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

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

While excluding them felt somewhat inappropriate, there were sensitive matters that simply could not be disclosed to the minor powers.

This wasn't necessarily a lack of trust; rather, there was information that was better left unknown by them.

"Holy Son, is there something specific you wish to share with us?" The inquiry came from the representative of the Holy Empire.

It was the Pope of the Solista Religion who stepped forward to act as the spokesperson in this moment.

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

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

For those who worship the gods, identifying things like divine relics is a relatively simple task.

Based on the previous reports and the evidence I had presented, it appeared they had already deduced a portion of the truth.

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

None of the attendees at this meeting looked particularly shocked by my confession.

The moment they laid eyes on Queenie, they had already suspected as much.

They were simply waiting for my formal clarification.

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

Unusual expressions flickered across the faces of everyone in the room upon hearing my explanation.

It seemed they found the information difficult to swallow, yet simultaneously, a hint of letdown was visible.

The difficult part for them to accept was the reality that Queenie was indeed a messenger of a god.

Her appearance and demeanor were so far removed from a divine messenger that accepting the truth was hard, even with my direct confirmation.

As for 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 tied to the forces of Destruction, as that enemy had been unnervingly quiet lately.

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

Their decision to remain hidden only complicated matters for us.

There was no way to predict where their next strike would land, but we were certain they would eventually act. After all, the entity commanding the forces of Destruction had not been defeated.

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

Living with such perpetual anxiety was far from comfortable. Everyone yearned for any scrap of news regarding our enemies so we wouldn't be forced into this passive stance.

However, they managed to compose themselves quickly, as there was another topic that demanded attention.

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

As he spoke, the other representatives fixed their eyes on me, anticipating my reaction.

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

He was the only person capable of leaking such information to them.

Then again, with the massive shifts occurring within the Merman Empire, it wasn't as if these actions could be kept secret forever.

The Tide Empire maintained close ties with the Merman Empire and had likely obtained the news immediately. From there, it was inevitable that the information would circulate to the other empires.

From the great empires, the word would naturally reach the other races as well.

There was simply no way to keep my movements hidden.

"That is correct. In our current situation, we require every bit of assistance we can gather," I replied, my voice remaining steady.

The representatives stayed silent for a moment, appearing to process the weight of my words.

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

The way he phrased the question suggested a deep personal interest in the answer.

Given his status as the leader of a major faith, such a reaction was expected.

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

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

I finally stated, "For the time being, I cannot disclose anything further. I trust you will respect the position I am in."

The gathered representatives clearly weren't satisfied with that response, but they also realized they lacked the leverage to change it.

They knew I wouldn't be swayed into revealing more just because they were being insistent. It was a reality they had already begrudgingly accepted.

Ultimately, the Pope of the Solista Religion could only offer one final request: "I hope that you will at least inform us of your future actions so that we may prepare ourselves accordingly."

This time, I gave him a small nod.

After all, the events I had set in motion this time had been quite abrupt.