This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 143

"Who are you people!?"

The wooden figure staggered over, drawing his sword as he walked, the armor clinking.

Eckmonde stepped back, smiling at Matthew. "It's your turn. I can't kill him easily."

"He's a puppet of the evil dragon, long devoid of life. Killing him is a release for his soul, more pitiable than the undead."

Matthew acted swiftly, casting a 'Malicious Transformation.'

But the white light struck the wooden figure's neck.

It remained unaffected! "Dragon puppets share some resistance of the great dragon, often possessing formidable spell resistance. Transformation spells are ineffective against them," Eckmonde explained.

The figure had already dashed out of the tent.

Without hesitation, Matthew retreated a few steps, invoking the 'Combat Casting,' summoning the 'Claws of Aesoth' smoothly!

The claw, dotted with gray spots, slammed towards the 'dragon puppet's' face.

The figure raised a massive sword, cleaving down.

The sword effortlessly severed Aesoth's Claw into two. However, its momentum was unimpeded; after bypassing the sword, it healed at the severed part.

Thud! The Claw pressed against the puppet's head and upper body.

Negative energy seeped through his armor, grazing his flesh.

Steam rose, akin to pouring boiling water on snow.

Matthew's left hand stretched, as if grasping an invisible neck, striding forward purposefully.

Following his motion, the Claw nudged the puppet into the tent.

Boom! Matthew forcefully shoved the heavyweight enemy against the mountainside behind the tent!

Tentacles extended from the giant claw, relentlessly pounding the puppet's body.

It struggled fiercely.

"Still resisting?" Matthew lifted his right hand, casting a Dispel that smoothly removed the opponent's armor.

Then, an ordinary pale hand smacked the puppet's chest.

Just one hit.

The puppet seemed drained of all its strength.

Its head tilted, murky yellow liquid gushed from its orifices.

Splash! It swiftly collapsed at the foot of the mountain.

...

"Tip: You've slain the Red Dragon Kusules' puppet warrior. Kusules' hatred towards you +1!

The Pale Hand killed and captured a high-quality soul (Red Dragon Puppet/LV14), effects escalating—

1. Slightly increased attack range, instant death judgment, and vampiric effects.

2. Duration +1 day."

...

"Nicely done. Dragon puppets lack life essence, making instant death judgments very effective on them. Your observation and reaction skills are better than I expected," Eckmonde praised generously.

Matthew blushed slightly.

He hadn't really thought about it; he was simply accustomed to using Aesoth's Claw and the Pale Hand interchangeably.

However, Eckmonde's words imparted new knowledge: "Lack of life essence in undead makes them more susceptible to instant death judgments."

Matthew immediately etched this information into his mind.

Then, respectfully, he inquired, "How did you realize he was a dragon puppet?"

Eckmonde earnestly replied, "Observation."

"If you observe carefully, you'll find many hidden secrets in life."

Matthew scratched his head, bewildered.

Eckmonde couldn't help but chuckle, "I'm kidding."

"I used Divination. Although my divination spell proficiency might not match Roderick, the charlatan, it's more than sufficient for gathering information."

"In fact, upon arriving in this area, I sensed an unusual scent in the air—the scent of dragon puppets is distinctive, if you've studied them, you'd sense it miles away, just like me."

Perplexed, Matthew asked, "But even if you confirm a dragon nearby, how did you ascertain it was the new lord of the Red Soil Mountain?"

Eckmonde smirked, "Because I remembered that the red dragon paid the league a 'life-preserving fee' just last month."

Matthew: "..."

Eckmonde bluntly continued, "Because I personally collected that fee, I have a clear impression of a certain red dragon named Kusules."

"I used divination to investigate and found that Kusules murdered the young son of the lord of Red Soil Mountain a month ago. He then used a transformation spell to take the lord's form and assassinated him."

"Afterward, he occupied Red Soil Mountain in the guise of the lord's son, fervently expanding his army."

"Before long, the mountain's forces started threatening neighboring territories, including your Rolling Stone Town."

Matthew asked eagerly, "So, are you going to intervene?"

Eckmonde shook his head, "We're short-handed. I can't even kill his dragon puppet, how could I confront him?"

"Furthermore, the dragon's involvement is part of this round of conflict. As long as Kusules doesn't commit egregious acts, our stance towards him is no different from a mortal lord."

"You needn't worry too much. Kusules won't dare to make a move on Rolling Stone Town in the short term. My presence here today is a form of deterrence for him."

Matthew understood.

He even suspected Eckmonde knew about the new red dragon lord long ago; the recent explanations were merely his pretext!

This shrewd archmage led his team here not just for courtesy but also to prod the red dragon, Kusules.

As Matthew carefully recollected Eckmonde's words, he realized their argument indeed held inconsistencies. It was likely not a deliberate attempt to deceive.

Some things were better left unsaid; pointing them out only embarrassed oneself.

But soon, Matthew noted an unusual term in Eckmonde's speech: "You mentioned 'life-preserving fee' rather than 'protection fee'?"

Eckmonde patiently explained, "Indeed, this money is what dragons pay to the legendary mages led by the Seven Saints, to avoid senseless slaughter."

Matthew was surprised, "The Seven Saints enjoy slaying dragons?"

Eckmonde shook his head, "Only one does—Lady Suerel, presently one of the three Grand Archmages."

"As Mr. Capital's most outstanding disciple, Lady Suerel is obsessed with dragon slaying."

For a time, perhaps several decades ago, she tirelessly roamed the world seeking dragons.

Whenever she found one, she'd actively provoke and pick fights.

Initially, the dragons were puzzled.

Many hot-headed young dragons confronted Suerel.

Then, they became parts of Suerel's collection—dragon scales, bones, and tonics.

Soon after, Suerel's notorious reputation spread among the dragon world.

Because she went too far.

The remaining dragons of Aindor had to band together—

Primarily the five-colored dragon clans of red, white, black, blue, and green, who suffered the most in Suerel's dragon-slaying campaign.

The five-colored dragons banded together and fled to the 'Eternal Gather Island.'

That island was formed from a teardrop shed by the Five-Color Dragon God Baruk before ascending to the Celestial Palace.

The tear formed a world within, where Baruk could channel divine powers.

While the five-colored dragons didn't like staying on Eternal Gather Island, during that time, it became their sanctuary.

Not long after, Suerel barged onto the island and clashed with the Five-Color Dragon God, Baruk.

The outcome was a draw.

Afterward, Suerel received a divine message from the Divine Palace, notifying her of the imminent arrival of the 'Blessing of the Five Colors.'

She was required to be the host and welcome the Blessing on behalf of the divine world.

Since then, Lady Suerel has focused on fulfilling her duties as a Grand Archmage, but she's never forgotten her old hobby.

She deemed it a shame that she couldn't capture every dragon.

From time to time, she'd openly or secretly provoke dragons, hoping to obtain more trophies.

This story was something Matthew had heard of, but he never thought it was true!

Suerel's conduct was unfathomable.

Eckmonde paused, then said, "Dragons despise senseless slaughter. They'd rather spend wealth than shed blood. That's why most dragons have no choice but to pay the 'life-preserving fee' when facing the mages led by Suerel."

"To them, it's an exchange: money for peace. Even a great dragon doesn't wish to engage in meaningless battles."

"It's just like when Kusules conquered Red Soil Mountain; he made certain concessions to maintain a balance with the humans."

"That's why, in the eyes of many, the dragons' choice is more like a concession or 'protection fee,' while in reality, it's a fee to preserve their lives."

The corners of Matthew's lips twitched.

This world was truly intricate.

At this moment, Eckmonde seemed to remember something, then hesitated before speaking, "Right, regarding your predicament…"

He stopped, apparently pondering something.

Matthew gazed at Eckmonde, waiting for his words.

Then, Eckmonde seriously stated, "You might be able to find a solution at the Flower Garden of the Fairies in the Western Ancient Forest…"

Chapter 143: The Fairy's Garden

Before, Matthew was unaware of the situation, no wonder he was known as "Kind Matthew."

Being a sucker isn't a good look.

"Then just directly charge each person 22,000 gold coins," Eckmonde earnestly suggested. "This amount is something they can manage without being too tightfisted. It's enough to avoid being looked down upon if it's too little and won't cause too much complaint if it's too much."

"Take 20,000 for yourself, and 2,000 will go to me," he continued.

Matthew's expression was subtle.

Eckmonde looked at him with a half-smile. "Once you hand over the 2,000 to me, I will duly pass it on to Teacher Isabelle."

"Don't forget where your status and wealth came from, kid."

Matthew suddenly felt ashamed of his greedy thoughts.

His initial reaction was that Eckmonde wanted to pocket that portion of the profit...

"Apologies, Mr. Eckmonde," Matthew sincerely apologized.

Eckmonde almost took the time to teach Matthew about social dynamics within their league, which was actually quite rare.

Matthew thought it over.

All his resources and wealth came from his A1 ranking and the 10,000 knowledge points. And it was all bestowed by Teacher Isabelle.

Making money and not paying homage to her wasn't appropriate.

"Every time I earn, I'll have to offer a portion to her!" he concluded. "And big shots like Eckmonde need good relations, including Margaret. Giving gifts on occasions would be a small effort but could prove useful later."

Matthew felt like he learned a lot, yet his soul felt a tad corrupted.

It left him feeling a bit conflicted.

Soon after, the Mass Hold Person effect ended, and the soldiers rushed over noisily.

However, the two of them had already used Eckmonde's Teleportation Door to return near the treehouse.

The treehouse was bustling at the moment.

The mages sure knew how to have fun.

After Matthew and Eckmonde ensured nothing had happened, they each went their separate ways.

An hour later...

Matthew returned to the Western Valley Farm.

"How did the interrogation go?" he asked.

Lolan shrugged. "He answered questions faster than a girl undressing herself for me."

Henry had an excited smile. "Lord Matthew, I sincerely pledge allegiance. Please grant me the opportunity to serve you!"

Matthew gazed into his eyes. "Do you know about the Red Dragon Kusules?"

Henry looked utterly bewildered. "I don't know, sir."

He turned to Zeller. The latter's Lie Detection was still active. Zeller shook his head gently. "He's not lying."

After pondering for a moment, Matthew shared a portion of his conversation with Eckmonde with the others.

As soon as Richard and Zeller heard that the lord of Red Soil Mountain was a red dragon, they were suddenly on high alert. Only Lolan seemed intrigued.

"I knew something big was brewing in Rolling Stone Town! Looks like I can't escape the connection with that red dragon," he said excitedly.

Matthew turned to Lolan. "Can your informants find out about the background of that red dragon? His name is Kusules, said to have been dormant for decades, yet somehow appeared at Red Soil Mountain recently."

Lolan narrowed his eyes slightly. His ears twitched rapidly. "I'll try."

Ten minutes passed.

He emerged from his daze, somewhat fatigued. "I have a vague idea about the red dragon's background," Lolan said in a peculiar tone.

Matthew asked, "Was he awakened by someone?"

Dragons usually slumbered in cycles of a hundred years, and during this time, unless artificially awakened, they rarely interrupted their slumber.

Matthew suspected that there might be another mastermind behind Kusules!

Indeed, as Lolan replied, "He was awakened by someone."

Matthew urgently inquired, "Who? An evil organization? A sorcerer?"

Lolan's expression was strange. "It's you."

Matthew's expression turned incredulous. "Me?"

"When did I ever awaken Kusules?" he wondered aloud.

Lolan seemed to want to elaborate on the situation through some kind of chanting, but Matthew rudely interrupted him. "Get to the point."

"Alright, I'll only give you this much face, Matthew. Don't stop my chanting next time," Lolan said, looking a bit displeased but patiently explained, "From the legends of the Shadowed Realm, I learned that Kusules is a red dragon just stepping into its youth. His strength is growing rapidly, and so is his size."

Before awakening, he hid in a concealed location within the Shadowed Realm for his last long sleep before reaching adulthood. However, an unexpected earthquake woke the hot-tempered young red dragon from his slumber.

After waking, the infuriated Kusules took a long time to free himself from the fallen rocks. He rampaged in the underground city and destroyed a gathering place of wraiths.

Not long after, while still venting his rage, Kusules found an exit leading to the surface. With his exceptional talent in shapeshifting, he seamlessly integrated into human society.

Upon learning about the lord secretly recruiting soldiers in Red Soil Mountain, Kusules took decisive action.

Everything after that Matthew had already mentioned. The crucial thing to note was the earthquake—

It originated from a massive explosion at a demon altar miles away.

Although the explosion didn't cause much damage to the underground area where it happened, it coincidentally triggered a resonance below, accidentally collapsing Kusules' underground city.

And the initiators of that explosion—

From what I gathered from the Mushroom Tribe's descriptions, you were one of them, Matthew!"

"You're the one who awakened the Red Dragon Kusules!"

Matthew widened his eyes.

Was that true?

Could such a coincidence happen?

Two months ago, in the rainforest's underground city, he and Bobo blew up the Cult of Calamity's altar. The explosion only caused a small collapse, yet it apparently set off a chain reaction miles away.

If this wasn't from Lolan's mouth, Matthew would never believe it!

"What about the High Leaf Valley's High Mountain Reservoir? Could that also have collapsed because of that explosion?" He was getting uneasy.

Lolan shook his head. "I'm not sure. There might be a connection, might not be. From what I know, there seems to be a black dragon active over there, and it's highly unlikely it was your doing."

Matthew breathed a sigh of relief.

Zeller and Richard exchanged a serious look.

The former spoke up, "So, we have a green dragon to the north, a red one to the south, and a suspected black one to the southwest? We're only missing a white and a blue dragon to complete the Five Colored Dragons. I wonder if the peak years of the dragons will target Rolling Stone Town?"

No one could answer his question.

After some discussion, they decided to temporarily detain Henry at the South Trade Station.

Zeller planned to continue negotiations with Red Soil Mountain using Henry, even if they discovered the other side was a red dragon. The surface play needed to continue.

Rolling Stone Town wasn't prepared to deal with a dragon by its own strength. Stability was crucial until then.

Night fell.

Matthew led the mages back to the Oak Forest and, under the moonlight, knocked on the Moonlit Grove's gates.

As expected, Aesia consented to his actions.

Everything afterward went smoothly.

With Eckmonde's duplicate in charge, Matthew merely needed to watch it happen. He spent a little time at the Imperial Laboratory in Antu, and after instructing Alain and Peggy to oversee things, he quietly slipped away.

In the late-night Oak Forest.

Silence blanketed the area.

Matthew reached a tall, sacred oak tree and softly called out the name of the Fairy Princess, Lysanna.

After a while, a bright light flashed.

The long-absent stunning face appeared before Matthew.

"Good evening, Matthew," Lysanna looked shy and her voice was gentle.

"Good evening, Princess," Matthew said warmly. "I'd like to summon the 'Tree Guardian' and perform a ritual called 'Forest's Foe.'"

Once the Oak Forest reached a certain scale, it was possible to summon Tree Guardians through the Oak Fairies. These guardians acted as the forest's first line of defense. The 'Forest's Foe' ritual, on the other hand, was a tracking rite used to find hidden enemies nearby.

Matthew's intent was evident: he wanted to find the Witherers and eliminate them all!

Lysanna showed a hint of difficulty. "I've only just been promoted to Fairy Princess and haven't had time to get my crown and scepter from the Fairy Gardens. I might barely manage to summon Tree Guardians, but the Forest's Foe ritual might be too advanced for me."

She looked at Matthew, a bit hopeful. "Could you accompany me to the 'Fairy Gardens'? It's a border between the Arcane Wilderness and the main material realm. Many fairies live there, some of whom are quite mean to me. I always can't avoid their bullying."

"If it's you, Matthew, surely you won't let them bully me, right?"

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