Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 1963: Different biomes (1)

Having reached a decision, I didn't hesitate for a single moment.

"Young master, we really should turn back," Klein urged, his voice heavy with anxiety as he followed behind me.

Ever since our entry into Death Valley, the royal guards had been trailing me, persistently attempting to persuade me to retreat.

Of course, after everything we had endured together, I had become quite skilled at tuning them out.

It wasn't that I lacked respect for my protectors; I simply prioritized what was truly important. Or, at least, that was the justification I used while filtering out their protests.

The region known as Death Valley spanned a vast territory, yet from this particular town, only a single entrance provided access. Despite its massive size, only a handful of gateways allowed passage into the valley's depths.

Once we crossed the threshold, however, we were met with a maze of diverging trails.

Judging by the footprints and marks left in the dirt, it was obvious that every single one of these routes had been traversed before.

The mercenaries who utilized this entrance had clearly scouted every available path in the vicinity.

For sellswords driven by gold, such thoroughness was only to be expected.

They might not even blink at the loss of a few comrades if it meant securing a bit more coin.

Consequently, it was only natural that they had mapped out all these various ways forward.

The difficulty lay in the fact that we had no clue where any of these specific paths actually led.

While I had questioned the mercenaries about the terrain within Death Valley and they had shared some experiences, they weren't about to divulge every secret they possessed.

To these men, their secret routes were the primary means of extracting wealth from this dangerous place.

It was hardly surprising that they wouldn't guide me directly to the locations they had described.

The only thing I knew for certain was that these trails eventually reached the landmarks they had mentioned.

Rather than attempting to solve the puzzle alone, I glanced back at Klein and the rest of the group and asked, "Well? Which way do you think we should go?"

Naturally, their immediate response was...

"We should turn around and leave this place."

I simply ignored that initial reaction and waited for them to provide a genuine suggestion. Noticing my resolve, Klein and the others realized they had no choice but to take the task seriously and began examining the surroundings.

These royal guards had undergone specialized training for such scenarios, making them experts at tracking. They quickly identified which paths saw the most traffic and which were rarely used.

The efficiency with which they analyzed the ground was honestly quite remarkable.

Once their investigation concluded, they offered their professional assessment.

"This is the route we ought to follow. It bears the highest density of tracks, and it isn't just random foot traffic. Several distinct groups seem to use this path consistently. That suggests it is likely the safest option available to us," Klein reported with detailed honesty.

It was evident that he and the other royal guards had realized that since they couldn't stop me, they had to cooperate with me.

I nodded in approval after listening to his logic and said, "Alright, we’ll take this path then."

Though Klein and the guards were startled by my quick agreement, they immediately stepped forward and insisted, "Let us scout ahead first."

I didn't hinder them, as I already sensed that no immediate danger lay ahead. This wasn't due to memories from my previous life, but rather the sharp mana sense I now possessed.

Thus, I was perfectly happy to let them take the lead.

After all, this was exactly why I wanted them with me.

By involving them in my actions instead of constantly fighting their resistance, we could function as a team rather than having them constantly pester me to go home.

With Klein and the royal guards heading the formation, we soon reached our first destination.

The site matched the descriptions provided by one of the mercenary bands perfectly.

We had found an oasis.

A sprawling pond sat at its heart, surrounded by a vibrant display of lush vegetation.

These weren't merely common plants, however; they were extraordinary specimens. The flora emitted faint ripples of mana, marking them as rare magic plants.

Some branches were heavy with fruit that seemed to radiate mana, indicating they were likely mana-infused fruits.

Such treasures were highly sought after not only by mages but also by knights, who required mana to temper their physical bodies. There was no question that such produce would fetch a high price on the open market.

Based on the intensity of the mana being released by certain fruits, I suspected some were even of high enough quality to be sold at a prestigious auction.

The potential profit from an auction house sale was undeniably massive.

Upon closer inspection, however, signs of human presence were visible throughout the area.

These were likely defenses or markers left behind by the mercenaries to safeguard the location.

It was perfectly logical for them to protect this place, considering it served as their primary source of income.