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

"It's quite simple to explain…" Cassius began, then paused as his gaze shifted back down to her. He tilted his head ever so slightly, a quiet, thoughtful gesture. "…But before I explain, Julie...do you know what type of person you are?"

Julie blinked, tilting her head in confusion. "Eh? What type of person I am? N-No, what do you mean by that?"

Cassius's lips curled into a small smile. "Well, since you don't know, I'll inform you that you're a person who thrives under pressure."

Julie's brow furrowed. "Thrives...under pressure?" She looked puzzled, but her eyes stayed locked on his, waiting for him to explain.

"In your everyday life, you're clumsy, silly, carefree. You make mistakes constantly because you don't think much about them. Because in those moments, there aren't really any consequences if you mess up."

"...Drop something, stumble, say the wrong thing, it doesn't matter. You shrug it off and keep going."

Julie's lips parted slightly, caught off guard by how accurate that sounded.

Cassius's voice softened, but it carried a steady weight. "But when you're under pressure, real pressure, Julie, something inside you changes. A switch flips."

"Whether it's pressure about your future, about your family, about your friends...or even your own life...your body transforms. That carefree girl vanishes, and instinct takes over. That instinct for self-preservation drives you, makes you sharper, faster, flawless."

"...You become someone else entirely in those moments."

Julie's breath slowed, her eyes widening slightly as his words sank in. He was right. She could feel it in her chest, in her memories. She knew exactly what he was talking about.

"And let me guess." Cassius smiled knowingly. "Back when you were younger, you'd make silly mistakes on the little tests, wouldn't you? Small, basic exams, things other people brushed off. You'd fail them constantly...But when to comes to the finals, you'd ace them."

Julie's eyes went wide.

"H-How did you...How could you possibly know that?! That's exactly what happened! I always failed the small tests when I was little! But...but when it came to the big ones, the finals, the ones everyone else stressed about...I always got perfect scores. Every time!"

Cassius nodded, satisfied.

"Exactly. That's what I mean when I say you thrive under pressure. Unlike most people, who fall apart in that kind of situation, your body doesn't shut down. You don't freeze. You don't panic. You...ascend."

"...You reach the peak of perfection when your instincts believe everything is on the line."

Julie stared at him in awe, her voice soft. "…That's true. That's really true…"

Cassius continued, his tone steady, deliberate.

"And that's why I'm using it now. By letting out my bloodlust, your body believed you were in mortal danger. It doesn't matter if your mind knows it's me, knows I'd never hurt you. Your instincts don't listen to reason. They react. Just like how your body reacted a moment ago and went straight for my throat."

Julie looked down at the dagger still frozen between his fingers, her chest tightening.

"So…" She whispered slowly, piecing it together. "…what you're saying is...you're trying to recreate the pressure I feel in battle? That state where I don't make mistakes?"

"But instead of fighting...you want me to use that instinct in cooking?"

"Exactly." Cassius's smile deepened, approving. "As long as I stimulate those instincts, by putting that fear into you, your body won't allow mistakes anymore. Every decision will be precise, every motion perfect. Because in that state, your body believes that a single mistake...could cost you your life."

Julie's lips parted as she processed it, her brows knitting.

"…But...Cassius...how exactly is that going to work? Even if it does, wouldn't it only be temporary? I mean, I'd only be able to cook like that when you're around. That's...that's not what I want. I want to be able to cook on my own, whenever I want, not only under those conditions."

Cassius's eyes narrowed slightly, his confidence radiating as he leaned closer.

"That's why, Julie, we're not just going to use this temporarily. We're going to etch that fear into your very bones. We'll make your body believe, deep down, that making even a single mistake could cost your life."

"Even if I'm not standing beside you, even if I'm not releasing bloodlust, that fear will remain. Just like how a child who gets spanked by their parent remembers that fear, even when the parent isn't watching...The fear becomes ingrained."

Julie blinked, her face heating slightly, suspicious now. Her hands shifted awkwardly as she glanced away, then hesitantly grabbed her own butt.

"Wait...Cassius…" She said slowly, narrowing her eyes. "…Does that mean you want to...spank me?"

Cassius' eyes widened slightly, then he gave her a flat look before laughing under his breath. "No, Julie. No, not at all."

Her cheeks flushed red. "B-But you just said—"

"I said the concept is the same." He interrupted smoothly, shaking his head with amusement. "Though…" His smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "…I wouldn't exactly mind doing that either."

Julie's face went scarlet as she sputtered, clutching her hands tighter against herself. "C-Cassius!!"

Cassius chuckled, reaching out to gently tap her forehead.

"Relax. What I will do is emit enough bloodlust during your practice that your instincts can't ignore it. Your body will learn to associate that sensation with cooking. And eventually, even without me, that instinct will remain. You'll move with perfection every single time."

Julie nodded slowly, eyes wide, lips parted. "I...see. That makes sense." She gave a tiny swallow, then tilted her head, still unsure. "But then...what should I do now? How are we supposed to start?"

Cassius grinned faintly, catching her hand and guiding her toward the small makeshift cooking site.

"You don't have to do anything complicated. All you need to do is cook. That's it. Open your mind, don't resist my bloodlust. Let it flow through you. Accept it."

"...And while you're cooking, I'll direct that pressure over you, reminding your body what happens if you slip."

He stopped, looking at her seriously.

"So tell me, are you ready?"

Julie glanced back at him, her fingers twitching nervously against her thigh. She bit her lip, hesitating. This method was unlike anything she'd ever heard of. It almost felt unfair, terrifying even, but it was Cassius.

If it was him, then she couldn't back away. So she gave a short nod, forcing courage into her voice.

"I'm ready. Bring it on."

The moment the words left her lips, Cassius's eyes narrowed, gleaming faintly, almost glowing in the low firelight.

Then suddenly, boom, the atmosphere shifted.

A suffocating weight crashed down on her shoulders, making her knees buckle and her face pale. She gasped sharply, almost toppling. It was like carrying a mountain, like a predator's fangs were pressed against her throat.

Her instincts screamed. Her hand twitched toward her dagger, desperate, craving to lunge at him before he could strike. But just as her fingers grazed the hilt, Cassius's voice cut through the storm.

"Don't." His tone was calm but absolute. "Don't think about harming me. Don't think about your weapon."

"...Focus on cooking. That's your battlefield right now."

Julie froze, trembling, eyes wide. Her hand refused to let go of the urge, it was pure instinct to fight back, but she forced it down, dragging her hand away. Instead, she turned her eyes toward him, her lips trembling as she gave him the most pitiful look, like a bullied child.

"Cassius...you really don't hate me, right? You're not...punishing me for something, are you? You're so casual about this, so ruthless, it feels like vengeance. No one shows that much bloodlust towards someone they actually care about…"

Cassius tilted his head, staring at her for a long moment. Then, softly, he shook his head.

"It's not like that, Julie...Don't overthink it."

His expression darkened slightly, almost distant, as if his mind had traveled elsewhere. His gaze was thoughtful, shadowed by something unspoken.

"It's not you I'm thinking of, Julie. When I release this much bloodlust...it's because I'm imagining some other people in your place. Some people from my past."

Julie's eyes widened in realization, her trembling increasing. Whoever that person was, whatever they had done, it had scarred Cassius deeply enough to leave a mark that could make even her, a hardened knight, feel like her soul was shattering.

She wondered what kind of monster he was remembering, and what they had done to him. The thought sent a chill racing through her.

Cassius's gaze refocused on her, snapping her back.

"Now. Let's test this. You're skilled with a blade in battle, but hopeless with one in the kitchen. So let's see if this pressure changes that. Cut those vegetables, for the stew."

He pointed at a small pile of onions, carrots, and tomatoes beside a knife.

"Do it properly. I'll be watching. And remember, if you make a mistake, the pressure increases."

Julie swallowed hard, lowering herself to the ground. She picked up the knife with trembling fingers, then placed an onion on the log. Her thoughts swirled.

'Every time I cut something, I either ruin it or slice it so badly it's unusable. If I fail now, it means this method won't work…'

But then another thought warmed her.

'Even if I fail, Cassius won't abandon me. He'll just find another way.'

That realization steadied her heart. She breathed in, let the suffocating bloodlust wash over her, and told herself one mistake means death.

Her knife moved.

Cut! Slice! Cut!

And to her shock, the blade sliced cleanly, evenly, producing neat little pieces of onion. Her eyes went wide as the cuts lined up perfectly.

"Cassius!" She gasped, staring at him in disbelief while her hands continued to work. "It's working, it's really working! I'm cutting it properly, like a normal chef would. I'm not screwing it up at all!"

Cassius only gave a small nod, unimpressed.

"Or maybe it's just a fluke. Try the tomato next."

Her excitement surged. She grabbed the tomato, set it on the log, and sliced it carefully. Once again, perfect cuts, no mistakes, each piece looking like it came from a professional kitchen. Her breath hitched, and she beamed.

"See, Cassius? Look at this! It's perfect! This looks like a real chef cut it! I'm not making mistakes anymore!"

Cassius's expression remained calm, analytical.

"Cut the carrot too."

This time, Julie lifted the carrot with confidence, smiling brightly as she sliced it into thin, even rounds. She laughed in disbelief.

"It's so easy now! So easy! Look how beautiful they are. Perfect slices! It's so natural, isn't it? A knight like me, handling a blade this well, it makes sense that I could do this...Ha! This is nothing!"

But her pride swelled too high, too soon. In her excitement, she lost focus on the bloodlust, disconnecting from the very pressure that steadied her.

The knife slipped. The blade angled dangerously, slicing down near her fingers. It barely grazed her skin, close enough to make her gasp in horror, eyes going wide at the near-disaster.

"Exactly what I expected." Cassius's voice cut through sharply, stern as steel. "This is why I warned you not to get arrogant so quickly. One second of carelessness and you nearly lost a finger."

Julie froze, lips trembling, her eyes wide and pitiful as she looked at him. Her gaze was like that of a punished child, silently begging for mercy.

But Cassius didn't soften. Instead, his expression grew even more severe as his bloodlust intensified.

Boom!

The air thickened, her lungs struggling to pull in breath, her chest tightening as though a boulder had been set upon her.

Her entire body quivered under the weight, and she whimpered softly.

"C-Cassius…" She whispered, her eyes glassy, pleading.

But he only stared back with a stern teacher's eyes.

No mercy. No softness. Only the lesson.

Julie bit her lip, tears prickling in her eyes, her heart trembling.

'Cassius is such a good teacher, but he can be so strict sometimes...I'll never let him teach our children in the future or else he'll traumatize them.'

'...T-That is, if by some miracle we end up together of course!'

She blushed profusely looking just like the tomato she was cutting as she continued her work...