This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 185

Chapter 185: Margaret's Exclusion Method!

"What... Sivak?"

"Wait! That voice—Matthew? How did you end up here? Could it be one of your sisters took on your appearance?"

Caught in a fishing net, Rhaegar struggled to peer at Matthew through the mesh.

Matthew chuckled, "Seems like your sisters left a deep impression on you."

Meanwhile, the net continued to contract, wrapping around Rhaegar's arms like stockings. Rhaegar let out a sigh of relief as Matthew effortlessly sliced the net with a dagger and helped him up.

Glancing back at Margaret, the female demon they'd been battling had vanished, explaining why her binding spell had failed.

"We received some troubling news. Little Patton thought you were dead. To confirm and decide whether to proceed with the Lordship Handover Ceremony in Rolling Stone Town, I came here," Matthew explained casually amidst Rhaegar's surprised gaze.

Grateful at first, Rhaegar's expression soured at Matthew's next words. "Zeller mentioned this planar trip could be reimbursed. You don't mind, do you?"

Rhaegar grumbled, "I think you all could have been more patient. Look, I'm perfectly fine, jumping around."

Before Matthew could respond, Margaret rejoined them. "She got away. We need to clean up quickly; in fifteen minutes, the place will be swarmed by the armies of the Bru Tribe and the Blood Flag Kingdom."

With that, she snapped her fingers, and a mischievous-looking goblin appeared, ready to scavenge the battlefield expertly.

Recognizing the creature as a Treasure Goblin, Matthew observed their adeptness. In Aendu, adventurers dreamt of encountering these beings due to their knack for collecting valuable items.

Despite the riches, Matthew refrained from touching anything. After all, Margaret had slain them all. He only gathered what she didn't want.

"Interested in these bodies?" Margaret noticed Matthew's gaze.

"Demon, devil, and vampire corpses are rare in the Prime Material Plane," Matthew replied.

Margaret waved her hand generously. "Then they're all yours!"

"You could have Blorken help you with the bags," she suggested.

"Blorken?" Matthew raised an eyebrow. "You call that Treasure Goblin Blorken?"

Margaret, munching on magic cookies, mumbled, "Yeah, why not? Not just Blorken, each ex-boyfriend of mine gets a slave's name—I'm quite sentimental, aren't I?"

With a sudden manifestation of a whip, Margaret lashed the thin Treasure Goblin's back harshly. "Blorken, come back and serve this master!"

Shuddering but obedient, Blorken hurried to Matthew.

"Pack all the bodies for him. Miss one, and you'll be in it," Margaret ordered firmly.

As Blorken diligently worked, Matthew couldn't help but ask, "How many ex-boyfriends do you have?"

Chewing her mana-boosting cookies vigorously, Margaret teased, "Why do you ask? Thinking of joining?"

Amidst their banter, Rhaegar had cleaned up, transforming from his disheveled appearance.

"This is Rhaegar, Lord of Rolling Stone Town, Prince of the Blood Flag Kingdom, and my friend," Matthew introduced swiftly. "And this is Miss Margaret, a fifth-tier mage, a legend in her own right, almost a mentor to me."

After exchanging nods, the trio, along with Blorken's assistance, tidied the battlefield. Rhaegar suggested, "I know a relatively safe spot. Let's head there."

Accepting the hefty bag of bodies from Margaret, Matthew felt a sense of accomplishment. "But if we walk, won't we be easily caught?"

Pointing to a smoking beastly airship nearby, Margaret reassured, "That one can still fly."

Matthew hesitated, "But there are three of us, and only two seats."

"Would you mind squeezing a bit, Rhaegar?" he suggested reluctantly.

Rhaegar grinned, "Squeeze? No problem."

"I can manage," he added.

Within a minute, the smoking airship soared off the ground. Inside, Matthew and Margaret squeezed together, while Rhaegar was strapped below, out of sight.

Thankfully, the journey was short. Around twenty minutes later, the airship headed straight for the horizon.

Margaret carried Rhaegar in her left hand and Matthew in her right, gracefully landing with the flying spell they often used. Rhaegar, feeling dizzy, took a moment to recover. After a while, he finally located the safe spot he mentioned earlier—a spider tunnel underground. Passing through a hidden door, damp air mixed with a strong sulfur scent greeted them, slightly acidic on the face. There was a thud as magical flames floated in the air, revealing everything within the tunnel.

"Matthew, let's discuss inside. I have something to tell you," Rhaegar signaled to Matthew. Just as they were about to step in, Margaret took a step out. "It's okay, you two chat here. I'll check outside; someone needs to keep watch," she said before disappearing behind the hidden door.

"You've got quite a reasonable teacher there," Rhaegar praised. Matthew nodded in agreement, "Margaret is indeed different from the usual alliance mages."

"Interested in becoming her ex?" Rhaegar teased, clearly hearing where the goblin's name came from. Matthew rolled his eyes, "Maybe focus on yourself first. We planned for an easy trip back home, and here we are."

Rhaegar sighed softly, "Seems like my message to Zeller got intercepted. The thing is, I planned to act discreetly, return to the Red and Black without notifying anyone. And I did. Nobody knew when I sneaked in. After that, I contacted a few old folks loyal to my father within the castle; they wouldn't leak anything. From them and the castle's archives, I learned the secrets behind Sivak's awakening. My worries came true—Sivak's awakening isn't normal. She's facing unprecedented danger!"

"What kind of danger?" Matthew asked anxiously.

Rhaegar, with a troubled expression, explained, "She might fall into prolonged sleep due to the failed awakening, a sleep that might never end. No one knows when the symptoms of this sleep will fade, and there's a higher chance she may never wake up after a long period."

"Why would this happen?" Matthew asked, baffled.

"It's my fault," Rhaegar admitted. "Because of her upbringing and environment, Sivak, she's too pure, too kind. Devilry is naturally evil, and the awakening of devil blood requires some evil elements as assistance. But Sivak lacks those things. She's too good, perhaps too good to even have an evil thought. In this situation, the ancestral blood that should have been a gift turns into a curse, drawing sinful elements she can't support. Sleep temporarily prevents it, but it won't change the situation fundamentally. She needs evil power!"

Matthew understood, his expression turning grave, "So, if Sivak were to kill people or do bad things now, would that satisfy the need for evil elements?"

Rhaegar hesitated for a moment, then uncertainly replied, "Not necessarily. It might be too late now, and Sivak wouldn't do that."

"Don't be fooled by her gentle demeanor; she's stubborn. Even if it's about saving her own life, she might not agree to kill," Rhaegar continued.

"Maybe she's only stubborn with you?" Matthew joked, trying to lighten the mood.

But this tangent didn't seem to relate to Rhaegar's current situation. He explained, "I know of another way to solve Sivak's issue. There's an artifact called the Cup of Sin in the Blood Flag Family's castle. It provides the sinful elements Sivak needs for awakening. But I have no right to take it, not even to borrow. They guard it too tightly; no one can get close. So, I had to take drastic measures. I left the castle, exposed my whereabouts to attract the Blood Flag Kingdom's attention, even secretly informed the Bru Tribe. They're archenemies; they'll clash sooner or later. Right now, I've been evading both sides' pursuit, mainly to divert the attention of the legendary devil, Luticia, who resides in the Red and Black."

"It's been partially successful; many Tiflin have left the castle to find me, but Luticia hasn't shown up yet. However, it won't be long. I reckon she'll come for me after Lilith's mistake! That's when Asma and Dulin, lurking deep in the castle, will act!" Rhaegar explained his plan in a hushed tone.

Matthew furrowed his brow, "Are you planning to steal from your own family? Is your relationship really that bad? They seem to value you; can't you negotiate instead of risking everything?"

"It's not that simple. The Cup of Sin isn't an ordinary item. It's a burial item for generations of ancestors, buried in the cemetery behind the Red and Black castle. Only the deceased Blood Flag royals have access. Anyone trying to intrude will be seen as committing a grave offense!" Rhaegar explained. "I know them well, including those old servants; they won't allow me entry."

"So, you'll sneak in alone?" Matthew's expression mirrored the seriousness of the situation.

"Unfortunately, in the rush, I don't have a better plan," Rhaegar admitted.

Matthew asked some detailed questions, and Rhaegar provided answers. Finally, Rhaegar suddenly asked, "Your mentor, she seems capable. Can she handle a legend?"

Before Matthew could respond, a loud voice from outside interrupted, "Yes!"

Matthew chuckled, looking towards the door, "Eavesdropping, Margaret?"

There was silence outside for a while. Then, Margaret's voice came, "Not eavesdropping. Your voices were just too loud..."

The two exchanged glances.

"Unintentionally, they walked toward the depths of the tunnel.

Rhaegar spoke up, 'Anyway, I have to continue my activities along the border, diverting the attention of both sides. I must lure Luticia over and then at the right moment, make my escape back to the main material realm.'

'I hope Asma and Dulin can succeed.'

However, he hadn't finished speaking.

A crimson shadow swiftly materialized in front of Rhaegar, a gentle voice emanating from within it:

'You've returned, haven't you?'

'My dearest brother, Rhaegar?'

'Your two servants are quite restless. They've stealthily infiltrated the castle. Don't they know the domain of the legendary demon is highly sensitive? Hehehe...'

As the conversation reached this point,

Two screams echoed from within the blood shadow.

Rhaegar's face turned pale in an instant:

'Oh no! It's Asma and Dulin!'

'Indeed, it's them.'

The gentle voice continued, 'Rest assured, they are registered as the guardians of the Blood Flag Clan. I won't harm them. However, I cannot guarantee that, after some time, they won't change their allegiance. After all, I am the most outstanding figure of this generation in the Blood Flag Royal Family.'

'You stay put and wait for me. Once I've removed the contract from them, I'll come find you immediately.'

After saying this,

The blood shadow disappeared instantly.

Rhaegar's face was filled with frustration.

This frustration quickly turned into anxiety:

'It's Luticia. She lied. She's rapidly closing in on me. Damn it, she has somehow grasped the secrets of the Blood Flag lineage. She can pinpoint my location at any moment!'

'At most ten minutes, no, it might be seven minutes; she'll find this place!'

Matthew suggested:

'Let's return to the main material realm first and plan further.'

Rhaegar shook his head rapidly:

'No, Luticia has left the castle, and this might be an opportunity.'

'Asma and Dulin couldn't possibly reveal my plan. She probably thinks I might want to steal something from the castle.'

'But in reality, the mausoleum is behind the castle.'

This is indeed an opportunity.

If we can get there now, the guards there must be very lax. Perhaps a high-level invisibility spell could get us in.'

Damn it!

If only we had an instant teleportation scroll!'

Compared to Rhaegar's excitement,

Matthew remained absolutely rational:

'We're not yet capable of directly confronting a legendary being. Even if you manage to distract her, even if we reach your ancestor's mausoleum, it's probably extremely dangerous inside, and the chance of safely finding the sacrificial offering is very slim.'

Didn't Rhaegar understand this logic?

He also said with a wry smile:

'You're right, most importantly, we don't have an excellent thief in our team. It seems we'll have to return to Rolling Stone Town and ask Richard for help...'

However, at that moment,

Margaret's figure suddenly appeared between the two.

Her expression seemed somewhat impatient:

'Who said we don't have an excellent thief for grave robbing?'

'I possess highly skilled lock-picking spells and trap removal techniques.'

'If you can truly divert the attention of that legend and provide enough information about the mausoleum, Matthew and I can take care of it for you!'

The two were startled by her and involuntarily took a step back.

Matthew looked at Margaret puzzled:

'Wasn't there no eavesdropping?'

Margaret replied nonchalantly:

'There really wasn't any eavesdropping, but there's a crack in the door, and your voices leaked from inside.'

Just as the two were about to look at the secret door,

Margaret suddenly gestured with her fist in the air.

A fist-sized hole appeared on the secret door.

A gust of wind blew in.

The two looked at each other, both convinced by Margaret's reasoning.

'How about it?'

'Do you need my help?'

Margaret flashed what she thought was a friendly smile.

However, Rhaegar was caught in a dilemma.

Of course, he understood that there's no such thing as unfounded kindness in this world.

Margaret's willingness to help was probably because she coveted the treasures within the sacrificial offering!

'Can you promise not to take too much?'

Rhaegar asked with difficulty:

'Those are the burial items of my ancestors.'

Margaret readily agreed:

'Of course, if you ask, I can take nothing at all. After all, Matthew is my good friend.'

Rhaegar brightened up:

'Really?'

Margaret immediately said:

'False. Just to make you feel better.'

'Honestly, must I dig so deep?'

Rhaegar sighed repeatedly.

Matthew, on the other hand, curiously looked at Margaret:

'Can you really handle a legend?'

Margaret proudly puffed her chest:

'I'm worth 4.6 million!'

'I might not necessarily be afraid of an average legend.'

Matthew asked with interest:

'What about the Yellow Jade Dragon we encountered last time?'

Margaret's expression fell:

'Don't mention it!'

'He's not an ordinary legend. Besides, he had that Mushroom King and those bizarre microorganisms around him. They could be considered two and a half legends!'

In the tunnel,

Rhaegar paced back and forth.

After half a minute,

He suddenly stomped his foot:

'Forget it, for Sivak, I'll take the risk!'

'Those old things lying in the tomb should understand me, right? After all, they're all dead, why leave so many grave goods behind? It's better to benefit future generations.'

As he spoke,

He handed a map, three vials filled with blood, and an old amulet dripping with blood to Matthew.

'This amulet can protect you from the undead guardians in the mausoleum; these three vials contain my blood, effective for about seven hours, use them as needed; this is the map of the Red and Black Castle, you can find the location of the mausoleum and the specific position of the sacrificial offering on it.

Remember, Sivak needs an item called the Sinful Holy Grail, don't make a mistake!

Also, don't think about lifting my ancestor's corpse!'

Rhaegar warned Matthew.

Matthew wasn't initially inclined to go.

But after hearing this,

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

Maybe a trip wouldn't be too bad after all...

'What does the Sinful Holy Grail look like? Can you describe it?'

Matthew asked.

'You'll know it when you see it!'"

"This level of treasure will reveal its name to you, but be cautious. Don't let it deceive you, or you might end up enslaved by it."

Rhaegar exclaimed hastily, "I can sense Luticia is very close. I must flee immediately!"

"This spider tunnel leads to the heartland of the Blood Flag Kingdom. It's just a three-hour journey; you'll reach the Red and Black territory."

"However, this tunnel is riddled with traps. You all must be extremely careful!"

With that said, he patted Matthew's shoulder and briskly departed through the secret passage.

Not long after, Rhaegar's presence vanished beyond the secret door.

"Advanced Escape Scrolls! Your lord is certainly wealthy."

"If he has many of these high-end goods, he might indeed contend with legendary devils," remarked Margaret, somewhat enviously.

"I just hope the next time we meet, he won't be tied up in fishnets," Matthew shrugged.

At that moment, Margaret cast a mending spell on the drafty secret door, clearing traces of their passage in the tunnel entrance.

The two quickly proceeded deeper into the tunnel.

As time passed, Matthew's initial nervousness faded, replaced by mild concern.

It seemed the legendary devil had indeed pursued Rhaegar.

"At least it's his sister. Hopefully, she'll be gentle," he thought, quickening his pace.

But as he took a few steps forward, Margaret suddenly grabbed him. "There's a trap ahead!"

Swiftly, Margaret cast a trap detection spell.

Suddenly, crimson lines filled the ground, walls, ceiling, and even the air—a telltale sign of triggered traps!

"So many traps? Clearing these must be quite a hassle," Matthew suggested, considering using a teleportation spell.

However, the passage ahead seemed darkened, likely under the effect of dark magic. Haphazardly using teleportation might result in tragedy, thrusting them into walls.

"Don't use teleportation. These trap arrangements usually include anti-mage countermeasures," Margaret explained, resembling a teacher.

"The moderate approach to handling traps involves finding a rogue."

"The worst method is using trap elimination spells one by one."

"Are you not planning to use the trap elimination spell?" Matthew inquired.

Confidently, Margaret shook her head. "Of course not. I have my own trap elimination technique, the 'Margaret Exclusion Method'!"

"Step back ten paces," she instructed, shining with a variety of colorful lights.

In an instant, a cacophony of traps erupted within the tunnel. Despite standing ten paces away, Matthew had to summon protective spells to withstand the residual effects of the trap's intense outburst.

The area where the explosion occurred became a dazzling maze of colors, concealing Margaret from sight.

Ten minutes later, when the dust settled, Matthew spotted a relaxed-looking Margaret at the end of the tunnel. She casually removed an arrow lodged in her temple and smiled, waving at him.

"See, aren't the traps all cleared now?"

"That's the Margaret Exclusion Method!"

"Have you learned it?" she asked, grinning.

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