Chapter 191: Sitri (7)
Chapter 191: Sitri (7)
Tense and nervous, Sitri began to explain everything to Han Shin, her voice soft and deliberate.
"Han Shin... you've realized I'm not an ordinary human, haven't you?"
"I have..."
It was a reconfirmation that Han Shin had already been considering her true identity.
Calming her racing heart, Sitri first revealed the nature of her existence.
"I am... a demon who intended to invade Earth."
"......"
Sitri’s identity was something Han Shin hadn't expected at all. He couldn't find the right words to respond; his mind was a blank slate. Moreover, her words were hard to believe.
Is she joking...?
Han Shin had already faced Demonic Humans and demons firsthand. In those encounters, he had experienced the hideous appearances of demons along with their sinister energy. They were beings overflowing with Dark Mana and murderous intent, their inhumanity palpable against his very skin. Even the Demonic Humans—humans who had fallen from grace—were the same. Though they wore human faces, their inner ferocity and cruel nature made their evil immediately apparent.
Yet, he felt none of that from Sitri. Even now, Han Shin observed her, trying to detect any trace of Dark Mana, but there was nothing.
He was confused, but seeing the solemn and serious expression on Sitri’s face, he realized this was no joke or idle chatter.
Sitri knew Han Shin wouldn't find her words easy to accept. For a moment, she wanted to take it back and call it a joke, but she didn't. Even if she covered it up now, it would inevitably become a problem later. She had to come clean.
Before discussing her current physical condition—which she had analyzed while washing up—Sitri felt she had to be honest about how she arrived on Earth.
She explained how she had tried to pass through a rift in the Dimensional Barrier, but the unstable rift had shrunk. This caused the destruction of the Dungeon, and every demon except for her had perished.
"Then... the windows shattering back there..."
"Yes. It was likely the aftereffect of the Dungeon I was in being destroyed. It completely collapsed just as it reached Earth."
"I see..."
Han Shin had come to Shanghai because of an unprecedented anomaly that even Grace and Laysia didn't recognize. Although he had only investigated for a few hours, he hadn't found any traces or signs, leading him to lean toward the theory that it was a natural phenomenon unlike any seen before.
However, hearing Sitri explain that she was the cause made her story much more credible. It was more likely that Sitri was the specific cause than a random anomaly occurring that even the Followers of the Benevolent God, Grace and Laysia, knew nothing about.
As Han Shin nodded slightly, listening intently as if accepting her words, Sitri calmly continued. She told him how she had struggled with all her might to survive when she nearly died within the cracks of the Dimensional Barrier, and how she had ultimately ended up as the sole survivor.
"In the process, I exhausted all of my Dark Mana. Since arriving on Earth, my Dark Mana has not recovered at all."
At those words, Han Shin understood why he couldn't feel even a trace of Dark Mana from her. Just as she said, she had spent it all, and her body was now incapable of producing more.
Before he knew it, Han Shin found himself believing that Sitri was a demon. He could see that she was confessing the truth to him. She wasn't excited; she was speaking cautiously, constantly gauging his reaction.
The things Sitri was saying were undoubtedly shocking. Han Shin was the Proxy of Tiamat, a Benevolent God. Sitri was a demon who served an Evil God, Tiamat's enemy. Their relationship was one that could never be amicable.
Having dealt with other demons, Han Shin had a strong perception of them as monsters. But Sitri had shown him only her most human side. Far from feeling hostility, he felt a desire to look after her.
Sitri, who had been feigning composure, watched Han Shin with anxious eyes as he fell into thought.
Han Shin smiled at her and spoke.
"Then those clothes aren't ordinary clothes either, I assume."
"Yes... they are the clothes I usually wear, even when I go into battle."
Han Shin wondered if combat gear could really be that thin, but he figured it must be an extraordinary piece of armor.
Having heard Sitri’s confession this far, Han Shin could guess what she wanted to tell him. To reveal everything so honestly...
For her, it was a life-risking gamble. He could have killed her right then and there. According to her story, she was currently powerless, her body weakened beyond comparison to her original strength.
That's why she was in danger yesterday...
Han Shin, who had rescued her the previous day, assumed she had almost been raped by those low-life thugs because of her weakened state. In reality, even without a drop of Dark Mana, Sitri would have had no problem handling ordinary humans even in her weakened condition. Of course, Han Shin had no way of knowing that, and Sitri wasn't in a state of mind to think about such things.
What does he think of me?
Sitri, with her violet hair and eyes that usually held a purplish hue, looked at him with brown-tinted eyes. To Han Shin, the way she watched him, terrified of being abandoned, made her seem like a lost puppy.
"Will you tell me more about yourself, Sitri?"
"Yes!"
Sitri’s voice rose slightly, her excitement evident, happy that Han Shin had naturally switched to informal speech and asked to hear more. The fact that he wanted to listen and was smiling at her... and the way he spoke comfortably to her... it felt more like he was embracing her rather than pushing her away.
Right now, Sitri’s top priority was to stay with Han Shin in any capacity and not be abandoned.
Soon, Han Shin learned that Sitri wasn't just an ordinary demon, but one who stood at the pinnacle of those serving Asmodeus, the Evil God of Wrath and Lust.
Han Shin was naturally surprised to find out Sitri was such a high-ranking figure. During his training with Grace and Laysia, he had heard stories about demons and had studied related materials in the Sanctuary. He knew that the highest-ranking demons serving the Evil Gods possessed power comparable to the followers of the Benevolent Gods.
That means Sitri is a being with almost the same level of power as Grace or Laysia when they are at full strength.
Until now, Han Shin had thought Grace and Laysia were the most incredible mortals he had ever seen. Both were heroes who had fought to protect their respective worlds. They had shared their stories with him without exaggeration, and Han Shin had asked them to do so. He wanted to know everything about the two women he loved. Thus, he knew how powerful they were and that they were currently in a weakened state due to a sort of penalty they incurred because of him.
To hear that Sitri was a demon who once possessed power rivaling such followers was naturally startling. In a way, she should have been his most threatening enemy, yet seeing her sitting before him like a puppy appealing to be taken in felt surreal.
Sitri spoke honestly about how she had lived faithfully as a demon serving Asmodeus and had taken the lead in invading other worlds.
"Hmm..."
Han Shin had already heard indirect accounts from Grace and Laysia about the atrocities committed by demons. Naturally, he grew serious at Sitri’s confession.
Seeing Han Shin like this, Sitri felt a wave of intense regret. At the time, she had been full of loyalty toward Asmodeus, believing her actions were the natural duty and glory of a demon. She had lived by the law of the jungle—the weak die, and the strong take everything. That past had now become a heavy shackle.
I wouldn't be able to complain even if Han Shin-nim abandoned me or killed me.
Sitri knew that wishing for Han Shin to accept her was a deeply selfish act. However, her feelings for him had grown too large, and she couldn't bear the thought of Han Shin, who would inevitably fight other demons, being in danger.
"Han Shin-nim... I won't complain even if you don't accept me as I am. But please, let me help you. I can't just stand by and watch other demons hurt you or aim for your life."
Looking at Sitri as she spoke with such pleading eyes, Han Shin felt his heart soften.