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

"Lord Aquaron..."

Hearing those words from the blue light orb, I found myself taken aback all over again.

By uttering this, it became obvious that their bond wasn't nearly as strained as it appeared on the surface.

Actually, a hint of reverence colored their tone as they spoke.

Whatever facade they'd built around their connection clearly hid the real story.

There had to be layers to this tale that went far deeper.

Watching their exchange, I couldn't stop myself from pondering how many folks—or even deities—were in on this secret. I wondered too if the kraken had stayed clueless from start to finish.

Should a divine envoy remain ignorant of the very god they devoted themselves to...

Aquaron simply lifted a hand to silence Aestum further before declaring, "It’s fine, this isn’t your fault. This is actually a good thing since it fixes one of the mistakes that I made in the past."

Aestum stayed quiet, but the blue orb pulsed faintly, as though words lingered unspoken on its part.

Finally, Aquaron faced me once more and announced, "Now, I’ll tell you the truth."

I remained silent, patiently awaiting whatever revelation they had in store.

With no grasp on the circumstances here, there really wasn't much I could add anyway.

After a brief pause, Aquaron let out a heavy sigh and explained, "The plain truth is that I've let down those banished races. A straightforward cause led to their exile, and I'm certain you've witnessed it already."

My eyebrows furrowed involuntarily at this revelation.

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

"It’s not something that Lord Aquaron caused, it’s something that..."

Aquaron held up his hand once more, interrupting Aestum, then admitted with another sigh, "It’s not as if that’s wrong."

"Lord Aquaron..." Aestum's voice carried a tone laced with sorrow.

No matter their display, I wasn't about to let this slide so easily.

Aquaron appeared to sense my resolve, adding, "The symptoms arise because they consist entirely of pure water elemental energy. They ranked among my earliest creations, ones I took the greatest pride in."

My eyebrow arched in surprise, given how events had played out, yet I bit back my words to hear more.

"The issue stems from their makeup of pure water elemental energy. This renders them incompatible with anything beyond water. Over time, the seas filled with new elements from the works of fellow gods."

With yet another sigh, Aquaron went on, "I held no grudge against this natural flow. Diverse life forms blend to build ecosystems, evolving to spawn further existence. Yet these races failed to adapt, unlike the mermaids."

His words gradually swayed a portion of my doubts, thanks to the reactions I'd observed in the other races—clear signs their bodies rebelled due to failed adaptation.

Still, one lingering inconsistency nagged at me.

I shot a pointed glance toward Aestum, my expression urging an explanation.

Catching my stare, Aestum responded, "I stepped up for that duty because no one fit it better than me. The goal was to craft a haven where the last survivors could thrive safely. After all, filtration and secure environments were my specialties."

Abruptly, their tone shifted as they pleaded, "Lord Aquaron, please forgive me for all the slander that I had to say about you over the years. I never meant any of it and always regretted saying those things."

Aquaron lifted his hand again, replying, "It was I who put you through that, so I should apologize to you. You have been my most faithful follower all these years, covering up for me all this time."

"Lord Aquaron."

A burning ache twisted in my chest as I watched their heartfelt reunion.

I'd journeyed this far not to witness these deities mending their rift like this.

That said, their account had unraveled every mystery swirling in my mind.

The fragments aligned perfectly, revealing the complete image.

Even if that image turned out to be...

"So you were being selfish." I stated flatly.

"You can’t say that!" Aestum shot back without hesitation.

Aquaron, however, replied steadily, "Yes, you could say that I was. However, I also just wanted to protect my creations."

Disgust flickered across my features upon hearing this.

Truth be told, I wasn't sure what answer I'd hoped for, but this fell short.

At the same time, I realized pressing this deity further would yield nothing new.

Thus, I concluded, "Then I’ll clean up your mess. I hope that you will repay this favour one day."

Aquaron nodded curtly before flicking his hand to return me whence I came.