Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 1936: Born to die

The royal guards stepped forward to apprehend the captives, while others began the grim task of clearing away the corpses of the fallen.

Valuable information could still be extracted from their bodies, even in death.

Specific markings and identifiers often remained, serving as clues to uncover a person's true identity.

Approaching Dorothy, I asked, "Are you alright?"

She appeared entirely unfazed by the lethal violence that had just unfolded before her eyes.

Then again, Dorothy’s upbringing was far from ordinary.

The horrors she had already witnessed...

I shifted my gaze toward Lupus and said, "Thank you."

She gave a curt nod, though a spark of dissatisfaction flickered in her expression.

I didn't need to be a mind reader to understand the source of her irritation.

Lupus would never have lifted a finger to protect Dorothy if I hadn't explicitly commanded it.

As a being overflowing with corruption energy, Dorothy was the natural antithesis of a divine messenger like Lupus; they were never meant to coexist peacefully.

While Dorothy seemed to get along with Zeldir, that was only because he possessed secret knowledge—likely information Nox had instructed him to withhold from the rest of us for the time being.

Once I was certain that both Dorothy and Lupus were safe, I followed the royal guards down to the dungeon to inspect the attackers.

However, when their cloaks were stripped away to reveal their true forms, we were struck by a wave of genuine shock.

Identifying their profession wasn't difficult, but the extreme nature of their physical state was jarring.

They lacked any distinguishing features whatsoever.

Every strand of hair had been meticulously removed, and their scalps were scarred with burns to ensure nothing would ever grow back. Their mouths were fitted with false teeth, hollowed out and primed with lethal poison to be swallowed upon capture.

Their bodies had been so thoroughly modified that it seemed they were engineered solely for the purpose of dying in the line of duty.

It was easy to guess what kind of people would sanction such a thing, but the chilling reality was that these people were technically our own allies.

Only those within the racial alliance were aware of Dorothy’s existence.

This meant the assassins were sent by the racial alliance itself.

They had been dispatched to eliminate her before she could transform into a liability.

"Provide me with information, and I will grant you a painless end."

I offered the only incentive I had to make them talk, though I held little hope for success.

The vacant, hollow stares in their eyes told me everything I needed to know.

Throughout their brutal training, their capacity for independent thought had been completely erased. Even if they possessed the will to negotiate, they no longer had the mental faculty to do so.

"Try everything you can to see if their minds can be restored," I instructed.

I chose not to execute them immediately.

They weren't the ones truly responsible for their condition; the blame lay with the masters who had broken them. Even if the chances of recovery were nearly nonexistent...

The royal guards understood my intent. Despite the hesitant looks on some of their faces, they obeyed my command without question.

As for those who were already corpses...

"Dissect them. Extract every possible detail from their remains."

This was an order the guards were much more eager to carry out.

I was aware of how heartless it seemed to desecrate the dead in this manner, but with no other leads, I had no alternative.

In the silence of my heart, I offered them a silent apology.

With the arrangements finalized, I went to find some rest, knowing I had an early start the next day.

...

"Reports say you were targeted. Is everyone unharmed?"

The sudden mobilization of the royal guards was impossible to keep secret.

They hadn't just fortified the castle; they had locked down the entire capital as a precaution. Such a massive movement was bound to be noticed by the other members of the racial alliance.

Consequently, an emergency meeting was convened first thing in the morning.

"It was nothing of great concern," I replied to the inquiry.

The representatives of the racial alliance shot me skeptical glances, yet they chose not to press the issue further.

I was well aware that certain individuals in the room knew exactly what had transpired.

It wasn't because of superior intelligence networks; it was because they were the ones who had orchestrated the hit. However, without concrete proof, I couldn't point fingers at any of them.

The most strategic move was to act as if nothing was wrong.

Ultimately, the representatives dropped the subject.

A few offered their assistance should any further trouble arise.

Since I couldn't identify the culprits yet, I had to politely decline every offer of "help" they extended.

But I had no intention of remaining passive.

There was no doubt that more assassins would be sent, so I needed to seize the initiative before they struck again.

Beyond ensuring Dorothy’s safety, I needed to recruit more capable allies to handle this threat.

With that in mind, I went to seek out Lupus and Zeldir.