's impossible. It's utterly useless! No matter how hard I try, it will never change—"

Cassius suddenly smiled. A slow, confident, almost haughty smile.

"You're absolutely right."

Julie stiffened, her eyes narrowing.

"…What?"

"If you keep working by yourself, if you keep trying to do everything alone..." He said casually, stepping closer until he was right in front of her. "...then yes. You'll never succeed. You'll never learn any of it. And you'll go to your grave knowing nothing but how to swing a sword."

Julie's cheeks flushed red as she glared up at him.

"You—!" She growled. "You don't need to rub it in my face!"

But Cassius only raised a brow and continued smoothly.

"However…" He said, his voice dropping lower, almost arrogantly. "If you get proper help, if you get my help, it won't take long at all before you master all of this."

Julie's eyes went wide. "What?"

Cassius smirked slightly at her stunned expression.

"That's right." He tapped a finger against his temple. "With me guiding you, Julie...it's only a matter of time before you learn everything you've been dreaming of. I'll make it possible for you to live the life you've wanted, a life where you can properly honor your mother."

Julie stared at him in disbelief.

"You...you're going to help me?" Then she let out a short laugh, shaking her head. "There's no way that's possible. I mean, I appreciate the sentiment, but…"

Her expression grew solemn.

"Even the tutors at home, tutors who've taught royal princesses and princes, couldn't help me. There's no way you can do what they couldn't."

She turned slightly as if to walk away, but before she could, Cassius's hand shot out and caught her shoulder gently, stopping her in her tracks.

"Don't compare me to those tutors." He said, his voice suddenly sharper, more commanding.

Julie froze as he stepped closer, leaning down slightly so their faces were almost level.

"Those tutors never had the power to take over the Holyfield estate in a single day. They never had the ability to defeat the Holy Guard at a moment's notice. And they will never have the same power as me."

His eyes glimmered, intense and unyielding.

"They may excel in their little fields." He said with a smirk. "But I excel in one thing above all else, making the impossible possible."

Julie's breath caught as his words sank in.

"Right now, you may think your dream is impossible. But if you let me help you…"

His voice softened slightly, though his gaze stayed locked on hers.

"I promise you, Julie...I'll make it possible."

Julie's eyes went wide as his words sank in, her breath catching faintly in her chest.

For a long moment, she didn't say a word. The soft breeze rustled the grass around them, the faint smell of firewood from the camp's embers clinging to the air.

Then, slowly, something flickered in her gaze.

A glint of hope.

Even though his words were arrogant, impossibly so, something about the way he said them made her believe he might actually be right.

'With him...' She thought. 'There's a chance it might be true.'

Her lips curled into a small, proud smile as she straightened her back and cast a firm gaze at him, one that almost seemed to challenge his boldness.

"Alright then, Cassius." She said, her voice steady but carrying a playful edge. "If you say you can really make this happen...prove it."

Cassius smirked faintly at her sudden resolve, his arms folding lazily across his chest as if her challenge only amused him further.

"And you know...when I was young, my father hired fifty tutors to teach me." She said, her tone turning almost sing-song as she recalled the memory. "Fifty."

Cassius's brows shot up slightly, impressed despite himself.

"And do you know what happened?" She continued. "Every single one of them, every last one, gave up in utter frustration. They said I was hopeless. That no matter what they tried, I simply couldn't be taught."

She stepped closer, her proud smile never faltering.

"So, Cassius…" She said with a slight teasing lilt. "Are you telling me you won't end up like them? You won't give up in frustration and walk away?"

Cassius didn't flinch. Instead, his smirk widened, his grey eyes glinting with unshakable confidence.

"Me? Give up?" He said, shaking his head slowly. "Julie...I'm far too stubborn for that. And I hate losing."

Julie blinked at him as he stepped a little closer, his voice lowering slightly, carrying a playful undertone.

"Even if I can't teach you right away...I still won't give up." He said smoothly. "In fact, I'd use the opportunity to spend even more time with you. To get even closer to you."

Her face grew warm at his words, and she opened her mouth to say something, but he pressed on with an easy grin.

"No matter what happens, Julie...I'll never give up on you."

That was enough to make her burst out laughing, her voice light and musical as she covered her mouth.

"You're absolutely ridiculous." She said, shaking her head. "Fine. I'll let you try."

Her eyes narrowed mischievously as she leaned forward slightly, her finger jabbing against his chest.

"But listen carefully, Cassius." She said with a cheeky smirk. "If you turn out to be as incompetent as those fifty tutors...I'll fire you myself."

Cassius raised a brow, pretending to be offended as he stepped back dramatically.

"Fire me?" He exclaimed. "Cheeky student, aren't you? To fire your own boss?"

Julie stifled another laugh, covering her lips with her fingers.

"Well, that's how it works around here and if you don't agree, then that just means you don't have the grit needed to teach me." She retorted with a grin.

He chuckled lowly, shaking his head as his smirk softened into something warmer.

"Fine then, Captain." He said with a teasing bow. "You've got yourself a teacher. Just don't regret it later when I prove how good I am at making you eat your words."

Julie rolled her eyes, though her smile didn't fade.

'Why is he so confident?' She wondered, sneaking a glance at him, his grin still tugging at his lips.

'What exactly does he plan to do...and how in the world does he think he can succeed where everyone else failed?'

But as she watched him, a flutter of curiosity stirred in her chest, mixing strangely with the faint warmth that lingered there from before.

And though she didn't want to admit it, not yet, part of her was already looking forward to seeing what he'd do...