Even the Devil Regrets it - Chapter 82

After returning to the Grand Castle, Juliana sat across from Braeden. Now that she was facing him, she didn’t know how to begin or what exactly to say.

Even if she told him the truth, there was no guarantee he would believe her. Juliana wondered if, deep down, she was doing this just to relieve her own conscience.

Still, she had already pulled him into the tangled mess of her revenge. She owed him the truth.

“Braeden, what I’m about to say may be hard to believe.”

Her expression was serious, as if she were about to share something deeply important.

Braeden found it slightly amusing, but the atmosphere wasn’t one where he could smile. He nodded, matching her seriousness.

“I’m ready to listen. Say whatever you need to.”

Juliana hesitated, her lips moving slightly a few times before she finally spoke.

“I’m living my second life.”

“What?”

Braeden’s eyebrows twitched. Even though she was telling the truth, Juliana felt like a liar. Her face grew hot with embarrassment.

“I don’t know how or why. I clearly died, but when I opened my eyes, I had returned to the past.”

“I see.”

Considering that a demon lord was walking around pretending to be human, Braeden figured nothing was impossible in this world. Still, this was a first for him, and he wasn’t sure how to respond.

After thinking for a moment, he decided it wasn’t entirely out of the question.

Honestly, it wasn’t whether she was telling the truth that bothered him most. Something else weighed much more heavily on his mind.

“What about your relationship with Viscount Everett?”

“In my previous life, he was my husband.”

His eyebrows jumped again, even more noticeably than before. Felix and Juliana had been married?

The image of them standing together stirred a burning sensation inside him.

He knew it didn’t make sense to feel jealous of someone who was already dead, but that didn’t stop the unpleasant feeling from rising.

“Was he the one who caused your death?”

“Well, not directly, but I can’t say he wasn’t responsible.”

Juliana gave a brief explanation about Aileen and Tristan.

During her story, Braeden’s anger flared more than once, making her uneasy.

“Unbelievable. Those lunatics are still alive and well.”

Hearing his quiet curses, Juliana gave a small, awkward smile.

She had expected he wouldn’t believe her and that she might have to repeat her story several times. But to her surprise, he accepted it without much resistance. Ironically, that made it harder for her to stay objective while explaining everything.

She had tried to keep her emotions out of it and speak plainly, but she was still human. Feelings slipped through without her realizing it. Now that it had already happened, she felt both embarrassed and regretful.

“The Barnett family and Aileen Sanders will fall soon. So don’t waste your anger. People like them aren’t worth your emotions. Feeling anything for them is a luxury.”

Just as the earth becomes firmer after a heavy rain, the hardships Juliana had faced had made her stronger than anyone expected.

Braeden realized this was the real her, and he found himself admiring her deeply.

“Did we know each other in your previous life?”

A wave of regret washed over him. What would have happened if he had met her then? If he had proposed to her before that bastard Felix had?

Maybe she wouldn’t have had to suffer so much.

“We only recognized each other’s faces. We never really spoke.”

“Idiot,” Braeden muttered to himself, his voice low with frustration.

How could he have ignored someone like her? How could he not have even tried to talk to her? Even now, with her sitting right in front of him, it felt like he might lose her again if he looked away.

Braeden reached out and gently took Juliana’s hand, holding it in his.

This world, ruled by divine power, often made things seem like coincidences on the surface. But he knew better.

Nothing in their meeting was by chance.

God, as a rule, rarely interfered in human affairs. But that did not mean He was completely detached from the world.

In every significant event, there was always divine intent behind it. Braeden, who had spent many years living among mortals, knew this better than anyone.

What could your return possibly mean?

Braeden wanted to demand answers from the heavens right away, but he was in no position to act recklessly. These days, his life felt as fragile as a candle flickering in the wind.

“Should I be grateful that we’re at least living as husband and wife now?”

He murmured the words to himself, and Juliana answered quietly.

“I am grateful. I truly believe meeting you was a blessing.”

Braeden was overwhelmed with emotion. Her words brought both joy and a heavy sense of guilt. He was not the good man she believed him to be.

He felt thankful that she trusted him, but it also made him even more determined to keep his true nature hidden.

If he could just learn to control his powers, if he could stop the uncontrollable surges of rage, then he would do everything in his power to keep this woman by his side.

The demon who had mastered the art of deception kissed the back of Juliana’s hand while hiding the storm inside.

“If that’s how you feel, then I can only be grateful.”

Though his tone was light and teasing, the kiss on her hand was quiet and reverent.

Braeden himself didn’t realize how sincere the gesture had been.

The northern capital of Torsham buzzed with energy as the Harvest Festival began.

In the North, the festival marked the beginning of winter, since the weather turned bitterly cold immediately afterward.

The Grand Castle was busy as well, bustling in preparation for the celebration.

Though the main festival took place in the large city square of Torsham, the castle held its own feast for the staff, along with generous bonuses. The excitement was hard to contain.

“My lord, I need a moment of your time.”

Braeden had just finished his work and was about to leave, having promised Juliana they would go out and enjoy the festival together. He paused, surprised to hear Lochlan’s voice.

While everyone else was caught up in the festive mood, Lochlan stood as serious and composed as ever, as if he belonged to a different world entirely.

“Go on,” Braeden said, nodding to give him permission to speak.

“I’ve learned something about your difficulty in controlling your powers. It may not be much, but I thought it was worth sharing.”

“Even a little progress is better than none,” Braeden replied with a bitter smile.

Lochlan let out a short sigh before continuing.

“Her Highness Juliana seems to have grown significantly stronger in recent days. I don’t know the exact cause, but it appears that her divine energy is suppressing your outbursts. So, I strongly recommend that you stay close to her whenever possible.”

After listening, Braeden gave a short laugh.

“That sounds like a prescription I rather like. You’re telling me not to leave her side and to stay in our room with her?”

“I… did not say it quite like that.”

Lochlan had a feeling his words had been twisted somehow, but he didn’t know which part to correct. His eyebrows twitched slightly in confusion.

“Good. I’ll make an effort then.”

“Excuse me?”

Lochlan had no idea what exactly Braeden planned to put effort into. For a moment, he regretted bringing it up, but then he quickly reminded himself why it was necessary.

Ever since Juliana’s divine energy had grown, the unstable force surrounding his lord had started to calm.

If that meant enduring the couple’s affectionate moments, then for Braeden’s safety, Lochlan was prepared to endure it all.

“Since it’s almost time for our appointment, we should enjoy the festival first. We can think about the rest later.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Lochlan didn’t understand what there was to think about. Braeden would be spending the festival with Her Highness anyway. Most likely, he was just trying to come up with a clever excuse to stay alone in a room with her.

Even though Lochlan knew this, he kept a calm expression and responded like a loyal servant.

Juliana rode with Braeden in a carriage into the streets of Torsham.

It was her first time experiencing a northern festival, and everything she saw felt new and fascinating.

The carriage could not make its way through the thick crowd and came to a stop.

“From here, we’ll need to walk,” Braeden said as he stepped out and reached back to help her down.

“Thank you. This kind of festival is completely new to me. It feels exciting and fun,” Juliana said as her eyes sparkled with wonder.

Braeden had never attended a festival either, but he kept that to himself.

The streets were lined with shops and open stalls. The area was filled with cheerful voices and the sound of people laughing and calling out. Both the vendors and the shoppers looked full of life.

Braeden and Juliana walked side by side at a slow pace, stopping here and there to look at the displays. There were all kinds of items to see, from jewelry and northern fruits and vegetables to snacks and street food people could eat while walking. It was easy to get caught up in the atmosphere.

“What do you think they’re doing over there?” Juliana asked.

She pointed toward a long line where people were handing over small slips of paper. Her eyes were full of curiosity.

Braeden didn’t know either, so he quietly gestured toward a staff member for an explanation.

But Braeden’s sharp red eyes were too intense for most people to handle. The man felt a cold sweat break across his back as he hurried to answer.

“That line is for the arm wrestling tournament. It happens every year during the festival. Right now, they’re signing up people who want to compete.”

The man had spent years working in public events. At a glance, he could tell that Braeden and Juliana were nobles. But even among nobles, they seemed different. There was something powerful and unusual about them.

Braeden’s face was widely known throughout the empire. Still, there were others with black hair and red eyes. And the Grand Duke never came to public festivals. Among commoners, almost no one had ever seen him in person.

While the man was caught in his thoughts, wondering if he had just spoken to someone important, another staff member nearby raised his voice, trying to draw in more participants.

“You probably won’t win, but why not give it a try just for fun?”

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