Even the Devil Regrets it - Chapter 55

Juliana had always heard that monsters were incredibly dangerous and difficult to fight.
Some were poisonous and deadly, requiring knights to risk their lives in every battle.
Others had such thick skin that many knights could not even leave a scratch on them.

But listening to Braeden talk, she began to question whether she had misunderstood something.

“My lord, ten days seems a bit short…”
Lochlan, whose face had turned completely pale, nervously stepped in between them.
At that moment, Juliana realized that she had not misunderstood at all.

“If I go all out, ten days is more than enough. Don’t you agree?”
Braeden raised one eyebrow and looked directly at Lochlan.
The mood made it clear that disagreeing was not an option.
Lochlan took a deep breath before answering.

“Understood. I will try to organize everything so you can return within ten days.”

Not giving a firm yes was the only small act of defiance Lochlan could manage at the moment.

As he rushed off to prepare for the expedition, Braeden started eating calmly as if nothing had happened.

“Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”
Juliana still looked worried. She could not bring herself to eat.

Braeden let out a small laugh and began filling her plate.
“It is not too much. That schedule is more than enough. There is nothing for you to worry about.”

His face was so composed that Juliana could not say anything else.

As the day passed and the estate became busier with preparation, the sun slowly began to set.
Juliana, feeling anxious all day, stepped outside the gates to see Braeden off.

About fifty mounted knights were already lined up and waiting.

It was the first time Juliana had ever seen the knights up close.
Even without knowing the details, she could tell they were very different from the Imperial knights.

Imperial knights all looked the same, wearing matching uniforms and standing in perfect formation.
The knights of the Grand Duke’s estate were completely different.
Their builds, their expressions, even their clothing varied from one to the next.
Most of them wore cloaks, but no two looked alike.
There was no sense of unity, but each one gave off a strong and unique presence.

Braeden soon appeared, leading a large black horse.

Dressed entirely in black, he looked every bit like the “Black Reaper” that people called him.
The only color on him came from his deep red eyes, which made him look even more dangerous and strangely captivating.

Juliana stepped forward to say goodbye.

“Please be careful.”

“I will return soon, so try to relax and enjoy your time. I have already asked Albert and Anita to take care of anything you need.
If something is troubling you, tell them right away.”

“I will. Thank you.”

To anyone watching, it might have looked like he was heading into a battlefield he would never return from.
The knights tried hard not to show any emotion, but many of them were struggling not to laugh or frown.

Their once cold and fearsome commander had changed so much after getting married.
Even Juliana could feel the eyes watching her with a mix of disbelief and curiosity.
She shrank back a little under the weight of those stares.

The harsh looks from the rough knights were hard to ignore.
She wanted to pretend she did not notice, but their presence was too overwhelming.

Braeden noticed her discomfort and gave the knights a sharp look.
That was enough. The entire company lowered their gaze and stared silently at Braeden’s boots.

“I wanted to give you something, even if I didn’t have time to prepare it properly.”
Juliana took out a handkerchief and placed it gently in Braeden’s hand.
It was embroidered with purple pansy flowers.

“Thank you. I will keep it safe.”
Braeden smiled slightly, folded the handkerchief carefully, and tucked it into his chest.

It was time for him to leave.

He mounted the black horse in one smooth motion and looked at Juliana.
His gaze had grown deeper and more serious, as if he wanted to say something more but chose to keep it to himself.

The two of them held each other’s gaze for a while.
Braeden gave a small nod before turning his horse and beginning to ride.
The rest of the knights followed behind him in perfect formation.

The sound of hooves pounding against the ground echoed through the air.
Juliana stood still, watching the cloud of dust rise as the entire group rode away.
She stayed in place until they had disappeared completely from sight.

The next morning, Juliana opened her eyes and felt an odd emptiness in the estate.
Only one night had passed since they were apart, yet it already felt like something was missing.
She didn’t know why she was feeling this way, but it was clear that letting time pass aimlessly would only make it worse.

She decided to keep herself busy and push away unnecessary thoughts.
With that in mind, she asked Anita if they could visit the glass greenhouse in the west wing.

Juliana wanted to clean and organize it, hoping that when Braeden returned, he would be surprised by the change.

Anita agreed and allowed four of Juliana’s personal maids to come along.

“I’ve been in the estate for four years, but I’ve never even seen the greenhouse before,” said Rosie.

“This is my first time too,” added Lily, cheerfully chatting with Amber.
All three girls, including Rosie, were bright and lively, around seventeen to nineteen years old.

“The west wing is usually closed off, except during the two annual cleanings. So you’re not the only ones,” said Joanne, the oldest of the group, speaking with a mature tone.

Even so, she was still young and clearly excited.
The group’s mood felt almost like they were going on a picnic, and Juliana couldn’t help but smile at their energy.

“Has the head maid ever been to the greenhouse before?” Juliana asked with a playful tone.

“Of course, Your Grace. Though I do not go often. The last time I visited was about two months ago,” Anita replied calmly.

Since the facilities in the west wing were rarely used, few people came by.
The greenhouse was barely maintained and had been left nearly untouched.

“To be honest, I don’t know if we’ll even be able to clean it,” Juliana said with a worried expression.
She still remembered how overgrown and wild it had looked the last time she visited with Braeden.

“Do not worry. Nothing is impossible,” Anita answered bluntly as she opened the greenhouse door.

The moment the door creaked open, the maids who had been chatting with excitement all fell silent.
Their mouths hung open as they stared inside.

“Um… Your Grace, this is a bit more than I expected,” Rosie said, stumbling over her words as she looked at what seemed like an overgrown jungle.

The cheerful mood vanished.
None of them dared to take a single step forward.

The thick vines twisted around the plants like something out of a nightmare.
The wild and tangled greenery made it feel as though some frightening creature might be hiding inside, waiting to pounce.

“First, we will remove the vines. After that, you can decide which plants to keep and how to organize the space. I will prepare a list of hardy flowers that grow well in the North,” Anita said with perfect composure.

She was the only one who looked completely unfazed.
The way she confidently stated her plan without flinching made her seem incredibly capable.

Even the maids, who had just moments ago doubted whether this was possible, nodded along, drawn in by Anita’s quiet strength.

“If you say so, I feel reassured. I’ll leave it in your hands.”
“Of course. I will let you know once the vines are cleared,” Anita replied and bowed with measured grace.

Before Braeden had left, he had asked both Albert and Anita to assist the Grand Duchess in anything she wanted to do.
No conditions. No limits.

That meant it did not matter what kind of project she took on.
Even if she wanted to call every laborer in the estate to the greenhouse, no one would stop her.

Anita, a demon who took quiet delight in managing humans, smiled slightly to herself.
Even if that weren’t the case, it was satisfying enough just to see the Grand Duchess look at her with admiration, as if she were genuinely reliable.

Plans were already forming in Anita’s mind. Plans that might make the estate workers groan in exhaustion.

Later that night, after a busy day, Juliana was just about to go to sleep.

Whoooosh.
The sound of the wind, just like the one she had heard before, returned.

But this time, it wasn’t only the wind.

Thud! Thud! Thud!
A heavy, rhythmic sound followed.

An uneasy chill crept down Juliana’s back. She had no idea what the noise was, but it stirred a deep and quiet fear within her.

Why did it have to be now?
Juliana felt increasingly uneasy. Hearing such strange sounds while Braeden was away made it hard to stay calm.
The large bed felt colder than usual, as if it had lost all warmth.

Unable to ignore the sound and fall asleep, Juliana decided to seek out Atlante.

It does seem suspicious that the sound keeps coming back.
Unlike the first time, when it could have been dismissed as nothing, Atlante now seemed to think it was worth taking seriously.

We should take a look around.

Juliana stepped outside with Atlante by her side.
She wore a robe over her nightdress and held a small lantern in her hand, walking softly so that her footsteps would not echo through the quiet halls.

It was late enough that everyone should have been asleep, but tonight the halls felt unusually empty.
No servants, no guards, not a single soul was in sight.
That struck her as strange, but she remained calm and continued down to the first floor.

She had already explored the east wing many times since arriving, so she had no real expectation of finding anything new.
Her footsteps felt louder than usual in the silence, but she paid them no mind and kept walking.

She told herself that once she had checked everything and found nothing out of the ordinary, she would be able to sleep peacefully.

But after only a short walk, something strange came into view.

“Was that always there?”

In front of her was a staircase that led underground.

Support Even the Devil Regrets it