Kurai Yoru (Darker Night)

10.5: A Caring Brother [AC]

(To mark the end of season 1, here's a short chapter introducing Sitri's 'plan' for Celleya. Last chapter, Tamamo mentioned that Sitri lied to his sister. Following up her statement, this chapter will show what Sitri really wanted to happen.)

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Inside the school, Sitri and Celleya was currently walking on a hallway towards Reya's office, where everyone is waiting for them. Because Sitri wanted to have some alone time with Celleya, he refrained from teleporting straight away into the office.

"Celleya." Sitri spoke while looking forward.

"Yes, nii-chan?" Celleya looked at her brother.

"Are you still angry at me?" Sitri's eyes drooped down slightly.

Celleya smiled brightly. "This was a lot to take in, brother. I'm a bit confused, but I feel that you're now what you are like before, Sitri-chan. I'm going to trust you again."

"Still, I can't help but to feel guilty." Sitri put his right hand to Celleya's right shoulder, hugging her closer.

"Cheer up nii-chan! Look, we're almost there." Celleya ran forward.

Sitri stared longingly at his sister. Even after what she thought he did, she still trusted him in the end. The demon wonders why he was gifted with such a forgiving sister.

Celleya suddenly stopped. She looked back, and shyly asked something. "Nii-chan, if you don't mind me asking... Tamamo said you... lied to me. She said that you abandoning me was a lie. I don't understand." Celleya slowly walked up to Sitri, and gazed at his pure white eyes. "What did she mean by that?"

'That fox noticed I lied...? So she had been watching when me and Celleya were fighting.' Sitri inwardly grinned. 'You are a wise fox.'

"That cheeky fox." Sitri shook his head. "I guess I'll have to tell you what really happened, huh?"

=≠(151 years ago)≠=

"She's compatible, isn't she?"

"Yes, we are really lucky to have a child like her!"

Sitri was just about to open his parents' room and greet them, but then he heard their conversation.

"She has the mark of The Devil. We can revive The Devil with her." His dad said from the other side.

"And then he shall rule over us again." His mom said.

Sitri wasn't stupid. He knows that his parents are a follower of Satan rather than Lucifer. They wanted to revive the thing that tainted their image on humans, along with the other supernatural creatures.

And also, he knows that their talking about Celleya.

He had seen it himself. The mark on her back. It's the mark that lets The Devil to possess the body of that marked individual. It means that The Devil's blood is present in Celleya's.

And that also meant killing her.

The very next day, he scared his parents by making them believe that Celleya was getting out of control, and said that she started killing their servants, which he killed himself. Of course they were scared, and asked for Sitri to exile her as their current king. And that he did.

"I never, ever cared for you."

It pained him to say those words, but it had to be done. She will not leave him if she still cares for him, so he had to break her heart. He said all those words to her, all those painful words.

After he threw her outside the walls, he made a clone of himself and left it at the castle, doing all his things and disguised his true self as an exile. He befriended the unknowing demoness, and helped her in staying alive.

He became Zheal.

Every night, he would bring foods on another cave a bit away from their base, and Celleya would always get it when it's her turn, not knowing that it was from him.

Sitri would always make the young demon laugh when she's sad, and tell her lies about his fake adventure being an exile just to entertain her.

Later on, he trained her magic once again, just like when they were a child. He was glad that Celleya never noticed a thing.

But he was torn when Celleya would tell him what she would do to when he finds him. But, even after that, he still helped her find him in the human's world. But, afraid that she might hurt Ani, he told her his wish.

"Don't attack anyone who's close to him, okay? Their innocent." He said.

"Yes, brother." Celleya nodded.

As they both grew closer, Celleya began calling him big brother. He would always go outside just to cry when he remembers that it was Zheal who she's calling brother, not him, Sitri.

Sitri had been called to have something like sister complex, but he didn't care. He just loves his precious sister, and protected her with all his heart.

And besides, He's a demon. It's just a mere sinful love.

=≠(Flashback end)≠=

"Z-Zheal...?" A lone tear slid out from each of Celleya's eyes. Her mouth agape, as she gazed at her brother in a new light.

"Hello there, Celli." Sitri smiled, and patted his little sister's head.

Celleya instantly hugged him. The demoness cried harder, feeling stupid that she believe that Sitri would even think about abandoning her. All he ever wanted was to protect her all this time. He even disguised himself as an exile and helped her.

She could only imagine what Sitri felt that time, when she would rant on how she hates him.

In the end, she would have never survived without him. All their food came from him, after all. And she thought she can even take on the whole underworld at that time.

"Shh shhh. Don't cry Celleya." Sitri spoke behind her head.

"B-B-But, you were... B-Brother, I'm so sorry!" She just cried even louder than before.

"You didn't know. It's okay. I will never hate my little imouto." Sitri smiled. "Next time, I promise, when I'm gonna protect you, you don't have to be exiled again." Celleya let out a small giggle from that.

"Brother will do everything to protect you. I love you, Celleya." Sitri hugged her tighter.

"Love you too, onii-chan."