This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 112

"A forbidden ritual?"

Alice's voice was slightly cold.

Matthew didn't realize it at first and even smiled somewhat embarrassedly. "In fact, I plan to apply to the Alliance for funding for the research and application of this ritual. I remember that Alliance members have similar rights, right?"

Alice couldn't believe her ears at his words.

Her right hand quickly reached back, seemingly about to pull something out from her oversized robe, but Vandar immediately stopped her.

"Alice, calm down. You're no longer a field agent in the Blackstone Mountain. You have no enforcement authority now."

As he spoke, Vandar forcefully pushed the hard object back into place.

Then he dragged Alice to another corner of the living room, and the two of them jostled for a moment, causing a corner of Alice's robe to lift.

Matthew glanced over and vaguely saw the outline of magical handcuffs.

By this time, the two of them had arrived in the garden.

Alice growled at Vandar, "Did you hear what he just said? He wants to perform the Death Wasteland ritual and apply for funding from the Alliance! Even if Lord Ronan recommended him, he shouldn't be allowed to do whatever he wants, right?"

Vandar sighed and said, "Alice, calm down. When will you change that impulsive temper you developed as a field agent? Maybe Mr. Matthew has a valid reason for this. And even if he has a problem, we just need to accurately document it. Field agents will take care of him when the time comes."

Alice sneered, "Document? How should I document it, using the method you taught me? Did you not see the absurd things I just wrote on the paper? Is that not enough?"

Vandar sighed again and fell silent.

Alice calmed down a bit, a hint of guilt on her face. "I'm sorry; I was too impulsive. I know you taught me those things for my own good. I might not be cut out for desk work; field work might suit me better. After I go back this time, I'll apply for a transfer."

"But I must deal with this Matthew's matter. Even if it's Lord Ronan, there's no reason to let a necromancer perform forbidden rituals."

Vandar sighed and said, "That's what the investigative team is for. We're only responsible for assessing new recruits. And how do you plan to investigate?"

Before he could finish his sentence, a curious voice rang out, "Are you here to investigate Matthew?"

"I have something to report."

The two of them looked in astonishment at the minotaur skeleton that suddenly appeared beside them.

Alice's eyes lit up. "You want to accuse your master?"

The minotaur skeleton nodded vigorously. "I've been dissatisfied with him for a long time."

Alice eagerly asked, "Has he done something unforgivable to you?"

"Oh, definitely."

The minotaur skeleton complained, "He hasn't given me a raise in years! Can you report the issue and discipline him, but not too harshly? Just enough to make him realize he should raise my salary on time."

Alice was momentarily stunned.

Before they could react, Matthew strode over from the direction of the living room.

"Hey, Matthew, are you here to silence us?"

Peggy asked.

Both of them became nervous.

Matthew scolded, "Don't make jokes in this situation, Peggy!"

Then he continued firmly, "I forgot to mention earlier, the reason I'm researching and preparing to perform the Death Wasteland ritual is to counter the Mark of the Dead. It's in the northeast of Rolling Stone Town. If you did your homework before coming here, you should know about it."

To avoid misunderstandings, he quickly explained the situation.

Vandar immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and he said with a smile, "I knew it was a misunderstanding. How could Lord Ronan recommend a criminal?"

Alice still looked somewhat skeptical.

Matthew generously said, "I can take you to the site where I'm preparing for the ritual; it's not far from here."

Vandar smiled and waved his hand. "No need; we trust you."

However, Alice insisted, "Please take me there to see for myself. I'm not targeting you; it's just that your explanation sounds unbelievable, and I need to witness it with my own eyes."

Vandar's face turned slightly pale, and he was about to continue persuading Alice.

Matthew waved his hand. "Let's go; we're leaving now."

Saying that, he grabbed a handful of dry grass, led the three sheep, and strolled toward the oak forest.

On the way, Alice walked alone with a stiff expression, while Matthew and Vandar discussed the issue of applying for funding.

Facing Matthew's doubts, Vandar enthusiastically explained, "Although the Alliance has suspended public research on the Mark of the Dead, in fact, if you are genuinely interested in research and can propose a feasible plan, they will most likely provide funding. Moreover, they may offer additional project subsidies based on the S-rank evaluation. With your exceptional abilities, as long as you apply, the project is likely to be approved, and you'll receive initial funding. If you can validate the feasibility, subsequent funding will be quickly arranged. Of course, this phase is not easy, but once successful, you will reap tremendous benefits. In addition to ample funding, you can also recruit some apprentice mages through this project, and they will work for you without pay. If your project is popular enough, they may even pay to join the project process, as this experience is highly regarded within the Alliance."

While Vandar was speaking, he was rapidly writing on paper with his magical quill: "Mr. Matthew is willing to risk his life to study the forbidden ritual in order to combat the Mark of the Dead, which shows his selflessness."

Alice glanced at the floating paper, unconsciously clenched her evaluation report.

After a long while, she slowly let go.

...

The group passed through the oak forest.

Vandar couldn't help but praise, "The air here is filled with a pleasant fragrance. I saw a sign outside - is this forest your property?"

Matthew nodded.

Vandar praised, "You have great taste; you've acquired such a delightful forest."

Even Alice couldn't help but say, "The vitality in these oak trees is incredible. It's indeed a fantastic forest."

Matthew thought to himself, 'These oak trees are practically draining the land dry; how can their vitality not be impressive?'

However, he didn't explain further and just smiled. They continued through the forest and arrived near the Mark of the Dead in the northeast.

As they left the oak forest, Alice and Vandar were shocked by the number of undead creatures.

But their attention was quickly drawn to the Mark of the Dead.

Matthew led them through the zombie horde to a small hill about thirty meters from the Mark of the Dead.

He pointed to a long rectangular piece of land marked with branches and said, "That's where I plan to perform the Death Wasteland ritual."

"It's about 10 meters long and 2 meters wide, located at the front lines of the Mark of the Dead's expansion."

"Both of you should know that the Mark of the Dead has been expanding continuously. But compared to the past few years, it has become more active. At the current pace, it will soon threaten Rolling Stone Town. If left unattended, the residents here may have to leave their homes. It would be a disaster."

Alice carefully gazed at it and found many prefabricated symbols related to necromantic rituals on the piece of land.

"What's that blank spot?" She suddenly pointed to a gap in the test field and asked.

Matthew looked at it and said, "That's where the Heartstone should be placed. The ritual still requires approval from the local lord, so I won't act rashly."

Alice softened her tone, "Do you have a good relationship with the local lord?"

Matthew pondered, "It's okay, but I heard he withheld the Outstanding Citizen's Honor that should have been mine."

Alice's eyes showed a hint of confusion once again.

Just then, there was a commotion in the Mark of the Dead.

A small Ashen Footman suddenly crawled out of the scorched earth and charged towards Matthew and the others!

"Get out of the way!"

Vandar nervously drew his wand.

But someone was faster.

Swoosh! An arrow pierced through the Footman's chest, and it instantly turned into a pile of black dust and scattered sparks.

Just as Vandar and Alice were relieved, Matthew scolded, "Renaismae!"

"How many times have I told you not to use White Feather Arrows on Footmen? They can be dealt with by the soldiers! Arrows cost money!"

Renaismae put down her elven longbow and innocently looked at Matthew, a strand of saliva involuntarily dribbling from the corner of her mouth.

Matthew furrowed his brows, took out a handkerchief, and quickly wiped her mouth.

"Alby!"

He shouted, "Go retrieve the arrow for her!"

Alby, who had been idly standing around, heard the command and disappeared into thin air.

A few seconds later.

The slightly blunted White Feather Arrow reappeared in Matthew's quiver as he replenished Renaismae's stock.

"Don't forget to take care of your arrows!" Matthew reminded her. With that, he returned to the company of the assessment duo.

"Sorry about that," Matthew said apologetically.

Alice shook her head, her curiosity piqued. She glanced at Matthew, inquiring, "Mr. Matthew, it seems like you have a unique way of interacting with undead beings. Am I right?"

Her curiosity stemmed from the minotaur skeleton she saw at Matthew's home.

Matthew was surprised by her question. "Do I? To be honest, I haven't had much interaction with other necromancers."

He continued, "By the way, are there many necromancers in the Alliance?"

Vandar shook his head, explaining, "Not many. The history of Blackstone City has something to do with it. The original lord of Blackstone City was a high-ranking Alliance member. However, he had conflicts with the seven archmages at the time and chose to leave. He founded Blackstone City, gathered a large number of necromancers, developed advanced necromancy using the artifact 'Lifewell Chain,' and established the famous Lord's Code. Matthew, you should be familiar with this. For some unknown reasons, the Alliance was in a hostile relationship with Blackstone City in the past, although they later reconciled. In each generation, the Lord of Blackstone City would hold a symbolic position within the Alliance, but aside from that, very few necromancers would join the Alliance, nor would the Alliance actively recruit them. This is an unspoken agreement between the upper echelons of the Alliance, but you are evidently an exception."

After Vandar's explanation, Alice was puzzled once again. Her eyes showed a hint of confusion.

Suddenly, she bowed deeply to Matthew. "I apologize, Mr. Matthew. I was too impulsive earlier, and I misunderstood you. I thought you were like the necromancers in Blackstone City, always engaging in nefarious activities under the guise of righteousness. If you are holding the Death Wasteland ritual to protect the residents of Rolling Stone Town and to stop the Mark of the Dead from advancing south, it will not affect your assessment, and it might even be a bonus point."

Matthew waved it off. "Apologies are unnecessary; once misunderstandings are cleared up, everything is fine."

Alice spoke earnestly, "Given your expertise in necromancy, I believe our previous evaluation might have been excessive. I have never heard of a third-tier mage being able to control such a number of undead beings. Your summoned creatures are different from the lifeless undead creatures, and I can sense that they possess a level of intelligence akin to living beings."

Matthew responded, "Well, if you don't mind, later I need to verify the situation with the local lord. If everything is as you've said, and you apologize to me again, my assessment won't be an issue."

Vandar assured Matthew, "I knew it was just a misunderstanding. How could Lord Ronan recommend a criminal?"

Still somewhat skeptical, Alice persisted, "Please take me to see for myself. I'm not targeting you; it's just that your explanation sounds unbelievable, and I need to witness it with my own eyes."

Vandar was about to continue persuading Alice when Matthew waved his hand. "Let's go; we're leaving now."

With that, he grabbed a handful of dry grass, led the three sheep, and strolled toward the oak forest.

On the way, Alice walked alone with a stiff expression, while Matthew and Vandar discussed the issue of applying for funding.

Facing Matthew's doubts, Vandar enthusiastically explained, "Although the Alliance has suspended public research on the Mark of the Dead, in fact, if you are genuinely interested in research and can propose a feasible plan, they will most likely provide funding. Moreover, they may offer additional project subsidies based on the S-rank evaluation. With your exceptional abilities, as long as you apply, the project is likely to be approved, and you'll receive initial funding. If you can validate the feasibility, subsequent funding will be quickly arranged. Of course, this phase is not easy, but once successful, you will reap tremendous benefits. In addition to ample funding, you can also recruit some apprentice mages through this project, and they will work for you without pay. If your project is popular enough, they may even pay to join the project process, as this experience is highly regarded within the Alliance."

As Vandar was speaking, he was rapidly writing on paper with his magical quill. "Mr. Matthew is willing to risk his life to study the forbidden ritual to combat the Mark of the Dead, which shows his selflessness."

Alice glanced at the floating paper, unconsciously clutching her evaluation report.

After a long while, she finally let go.

The group passed through the oak forest. Vandar couldn't help but praise, "The air here is filled with a pleasant fragrance. I saw a sign outside - is this forest your property?"

Matthew nodded.

Vandar praised, "You have great taste; you've acquired such a delightful forest."

Even Alice couldn't help but say, "The vitality in these oak trees is incredible. It's indeed a fantastic forest."

Matthew thought to himself, 'These oak trees are practically draining the land dry; how can their vitality not be impressive?'

However, he didn't explain further and just smiled. They continued through the forest and arrived near the Mark of the Dead in the northeast.

As they left the oak forest, Alice and Vandar were shocked by the number of undead creatures.

But their attention was quickly drawn to the Mark of the Dead.

Matthew led them through the zombie horde to a small hill about thirty meters from the Mark of the Dead.

He pointed to a long rectangular piece of land marked with branches and said, "That's where I plan to perform the Death Wasteland ritual."

"It's about 10 meters long and 2 meters wide, located at the front lines of the Mark of the Dead's expansion."

"Both of you should know that the Mark of the Dead has been expanding continuously. But compared to the past few years, it has become more active. At the current pace, it will soon threaten Rolling Stone Town. If left unattended, the residents here may have to leave their homes. It would be a disaster."

Alice carefully gazed at it and found many prefabricated symbols related to necromantic rituals on the piece of land.

"What's that blank spot?" She suddenly pointed to a gap in the test field and asked.

Matthew looked at it and said, "That's where the Heartstone should be placed. The ritual still requires approval from the local lord, so I won't act rashly."

Alice softened her tone, "Do you have a good relationship with the local lord?"

Matthew pondered, "It's okay, but I heard he withheld the Outstanding Citizen's Honor that should have been mine."

Alice's eyes showed a hint of confusion once again.

Just then, there was a commotion in the Mark of the Dead.

A small Ashen Footman suddenly crawled out of the scorched earth and charged towards Matthew and the others.

"Get out of the way!"

Vandar nervously drew his wand.

But someone was faster.

Swoosh! An arrow pierced through the Footman's chest, and it instantly turned into a pile of black dust and scattered sparks.

Just as Vandar and Alice were relieved, Matthew scolded, "Renaismae!"

"How many times have I told you not to use White Feather Arrows on Footmen? They can be dealt with by the soldiers! Arrows cost money!"

Renaismae put down her elven longbow and innocently looked at Matthew, a strand of saliva involuntarily dribbling from the corner of her mouth.

Matthew furrowed his brows, took out a handkerchief, and quickly wiped her mouth.

"Alby!"

He shouted, "Go retrieve the arrow for her!"

Alby, who had been idly standing around, heard the command and disappeared into thin air.

A few seconds later, he reappeared and handed the arrow to Renaismae.

While Alby was gone, Vandar frowned and whispered to Matthew, "Matthew, don't blame her too much. The White Feather Arrows are her specialty, and she's the most skilled at using them."

Matthew sighed, "I understand. It's just that using valuable resources on weak undead creatures like Footmen is a waste."

A small sheep suddenly walked over and bleated at Matthew, and it was soon joined by the other two. They seemed eager to enter the Mark of the Dead.

"They want to come in," Matthew said. "What should we do?"

Alice was worried. "Is it safe to bring them in there?"

Matthew reassured her, "Don't worry; I'll be with them. If we encounter danger, we can retreat immediately."

With that, he led the three sheep toward the Mark of the Dead. The undead creatures on the outskirts did not pose a threat, and Matthew seemed to communicate with them, making the sheep's journey safe.

As they approached the central area of the Mark of the Dead, the number of undead creatures increased. There were zombies, skeleton soldiers, and other various undead beings. Matthew led the sheep through the dense crowd without any trouble.

After some time, they reached a clear area inside the Mark of the Dead.

Matthew finally released the sheep, allowing them to graze on the sparse grass. He then carefully set up some magical formations to ward off any wandering undead.

Alice and Vandar observed the surroundings and couldn't help but marvel at the large number of undead creatures. It was an incredible sight to see Matthew control them with such ease.

Vandar whispered to Alice, "You see, he's a necromancer who can control the undead, and not just any necromancer. He's in a league of his own."

Alice nodded in agreement. "Indeed, I have never seen anything like this before."

They watched as Matthew's command spread throughout the undead, maintaining order among the masses. It was a testament to his exceptional skills in necromancy.

While the sheep grazed, Matthew set up a simple camp. He brewed tea and shared some with Alice and Vandar.

As they sipped their tea, Vandar couldn't help but ask, "Matthew, how did you acquire such extraordinary abilities in necromancy? You must have had excellent mentors."

Matthew paused for a moment, contemplating his response. "I learned the basics from various books and a few mentors, but I have also developed my own methods and techniques over the years. It's a combination of knowledge and experimentation."

Vandar nodded, satisfied with the answer. "You're truly a remarkable mage, Matthew. Your potential is limitless."

Alice chimed in, "Indeed, I have to admit that my initial judgment of you was hasty. You have shown incredible control over these undead creatures."

Matthew smiled modestly. "Thank you for your understanding. My goal is to use my necromantic skills for the betterment of our world and to combat the Mark of the Dead's expansion. I hope you can see that."

Vandar couldn't help but say, "You have our support, Matthew. We will do our best to assist you in any way we can."

Alice added, "Let's work together to make sure your assessment goes smoothly, and you can continue your research."

As the conversation continued, the three of them discussed their plans for the upcoming assessment and the various projects Matthew had in mind. It was clear that they were beginning to form a mutual understanding and a sense of camaraderie.

Meanwhile, in the Mark of the Dead, the three sheep were oblivious to the dangers around them, peacefully grazing on the sparse grass as if under a protective aura.

Just as they were immersed in their discussion, an unexpected interruption occurred in the Mark of the Dead.

A small Ashen Footman suddenly crawled out of the scorched earth and charged towards Matthew and the sheep!

Before Matthew could react, an arrow pierced through the Footman's chest, instantly turning it into a pile of black dust and scattered sparks.

Matthew furrowed his brows and scolded, "Renaismae! How many times have I told you not to use White Feather Arrows on Footmen? They can be dealt with by the soldiers! Arrows cost money!"

Renaismae put down her elven longbow and looked at Matthew with an innocent expression. A strand of saliva involuntarily dribbled from the corner of her mouth.

Matthew sighed and took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, all while Alby, who had been idly standing by, received a command and disappeared into thin air. Moments later, he reappeared, holding the arrow that Renaismae had shot.

With Alby's return, the group continued their conversation and discussions, leaving behind a trail of thoughts and plans in the heart of the Mark of the Dead.

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