Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 1960: Talking to the gods (3)

The sanctuary I was heading toward was the very same one I had been escorted to upon my initial arrival in the Merman Empire.

Dedicated to Aquaron, this temple was the site where I had previously been granted their relic.

A significant amount of time had passed since my last visit, primarily because I had no reason to return. After all, there were far more effective locations to utilize whenever I required an audience with the gods.

This time, however, my presence was driven by a very particular inquiry I needed to pose to Aquaron.

As I approached the sacred grounds, I noticed several priests already gathered, seemingly awaiting my arrival.

While they appeared ignorant of my specific purpose, they clearly recognized me as the individual who had once been summoned by their deity.

I paid them no mind as I continued my trek toward the temple entrance.

None of the priests attempted to bar my path; they only stepped forward to offer greetings because of my identity. Nevertheless, looks of utter confusion washed over their faces as they trailed behind me, completely baffled by my sudden appearance.

It was evident that Aquaron had provided them with no prior instructions.

I wondered if this silence was due to a lack of concern on their part, or if they simply had nothing to contribute to the matter.

Despite my constant expectation of a response from Aquaron, they had remained entirely silent until now.

Since they showed no initiative to speak with me, I was left with no choice but to seek them out directly.

Upon pushing open the temple doors, I turned back and declared, "I have to go in alone."

Though they looked as if they were desperate to follow, I did not budge on my demand.

Ultimately, they were forced to respect my wishes, despite their obvious desire to accompany me inside.

The priests seemed the most eager to enter, yet even they managed to restrain themselves in the end.

The moment the doors latched behind me, I was instantly transported to the expected realm. Simultaneously, the figure I anticipated seeing manifested before me.

However, the words they uttered were entirely unexpected.

"Go back, there’s nothing for you here."

This version of Aquaron was a far cry from the one I had encountered previously.

Instead of being passive or complacent, this Aquaron appeared intensely focused and purposeful in their actions.

Hearing such a dismissal left me feeling deeply bewildered.

"Is this the real you or is the one that I met before the real you?" I questioned.

Aquaron offered no direct answer to my query, but he did provide a response that left me stunned once again.

"It isn’t the right time for you to know about this."

These were the exact words Aestum had used during our last conversation.

It was certainly no coincidence for both of them to recite the same cryptic line.

Yet, the idea of them collaborating was difficult to swallow, especially considering the hostility Aestum and the kraken had displayed toward one another.

The resentment in their voices had felt far too genuine to be a mere performance.

"You’ve already gotten the answer that you’re looking for, so there’s no reason for you to remain here any longer," Aquaron stated abruptly while I was still trying to make sense of the situation.

Being a mere mortal in the presence of a god, I was powerless as I was forcibly ejected from the divine space.

I couldn't even utter a protest before the scenery around me shifted violently.

By the time I regained my bearings, I found myself standing back inside the physical temple.

The behavior of the two deities made it painfully clear that there was a deeper narrative at play than what had been revealed to me.

The issue remained: if the gods chose silence, I lacked the leverage to compel them to speak. I might possess the ability to wield divine energy, but that did not grant me the status of a god.

Even if I approached other deities, it was unlikely they would betray their own kind.

This was a lesson I had already learned through bitter experience.

Resigned to the fact that there was nothing more I could do, I turned to exit the temple.

As I opened the doors, a wave of frustration washed over me...

"What happened?" the Merman King asked, stepping forward immediately, but I could only offer a silent shake of my head.

The crowd watched me with perplexed expressions upon seeing my reaction.

They couldn't grasp my meaning, but I was reluctant to elaborate for fear of causing further misunderstandings. When I was just as confused as they were, it was better to remain guarded.

During this exchange, I carefully observed the kraken, searching for any sign of a reaction.

It seemed the kraken wasn't nearly as startled as the rest of them...

Since I refused to speak, there was nothing they could do to force the issue.

Eventually, we departed from the temple and began the journey back to the palace.

While we walked, I moved closer to the Merman King and whispered, "Keep an eye on those people that we’ve brought back with us."

The Merman King glanced at me with a puzzled look before asking, "Do you think that something will happen with them?"

"I don’t think they’ll do anything, but I feel like something might happen that will be out of our control."

The Merman King gave me another searching look, but he ultimately gave a firm nod of agreement.