Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!-Chapter 157: Stubborn As A Nail

The sun dipped low, painting the garden in hues of amber and rose as shadows lengthened across the stone paths.

Hours had passed since Mara's tearful departure, and Vivi had worked her way through the line of waiting souls, each leaving her table with a smile, their burdens lightened by her gentle wisdom.

Now, only one remained an old man in his sixties, his white hair thin and sparse, seated alone in the distance, his weathered hands folded patiently in his lap.

Vivi, her face glowing with quiet satisfaction, prepared to call him forward, her blue eyes bright despite the long day. But before she could speak, the senior maid, who'd been hovering nearby, stepped in, her brow creased with concern.

"Lady Vivi, please." The maid said, her voice firm but laced with worry as she placed a hand on Vivi's shoulder. "It's late...the sun's setting, and it's getting cold. You've been out here too long already, and it's not good for your body. You need to rest."

She glanced at the old man, then back at Vivi, her tone insistent.

"He can come back tomorrow.I'll make sure he's the first to see you, I promise...But you must go inside now. You're straining yourself, and if you push any further, it could set you back."

But Vivi turned to her, her smile soft but unyielding, her delicate frame still radiating that unshakable warmth.

"I understand, Miss Elma, really I do." She said, her voice gentle but resolute. "But there's just one more person waiting, and I can't leave him out here. I'll go inside right after, I promise, I'll do everything you say...But I have to finish this."

The senior maid's lips pursed, her hands planting on her hips as she tried again. "He can come tomorrow, Lady Vivi. Your health is more important than anything else."

"...You've done enough for today, more than enough."

Vivi shook her head, her dark black hair catching the fading light as she met the maid's gaze with quiet determination.

"He's been here half the day, waiting just to talk to me. His time's no less valuable than mine—we're all the same. And I honestly wouldn't sleep tonight knowing I left someone with heavy thoughts alone, wondering if they mattered, so I have no choice but to do this."

She tilted her head, her blue eyes widening into an adorable, pleading look, her voice dropping to a playful.

"Please, please, Miss Elma? Just one more? Like when you let me have an extra sweet as a kid?"

She clasped her hands together, her puppy-dog eyes irresistible.

The senior maid sighed, a familiar, exasperated sound, her stern facade cracking under Vivi's well-practiced charm. She'd seen these tactics before—Vivi's stubborn streak was legendary in the household and knew arguing further was futile.

"Fine..." She muttered, throwing up her hands. "But you'd better make it quick, young lady, before the sun's gone completely...I'm fetching you a blanket, and you're going straight inside after this."

She turned, bustling off toward the mansion, muttering under her breath about Vivi's stubborn heart.

Cassius, lounging in his chair behind Vivi, let out a soft chuckle, his eyes glinting with amusement at the exchange.

"She's got you wrapped around her finger, doesn't she?" He murmured to no one in particular, clearly entertained by Vivi's triumph.

And as a matter of fact, the senior maid's concern and reason she wanted to end her sessions had also briefly drawn her attention to him, as she'd half-expected to find him bored, restless after hours of listening to Vivi's consultations.

But instead, she was suprised to see his face alight with interest, his gaze fixed on Vivi with a focus that hadn't wavered. Lucius, meanwhile, had risen from his chair and was dutifully massaging Cassius's shoulders, his hands kneading with loyal precision, though his eyes were glued to Vivi, eager to see how she'd handle her final case.

Vivi, oblivious to the audience behind her, flashed a victorious smile and turned back to the old man, her voice bright as she called out.

"Sir, please come forward! I'm ready for you!"

The old man rose slowly, his movements stiff and his white hair catching the dying light like a halo. He shuffled toward her, his worn clothes patched but clean, his face etched with the lines of a hard life.

But to Vivi's surprise, he for some reason stopped several meters away, well short of the chair opposite her, his hands clasped nervously in front of him. His wrinkled face broke into a shy smile, but he made no move to come closer.

Seeing this, Vivi tilted her head, her brow furrowing with concern. "Why are you standing there, sir? Please, come sit down...I'd love to hear what's on your mind."

The old man's smile widened, but he shook his head, his voice gravelly yet respectful.

"No, my lady, I'll stay right here, if it's all the same. You see, I...I spent my whole life cleaning outhouses for noble houses, scooping up their waste, carting it off to sell to farmers."

"It's dirty work, filthy work, my lady—been at it since I was a boy. My son's taken it over now, thank the gods, but me? I'm still marked by it, still carry the stink in my bones."

"...And because of that I'd not dream of sitting so close to someone as pure as you, Lady Vivi. Don't want to blemish you with my presence."

Lucius, listening intently, nodded to himself, understanding the man's hesitation.

'No noble would want to sit near someone who spent their life in such a job.'

He thought, his mind conjuring the grim reality of handling refuse day after day.

Even commoners would shy away, the stigma of such work clinging like a shadow and he also expected Vivi to nod politely, to accept the distance with her usual grace.

But Vivi's reaction was nothing like he expected.

Her face lit up with a wide, radiant smile, her blue eyes sparkling as if the man had said something delightful.

"Oh, sir, don't say that!" She exclaimed, her voice bright and utterly devoid of judgment. "I don't care one bit about your occupation—what matters is you, and I can't bear to see someone as wise and old as you standing while I'm sitting comfortably."

"...Please, come sit—it's only right."

The old man blinked, clearly taken aback, and shook his head more firmly. "Lady Vivi, you're too kind, but I'm dirty—always have been. A man like me, with a job like that, can't sit in the presence of a noble like you, especially not one who listens to us common folk's sorrows every day."

"...And my body's actually strong, so there's no trouble standing. I'd rather keep my distance, for your sake."

Hearing this, Vivi's smile faltered, a spark of indignation flashing in her eyes as she let out a cute, huffy sound, her cheeks puffing slightly.

"Now, you stop that right now!" She said, her voice firm but still laced with warmth, startling both the old man and Lucius. "Your occupation isn't dirty or filthy, and I won't hear you say it is! Do you know how important your work is? Without people like you, noble houses would drown in their own mess—sickness would spread, filth would pile up, and no one would be healthy."

"You've kept society running, sir, every single day, making sure the wheels turn smoothly. You're as vital as any lord or merchant—more so, I'd say, because you do what others won't."

"...You're noble in your own right, and I won't let you call yourself anything less!"

The old man's jaw dropped, his eyes widening as her words sank in. He'd spent a lifetime enduring sneers, averted gazes, and whispered insults, but here was Vivi, a noblewoman, declaring his work essential, his worth undeniable.

Witnessing this, Lucius's heart also swelled, his thoughts echoing a single word:

Saint...She's like a saint, lifting him up like that.

Cassius, still lounging in his chair, let his smirk widen, his crimson eyes glinting with a hint of genuine respect. He'd known Vivi's character, had seen glimpses of her light in his visits, but this—this unyielding compassion, this fire impressed him more than he'd expected.

'She's something else.' He thought, his mind already turning over the possibilities her presence offered.

The old man, still hesitant, opened his mouth to protest, but Vivi's expression shifted, her indignation flaring as she gripped the arms of her chair. And then to everyone's shock, she began to push herself up, her frail body trembling with effort as she glared at him.

"If you won't sit, then I'll stand too!" She declared, her voice ringing with determination. "We'll be equal, you and me, standing together. I won't have you thinking you're less than me, not for a second!"

Seeing what she was trying to do, the old man's face paled, panic flashing in his eyes as he waved his hands frantically.

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"No, no, Lady Vivi, please!"

He cried, his voice cracking with fear. He knew of her illness, her fragile health, how even sitting for hours was a strain. The thought of her standing—risking collapsefor his sake was unbearable.

"I'll sit, I'll sit! Don't you get up, I beg you!"

He hurried forward, practically stumbling in his haste, and dropped into the chair across from her, his hands trembling as he settled.

Seeing that her stubborness had worked out once again, Vivi settled back with a proud smile, her cheeks flushed with victory as she folded her hands neatly in her lap.

"There we go." She said, her voice bright once more. "Much better."