Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2030: A bit hard
Previously on Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure...
Upon my return to the temple, the very first detail that caught my attention was the object positioned right beside me.
The divine energy radiating from this object made it incredibly difficult to overlook.
Given the intense divine energy it emitted, anyone could see that this was undoubtedly a formidable artifact.
Moreover, a recognizable feeling arose from the divine energy flowing from this artifact, reminiscent of the god I had encountered just moments ago in the divine realm.
Yet that wasn't all there was to it.
Observing its form closely, the nature of this artifact became obvious from its distinctive shape.
It took the form of a trident, identical to the weapon carried by the Merman King.
However, through my perception of divine energy, I sensed that this trident possessed even greater power than the one held by the Merman King.
Was this Aquaron's attempt at an apology, or merely a ploy to buy my silence?
No matter the intention behind it, I had no plans to abandon my original intentions.
Rather, I intended to claim this artifact and employ it exactly as I desired.
After grabbing the artifact and storing it safely, I stepped outside to discover the group assembled, awaiting my arrival. The priests responsible for tending the temple appeared especially uneasy.
It was evident they had obtained some form of divine message prior to my coming and now eagerly anticipated hearing my account.
Still, they weren't the individuals I wished to address or share this tale with initially. Only one person deserved to hear it first, as they alone held the authority to determine the next steps.
That person was why I declared, "I need to see the Merman King."
The royal guards showed surprise at my words, yet their swift actions suggested they had anticipated this very request. They assumed I would wish to relay my discoveries to the Merman King, so preparations were already in place.
As for the priests, I simply disregarded them while making my way to the royal palace.
No matter how they gazed at me, I paid them no mind.
It wasn't long before the Merman King made his way back to the capital.
He had stayed behind in the taboo zone with the sea witches to monitor the other races, but he recognized that this matter took precedence.
Once we settled into the private chamber, I held back from speaking immediately.
A wave of reluctance washed over me, knowing that my forthcoming words could upend the core beliefs of the Merman Empire. Revealing this now might utterly dismantle the devotion the Merman Empire held toward Aquaron.
Nevertheless, concealing this from the Merman King felt deeply unjust.
This was his realm and his subjects; it fell to him, not an outsider like myself, to judge if they should learn the truth.
Drawing in a steady breath, I began, "This is a bit hard to say, but I feel like you should know."
The Merman King's brows furrowed right away upon hearing me, though he nodded to indicate his comprehension.
Once I finished relaying everything, his facial expression revealed the full impact.
The grim look on his face and the desperate glance he shot my way, as if wishing I would claim it was all a joke, demonstrated how tough this was for him to swallow.
Yet I remained silent, gazing steadily at him while awaiting his reply.
Finally, the Merman King let out a heavy sigh before responding, "You’re really dropping quite the bomb on me. What do you expect me to do with this?"
To that, I replied, "I don’t know what you want to do, but this is for you to decide. It’s not something that an outsider like me should decide."
Another sigh escaped the Merman King at my words, but the gratitude shining in his eyes showed he appreciated my stance.
We both stayed quiet as he sank into profound contemplation regarding how to handle this dilemma.
Suddenly, the Merman King stated, "This isn’t anyone’s fault."
His words left me utterly stunned.
After all, from any perspective, this was plainly Aquaron's doing.
But for the Merman King to voice something like that...
He went on, "Even gods can make mistakes. They might be gods, but they aren’t perfect."
A peculiar emotion stirred within me at his statement, as I had never considered such a viewpoint before. To me, gods always appeared all-powerful and infallible.
However, upon reflection, numerous flaws plagued this world that even the gods couldn't fully command.
The most glaring issue was the encroaching forces of Destruction threatening to devour the entire world.
That represented a major error by the gods, yet they continued their efforts to mend it.
Indeed, this proved that gods weren't flawless...
"We’ll do our best to make up for the faults of our gods, that is the only thing that we can do as their followers." The Merman King declared in a resolute tone that caused my brows to furrow again.
His delivery carried the fervor of a devoted adherent under some spell.
Ultimately, though, I held my tongue, recognizing this as his choice to make.