Even the Devil Regrets it - Chapter 54

Braeden’s eyes were unusually red as he looked at Juliana, who had fallen asleep at dawn as if she had fainted.
Since he did not need sleep, watching her sleep in the quiet hours before morning had naturally become a part of his daily routine.

How can someone be this fragile?
He gently touched his wife’s platinum-blonde hair, his thoughts filled with quiet wonder.
Her fine, soft strands felt just like her. The way they wrapped around his fingers was so pleasant that once he held them, he didn’t want to let go.

As he absentmindedly played with her hair, he suddenly realized how deeply satisfied he was with life lately.
It was an unusual thought for a great demon who had grown so weary of eternal boredom that he had stopped keeping track of time and no longer knew his own exact age.

What is it, really?
What about her brings me this sense of contentment?
Braeden let his unanswered thoughts drift in circles as time slipped by.

Before long, the sky began to brighten.
Last night, he had gone straight to bed after drinking wine at the table near the window, leaving the curtains open.

As the sun rose, warm light poured into the bedroom and touched Juliana’s face.
Still asleep, she frowned slightly in discomfort.

She must be so tired. I shouldn’t disturb her rest.
With a small wave of his hand, Braeden gently closed the curtains.
As the light vanished, the tension in Juliana’s brow slowly eased.

It would be nice if she frowned, smiled, and cried like this more often.
She was not someone who usually showed much expression.
Her face, elegant and beautiful like a painting, always drew his eyes.
But to Braeden, she was at her most beautiful when she revealed her emotions openly.

Well, maybe not when she cries. She’s already far too good at that.
Of course, the memory that came to Braeden’s mind was not of her crying out of sadness.

His expression suddenly hardened as he remembered Juliana trembling beneath him, overwhelmed by pleasure and begging with tears in her eyes.
Just picturing that face again made a powerful urge rise within him.

It was beneath someone of his status to be consumed by carnal desire. That was the behavior of a lesser demon.
But even so, Braeden found it hard to control. He ran both hands over his face in frustration.

At that exact moment, Juliana shifted under the covers.
The glimpse of her pale skin sent a heavy wave of desire through him.

“Damn it.”
Being unable to sleep wasn’t always a good thing. Watching her was a joy, but being near her always stirred his desires far too easily.

Like a beast in heat. What am I even doing?
Braeden cursed under his breath as he stood up.
If he stayed in bed any longer, he was sure he would end up reaching for her.

He took a cold shower and wandered slowly toward his office.
At a glance, he might have looked like a diligent Grand Duke, but in truth, he was never one to work hard.
He only acted the part to keep up appearances in the human world. He had never taken initiative on his own.

For someone like him to head to his office this early was highly unusual.

But today, the atmosphere felt strangely noisy.
Servants usually began moving well before their master woke, but the presence Braeden sensed near his office could only belong to his inner circle of demons.
It was suspicious for them to gather and chatter so early in the morning.

“Oh? My lord, you’re already up?”
Lochlan stood, startled to see him.

“Did you hear the news, by any chance?”
Albert asked him next.

“News? What news?”
Braeden frowned as he replied, and then Anita spoke softly.

“Have you forgotten what always happens at the beginning of summer in the North?”

Something that always happens when summer begins in the North…
Braeden thought for a moment, then frowned deeper.

“Has it come that soon already?”

“Already?”
The expressions of all three people shifted sharply.

“We received word last night. This time, a rift has opened at the southern edge of Kankantier.”
Lochlan handed Braeden a report.

In the North, rifts always appeared with the arrival of summer.
While some unexpected rifts occurred during other seasons, a rift forming at the start of summer was a consistent event.
Because of that, it had become a yearly tradition for the Grand Duke’s estate to lead an expedition to hunt the monsters that emerged.

Braeden was the one who enjoyed this the most.
This was the one time he could openly massacre monsters without anyone interfering. He lived for it as if it were one of the few joys in his life.

And now he was asking if it was time already?
Completely unaware of the uneasy looks his subordinates were giving each other, Braeden was lost in thought.

Was it really alright to leave for a monster hunt while his newlywed wife stayed behind?

As if sensing what was on his mind, Lochlan spoke in a calm voice.
“Because of your standing with the imperial family, you must be the one to go, my lord.”

This was exactly why Emperor David continued to act like a warm and friendly younger brother.
Braeden had been cleaning up the monsters that poured out of the North and handing over their remains to the empire without expecting anything in return.

The Grand Duke personally responding to the summer rift was a symbolic show of loyalty to the empire from the North.

“I know.”
Braeden muttered a curse under his breath, his mood clearly turning sour.

It was a strange situation. He was the one who had established this relationship with the imperial family, yet now he was the one frustrated by it.
His subordinates exchanged uncertain glances, unsure how to react.

While the three of them silently processed the tension in the room, Braeden asked suddenly,
“How long is the expedition expected to take?”

“About fifteen days.”
Since when did he care about the schedule?

Normally, the moment Braeden heard news of a rift, he would leave that very day.
His knights were used to this and were always prepared to set out immediately around this time of year.
Once he left, Braeden would not return until he had wiped out every last monster.

On average, it took about fifteen days. But when there were more monsters, the expedition could last over a month.
For him to suddenly ask about the schedule now felt out of character.

Albert looked conflicted, unfamiliar with this side of his lord.
He could not quite get used to it.

Anita, on the other hand, accepted it with a quiet nod.
She believed Braeden felt uneasy about leaving behind someone as delicate and harmless as Juliana.

Lochlan had no thoughts at all.
He had seen so many strange things that by now, he no longer reacted to any of it. It all just seemed normal to him.

While the others exchanged these silent thoughts, Juliana was just waking up.

Her throat was sore, and her body ached from the night before. She had cried out more than she realized, and her entire body felt heavy.

But Juliana was not the kind of person to stay in bed simply because she felt unwell.
She forced herself upright.

The bedroom was quiet and empty, making the events of the previous night feel like a dream.
From the faint sunlight shining through the curtains, she could tell that it was no longer early morning.

Of course, he could not stay by her side. He was a busy man.
Still, she could not help but feel a quiet sense of emptiness as she imagined what it might have been like to greet the morning together.

It was clear she had grown more comfortable lately.
The fact that she now longed for things she had not even dared to hope for in her previous life was proof of that.

Shaking off her thoughts, Juliana pulled the bell cord and called for Rosie.
Then she took a bath and changed into fresh clothes.

“How is the Grand Duke’s estate? Is there anything uncomfortable or difficult about living here?”
Juliana asked the question out of genuine concern. She felt she hadn’t paid enough attention to Rosie lately because of everything that had happened.

“Your Grace, I’m doing very well, so please don’t worry. Compared to the Barnett estate, this place is heaven.”
Rosie smiled brightly at Juliana through the mirror as she brushed her hair. Her cheerful grin gave Juliana strength.

It was true.
Now that all the people who had tormented her were gone, this truly felt like heaven.
She felt foolish for having forgotten that and letting herself become greedy.

“Still, if anything is bothering you or if something is hard, you mustn’t keep it to yourself. You have to speak up.”
“Of course. But really, everyone here keeps saying how beautiful and kind Your Grace is. Hearing that makes me feel proud too.”
Rosie looked much brighter than she had at the Barnett household.
Juliana smiled back at her, thinking she had been right to bring Rosie along.

Once she finished getting ready, she went down to the dining room, where Anita greeted her with a bow.

“Is His Grace busy? I was hoping to have breakfast with him.”
“His Grace is currently inspecting the knights, Your Grace.”
“Then I suppose it can’t be helped.”

Juliana let out a quiet sigh and stepped into the dining room with a hint of disappointment. Just as she was about to sit down, the room was filled with the sound of hushed voices and hurried footsteps.

The doors opened, and Braeden entered, bringing with him the scent of the wind.
He dropped into the seat beside her, his expression sharp and tense, as if something were chasing him.
Juliana held back her concern and asked gently,

“Is something wrong?”

Braeden didn’t respond right away. He simply tapped his toes lightly, unable to meet her gaze.
The man who usually carried himself with icy arrogance and unshakable authority now gave off the restless air of a mercenary or a common thug.

Wearing a scowl, he grabbed the drink in front of Juliana and emptied it in one gulp. He slammed the cup down on the table with a sharp clink.

The servants, startled by his sudden appearance, quickly began setting food in front of him. But instead of touching his own meal, he had gone straight for Juliana’s cup.
Then, with a sour tone, he finally spoke.

“A rift has opened. I have to go on an expedition to hunt the monsters.”

Juliana’s expression stiffened. She had not expected this at all.

“When do you leave? Will it be dangerous?”

“I’ll probably leave tonight. There’s no need to worry. It won’t be dangerous.”
For some reason, the irritation Braeden had been feeling seemed to fade slightly when he saw the concern in her eyes.

“How long will you be gone?”

Juliana asked again, her face still filled with worry.
Braeden gave her a faint smile and answered,

“Maybe around fifteen days? No, ten days should be enough.”

Lochlan, who had already finalized the schedule for Braeden’s return in exactly fifteen days, gasped quietly when he heard the answer.

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