Even the Devil Regrets it - Chapter 71

When they returned to the Grand Duke’s castle in the north, the servants greeted them with bright, cheerful faces.

“Welcome back.”
“Welcome home.”

Braeden stood beside Juliana and noticed that every pair of eyes was fixed on her. He let out a quiet, amused scoff.

“Yes, we’re back. Now get to your tasks.”

Feeling slightly irritated, he waved the servants away.
She is beautiful, that’s for sure. Still, it bothered him to see Juliana become the center of attention.

“What’s wrong with him?”
Anita narrowed her eyes and whispered to Lochlan.

“When has His Grace ever needed a reason to be annoyed?”

“Fair point.”

Anita, who had grown used to Juliana after spending time attending her, quickly recalled Braeden’s usual temperament and nodded in understanding.

“I’ll see you later then.”

Juliana was escorted to the east wing while Braeden climbed the main stairs and entered his office. He stopped immediately when he saw the massive pile of paperwork stacked on the desk.

“What is all this?”

His brows twitched, but the steward Albert replied cheerfully, missing the signs.

“What else could it be? Documents that require Your Grace’s review.”

Lochlan and Anita gave Albert a pitying glance. He had no idea how close he was to triggering Braeden’s bad mood.

And sure enough, Braeden snapped.

“I am not a man made to spend his life buried in paper.”

Albert finally caught on to the tension and offered a stiff smile.

“These are only the most urgent matters.”

But smiling had never helped calm Braeden down.

“Before I decide to use demonic power and sign everything at once, everyone out.”

Albert froze.

He remembered too well the last time Braeden had gotten frustrated and signed everything without reading a word. It had thrown the entire administration into chaos for weeks. Even thinking about it made his skin crawl.

“Did you not hear me? Out. Now.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The three of them left without saying another word.

Once the door closed, Braeden let out a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. He walked over to the bookshelf and opened the hidden door that led to a private chamber.

The room was filled with ancient books, all lined neatly on the walls.

With a flick of his fingers, the room lit up. He pulled one book from the shelf and began to read.

Its pages were covered in old symbols, a lost language no one else could understand.

Juliana found it strange how this castle had started to feel like home.

What surprised her more was how easily she and Braeden got along, even after he had found out about her plans.

He really is strange.

She smiled as she pictured his face.

Instead of being disgusted by her desire for revenge, he had looked like he wanted to carry it out for her.

She could not help but smile again when she remembered him furiously stirring his tea with way too much force, trying to hide his emotions.

Focus. I should concentrate on my work.

Juliana gathered herself and picked up a pen. Now that they were back, it was time to send invitations to the northern noble families.

She decided to begin with three of the most influential houses: the Earls of Gilliam, Blenchard, and Aynard.

With elegant handwriting, she quickly wrote the letters and sealed the envelopes. Then she called for Rosie.

“Give these to the steward. He will know what to do.”

“Yes, Your Grace. Do you need anything else?”

“I want to visit the glass conservatory.”

“I’ll take you there right away.”

Rosie hurried off to deliver the letters.

Before they had left for the capital, Juliana had asked that the conservatory be cleaned and prepared for a tea party. Since this would be her first time hosting guests, she wanted to inspect it herself and give clear instructions.

She arrived with a few maids chatting quietly behind her. The conservatory looked even better than before.

The trimmed plants were glossy and vibrant, and the carefully placed tables and chairs gave the space a refined atmosphere.

It was more than ready for guests, but Juliana still shared her ideas for small decorations, like the type of lace she preferred and what kind of centerpiece would suit the setting.

By the time she finished, it was nearly dinner. For some reason, she did not want to leave the conservatory just yet.

Maybe I should have dinner here.

As that thought crossed her mind, one of the maids arrived and told her Braeden had come.

“I thought you would be too busy to eat tonight.”

She tilted her head slightly, confused. She had assumed his work must have piled up while they were away.

Braeden shrugged. He had left the paperwork behind after threatening to sign it all at once, but he kept that to himself.

“Everything runs well enough without me. You do not need to worry. Why don’t we have dinner here?”

Noticing that Juliana did not want to leave, he gave the maids a quiet instruction.

“Set up dinner here. Let me know when it’s ready.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The maids quickly scattered to prepare, leaving Braeden and Juliana to stroll naturally through the conservatory.

With Braeden escorting her, Juliana walked quietly for a while before glancing up at him and asking,

“How did you know? That I wanted to have dinner here?”

“It was written all over your face. Did you not realize?”

Juliana instinctively reached up and touched her face. Braeden chuckled softly at the sight.

“The more time you spend with someone, the easier it is to know what they want.”

She paused, his words stirring something unexpected inside her.

What if we did spend more time together?

The thought spiraled into others, each more uncertain than the last.
No matter how hard she tried, she could not picture a future with him that stretched far enough to include growing old together.

The silence between them grew slightly tense. Just then, Anita approached.

“Dinner is ready.”

“Perfect. I was starting to get hungry. Come on.”

Juliana tugged on Braeden’s arm playfully. He let himself be led with no resistance, offering a wry smile.

Under the large tree in the center of the conservatory, a beautiful dinner table had been arranged.

Despite the sudden request, the senior maid had handled everything gracefully.

The table was surrounded by gemstones that glimmered like starlight, casting a soft glow across the area.

Juliana looked genuinely surprised. Anita bowed her head with her usual stoic expression.

“Please enjoy your evening.”

But anyone who knew Anita well could tell she was smiling just slightly.

Braeden let out a quiet sigh.

Everyone seems determined to push the two of us together.

He knew exactly what his subordinates were trying to do, though they had no idea what kind of obstacle they were up against.
They were meddling with something far more dangerous than they realized.

Still, he stepped forward and pulled out Juliana’s chair for her.

“Thank you.”

As Braeden sat across from her, he found himself admiring her face again.

Perhaps it was the way the sparkling gems lit the space, but she looked even more radiant than usual tonight.

“You’re planning a tea party, I heard?”

Their conversation flowed naturally over the meal.

“Yes, I’ve sent invitations to three families for now. Gilliam, Blenchard, and Aynard. Is there anything I should be cautious about?”

“Not at all. If anyone needs to be careful, it’s them.”

Juliana smiled softly, realizing he had a point.

“Before the harvest festival, I’ll open the western hall for a full banquet. I’ll be inviting all the northern nobles then.”

“You’ll be very busy.”

Even though his reply was casual, Juliana could tell he was listening closely.

If only I had known you in my previous life.

The thought brought a strange feeling to her heart.

Lately, she found herself enjoying the time she spent with him, even if it often left her feeling oddly reflective.

“You’re my partner, so you’ll be busy too.”

“Is that how this works?”

They both laughed and raised their wine glasses.

“To a successful banquet.”

It looked like a peaceful, ordinary evening on the surface.

But neither of them believed this peace would last forever.

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