This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 142

Near the dense treehouse, Henry cautiously approached, leaving his apprentice outside the farm, going forth to make connections on his own.

"What kind of magical item could create such a magnificent dwelling in this desolate land?" Henry marveled at the sight before him, his eyes filled with envy.

He speculated that among these mages, there must be some high-ranking big shots, at least starting from the fifth tier. This assumption made him somewhat uneasy.

Mages, especially the higher-ranked ones, were generally aloof and disdainful of disturbances. Forcibly intruding was a risky move.

But it seemed the best option he could conjure at the moment. Without leveraging the authority of the Seven Saints Union, he couldn't fathom negotiating while handling that wandering individual and the poet.

Though Henry's steps weren't slow, each one weighed heavily upon him. He had mentally rehearsed various approaches and arguments beforehand.

Soon, he noticed something surprising - there was no magical barrier outside the treehouse! This meant the mages inside didn't shun interaction with outsiders.

Embarking with courage, he entered and saw a magical long table, most mages indulging in food and drink without a care for decorum. Henry breathed a sigh of relief.

He dared not use detection spells to gauge their levels, but based on common sense, these individuals were likely mage apprentices. Intermediate mages or above wouldn't display such lack of manners while eating.

Apprentices were easier to deal with, despite the substantial disparity in status. His higher level might compensate to some extent.

With this in mind, Henry walked along the edge of the magical long table, trying to strike up conversations with a few mages. However, nobody paid him any heed.

Minutes passed, and Henry's forced smile became stiff. He felt deeply humiliated. Despite being a level 15 mage, was he truly so disregarded?

However, this humiliation soon turned into resignation. He had grown accustomed to it. Such was the plight of a wild mage.

No matter how high one's level, without official recognition, it was all meaningless. The mage world was one of greater materialism and social hierarchy.

Henry once had a mage friend. They had pledged to strive together, preparing for nearly three years to pass the Union's assessment for wild mages' inclusion and promotion.

But during the assessment, his friend succeeded, while Henry missed the mark by a fraction, losing the chance to become a Union mage.

After that, he faltered. Despite the constant encouragement and financial support from his friend, urging him to persist for three more years and try again, Henry declined and quietly departed.

Wandering alone, he became a true wild mage. Life wasn't too bad in this state; even the most humble wild mage held prestige in slightly less developed territories.

Gradually, Henry forgot the shame of rejection by the Union and buried thoughts of her deep within.

But today, encountering the Union's members once more reignited that sense of helplessness. He realized his powerlessness.

Apart from gritting his teeth, there was little he could do. "If I ever wield legendary power, I'll destroy everyone who looked down on me!" He stood stiffly, lost in his fantasies, his face frozen.

Yet, moments later, his smile returned. A handsome young mage approached him, his voice gentle: "Hello, need any help?"

Henry was pleasantly surprised. "Oh, no, no, no, I just came... I saw you all landing here and wanted to say hello."

The young mage inquired, "Are you a nearby resident mage?"

Henry intended to mention his origin from Red Earth Mountain but had a sudden inspiration: "Yes, I come from Rolling Stone Town, newly appointed as the magical advisor. I'm Henry."

He couldn't help but feel proud of this spur-of-the-moment choice, suspecting the influence of Grand Mage Ronan might still linger, fostering natural affinity between these people and Rolling Stone Town.

In Henry's plan, he merely needed to linger here for a while, then let the negotiators from Rolling Stone Town see him emerging from the treehouse.

As for garnering the support of Union mages, he hadn't seriously considered it because it was unrealistic.

"Rolling Stone Town? Seems quite close," the young mage murmured.

Henry nodded, "Indeed, it's nearby, to the north. By the way, what's your name?"

The young mage cheerfully replied, "I'm Matthew."

Henry breathed a sigh of relief; he hadn't heard of Matthew. According to Red Earth Mountain's intel, the most formidable in Rolling Stone Town was a sorcerer named Zeller, followed by the enigmatic Lord Reiga. There were rumors of a necromancer and even a bone dragon, but those were dismissed as hearsay.

Henry was sharp. In mere conversation, he sensed Matthew held a superior position among these mages. When he stood ignored earlier, after Matthew's arrival, almost everyone discreetly glanced in their direction while eating. Matthew seemed to be the leader of these apprentice mages!

"He might be a fifth-tier mage or possess numerous powerful items; otherwise, it's hard to explain the magic carpet, the treehouse, and this feast." Henry was both envious and thrilled.

Feeling he had grasped an opportunity, Henry engaged in a conversation with Matthew, showcasing his wit and charm. Matthew was soon chuckling at Henry's well-timed jokes.

Subsequently, a few mages finished their meal and approached. However, they kept their distance from Henry and Matthew. Only when they heard a joke from Henry did they politely chuckle, not too loudly.

This scene perfectly matched Henry's speculation about Matthew's status. He decided to hold onto this lifeline.

After sharing several off-color jokes and countryside anecdotes, all firmly anchored in Rolling Stone Town, Henry noticed Matthew was deeply engaged. Occasionally, he posed some small inquiries, and Henry responded adeptly. Their rapport swiftly grew.

After a while, Henry found an opportunity to ask, "Mr. Matthew, what brings you to this remote place?"

Matthew replied, "An outing."

"Don't you find the scenery here remarkable?" Henry nodded, "It is impressive, but the most beautiful is in the nearby West Valley."

He inwardly chided himself for mentioning West Valley so quickly. That's where the Red Earth Mountain army was stationed! What if these mages decided to go there on a whim? Wasn't he causing trouble for himself?

To avoid further slip-ups and considering it was about time, he added, "I saw you all lingering here and thought to pay a visit. In fact, I have something important to attend to."

Matthew took the bait, "What is it? Is it more important than our conversation?"

While feeling a touch of triumph inside, Henry wore a regretful expression and said, "Not anything significant, just participating in negotiations among commoners. You see, us wild mages have to engage in disputes between lords, far from the ease of Union mages like you."

Matthew contemplated, "Need me to accompany you?"

Henry hesitated, then declined, "No, no need, don't bother yourself. I'll manage."

Unexpectedly, Matthew insisted, "Let's go together."

Henry, realizing it was difficult to refuse, quickly agreed, "Alright."

Seeing Henry agree, Matthew greeted the other mages, "I need to participate in negotiations among

commoners. You all carry on."

All the mages chimed, "Safe travels, Lord Matthew!"

A few even offered, "If you need our assistance, please don't hesitate."

Observing this, Henry concluded that Matthew held a high position and was approachable, someone worth befriending.

Exiting the treehouse, the duo ventured toward the heart of the farm.

Without much distance covered, Henry clenched his teeth and whispered, "Lord Matthew, can I pretend to be part of the Seven Saints Union?"

As he spoke, he slipped a small pouch into Matthew's hand.

Rubbing it, Matthew discerned around a hundred gold coins inside.

After a brief pause, he nodded, "Sure, as long as you're on my side."

Henry, elated by Matthew's agreement, exclaimed, "Of course, we're on the same team!"

With excitement, Henry led Matthew to the negotiation site's entrance.

Seeing Matthew, the farm owner paused, then lowered their head without a word.

However, Henry didn't notice this gesture as they proceeded inside directly.

The scene within the room was far from dignified.

More than ten members from Red Earth Mountain were bound with ropes on the ground, Jeffrey being the most pitiful among them. All his unsavory deeds had been exposed by Lolan. He sat in a corner, ashamed, feeling the piercing gazes of his men.

In contrast, the trio from Rolling Stone Town seemed composed.

Richard, standing tall with a cane, seemed oblivious to fatigue.

Zeller sat upright, eyes shut, toying with a frog doll, opening them only as footsteps approached.

As for Lolan, he reclined on the negotiation table, absorbed in a small yellow book. His chest hair in the shape of a heart peeked from his loose collar, adding a hint of masculinity to his libertine pose.

Henry, witnessing this scene, harshly rebuked the trio, "Aren't you going too far?"

"Do you know who I am? I'm from the Seven Saints Union! Release my people immediately!"

The Rolling Stone Town trio exchanged glances.

Lolan gracefully hopped off the table, curious, "Is this some avant-garde performance, Matthew?"

Zeller, serious, focused on Henry, "You're the real negotiator from Red Earth Mountain?"

Initially stern, Richard burst into laughter half a second later.

"What's so funny?" Henry protested, feeling indignant.

Matthew kindly tugged at his sleeve, "Let's sit down."

He guided Henry to the negotiation table.

However, they ended up seated on the same side as the Rolling Stone Town trio.

Flustered, Henry quickly reminded Matthew, "We're sitting on the wrong side! Our seats are over there."

Matthew patted his shoulder gently, "No, this is where I sit."

"Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Matthew, the newly appointed magical advisor from Rolling Stone Town, currently honored with the A1 rank in the Seven Saints Union. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Henry."

Henry was stunned, his expression betraying disbelief, followed by a deep flush and uncontrollable tremors.

"Y-y-you..." His voice choked in his throat, unable to form coherent words.

Matthew allowed him a moment before asking, "Would you like to move seats?"

He pointed to the opposite side of the negotiation table.

"Move over?" Henry shuddered. Next moment, he slammed the table and shouted sternly at the bound Red Earth Mountain members, "Jeffrey! And all you fools! Go back and tell your Lord—no, tell that bellicose brat!"

"As long as I'm here, you'll never violate an inch of Rolling Stone Town's territory! Don't even think about it!"

Everyone stared at him in astonishment.

Despite his burning embarrassment, Henry turned and bowed, "Respected Lord Matthew, as I mentioned earlier, of course, I'm on your side."

"I'll forever be on your side!"

...

A few minutes later, Jeffrey and the other Red Earth Mountain members were ousted from the West Valley Farm in a disheveled state.

Henry, who switched sides in time, remained.

He was now undergoing interrogation from Zeller, Lolan, and Richard, all working together.

Initially wanting to join in, Matthew quickly felt bored—Henry's cooperation was excessive. Whenever Red Stone Town was questioned, he not only responded but elaborated extensively, offering detailed explanations.

Beneficial for Rolling Stone Town, but tedious for Matthew.

He had anticipated some resistance, especially as both were necromancers, even preparing for defection. Little did he know the outcome would be this!

"Well, it's a dampener, but still a good outcome."

Disinterested, Matthew left the negotiation hut.

Soon after, Eckmonde intercepted him on his way back to the treehouse.

"How did it go?" His smiling eyes seemed to see through everything.

Matthew knew Eckmonde was astute; his gesture of not questioning was appreciated.

"It should yield a good outcome. Thank you for your help."

Matthew expressed his gratitude earnestly.

Eckmonde waved it off, "It was a small effort."

"The clouds of war have spread across the Aindor Continent. Once the heat rises, who knows when it'll end."

"On this matter, the Union has debated extensively. The final verdict: we won't interfere actively in mortal wars. However, individual mages within the Union may participate. Do you understand?"

Matthew nodded, discerning the underlying message—the Seven Saints Union, as an aloof entity, wouldn't openly side with any region or city in this upcoming war frenzy.

But mages within the Union could act freely.

After the division of cities, almost every city on the continent had its own mage advisor or mage lord.

The Union's hands-off policy might escalate local conflicts and potentially affect the Union internally.

"As this war unfolds, it'll be an opportunity for personnel change within the Union. We need fresh blood, and this land needs mild turmoil to stimulate vitality."

Eckmonde reflected with emotion.

Matthew remained silent. He understood that what Eckmonde referred to as "mild stimulation" might be a calamity for certain families or cities.

However, the objective laws were unavoidable.

The gods were eyeing this continent.

The centuries of peace after the ascension of the Heavenly Palace were fading away.

For future generations, it was just "a new chapter in history."

Only those within it could truly feel the approaching tide of the times.

"Oh, by the way, I've found something; let me show you."

"It might be a security concern near Rolling Stone Town."

Eckmonde said, casually opening a portal.

They traversed through it, arriving in the West Valley.

The scenery was indeed beautiful, but an approaching legion somewhat spoiled the view.

"Who goes there?" A soldier noticed the two.

Eckmonde seemed to ignore them, striding forward.

Matthew followed suit.

Streams of light emanated from Eckmonde's sleeves.

Paralysis spell!

In a blink, all soldiers at the temporary camp were immobilized.

One unlucky soldier, frozen mid-soup slurp, watched helplessly as the broth dribbled down his chin.

He ended up drenched.

Shortly after, they reached a central tent.

Eckmonde raised an eyebrow.

The outer layer of the tent billowed outwards, leaving only ropes and wooden boards behind.

Inside sat a man in crimson armor, stiff as a barrel.

Eckmonde, spotting him, immediately spoke, "As I suspected, a Dragon Puppet."

"If I'm not mistaken, Red Earth Mountain's new lord is a red dragon!"

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