Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2050: A little at a time

Previously on Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure...

After confirming his suspicions at the temple, Shota announced his return to the main church, catching the popes off guard by his silence on the statue erected in his honor. An enigmatic old man, the temple's leader and a devoted follower of the Creation God, stepped forward with a cryptic warning to cherish his blessing for future greatness and an open invitation to visit, his emotionless smile evoking the god's inscrutability. In the church's chapel, Shota was pulled into the divine realm to face Solista alone, who noted his growing adaptation to divine energy and offered a higher mark to bolster him against destructive forces, only for him to reject it and demand clarity on his unnatural transformations.

An uncomfortable hush hung in the air right after my heated outburst.

Without question, spilling it all out brought a sense of relief, yet deep down, I recognized that this approach wasn't the most appropriate.

The manner in which I'd expressed it made me come across almost like a kid in the midst of a childish fit.

Yet once the words were out, there was no way to retract them...

Thus, all I could manage was to await Solista's response.

It took some time, but eventually, Solista broke the silence.

Her initial reaction came as a heavy sigh before she replied, "I know that it’s been hard on you, but this is part of the process. This is something that I can’t tell you about because it’s forbidden to tell you."

I found myself squinting at Solista upon hearing those words, though she appeared resolute in her stance.

Actually, this struck me as one of the rare matters where she'd stand firm regardless of circumstances.

I'd encountered this kind of scenario previously and understood it stemmed from some binding force preventing her from speaking freely. Despite being a god, constraints held her back...

Evidently, the force imposing those limits possessed tremendous power.

Still, something about Solista's delivery felt a bit unusual.

Finally, I regarded her with a conflicted expression and let out a sigh as I asked, "Then what can you tell me?"

Solista nodded in acknowledgment of my frustration before explaining, "We can’t tell you everything, but as time passes, we will be able to tell you a little at a time. However, that all depends on how you do with the trials. If you pass the trials, it means that you’re qualified to obtain this information."

My eyes narrowed again as I gazed at her upon absorbing this, but Solista seemed to have nothing more to add on the subject.

Right up to the conclusion, she showed no inclination to disclose even a hint.

In the end, I had no choice but to go along with her words.

"What is this trial?" I inquired with another sigh.

This question didn't lock me into agreeing to the trial, but it left the door ajar for considering it.

"You’ll receive an oracle and will have to go to a certain place. When you arrive in that place, please help the ones that are there."

A puzzled expression crossed my features as I processed her words.

I glanced at Solista to confirm if I'd heard right, yet she offered no further details.

This confirmed it as the trial assigned to me.

Nevertheless, the whole thing struck me as utterly baffling.

How could a trial aimed at upgrading the Mark of God to a more potent form involve aiding strangers?

Assisting others carried no moral issue, but the directive felt oddly out of place. What connection did helping folks have to enhancing the Mark of God's strength?

If the intent was merely to gauge my character, this evaluation seemed belated.

After all, granting the Mark of God to an unworthy individual shouldn't happen initially. Such assessments ought to precede bestowing a divine gift like that.

However, Solista showed no signs of altering her statement.

It was apparent this truly formed my assigned trial.

The nature of this trial only heightened the sense of intrigue, hinting at deeper layers.

"Who are the people that I’m supposed to help?" I finally pressed, recognizing this as the key detail.

Yet Solista withheld an answer, despite it tying directly to my trial.

This appeared shrouded in secrecy. Or judging by her demeanor, perhaps I was meant to uncover it independently.

Her evasiveness only amplified my growing unease.

Indeed, if even this remained concealed, who knew what additional mysteries surrounded the situation.

Ultimately, she seemed fresh out of explanations.

With that in mind, I posed one final query, "Where are the rest of the gods?"

Her reply this time caught me off guard and left me bewildered.

"It’s best that you didn’t meet them, so I sent them off." She delivered it in a flat, emotionless tone.

I stared at her, searching for any hidden cues in her words, but nothing surfaced.

Clearly, the gods were intent on keeping certain truths from me.

I barely had time to respond further before Solista whisked me back to the mortal realm, my mind still reeling.

Upon returning, I discovered the popes had been anticipating my arrival.

Moreover, they carried something intended for me.

The oracle Solista had referenced arrived far quicker than anticipated.

It had actually been dispatched while I lingered in the god realm.

However, the destination outlined in this oracle...