Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!
Chapter 247 - 247: You Can't Buy My Heart!

Julie watched Cassius's back as he walked, his broad shoulders and lean frame catching her eye. Unlike most nobles, bloated from overindulgence or frail from idleness, he carried a warrior's build, his back wide and strong.

The thought startled her, 'Why was she noticing this?' and she shook her head, pushing it aside. Then her gaze sharpened, realizing he carried not even a single pack or any other luggage in sight. She even scanned the path, checking for dropped bags, but found nothing.

"Cassius, hold up." She called, her voice curious, stepping forward. "Where's your luggage? Is Lucius bringing it, or...did you forget it? It's no big deal if you need to go back."

"Really, Cassius?" Aisha sighed, her voice dripping with smug amusement as she crossed her arms. "You forgot your luggage? How childish of you to mess up something so basic." Her wand tapped her hip, a haughty satisfaction settling in her chest, thinking she'd caught him slipping, her earlier irritation giving way to a sense of superiority.

"Oh, I can go for you, Master!" Skadi bounced forward, her voice bright as she clasped her hands. "I'm super fast, I'll run back and grab your stuff, no problem!" Her tail wagged, her body leaning toward him, eager to help, her heart fluttering at the chance to please him.

But Cassius chuckled, turning around, his voice calm but amused. "No need, puppy. I've already got everything I need right here. I don't need anything else."

"Wait, what?" Aisha said, her smugness faltered, her voice skeptical as she raised an eyebrow, thinking that Cassius was saying that he didn't need anything other then clothes he was wearing. "You're not bringing anything? You're just going to wear the same clothes every day? Don't nobles like you have etiquette, manners? How can you wear the same outfit and not feel...stinky?" Her nose wrinkled, her tone mocking but tinged with genuine curiosity.

Julie nodded as well, her voice gentle, almost apologetic as she stepped closer. "She's got a point, Cassius. You should've brought some necessities, even just a change of clothes. But it's fine, though, we can share what we've got, split the load between us or we can buy the things you need on the way." She said, her heart twinging with concern, thinking he might not know how to travel light.

But to their surprise, Cassius shook his head, his smile widening, his voice smooth as he said, "You guys...What, do you think I'm some kind of barbarian who'll wear the same clothes every day."

"...In fact, I've got my luggage, and the toys I mentioned too right here." He held up his hand, pointing to a ring on his finger, its ancient metal glinting with intricate carvings, beautiful and weathered, catching the fading light.

The trio blinked, confused, stepping closer to peer at the ring and Skadi was the first to gasp, her hands flying to her mouth, but for the wrong reason.

"Master, did you get married?! When!? Nobody told me! If it was recent, why didn't you invite me? I missed all the wedding food!" Her tail froze, her body practically vibrating with betrayal, her heart racing at the thought of missing such an event.

But Aisha quickly swatted her arm, her voice sharp, "Shut up, Skadi! You don't know anything!" Before leaning in closer, staring at the ring, her breath catching. "That's no wedding ring. It's...an artifact, a storage ring.An ancient artifact in fact used to hold lifeless objects, weapons, clothes, food, anything...It even keeps them preserved, too, so food doesn't spoil."

Her voice was hushed, awed, her fingers twitching with the urge to touch it, her heart pounding with the thrill of seeing such a relic.

"Aisha's right." Julie nodded as well, her voice soft with recognition as she studied the ring. "These were made ages ago, when the mana levels one the plane were stronger, by master dwarf craftsmen who could weave storage spells into rings. But as mana faded, the skill was lost, so relics like this are extremely rare." Her heart stirred with awe, the weight of history in that small band making her pulse quicken and she couldn't help but ask, "Cassius, how'd you get it?"

"Well, I got bored one day and went rummaging through the family treasury." Cassius shrugged, his voice casual as he twisted the ring on his finger, the carvings catching the light. "And after some searching, I found this tucked away on a shelf, hidden like someone forgot it. I slipped it on and I figured it was a ring that could store things and thought it'd be handy for a trip like this, so I brought it along today."

"I've even got all my essentials in here, plus those things I've made. It's for the space of a small room, give or take, but it's still pretty convenient, right?" He glanced at Julie, his smile teasing. "You ever check your family's treasury, Julie? Might find one of these lying around."

Julie gave a wry smile, her voice dry as she leaned against the horse. "My family's noble, Cassius, but we're not swimming in gold like the Holyfields. Our treasury's more likely to have an old sword than some ancient ring. We're fighters, not hoarders." Her fingers tapped her sword, a flicker of pride in her words, though a twinge of envy tugged at her chest.

Cassius's gaze then shifted to Aisha, who stood nearby, her eyes locked on the ring with unabashed awe. Her fingers twitched, as if resisting the urge to snatch it, her breath shallow with fascination.

"Aisha, you're staring at this ring like you want to yank it off my finger and claim it. Do you really like it that much?" He chuckled, his voice teasing as he leaned toward her.

Aisha didn't flinch, but her voice burst with excitement, her eyes never leaving the ring.

"Of course I do, Cassius! Are you kidding? This is an artifact every mage on the continent would kill for! It's the ultimate dream, every single mage wants one." She gestured wildly, her wand waving in her enthusiasm. "You can't even buy them, you know. They're never for sale and people who have them guard them like family heirlooms, passed down through generations. Because of that getting one is basically impossible!" Her heart raced, her words spilling out as she spoke, her body leaning closer, drawn to the ring's ancient power like a moth to a flame.

She then paused, then looked up at him, her voice softening, dreamy. "But if I ever got one, I'd study it, poke around to figure out how it's made. Maybe even write a book about it, all my findings laid out. Can you imagine? I'd be famous!" She laughed, her tone joking, her eyes sparkling with ambition. "One day, I hope I stumble across something like this. It'd be a lifetime dream come true."

Her words carried a childlike yearning, her stance shifting as if she were a girl in a shop, gazing at a toy too grand for her reach, her heart aching with want.

Seeing this, Cassius's smile softened, his voice warm as he watched her joy. "You're serious about studying it, aren't you? "

"Absolutely! Studying one in real life would be incredible. I'd spend days, weeks, just figuring it out. I'd then write that book, publish it, maybe make some gold on the side." She grinned, her tone playful, thinking he was just humoring her, her heart light with the fantasy of such a chance.

But to her surprise, Cassius's grin widened, his voice taking on a surprising edge. "Well, I'm using this one right now, so I can't hand it over, it's a pain to get off since fits like a glove...But after this mission's done, Aisha, you can borrow it as long as you need."

"Study it, poke it, do whatever you want...Hell, try making your own ring with it as a guide. I don't mind lending it."

"R-Really?! You're serious?!" Aisha's head snapped up, her voice a stunned gasp. "You'd let me borrow it?" She asked, her heart pounding as she stared at him, hope flaring in her chest, her body leaning forward as if to confirm his words weren't a dream.

"Why not?" Cassius shrugged, his voice casual. "It's not like you're gonna steal it. And once the mission's over, I won't need it for a while, so there's wrong with handing it over to you." His smile was easy, his hand gesturing dismissively, as if lending a priceless artifact was no big deal.

Aisha's breath hitched, her voice trembling with joy, her fingers tightening on her wand. "That's...I don't even know what to say. hat's huge!" Her heart swelled, but before she could process it, Cassius kept going, his tone shifting to a playful drawl.

"And who knows." He said, his eyes glinting. "Maybe there's more in my treasury. It's a big place, stuffed with treasures I can't even count and I just find another one if I dig around enough. If I do, I'll give one to you, Aisha. High chance there's something like this buried in there."

Hearing this, Aisha froze, her ears pricking up, her tail stiffening, her voice a stammered squeak. "W-What? You can't do that! That's too much, Cassius! These are artifacts, the kind royalty would fight over. You can't just...give one away!" Her hands flailed, her body trembling at the sheer audacity of his offer.

But Cassius simply waved it off, his voice breezy. "Who cares? The Holyfields have more wealth than we know what to do with. Gold, jewels, relics, it's all just sitting there." He leaned closer, his gaze kind, his voice softening. "And I'd rather give it to you, Aisha. With a ring like this, the Holy Guard could travel lighter, carry supplies without lugging crates. It'd be perfect for you, make your missions easier."

"...That's worth more than some dusty treasure in my vault."

Aisha's jaw dropped, her voice failing as she stood there, baffled. Normally, she'd scoff at favors, her stubborn pride refusing handouts, her independence a shield.

But this?...A storage ring, a mage's dream, a tool that could transform the Holy Guard's work? Her ego couldn't reject it, yet she felt vulnerable, exposed, her heart caught between gratitude and uncertainty.

"I...I appreciate it." She muttered, her voice small, her gaze dropping to her boots, her fingers fidgeting with her wand. "But I don't know what to say. This is...a lot."

Julie, standing beside her, gave a gentle smile, her hand resting on Aisha's head, patting softly. "In times like this, Aisha, you say thank you. Just thank Cassius for what he's offering." Her voice was warm, her touch grounding. her heart swelling with pride at her sister's rare vulnerability.

Hearing this, Aisha glanced up, her cheeks flushing, her voice shy as she met Cassius's gaze. "Thank you, Cassius. I...I don't know how I'll make it up to you, but I will. I swear, I'll find a way, no matter what." Her words were earnest, her heart pounding with gratitude.

Cassius grinned, his voice dropping to a teasing purr. "What if, in exchange for the ring, I ask to put it on your finger, make you my bride? What would you do then, Aisha?" His eyes twinkled, his tone playful, leaning closer as if to gauge her reaction.

Aisha's face blazed red, her breath catching as her mind flashed to a fleeting image her as Cassius's bride, his ring on her finger, a life intertwined with his. But she still shook her head, her voice a flustered squeak as she stared at the ground, her hands clutching her wand.

"I...I can't do that! That's cheating, Cassius, it's not fair! My heart can't be stolen with just a ring!" Her body trembled, her heart racing with embarrassment, her words tumbling out in a rush.

Cassius laughed, his voice rich as he leaned back. "Then, what if I gave you a hundred more rings like this? Would that be enough to steal your heart?"

His tone was smooth, his grin wide, pushing her further into flustered territory and Aisha let out a strangled yelp in response, her face so red she spun around, hiding it from view.

"Stop it! You're awful!...Y-You can't just buy my heart with rings and wands like that! I'm not that sort of girl!" She muttered, her voice muffled, her heart pounding so loud she could barely think.

"Wow, Aisha's all shy now!" Skadi, who'd been quiet, clapped her hands, her voice bright. "Master, you gotta stop teasin' her, she's gonna explode!" Her tail wagged, her body bouncing as she leaned toward Cassius, her heart delighted by the scene.

Julie smiled as well, her voice soft as she watched Aisha's antics, her heart warming. "You might not show it to often, Aisha, but you really are just a cute little girl Aisha." She said, her tone fond, thinking how rare it was to see her stubborn sister so undone, her vulnerability shining through like a rare gem.

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