Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2048 2048: Not just one connection

Navigating the throng took some time because we paused repeatedly whenever I spotted those kids.

The sheer number of these children present felt oddly peculiar right from the start.

Though the Holy Empire maintained a strong tie to such young ones, it hardly made sense for so many to bear traces of divine energy.

In truth, divine energy wasn't exactly abundant by any stretch.

This force embodied the gods' might, and it rarely descended to the mortal world with ease.

My own situation served as a poor illustration, as I'd shattered that very barrier. Prior to my involvement, scarce few divine relics had ever reached the mortal realm, always kept under strict seals.

Thus, leaks of divine energy remained quite minimal.

"Does this stem from recent events, or does it herald some transformation?" The question slipped into my mind unbidden as these thoughts swirled.

A nagging voice inside even questioned whether I bore the blame for it all...

Truth be told, I'd been the one hauling countless divine relics from the god realm down to this mortal domain. One might call me the prime instigator behind the surge of divine energy flooding the mortal world.

With several instances right here in the crowd, it hinted at potentially more scattered across the Holy Empire.

As one of humanity's four grand empires, the Holy Empire sprawled vast, teeming with inhabitants. Spotting so many affected children amid this gathering left the total number throughout the empire anyone's guess.

Should this truly link back to me, turning a blind eye would be utterly inexcusable...

"I need to discuss this with the popes and figure out a way to aid these children. Max can surely devise a tool to detect the impacted ones. The holy knights and priests ought to manage it too, provided they recognize the signs."

In the end, that's the resolve I settled on.

If my actions played a role, shirking responsibility would be downright shameful.

Yet for the moment, another duty demanded my focus.

Having arrived with a specific purpose, they skipped our typical meeting spot.

They chose instead the site I'd requested to visit.

The temple stood smaller than its counterparts, yet its reverence remained undiminished. Despite the modest scale, the spotless gleam of the surroundings revealed its profound significance to the locals.

Simultaneously, a unique aura emanated from within, perceptible solely to me.

Upon sensing that distinctive vibe, certainty washed over me—this was precisely the location.

The Holy Council awaited my presence, every pope assembled as though they'd anticipated me for ages.

No sooner had I entered than they bowed deeply, treating me with the utmost veneration. It was clear they viewed me as superior to even themselves, the rulers of the Holy Empire.

I simply brushed it off, with no strangers around to witness.

Deep down, I'd foreseen this gesture, so I'd ordered the royal guards to remain aboard the airship prior to entering.

Disregarding the popes, I approached the newly erected statue.

This figure stood positioned directly before the enormous statue dominating the church's rear.

That colossal effigy depicted the Creation God, and before it loomed my own likeness.

It resembled the version they'd displayed earlier, though alterations had occurred since then.

The change lay in an object clutched in one of the statue's hands.

This object was an orb, mirroring the one I'd fashioned myself.

Moreover, I detected a fresh bond linking to the statue—not to me directly, but to the orb it held.

After all, as the creator of this relic, a profound tie bound us together.

Hence, any link between the statue and the orb would echo back to me naturally.

Evidently, the statue converted faith into divine energy not just for me, but for the relic I'd made as well.

Odd as it seemed for my creation to channel such power, I figured it stemmed from its tie to me. Being a relic fueled by my divine energy, it naturally drew the same faith I received.

Undeniably, this faith bolstered both me and the relic, though the boost felt rather modest. Something appeared to cap the potency flowing through this bond.

"As a mere mortal, receiving faith's power shouldn't be possible for me. Yet changes within seem to enable it now. Could the divine energy I've absorbed be reshaping me?" Such was the insight I reached at last.