Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2029: It was all a cover up

"Lord Aquaron..."

Upon hearing those words from the orb of blue light, I found myself taken aback yet again.

With that statement, it became obvious that the bond between them wasn't nearly as strained as it appeared on the surface.

In fact, a hint of reverence echoed in the orb's tone as it spoke.

Whatever facade they'd put up about their connection clearly wasn't the reality.

There must have been a hidden layer to this entire affair.

Watching their exchange, I couldn't stop myself from pondering how many mortals or even deities were aware of this secret. I even questioned whether the kraken had remained completely oblivious throughout.

If a divine envoy could be deceived by the very god it served...

Aquaron simply lifted a hand to silence Aestum before declaring, "It's alright, this isn't on you. Actually, it's a positive development because it corrects one of my past errors."

Though Aestum remained silent, the blue orb pulsed faintly, as if holding back unspoken words.

Finally, Aquaron faced me once more and announced, "Now, I'll reveal the truth."

I stayed quiet, patiently awaiting whatever explanation they had in store.

Since I was clueless about the circumstances, there wasn't much I could contribute anyway.

After a brief pause, Aquaron let out a heavy sigh and confessed, "To put it plainly, I've let down those banished races. The cause of their exile was straightforward, and I'm certain you've witnessed it already."

My eyebrows furrowed involuntarily at this revelation.

After some deep reflection, I ventured, "The allergic reactions they showed? Did you bring that about?"

"It wasn't caused by Lord Aquaron; it was something that..."

Aquaron interrupted Aestum with another raised hand, then admitted with a sigh, "That's not entirely inaccurate."

"Lord Aquaron..." Aestum's voice carried a tone of deep sorrow.

No matter their demeanor, I wasn't about to let them off the hook with just that.

Aquaron seemed to sense my resolve, adding, "Those symptoms arise because they're entities composed entirely of pure water elemental energy. They ranked among my earliest creations, ones I took the greatest pride in back then."

My eyebrow arched in surprise, as the unfolding events didn't align with that pride, but I bit back my words to hear more.

"The issue stems from their formation out of pure water elemental energy. That makes them incompatible with anything besides water. Over time, the ocean filled with elements introduced by other gods' works."

With another sigh, Aquaron went on, "I never held it against them; that's simply the nature of existence. Diverse elements merge to build ecosystems, and species evolve to foster new life. But these races couldn't adapt the way mermaids did."

As he explained, a portion of me began to lean toward his perspective. This stemmed from observing the afflictions in the other races, which evidently resulted from failed adaptation, triggering their bodies to turn against themselves.

Yet one lingering inconsistency still nagged at me.

I turned my gaze toward Aestum, my expression demanding an answer.

Aestum caught my pointed stare and explained, "I chose that duty myself because I was the ideal candidate. It was meant to forge a sanctuary where the surviving remnants could thrive safely. After all, no one excelled at purification and crafting secure havens like I did."

Suddenly, their tone shifted as they pleaded, "Lord Aquaron, I beg your pardon for all the false accusations I leveled against you over the years. None of it was sincere, and I've always felt remorse for those words."

Aquaron lifted their hand once more, responding, "I forced that burden on you, so the apology belongs to me. You've remained my truest devotee through it all, shielding my secrets for so long."

"Lord Aquaron."

A burning discomfort twisted in my chest as I witnessed their interaction.

I hadn't journeyed this far just to watch two deities carry on like this.

Still, their words had unraveled every mystery that had plagued my thoughts.

The fragments of the puzzle clicked together, forming the complete image.

Even if that image turned out to be...

"So you acted out of selfishness," I stated flatly.

"You can't claim that!" Aestum protested right away.

But Aquaron replied steadily, "Yes, one might call it that. Yet I only sought to safeguard my creations."

Disgust crept across my features upon hearing this.

I wasn't sure what reply I'd anticipated, but it certainly wasn't this.

At the same time, I realized pressing this god further would yield nothing more.

Thus, I concluded, "Fine, I'll sort out your blunder. I expect you'll return this debt someday."

Aquaron offered a mere nod before gesturing with his hand to transport me away.