Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 1986: Telling the truth

Once the envoys from the smaller nations had been addressed, a separate, more exclusive council was convened.

While it felt somewhat improper to exclude them, certain matters were simply too sensitive to be shared with the minor countries.

My decision wasn't based on a lack of trust; rather, there were truths that they were better off not knowing.

"Holy Son, is there something you wish to disclose to us?" inquired the representative of the Holy Empire.

It was the Pope of the Solista Religion who took the lead as their spokesperson at this moment.

As he spoke, the intentional pressure he tried to exert on me was unmistakable.

I merely met his gaze with a calm expression, fully aware of the motivation behind his behavior.

Being devoted worshippers of the gods, these individuals possessed a keen eye for identifying things like divine relics.

Between the official reports and the evidence I had presented, it was clear they had already pieced some things together.

Following a brief silence, I admitted composedly, "You are correct. I was responsible for the disappearance of Death Valley. It was not the work of the forces of Destruction."

The members of this meeting showed no signs of shock upon hearing my confession.

They had suspected as much the moment they laid eyes on Queenie.

Now, they simply waited for my further clarification.

"Death Valley is actually a unique relic forged by a god for their messenger. Consequently, I was able to take it with me once I established a contract with said messenger."

Peculiar expressions flickered across the faces of everyone in the room as I spoke.

It appeared they were struggling to reconcile certain facts, yet simultaneously... they seemed let down.

The difficult truth for them to swallow was that Queenie truly was a messenger of a god.

Her appearance and demeanor didn't fit the traditional image of such a being, making it hard to accept even with my direct confirmation.

As for the source of their disappointment...

"So, this incident truly has no connection to the forces of Destruction."

"And I was under the impression we had finally found a lead."

They had been desperately hoping this event was linked to the forces of Destruction, as the enemy had been far too quiet recently.

While peace is generally desirable, the silence of the forces of Destruction was ominous. We were currently struggling to track them down and eliminate them.

Their decision to remain hidden only served to complicate our efforts.

Though we couldn't predict their next move, we were certain a strike was coming. After all, the mastermind behind them had not been defeated.

As long as the God of Destruction remained at large, we would continue to exist under a constant shadow of dread.

Living in perpetual anxiety was far from comfortable. Everyone yearned for any scrap of information regarding the forces of Destruction to avoid being stuck in this passive state.

However, they regained their composure quickly, shifted by another topic that needed addressing.

"Holy Son, it appears you have been making contact with several messengers of the gods," the Pope of the Solista Religion remarked slowly, his tone suggesting he was testing me.

At his words, the other representatives fixed their eyes on me, anticipating my reaction.

Instead of looking at them, I glanced toward the Merman King, who sat behind one of the screens.

He was the only source who could have leaked this information to them.

Then again, such things were difficult to conceal given the massive shifts occurring within the Merman Empire.

The Tide Empire maintained close ties with the Merman Empire and likely obtained the news immediately. From there, it was only a matter of time before it reached the other empires.

From the great empires, the word would inevitably spread to the various other races.

In truth, there was no realistic way to keep my actions a secret.

"That is correct. In our current situation, we require all the assistance we can gather," I replied with a steady voice.

The representatives remained silent for a moment, seemingly processing my admission.

Eventually, the Pope of the Solista Religion asked, "Have you been granted some form of prophecy regarding this situation?"

The way he phrased the question made it seem as though he had a deep personal stake in the answer.

Given his status as the head of a major religion, such a reaction was expected.

Nevertheless, I answered simply, "No, there has been no prophecy."

A look of disappointment crossed the Pope's face, yet he continued to watch me as if demanding more information.

I then stated, "For the time being, I cannot provide any more details. I trust you will respect the complexity of my position."

While the representatives in the room were clearly dissatisfied with that response, they realized there was little they could do to change it.

They knew I wouldn't be swayed by pressure alone—a fact they had already come to accept.

Ultimately, the Pope of the Solista Religion could only concede, saying, "I merely ask that you keep us informed of your general progress so we may prepare accordingly."

This time, I offered a nod of agreement.

After all, the actions I had taken this time were indeed quite abrupt.