Chapter 231
Setan waited in the hall, tension and anticipation coiling tightly in his chest.
When Nina stepped inside and took a seat beside him, his heartbeat seemed to grow louder in his ears.
“What did you want to see me about?” Nina asked.
Setan hesitated. The question he most wanted to ask pressed against his lips, but he forced it down.
There was something more important.
“The High Shaman of the Barbarian City intends to harm you. You need to be careful. He called me over this morning and asked me to help him deal with you p>
Fearing she might misunderstand, he quickly added, “But don’t worry. I won’t help him. Once he tells me his plan, I’ll inform you immediately p>
He chose this first. It mattered more.
Nina looked at him, surprised. “You…why are you telling me this p>
From what she had seen, Setan and Yosan clearly had some kind of deal.
If that was the case, why would he risk breaking it to help her?
They weren’t even friends.
And yet, she found herself believing him—partly because of this warning, partly because earlier he hadn’t exposed Zena and had even cooperated with her.
And because, up until now, he had never truly harmed her.
“Because I Setan’s breath faltered. “I p>
The words rose, then died in his throat.
“I made that deal with the shaman to save my brother. But…I don’t want to hurt you p>
He still couldn’t confess.
Not yet.
“And your brother?” Nina asked softly. “If you help me, what happens to him p>
She hadn’t expected this. Beneath everything, Setan was…kind.
“You don’t need to worry about that,” he said. “I’ll find another way p>
There were other shamans in the world. He would find one.
“Thank you,” Nina said.
She didn’t quite know what else to say. They weren’t close, yet he was choosing to stand on her side.
Her gaze lingered on him as a thought surfaced.
He had said earlier that he was the lord of Blazeing Flame City.
That meant… “You really are the City Lord of Blazeong Flame City?” she asked.
Setan nodded. “I am p>
Nina let out a quiet breath.
So it was true. Another former fiancé. Why did fate keep tying her to them like this?
And yet…earlier, he had stepped forward too.
Why? Didn’t he already have someone he loved? Was it just to support her?
Because of that, Nina refused to read too much into it.
Silence settled between them.
It was Nina who finally broke it. “Is there anything else p>
If not, she was ready to end the conversation.
“Yes.” Setan gathered his courage and met her eyes directly. “I have a question p>
Something in her chest tightened. “Go ahead p>
“Half a year ago…did you go to a cave on the west side of Sin Beast City…and with several males p>
His heartbeat thundered as he stared at her, waiting.
Nina stiffened.
Not him too p>
A flicker of frustration crossed her mind.
She didn’t want to get entangled in someone else’s feelings.
And if he already loved someone, why dig this up at all? Wouldn’t it be better to let it remain buried?
Unless p>
Was this about Sunny?
For a brief moment, she almost wanted to deny it.
But he had the right to know.
A light ignited in Setan’s eyes. “It really was you p>
Relief, joy, disbelief—all of it surged through him at once.
“It’s you… It really is you p>
Nina was the little female he had been searching for all along.
Joy surged through Setan, bright and unstoppable. Did this mean he could finally pursue her openly, without restraint?
His gaze burned with intensity, his face flushing slightly with both excitement and shy anticipation. “Little female, I…I was one of the males that day as well, so we p>
Nina instinctively took a small step back.
She had already guessed as much, but why did he look so…excited?
A hint of awkwardness crept into her voice. “What happened that night was an accident. I was drugged, so that’s why…just pretend it never happened p>
There was no way she wanted to become the third party in someone else’s relationship.
The joy on Setan’s face froze instantly, disbelief and hurt flooding his expression. “Y-you…what did you say p>
She wanted to pretend it never happened?
Didn’t she want him?
In that moment, it felt as though his lion’s heart shattered into pieces.
A dull ache spread through his chest, sour and unbearable.
How could that be?
He refused to accept it.
“I said, we should treat that night as if it never happened,” Nina repeated.
Wasn’t that better for both of them?
The words struck him again, heavier this time.
The pain in Setan’s chest deepened, his eyes reddening with grievance. “Even if it was an accident…it was my first time. You…you took my innocence, so…so you should take responsibility p>
Originally, it should have been him taking responsibility for her.
But she clearly didn’t want that.
Then fine—she would take responsibility for him instead.
Either way, he was not letting her go.
Never in his life had he cared about a female this much.
The longing, the torment he had endured these past days had made one thing painfully clear––he could not let her go.
Not in this lifetime.
Setan looked at her with a wounded, almost accusatory gaze, like a wronged husband abandoned by a heartless lover.
“Huh?” Nina blinked, completely caught off guard. “Are you serious p>
This was not how she expected things to go at all.
Didn’t he already have someone he loved? Why was he asking her to take responsibility?
Had he been abandoned?
Setan’s expression turned utterly solemn. “Of course I am. You…you can’t be heartless p>
He stared at her anxiously, afraid she would refuse.
He had planned to confess after confirming the truth.
But now…he didn’t dare.
This was the only way he could hold onto her.
Nina pressed her lips together lightly. “You’re a male…and you still want to take responsibility p>
“Yes.” Setan’s eyes grew even redder. “I’m very traditional. And…we even have Sunny p>
Nina felt a headache coming on. What kind of situation was this?
She frowned. “But don’t you already have p>
Before she could finish, Shushu suddenly burst into the room, throwing himself into Nina’s arms and pointing accusingly at Yanai behind him.
“Mom! That bad wolf has gone crazy! He actually said he’s my father p>
Nina looked down, coughing lightly. “Shushu…Yanai…he might really be your father p>
At once, Shushu buried his face in her arms.
He didn’t want that bad father.
Nina sighed softly, stroking his head, then looked at Yanai. “Give him some time p>
Yanai nodded with a small smile.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, glancing at Shushu. Stubborn brat, always going against your own father.
As if I care that much about you.
The only one I care about is Nina.
Then his gaze shifted to Setan.
Why did that damned lion look like a resentful husband staring at Nina?
Wasn’t he supposed to belong to that Zena female?
A thought flashed through his mind… Earlier, Setan had stepped forward too.
Could it be p>
Yanai narrowed his eyes.
No.
This lion was entangled with another female. Someone like that had no right to stand by Nina’s side.