Even the Devil Regrets it - Chapter 92

After wrapping up almost everything she had planned to do in the capital, Juliana returned to the Grand Duke’s estate and took a moment to enjoy the spring air.

The snow that had blanketed the estate all winter had melted, leaving the ground muddy and a bit chaotic.

Still, Juliana loved spring in the North. It was the only time she could see the vast, high sky so clearly and beautifully blue.

She had just finished her bath and was reaching for her robe when Rosie, who had been drying her off, suddenly spoke with surprise.

“Your Highness, the flower mark has fully bloomed.”

Juliana immediately understood that Rosie was referring to the Floreseco mark. She quickly turned to check her back in the mirror.

“I can’t believe it actually bloomed…”

She murmured quietly to herself. She had already begun to feel a shift in her sacred energy not long ago.

She had wondered whether awakening was truly possible. Now she had become a Floreseco, a true saint.

“If you ever become a Floreseco, just promise me one thing.”

She suddenly remembered the promise she had once made with Braeden. That first meeting with him felt like it belonged to a distant past.

What was it that he truly wanted from her?

In her rush toward revenge, she had never taken the time to consider that question.

Now that she had awakened, she realized the contract was nearing its end. The thought left her feeling strangely unsettled.

Once she finished dressing and putting herself together, a familiar tapping came from the terrace window. Atlante had arrived, pecking at the glass with his beak.

Do you feel something strange?

The moment she opened the window, he raised his voice, clearly alarmed.

“I’ll spend some time with Atlante now. You may go.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Let me know if you need anything.”

Once Rosie had left, Juliana turned to Atlante with a quiet smile.

“I’ve awakened. I am now a Floreseco.”

What? That explains the strange feeling in the air.

Even after hearing it, he still looked confused. He flew around the vanity for a while, circling and muttering to himself before coming to an abrupt stop.

Do you see that?

“Hm? See what?”

Juliana followed the direction of his beak and gasped. Along the floor and wall, faint red stains were glowing softly.

This room was the one she had used since the early days of her marriage. If those marks had been there before, she would have noticed them long ago.

What could this mean?

Deep in thought, Juliana absentmindedly slipped the ring she had taken off earlier back onto her finger.

As soon as she did, the red stains vanished without a trace.

“What in the world?”

She tilted her head in confusion and removed the ring again. Instantly, the stains returned.

Her expression hardened. Juliana slowly placed the ring down on the table. Braeden had said it was an enchanted ring, but now that her Floreseco abilities had awakened, something about it no longer felt right.

Aren’t you curious where those stains lead?

Atlante’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked at the trail. He had always called the estate haunted, but now his curiosity had clearly taken over.

“Let’s go take a look.”

Juliana left the room without putting the ring back on. It was the first time since arriving at the estate that she had stepped outside her room without it.

The red stains continued beyond her room, stretching down the hallway and curving along the walls.

Following the glowing trail, they eventually reached a door at the farthest end of the second floor. It was a room tucked so deep in the estate that even Juliana barely recognized it.

There is definitely something inside.

Atlante whispered as he pointed to the door. The location felt so unfamiliar that she couldn’t even remember this room existing.

Juliana swallowed nervously and slowly turned the doorknob.

The door opened without resistance.

A long creaking sound filled the silence as the door slowly opened, the noise sending a chill down Juliana’s spine.

What appeared before their eyes left them both frozen in place.

Is that a demon summoning circle?

Atlante flapped his wings wildly, his voice full of shock.

“A demon summoning circle?”

In the center of the room, an eerie symbol twisted and moved as if it were alive.

It glowed with a faint red light, pulsing with energy. Juliana stared at it, her expression dark and still.

“What happens if that circle gets activated?”

That one allows demons to travel. It can bring a devil from the underworld into this world, or send one back down from here.

Juliana didn’t speak for a while. She couldn’t draw any clear conclusions, but something about the entire situation made her uneasy. A heavy, cold feeling settled in her chest.

“Let’s head back for now. Later, I’ll need to check if there are more places like this.”

She glanced around carefully, suddenly concerned that someone might have seen her.

For some reason, it felt important that no one knew she had discovered the summoning circle.

See? I told you this place was haunted. My instincts were right.

Atlante’s voice rang in her ears like a buzzing echo. The Grand Duke’s estate, which had always felt like a safe haven, now felt unfamiliar and distant.

It was a strange sensation, as if the world she had trusted had shifted beneath her feet.

That evening, after finishing his work, Braeden came to their bedchamber.

He had heard that Juliana had stayed in her room all day and hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary.

“Are you feeling alright?”

He tilted his head slightly as he reached out to touch her forehead.

“Eden…”

Juliana looked up at him with calm, lowered eyes, different from her usual self.

“Did something happen?”

Braeden’s chest tightened as he asked. The shift in her mood made his heart feel strangely heavy.

“I became a Floreseco today. The flower mark fully bloomed.”

At her words, Braeden’s shoulders tensed.

Floreseco. Once, the old version of him would have rejoiced. That moment would have felt like a long-awaited dream finally coming true.

But now, he couldn’t feel happy. What he had once wanted was a Floreseco. What he wanted now was Juliana.

He said nothing, so Juliana continued gently.

“You told me that if I became a Floreseco, there was something you would ask of me.”

He let out a short breath and replied quietly.

“Not yet. I will tell you when the time comes, Lian.”

Seeing the shadow cross his face made her feel uneasy. Juliana reached for the ring on her left hand, slowly turning it with her fingers.

“Alright. When the time comes, please tell me.”

Would that be the end for us? She imagined the end of their contract.

She used to picture a peaceful future. A small two-story house filled with flowers, drying herbs in the sun, and a quiet life.

Now, for some reason, she couldn’t picture anything at all.

There really is no end to human desire.

Juliana sighed quietly, a hint of self-blame in her breath. She had used him for revenge, and yet now she found herself unwilling to let go.

“I made some herbal tea using northern plants. Would you like to try it?”

She brightened her voice on purpose and gently pulled Braeden’s hand.

“When did you even have time to make that?”

He smiled slightly, letting her lead him to the tea table, his expression beginning to soften.

Lately, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Eden was relying almost entirely on Juliana’s sacred power.

He was like a volcano on the verge of erupting, dangerous and unstable.

After spending a night with Juliana, he could at least regain enough control over his powers to last a few days.

Perhaps that was why death, which he once chased so desperately, now seemed to chase him in return, pressing in close and tightening around his breath.

“The scent is nice.”

The aroma of the tea filled the room as it steeped. There had been a time when he couldn’t even imagine stopping to enjoy something like this.

“It might taste a little bitter. I focused on the effects rather than the flavor, so it’s not quite finished yet.”

“Are you hoping I’ll judge it? I’m not the best person for that. I’m not exactly sensitive to things like this.”

Eden raised an eyebrow as he held the teacup. Juliana let out a soft laugh.

“I didn’t give you the tea because I wanted a review. I just wanted you to be the first to try the very first tea I made with northern herbs.”

“Well, in that case.”

Eden shrugged and took a sip. As she had warned, the taste was slightly bitter.

“It’s… not bad.”

Noticing his slight hesitation, Juliana smiled and asked playfully,

“Good enough to start selling?”

“Not quite.”

He answered immediately, without a second’s pause. The way he spoke so honestly, without trying to soften the truth, made her smile. He felt more endearing like this.

How wonderful it would be to spend more days like this together.

Lost in the thought, Juliana called his name without thinking.

“Eden…”

But the words she wanted to say didn’t come out. Her lips parted slightly, then closed again.

“I’m listening. Go ahead.”

“No, I was going to ask you something else about the tea. But I realized that might not be the smartest choice.”

Looking into his deep red eyes, Juliana chose to hide what she had truly wanted to say.

“You might want to ask someone else about the tea instead.”

Eden felt the same. The fact that she had awakened as a Floreseco left a chill in his heart, but he didn’t show it.

The contract still had time left. As long as they were bound by it, he believed he could stabilize everything before it ended. That was the thought that kept him steady.

Their quiet conversation felt the same as always, but beneath the surface, both of their thoughts were swirling in completely different directions.

Support Even the Devil Regrets it