Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2042: A strange connection

Previously on Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure...

The protagonist reluctantly attends a meeting with the fanatical popes of the Holy Council, who reveal a photorealistic statue commissioned in his likeness after learning of his exploits with sacred swords. Despite his unease, they declare him to have reached demigod status and announce plans to enshrine multiple statues of him in churches across the Holy Empire. Through a projected view of a church, he watches in horror as workers install a larger version of his statue beside the grand figure of the God of Creation, treating him as an object of worship. His firm command to halt the installation goes ignored, leaving him no choice but to contemplate a personal visit to the empire.

Ultimately, I found myself powerless to halt their advances.

"We welcome you anytime, Holy Son."

They clearly intended to overlook key elements of my statements all the way through.

Because of that, I needed to prepare myself to handle this issue upon reaching the Holy Empire.

At the moment, I pushed it aside without dwelling deeply on their intentions. Right now, my attention turned fully to the statue offered to me.

This became my sole outlet for releasing the frustration building inside.

"I can do whatever I please with this, correct?"

The Holy Empire's envoy nodded decisively and replied, "Absolutely. This gift was specially crafted for the Holy Son."

Evidently, they were set on calling me Holy Son rather than Your Majesty. They no longer paid any mind to my position among mortals; all that mattered was my standing with the divine...

Without question, this was a perilous road to tread, yet I had no means to alter it.

Changing the convictions of zealots proved incredibly difficult, after all.

Once they fixed their beliefs on something, persuading them differently became nearly impossible for me.

That explained my current inability to act.

Rather, I directed my focus toward the statue before me, eager to shatter it and erase the nagging reminder.

But as I drew nearer, an odd sensation washed over me regarding this statue. It felt like some profound link existed between it and myself.

I couldn't pinpoint the nature of it, yet the bond seemed undeniably personal.

This caused me to halt abruptly and squint at the statue with suspicion.

Following a prolonged pause, realization dawned on me.

"It's channeling divine energy to me?" Confusion gripped me at this revelation.

There was no apparent reason for this statue to possess such abilities, especially since I'd studied its composition extensively alongside Haley.

Eventually, the truth became clear.

"This must be the power of faith," I murmured inwardly, gazing at the statue with a bewildered expression.

With this understanding, I faced the Holy Empire's envoy and inquired, "Have you been utilizing this statue for your prayers?"

The envoy initially recoiled in surprise at the query, but then his gaze sparkled as he explained, "Prior to erecting the grander statues, we relied on this compact one to offer prayers to the Holy Son."

His words drew an even more peculiar stare from me, though I opted to let the matter drop.

Still, his affirmation validated my suspicions entirely.

Apparently, their devotions were funneling divine energy directly to me...

Yet such a feat belonged solely to deities.

I was far from divine or anything resembling it, making this influx of divine energy all the more baffling.

After scrutinizing the statue briefly, I pivoted away to depart, sensing the envoy's growing curiosity.

This secret I absolutely could not reveal, lest it spell disaster.

Should they discover the tie between myself and the effigy they sculpted in my likeness, they might craft countless more. Worse, they could unleash wild schemes, convinced I ranked among their revered gods.

As allies, they proved steadfast, provided they didn't push boundaries too far.

Fanatics, however, harbored unpredictable potential when driven by fervor. Uncovering this truth would endanger not just me, but the whole racial alliance.

While departing, I abruptly declared, "I’ll schedule a visit to the Holy Empire. I wish to inspect the statue you’ve made in my honor."

The envoy's eyes gleamed with excitement upon hearing this.

After all, it was precisely the response they craved from me.

Thus, he assured me of their readiness to receive me at any time in the Holy Empire.

Under ordinary circumstances, I would have avoided such a move, as it might fuel their wild notions further. But another subtle feeling compelled me otherwise.

It was subtle, yet perceptible.

Without the insight from this smaller statue, I might have overlooked it entirely.

This link mirrored the one from the diminutive statue, though it stretched vastly farther. Strangely, it supplied an even greater surge of divine energy despite the distance.

Even without identifying its source, deducing its origin came easily. Moreover, the abundance of divine energy from there felt entirely fitting.

"That land teems with devoted followers, after all." A quiet sigh escaped me as the thought crossed my mind.

For the time being, uncovering the reason for this bond and seeking a way to sever it took priority...