Even the Devil Regrets it - Chapter 63

“After two thousand years apart, and the first thing you say is ‘get lost’? That’s a bit hurtful, don’t you think?”

Lucifer, whose true name was Elias, stepped out from the black vortex with a sly grin. His eyes shifted once again toward Juliana.

Braeden radiated dark, heavy energy from head to toe. The hand he had raised earlier to block the sunlight now moved more deliberately, shielding Juliana’s face completely from view.

“What are you planning?”

“Planning? As you can see, you’re the one who opened this gate, Braeden.”

Elias gave an exaggerated shrug and let out a loud sigh, clearly enjoying himself.

Braeden had no defense. It was true. He had opened the black vortex with his own hand. That much he could not deny.

“What if I hadn’t been the one to step through? What if someone else came instead? Shouldn’t you be thanking me?”

His smug attitude was unbearable. Braeden clenched his jaw in frustration.

The worst part was that Elias was not wrong.

Hell was a strict hierarchy. If Lucifer had not come through the gate, another demon from a lower rank might have taken the chance. That would have been far worse.

Lucifer, while dangerous and cruel, was a demon who understood order and balance. He did not blindly kill and destroy without purpose.

But many lower-class demons had no sense of reason left in them. All they knew was destruction.

If such a demon had passed through the gate, the Grand Duchy could have been burned to the ground in an instant.

Braeden would have destroyed any such creature completely, without a trace, even in Hell. But the real issue was that the gate had opened on its own, without his control.

What if something like this happened again when he was not with Juliana?

The thought made his head spin with unease. He scowled deeply.

“And you think I should be grateful? Be satisfied with your short visit to the human world and go back.”

“Wow. Rude.”

Elias muttered a curse under his breath. It was loud enough that Braeden heard it clearly.

But Braeden did not react. His eyes remained cold and unwavering, more intense than any flame from Hell.

Elias clicked his tongue.

He remembered well just how dangerous Braeden, or rather Belial, had been in their fight two thousand years ago.

The look on Braeden’s face now was not just cautious. It was murderous.

There was a beastly instinct rising from him, like a predator protecting its mate.

Elias let out a quiet sigh and gave up. He had only come to the human world out of boredom. He had no desire to fight Belial head-on.

Still, it was impressive how nothing about him had changed in two thousand years. He was just as unpleasant as ever.

“Fine. I’m leaving, I’m leaving.”

Elias slowly turned away, but he could not help looking back with one last comment.

“If you would just let me see the girl’s face, I might leave a little faster…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Braeden released a burst of power around him.

The black vortex started to reverse itself, warping space to reconnect with another dimension.

Cursing loudly, Elias threw himself into the portal before it could collapse.

Once everything around them fell quiet, Braeden looked down at Juliana.

He had used his power to block both her sight and hearing, so she had slept through the entire incident, unaware of what had just occurred.

What was that? Why did it happen?

Braeden was unsettled. This was something entirely new to him.

He could still feel the sensation from when the power burst out of his hand. His heart was beating faster.

Even more disturbing was the fact that he had felt pleasure in that moment.

The thrill of breaking, tearing, and destroying.

He scowled. That primal instinct had stirred inside him, and it disgusted him.

He looked quietly at Juliana’s long eyelashes, still resting peacefully under the shade of his body.

Then he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, and gently buried his face in the curve of her neck.

He took a long, deep breath.

The darkness that had filled his soul moments ago began to lift, replaced by something soft and warm.

He knew demons were beyond salvation. Still, for just a moment, it felt like he had been saved.

Time passed quickly, and the day of departure for the Imperial Palace finally arrived.

All the monster byproducts and other offerings for the royal court had been carefully packed and were now ready for transport through the portal.

Juliana carefully packed the Lambertia formosa, also known as the Mountain Devil’s flower and fruit, into a box sealed with preservation magic. She also took special care to bring the magical artifact she had received from Braeden, along with the herbal tea meant for the Empress. With everything prepared, she was ready to leave.

Since there was a large amount of luggage to be transported through the portal, only Roziman was chosen to assist Juliana on the trip. The other maids seemed disappointed that they had lost their chance to visit the capital. They tried to hide it, but their feelings showed on their faces. Juliana found it endearing and promised to bring them along next time.

“Your Grace, please return safely.”

“We will miss you while you’re away.”

To anyone watching, it might have seemed like she was heading off to some distant and dangerous land. Braeden let out a quiet laugh as he watched the overly dramatic farewell between Juliana and her maids.

“Have a safe trip,” he said.

“I will return soon,” Juliana replied.

Finally, Anita and Juliana exchanged their goodbyes. Braeden looked around at the Grand Duke’s estate, which had changed so much in just a few months, and his eyes softened slightly.

“It is time to go,” he said, taking Juliana’s hand.

A few knights, along with Lochlan and other attendants, were already waiting. When the Grand Duke and Duchess stepped in front of the portal and gave the signal, a low vibration echoed through the air and their figures disappeared.

As soon as they arrived at the Imperial Palace, Juliana and Braeden were required to meet with the Emperor.

“I heard that a rare kind of monster appeared recently,” the Emperor said.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Fortunately, quite a few rare ones showed up,” Braeden replied.

Emperor David smiled with satisfaction at the idea of gaining valuable materials from the rare monsters. In contrast, Braeden’s face remained calm and uninterested. The Emperor’s eyes gleamed with desire as he imagined the magical tools that could be crafted from them.

David, still enjoying his tea, lowered his voice slightly.

“We are currently working on trade negotiations with the Western Continent. I have some matters to discuss closely with you, Brother.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Juliana. It was clear that he was uncomfortable with her being there.

“To give you both some privacy, I will excuse myself,” Juliana said politely.

Braeden did not try to stop her. Instead, he gave a silent signal to Lochlan, who stood at a distance. It was a quiet order to watch over her.

“I will return shortly,” Braeden said.

Juliana met his gaze and gave a graceful bow before leaving the audience chamber.

“Would you like to rest for a moment? I can escort you to the lounge,” Lochlan offered, thinking she might be tired after traveling and going straight into the royal meeting.

“No, I would prefer a walk. Is that all right?” she asked.

“Of course, Your Grace,” he replied and stepped back to let her lead the way.

In the North, summer had only just begun, but in the capital, it was already at its peak. The palace gardens were filled with blooming flowers and trees bursting with life.

Juliana walked slowly, taking in the view, but her mind was focused on the past. She thought back to the political movements among the nobles when the trade with the Western Continent had first been announced.

To others, she might have looked like a Grand Duchess simply enjoying a stroll through the palace she missed. In truth, her thoughts were filled with memories of political conflicts and secret requests that had once taken place behind closed doors.

The soft sound of her footsteps helped her concentrate. With Lochlan following quietly a few steps behind, no one disturbed her thoughts.

Then suddenly, hurried footsteps approached from the side.

Not expecting anyone to come toward her like that, Juliana turned in the direction of the noise. She saw Felix, trying to calm his breathing, his expression slightly tense.

“I didn’t expect to see you here at the palace,” he said.

His words made it sound like a fated reunion. Juliana nearly frowned at the sight of him but managed to keep a composed expression.

“Chance encounters are not so unusual,” she replied.

Felix seemed momentarily caught off guard by her calm smile. Then he spoke with sudden determination.

“It does not look proper for you to walk alone. May I accompany you? If you will allow it, I would be honored to escort you.”

It was not inappropriate for a noblewoman to be escorted by a gentleman. If anyone else had made the offer, Juliana might have accepted it as a way to strengthen her social connections.

But Felix Everett was an exception. He was someone she never wanted to be involved with. The problem was that he didn’t seem to realize it.

Lochlan, standing behind Juliana, gave Felix a cold and watchful look. Felix clearly did not like being stared at in such a way.

Juliana knew exactly how Felix treated those of lower status. She stepped forward, placing herself between the two men, blocking Felix’s view of Lochlan. Then, with a polite smile, she spoke.

“I have walked enough and was just about to return. If you have something to say, say it here. But keep it brief. My husband has been waiting for me.”

Support Even the Devil Regrets it