Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 1990: A different kind of place

Previously on Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure...

The royal entourage packed up camp and departed after weeks of mandatory meetings with the racial alliance over the sudden disappearance of Death Valley. The event left the nearby town in chaos, as mercenaries who once relied on harvesting its resources now struggled to find new livelihoods, forcing many to risk their lives anew. To address this, the king proposed that the alliance hire the idle mercenaries to hunt the forces of Destruction, channeling their skills productively while easing his own guilt. Meanwhile, a detachment of royal guards split off toward the Kite Kingdom, carrying divine energy-infused bugs summoned by Queenie to deliver to researchers like Max for experiments on storing and weaponizing the power against corruption.

"Your Majesty, we welcome you to our kingdom."

Unlike every other location I'd visited so far, this spot felt entirely distinct.

The capital of a nation within the racial alliance lay before us.

Far from being a minor power, this human realm ranked just below the four great empires.

A grand setting such as this stood apart from the simpler stops on our journey, making it all the more shocking that the final god's envoy had chosen to conceal themselves here.

That's precisely why I'd saved this destination for the end—my arrival was bound to stir up a storm of attention.

Just like the uproar unfolding now among those gathered to greet me.

My journey placed me at the heart of a wyvern flock, and by now, wyverns had become the signature pride of the Kite Kingdom. Escorted by royal guards in this manner, concealing who I was proved nearly impossible.

Hence the elaborate royal reception they'd arranged.

"I'm only here on private matters, so please don't turn this into a spectacle."

Even as those words left my lips, I realized they held little chance of being heeded.

My standing in the racial alliance demanded such formalities, a reality unlikely to shift anytime soon, leaving me no choice but to roll with it.

"Naturally, Your Majesty. Yet first, our king has arranged a grand banquet in your honor."

A hidden wry chuckle escaped me at those words, though in the end, I allowed them to guide me toward the castle.

Along the way, they made several efforts to strike up chats with me.

Each time, my offhand replies came across as if I weren't truly paying attention, which swiftly stifled any further attempts at dialogue.

They wouldn't dare display annoyance over my demeanor, not with the favors they hoped to gain from me.

Desiring my goodwill, it stood to reason they'd bend over backward to impress me.

But none of that held the slightest interest for me.

My sole focus remained scanning the surroundings for hints of my true objective.

Yet no clues appeared anywhere.

At a glance, this realm resembled countless others.

A closer inspection revealed it thriving even more than most, its wealth evident in mere moments of observation.

Merchants hawked a vast array of wares, and the citizens all appeared robust and content.

My heightened awareness would detect any lurking in shadows or backstreets, but poverty seemed scarce here.

Beggars couldn't be entirely absent, yet their numbers were remarkably few.

Fewer even than in our own Kite Kingdom, now flourishing under the prime minister's and Haley's tireless efforts.

It made sense for a powerhouse just shy of the empires to prosper like this, but the calm felt almost suspiciously ordinary, as if some hidden force lingered—though what it might be eluded me.

A twinge of guilt hit me for feeling let down by such stability and bounty, yet that unease lingered stronger still.

"Could something truly be shielding this land?"

Still, not a whisper of divine power registered, even as the idea flickered through my thoughts.

After proceeding down the wide avenue a while longer, we reached the kingdom's royal palace.

A crowd awaited us right outside the gates.

Their fine attire marked them as the nobility and key officials of the realm, all lined up patiently for my arrival.

None showed the least bit of irritation over the delay I'd caused.

I shook my head at the sight, though I held no objections to their planned feast.

After all, these were the locals who'd called this place home forever.

With no leads uncovered on my own, questioning the residents offered the next best step—and who better than the well-informed nobles?

Caution would be essential, of course.

Probing too deeply might spark suspicions about my aims.

Overly curious inquiries could lead them to imagine hostile schemes, from conquest to leveraging the racial alliance against them.

That made the banquet the perfect chance to probe subtly.

Stepping inside, I spotted even more prominent figures assembled for us.

One unwelcome detail stood out: the abundance of young ladies present.

Dressed to captivate in such finery, their intentions toward me were impossible to misread.