This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 149

Chapter 149: What Can Your Mages Not Learn (Seeking Monthly Votes)

The magic carpet was conspicuous; as soon as it descended, the wild frogmen noticed it. They eyed the carpet warily, croaking in their language, a few of them brandishing their spears.

However, they were quickly halted by another frogman who seemed to be their leader.

Matthew noticed that these frogmen had green skin, indicating they were all warriors by profession. The frogmen society was structured with strict social hierarchies and clear occupational divisions.

Within their society, everything was determined by lineage, and the specific symbol of lineage was skin color. Green and blue-skinned frogmen belonged to the lower castes; the former mainly being warriors, hunters, and lower-tier laborers, while the latter were artisans or servants to higher-caste frogmen.

Purple and red indicated the middle castes. Purple frogmen usually held leadership roles or supervised laborers and slaves, while red frogmen were scholars or low-level spellcasters.

Above them were the extremely rare higher castes: elite warriors with orange skin and frogmen royalty with golden skin. They possessed incomprehensible power compared to other frogmen, thus firmly holding onto power.

However, Matthew didn't underestimate the group of green-skinned frogmen before him. While their social status might be low, their combat abilities might not be.

For caution's sake, Matthew parked the magic carpet on another small hill, maintaining a distance of over a hundred meters, providing ample buffer space.

Reiga hoisted his broadsword, lazily stepping down from the magic carpet, facing the approaching frogmen. He asked, "Need me to oil them?"

Matthew shook his head. "No rush." He stepped forward.

The frogmen dragged a woman along, their guardedness evident. Matthew, while walking, cast a 'Flawless Purity' spell on himself, making his badge on his chest shimmer brighter.

"She's a Union mage!" the frogmen leader exclaimed, hurriedly instructing his companions before respectfully intending to pay homage to Matthew.

Just then, the woman suddenly broke free from two frogmen's grasp. She leaped up from the ground and ran madly toward Matthew. "Save me! Save me! These monsters snatched me from the roadside. They want me to cook, clean, and bear children for them! I don't want that life! Please, save me!"

As she ran, she deliberately knocked into the waist of another frogman, toppling him. The other frogmen moved to act, but their leader stopped them.

The woman rushed toward Matthew, her face filled with hope. However, in the next moment, Matthew raised his hand and chanted briefly, "Human Immobilization!"

Instantly, the woman froze mid-run. Seeing this, Reiga clicked his tongue in amazement. "You really lack the instinct to save a damsel in distress. For another young person in their twenties, this would've been a heroic script they dream of, right?"

"Shouldn't this be the time to draw your sword and charge?" he questioned.

Matthew glanced at him. "Charge at whom?"

"Her?" Reiga shrugged. "From my perspective, though the frogmen are physically attacking her, they aren't going for the kill. On the contrary, this woman, while I was negotiating with the frogmen, attempted to escalate the conflict."

"So, if I were to choose between them," Matthew said calmly, "I might help the frogmen, not this human woman."

"Can you watch her for me?" Matthew gestured for Reiga to keep an eye on her.

Matthew turned to the frogmen. "I'm a Union mage. What's happening here?"

The frogman leader stuttered, "Respected mage, this woman, she stole children, many children. Our children are missing."

Matthew gestured understanding. Soon, he learned the truth from the warrior leader.

According to the leader, the woman claimed to be the leader of a merchant caravan. They were attacked by bandits, and after being severely injured, she fled. Lost in her escape, she unwittingly entered the frogmen's territory.

She pleaded desperately for the frogmen to save her life, promising substantial payment once she recovered. The frogmen agreed and took her to their village to nurse her back to health.

However, after a few days, the children in the village began disappearing. When suspicion fell on the woman, she had already fled, tracked only by the village shamans.

When Matthew and Reiga arrived, the warriors had just discovered her hiding spot. Initially planning to take her back directly, they were furious upon realizing that some of their own children had been stolen, deciding to punish her first.

The warrior leader revealed that the village was tense; many female frogmen were on the brink of madness. This woman was crucial to them. He begged Matthew to let them take her back.

After listening, Matthew nodded. Compared to other humanoid races, the frogmen had a longer growth period. Their tadpoles spent a full ninety days in a pond and required warm temperatures; otherwise, they risked freezing to death.

During this period, the tadpoles completed metamorphosis, becoming young frogmen and could then go ashore. However, they usually needed another 18 to 24 months of care to grow into young adults. After that, they would invest a similar time to enter the breeding phase.

Compared to races like gnolls, goblins, and kobolds, the reproduction cost of frogmen was relatively high.

It wasn't surprising that female frogmen were going insane.

"Respected mage, our shaman saw her using magic with another mage," the warrior leader said anxiously, looking at Matthew.

Firmly, Matthew replied, "If there's a mage involved, they must be rogue mages; it cannot be Union mages."

The warrior leader forced a somewhat ugly smile, "That's certain, that's certain!"

Matthew wasn't speaking recklessly. He had a thorough understanding of the Union's nature. If they needed something, they wouldn't resort to stealing; they'd just take it.

At this point, the woman's immobilization wore off, and Reiga firmly held her down, stuffing a cloth into her mouth.

"Time to speak the truth! What's your plan?" he asked.

Matthew pondered, "Hand her over to the frogmen. Let them handle it. Stealing children is unforgivable for any race."

Reiga dragged the woman mercilessly toward the frogmen. "Keep an eye out, little froggy."

He handed the woman over to them. The warrior leader showed gratitude, and the other frogmen nodded in respect towards the two of them.

Matthew asked, "Are there any particularly large trees nearby?"

After entering the mossy hills, the effectiveness of the tree-tracking spell took a massive hit. It wasn't that the ritual magic had failed, but rather, it was being interfered with by another kind of magical force — clearly from the Witherers.

That was to be expected. Prophecies and tracking spells often faced disruptions from their targets. The Witherers, being an underground organization, likely updated the anti-reconnaissance spells around their camp periodically.

The coordinates in Matthew's mind grew increasingly blurry. He could vaguely make out a rare, large tree in the hilly terrain. Asking the locals was the most convenient way to handle this.

As expected, the warrior leader replied promptly, "Head in that direction, pass nineteen hills, and you'll see a huge tree, known as the 'Tree of Falling Snow' or the 'Tree of Ill Omen.' The shamans warned us to stay away; the beasts around the Ill Omen Tree are more dangerous than the usual ones."

"Tree of Falling Snow?" Matthew was curious and inquired about the origin of the name. The warrior leader explained, "That tree is always snowing throughout the year. But it's not cold snow; it's warm and wet, irritating the skin, making people restless, almost itching for a brawl."

"That could be the Witherers' doing," Matthew pondered, feeling he might be on the right track. Yet, he asked, "Are there any monsters near the mossy hills?"

The warrior leader contemplated, "Most areas don't have many. At most, there are some mountain wolves and leopards. In the northern hills, there's said to be a Chimera, but it usually roams further north in the human grazing lands where it can steal sheep."

"Then there's an unusual small mountain in the northwest with a monastery. The Alliance mages have warded it with runes, and there are many monks and knights wandering around there."

"Lastly, there's the Tree of Falling Snow, which has its share of creatures. Some formidable, some not. Be cautious if you plan to go there."

Matthew nodded inwardly; the warrior leader's information matched his preliminary research. The monastery was called the 'Falling Sunset Monastery,' active with death priests and knights of the mourning bell, much like the Ghoul Keep — problematic but not excessively dangerous.

The two bid farewell to the frog-like beings and soared on a magic carpet toward the Tree of Falling Snow's direction. Matthew noticed Reiga continuously eyeing the frog beings and asked, "Have you never seen frog people before?"

Reiga shook his head, "How's that possible? They're like neighbors to the Rolling Stone Town. But we keep to ourselves. During a territorial patrol years ago, I glimpsed some frog beings from a distance, but communication was impossible."

"I was merely observing their anatomy and behavior to gauge their combat prowess. I have a feeling these folks are quite formidable in a fight."

Matthew nodded, "Indeed, frog people are among the more adept in combat among subhuman species. They possess two main traits: the first being 'Fury.'"

"Fury is their unique extraordinary energy. They can breathe and gather magical energy through a specific kind of deep breathing, akin to a mage's chanting. This allows them to gather elemental power, manifesting as a gas-like substance."

"Fury grants frog people melee abilities far beyond ordinary humans. Their second trait — the variety of toxins on their bodies — is equally noteworthy."

Saying this, Matthew handed Reiga a parchment.

Reiga took a look; it was a detailed chart of frog people's skin tones and corresponding toxins. "Frog people secrete a venom; the effects vary based on different skin colors. I researched this last night; feel free to take a look if you're interested."

After this, Matthew focused on steering the magic carpet's flight. Flying low was trickier but less conspicuous than soaring too high. Matthew chose an altitude of 3-5 meters from the ground.

Reiga took the paper and reviewed it:

"Green Venom: After poisoning, the target cannot perform any movement except climbing and standing jumps. If the target is a flying unit, it cannot take off or land."

"Blue Venom: The target remains in a screaming state until the toxin wears off."

"Purple: Afflicted targets crave immersion in mud constantly; they must have continuous contact with mud and liquid, or they may experience suffocation symptoms."

"Red: Affected targets eat incessantly until all edible items in sight are consumed; symptoms subside only when everything edible in sight is gone. If there's nothing left to eat, the poisoned target might continue nibbling on fingers or toes."

"Gold: Post-poisoning, the target craves cuddling."

"Orange-Red: The target is beguiled and can only communicate in frog language. During this time, they believe they're a tadpole and instinctively seek the mother frog's help."

"Other Colors: It's said that within the frog people tribe, there's a tiny chance of an extremely rare higher lineage. Their venomous effects are more astonishing, but avoiding direct skin contact or injury by their weapons should generally keep you safe."

"You're well-prepared!" Reiga praised.

"But still a bit behind me," Matthew replied, tapping his storage ring. "By the way, shall we head straight to the tree, or should we have dinner? The day is almost over."

Matthew kept his eyes fixed ahead and casually tossed a piece of bread to Reiga.

An hour later, a colossal tree emerged in the distance atop the hills.

"What a huge tree!" Reiga exclaimed. "Aren't you a necromancer? You should be able to communicate with this big tree, right?"

Matthew looked at him oddly, "That was possible, but this tree's core has entirely withered."

"Let's descend; from here, we proceed on foot."

Reluctantly leaving the magic carpet, the two walked for a while. Suddenly, the hills on both sides echoed with wolf howls! Several mountain wolves appeared on the hills, followed by a pack.

"Reiga!" Matthew's voice rose abruptly.

Reiga calmly laid his large sword on the ground and began rummaging, "Don't worry; I'll apply some oil!"

Matthew observed the wolves' movements, stealing a glance downward, "Which bottle of oil are you using? Unscrew the cap!"

Reiga fetched a bottle of black sword oil labeled 'Special Attack Against Canines.' He unscrewed the cap, teasing, "Do you want to assist in applying it?"

Matthew concentrated and uttered a syllable in a Suerel chanting style. The sudden high pitch startled not only Reiga but also made the wolves hesitantly step back a few paces.

In the next moment, magical energy surged from the bottle cap. To Reiga's astonishment, the oil flew out autonomously. Controlled by an unseen force, the oil was applied in just two seconds!

"Trick: Rapid Oil Application!"

"Happy now?" Matthew's lips curved into a smile. "I learned this spell specifically for you before setting off."

With a glimmering sword in hand, Reiga swung vigorously, managing to cut several wolves. His weapon, paired with the oil, made the task seem effortless

, slicing through the wolves like tofu.

Matthew commanded Afei to flank while urging Reiga, "Several wolves are approaching from the west; handle them!"

Reluctantly, Reiga charged. Despite missing his strikes, his actions attracted the attention of all the wolves, even those initially near Matthew, who now circled around Reiga, ignoring Matthew completely.

"Could you do something, Matthew?" Reiga wielded his sword vigorously. Though none struck him, his actions caused quite a stir.

All the wolves focused solely on Reiga, completely ignoring Matthew. It was as if an unseen force pulled the wolves toward Reiga.

"We seem to lack a tank in our team, don't you think?" Reiga complained to Matthew. But Matthew looked at him oddly, "What do you think Zeller sent you for?"

Oddly enough, Reiga seemed to have an incredible pull. The wolves completely disregarded Matthew, rushing at Reiga from all directions!

"Assist me, Matthew!" Reiga swung his sword fiercely, finally landing hits on several wolves. His weapon, coupled with the oil, made it seem like cutting through soft tofu.

Matthew ordered Afei to assist and urged Renaismae to go all out.

Observing the situation, Matthew noticed that although Reiga was calling for aid, he handled the wolf pack adeptly.

So, without a word, Matthew quietly stashed away the attribute enhancement scroll. He intended to use his spells to assist Reiga.

But just then, the sky started sprinkling snowflakes, emitting a nauseating rotting smell that pricked Matthew's nose and mouth.

---

"Warning: You are about to enter the Witherers' Ritual Site — 'Winter of All Things!'"

Table of content

• You can access publicly available chapters of "This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees" right HERE.
• Your invaluable feedback and ratings mean the world to me. Please take a moment to rate this novel at Novelupdate.
• You can also check out the other Novels I'm currently translating by clicking HERE.
• If you come across any mistakes within this chapter, kindly notify me in the comments below, so that I can make the necessary corrections.