Even the Devil Regrets it - Chapter 65

Martin, the butler of the Everett household, had a sick son.

His illness wasn’t considered incurable, but the treatment required honey extracted from the flower of a rare plant called Lambertia Formosa.

That was the problem. The plant was so rare that the medicine was nearly impossible to find. In effect, the illness had become incurable.

To obtain this treatment, Martin went as far as conspiring with Felix to kill Marquis Grant Everett.

Felix had promised that once he became the head of the house, he would secure the medicine for Martin’s son.

Martin had served Grant Everett since he was young, but when it came to his son, he had no hesitation about crossing legal or moral lines.

Betraying his master caused him no guilt.

But the plan had failed, and now Martin’s position was at risk.

Grant Everett, perhaps suspecting something, was gradually reducing Martin’s authority.

If this continued, not only would he fail to get the medicine, he would also be thrown out of the household.

Lately, he had often spent sleepless nights filled with anxiety and dread.

If he couldn’t sleep, he might as well work. In times like this, when his footing was shaky, proving his worth through efficiency was the only way to survive.

He was buried in paperwork, organizing documents, when he heard a soft knock at the window.

What was that?

With sharp eyes, he pulled the window open, thinking there might be an intruder.

But outside, there was no one.

Only a plain envelope sat there, unmarked and alone.

Something about it felt strange.

Who could have sent this?

Martin stared at the envelope, trying to guess the sender.

Eventually, unable to hold back his curiosity, he opened it with a letter opener.

As soon as he did, two small fruits fell onto the desk with a soft thump.

Martin’s eyes trembled violently.

Each fruit had two small, sharp horns protruding from it.

It was the fruit of Lambertia Formosa, commonly known as Mountain Devil, or Devil’s Head.

The plant he had been so desperately searching for had just appeared in front of him.

His heart raced.

His son was slowly dying because they hadn’t been able to find this plant.

Ever since the physician told him that his son would not live more than a few more years, even his wife had fallen ill from the stress.

And now, someone out there clearly knew exactly what he needed.

With trembling hands, Martin unfolded the letter and began to read.

Are you searching for Lambertia Formosa? More specifically, the honey from its flower?

As you can see from the fruit, I have the flower of the Mountain Devil.

If you want it, hand over the secret ledger of the Everett household.

You have two days. At sunset, come alone to the oldest pub on Harpste Street.

If you reveal this to anyone or bring someone with you, you will never see the Mountain Devil again.

Martin read the entire letter in one breath, then collapsed into his chair, gasping.

He had found it.

The plant he had searched for so long had finally appeared.

But the price was the secret ledger of the Everett family.

He couldn’t steady his breathing. He ran his hand over his pale, damp face again and again.

He was the only servant who knew where the secret ledger was kept.

If the ledger went missing, he would be the first person questioned.

But if he didn’t hand it over, his son would die.

Martin’s eyes narrowed as his mind raced.

Any sense of loyalty to his master was already long gone.

“There has to be a way. There must be a way.”

A way to steal the ledger without being caught. A situation where he wouldn’t be suspected.

If he thought hard enough, there had to be a solution that satisfied all of that.

No, he had to find one.

He had survived this long using cunning and quick thinking. Now, relying on his experience and instincts, Martin began crafting a plan, step by step.

Juliana woke early that morning, slowly blinking her eyes as she felt the soft warmth of the blankets and the familiar presence of Braeden beside her.

She was already awake, but the dreamy calm of the morning made her want to stay still a little longer.

On days when she woke late, she would often find the bed empty. So, on mornings like this, she liked to wake early and quietly look at him while he slept.

Thick, neatly shaped eyebrows, long eyelashes, a high nose bridge, full lips, a strong jawline, and the prominent shape of his Adam’s apple.

Juliana slowly took in Braeden’s face, almost as if she were studying a work of art.

That was when the corners of his lips twitched into a slight smile.

“You’re awake?”

She quickly asked, trying to hide her embarrassment. But there was no trace of sleep in his expression, and her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“How long have you been awake?”

Braeden hadn’t slept at all. He let out a short laugh and pulled her gently into his arms.

“With you staring at me like that, what do you think I might do?”

Their bodies were pressed closely together. The sudden intimacy flustered Juliana, and she stammered.

“W-what are you going to do? The sun is already up.”

Did she really not know that saying something like that with such innocence would only tempt him more?

Where had she learned that something indecent could only happen at night?

“Even in broad daylight, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, my lady.”

Braeden gave a playful smile and pressed his finger gently against the small of her back, teasing her.

Juliana blinked rapidly, her cheeks flushing red. It had started out as harmless fun, but the moment she squirmed in his arms, it became something else entirely.

His gaze deepened with desire.

Those red eyes of his, glowing like precious gemstones, were her favorite feature.

She knew exactly why those flames flickered in his eyes. She also knew she would be swept away by his touch if she let herself give in.

And if that happened, they would never make it out of bed until midday. That would not do. She had an important meeting today.

This was the day she was scheduled to receive the secret ledger from Martin.

“Didn’t you say there was a meeting at the palace later today?”

“That is in the afternoon.”

“Well, if you want to review the agenda and make sure there’s nothing unfavorable to the North, it’s already cutting it close.”

“You have never checked those things before.”

“That just means you should start doing it from today.”

Juliana grunted and strained, trying to push Braeden up and out of bed. Of course, she could not even lift one of his arms properly.

Braeden watched her efforts with an amused expression, then added the slightest force to his arm.

Because of the pull she had been applying, the moment he shifted his weight, she tumbled right back into his chest.

“I feel like I’m being cheated if I just get up.”

He tapped his lips with one finger. It meant he wanted a kiss in exchange.

Juliana frowned slightly, not understanding why a kiss was required just to get him out of bed.

“This isn’t because I’m negotiating with you. I just want to give you a kiss. That’s all.”

Of course she did.

Braeden found her attempt at seriousness rather amusing, but he nodded without giving anything away.

Juliana gave him a slight glare, then placed her hand on his chest and leaned forward to kiss him.

The soft press of her lips was gentle and brief. But before the warmth of that kiss could fade, Braeden’s hand reached up to cradle the back of her head.

He did not let her end it there.

He kissed her again, deeper this time, claiming her lips before she could pull away.

As he drew her in, her breath escaped in a soft sigh.

Braeden turned them over, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other around her neck.

Before she knew it, Juliana was pinned beneath him, her face buried in the pillow.

He made sure she could not move and took his time savoring her lips.

“Mmm…”

A soft breath escaped her lips as Juliana, startled by the sudden intensity, pushed weakly at his shoulder.

Braeden knew he had gone a bit far, so this time he let her push him away without resisting.

She sat up quickly and adjusted her clothes, smoothing her hair and trying to cool her flushed face.

With her voice stern and her eyes narrowed, she looked straight at him.

“That’s enough. You need to get up and go wash now.”

But even with her strict tone, the strands of hair sticking up on her head and the pink color still glowing in her cheeks did nothing to make her look threatening.

Braeden let out a low chuckle and finally stepped out of bed.

If he teased her more, she really would get angry.

As he strolled leisurely toward the bathroom, Juliana suddenly spoke again, as if remembering something.

“Ah, I was thinking of going into the city this afternoon. Since we’re in the capital, I’d like to do some shopping and maybe walk around a bit. I might even have dinner out.”

“Who is going with you?”

“I’m going with Rosie.”

“It’s dangerous to go with only a maid. I will assign a knight to accompany you.”

“Ah… alright.”

Juliana hesitated for a moment, then nodded calmly.

Braeden said nothing more and continued toward the bathroom.

On the surface, there was nothing unusual about their exchange. But once he closed the bathroom door behind him, his expression hardened.

What was that? Why did it feel like she was hiding something?

It was a gut instinct.

He could not explain it clearly, but something about it bothered him.

It was the kind of uneasy feeling that scraped at the edges of his thoughts like claws in the dark.

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