554 CH 514: SIMPLICITY
Milia's countenance remained stern. She harbored a reluctance to speak unfavorably about Sol, and the act of talking behind his back was something she despised. Nevertheless, her deep feelings for him didn't blind her to the existing issues concerning her cherished lord.
The ongoing war served as a prime example of Sol's all-consuming nature. Presently, Milia's conviction was that Wratharis' chances of victory had been virtually nonexistent for several months.
With a concealed alliance alongside the Church of Wratharis, coupled with their possession of substantial power, the scales tipped in their favor. While humans were generally less potent, the utilization of Nightmare Horses and wyverns mitigated their vulnerability.
However, Sol's ambitions surpassed these advantages.
He continued amassing forces as if striving to achieve an untouchable moment where the specter of defeat held no sway.
This determination was commendable, yet equally perilous. They were mortals, not deities. Control over all variables wasn't within their grasp.
"What solution do you propose?" Milia was asked.
Her expression soured slightly, and she began, "In my personal opinion, the wisest course of action would be to converse with him openly about our concerns. But..."
Her words were left hanging, met with similar grimaces from the others. "He would likely assert that all is well and we needn't worry," they anticipated.
"Should I suggest that we're reaping what we've sown in terms of karma?" Camelia inquired, her words laced with irony. Milia and the rest found themselves speechless, Camelia's observation resonating uncomfortably.
"He would claim we're mirroring the treatment he received," Lilith added. She knew firsthand how they'd treated Sol—shielding him when he was feeble, keeping him in the shadows, driven by the desire to spare him the truth.
Each of them harbored secrets from Sol, citing their actions as protective measures, yet manipulating him while shrouded in good intentions.
"Is it possible he's merely treating us as we treated him?"
"But we possess strength; some of us are even more formidable than he is. Shouldn't he have faith in us?"
"Hmm..."
Isis hesitated before raising her hand, a small flinch accompanying the collective gaze fixed upon her.
"Ahem, pardon my interruption, but I believe I comprehend the quandary."
"Oh?"
Camelia was poised to retort, sensing an implication that Isis had unraveled Sol's essence better than the rest, despite their limited interaction. She refrained from responding, however, and opted to listen.
"Could you elaborate?" Camelia inquired.
Isis cleared her throat, then proceeded, "Allow me to be candid. Undoubtedly, you all possess considerable strength. The witches among you rival any of the four divine beast generals. As for you two," she pointed to Pandora and Camelia, "while you might be marginally less potent, being Blessed grants you an inherent advantage."
She gestured to the Dukes, her tone growing serious. "Speaking of Dukes, your might is astounding. However, in the Astral realm, Kings are potent but not rare. Dukes, generally speaking, are expendable unless possessing unique attributes, like Sol."
A sigh escaped her lips, regret lacing her words. "Sooner or later, Sol will confront Nihil due to the destiny he's set in motion for her. At least, that's what he's claimed. But when the time comes, it won't be you he confronts her with. Your value will diminish substantially once you enter the Astral realm."
Hostility welled up, but Isis persisted, unafraid to convey the truth.
"Your strength is modest, not meager. That said, you're not overwhelmingly robust either. The battle against Wratharis merely serves as an introduction, and I suspect even the angels will eventually fall under Sol's sway. But that isn't enough."
She recollected the final battle involving Sol, her father, and Tiamat, a confrontation so dazzling it underscored her own feebleness.
Sol had been the central force in that encounter, but he'd relinquished that potency.
"It appears Sol was greatly affected by that ordeal. He recognized the need to amplify his strength concurrently. He realized the vulnerability of the mortal realm."
Isis was aware of beings like Ambrosia and Anubis, hailing from the mortal realm. Yet, her focus shifted.
"Above all, I believe he yearns for the taste of power."
"Power?"
"Ah..."
A few displayed curiosity, but Lilith swiftly grasped Isis' point. She, too, had endured a similar situation.
"I understand. We've been painfully blind."
"Lilith, what do you mean?"
Camelia posed the question, prompting Lilith to scratch her head. She simplified her response, "To put it plainly, there's a distinction between feeling weak and feeling weaker."
She clenched her fist. "I was withering away, and the chasm between my capabilities then and when I was at my prime pained me. Still, I was a King, relatively speaking."
Her gaze dropped, realization dawning. She hadn't recognized Sol's plight.
"Sol tasted the supremacy of a Demigod—no, something greater. According to Isis, he wielded strength to toy with two formidable Demigods. He utilized that power to rewrite my destiny entirely, even…"
She halted, guarding certain truths. The presence of the goddesses was uncertain.
"However, he reverted to the stature of a Duke afterward."
Understanding washed over the group. Climbing from poverty to affluence was one experience, but plummeting from grandeur to obscurity was another.
The gap between a Demigod and a Duke was immeasurable.
"So, what's our course of action?"
They exchanged glances, knowing this conversation was far from over. How they decided to act now would change many things in the future,
“I mean…Does it even need all this secrecy?”
Isis seemed genuinely confused, “Sol will become a Demigod fast enough. Perhaps he didn’t notice why he was in a hurry yet. So we simply have to explain it to him and believe in him to work on his problems, right?”
Isis stopped speaking when she realized that everyone was staring at her, she fidgeted a little, wondering if she made a mistake in her choice of words.
In the end, only the bitter laugh of Camelia leaked, “I guess…We are all too used to taking a uselessly complicated approach.”
Sometimes, the simplest way was the best.
They learned this once again today.
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