This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 106

Malicious Transformation Magic.

This is a control-type spell that can transform any target within the caster's line of sight into one of three creatures.

It is named so because mages often use this spell with ill intentions.

As one of the combat techniques that can be learned at the third level, mages who master Malicious Transformation Magic can also learn its advanced form after reaching the fifth level:

Group Transformation.

This is a truly powerful skill that can turn a group of people into panicked little animals in an instant.

The evil form of Group Transformation is directly inherited from Malicious Transformation Magic.

So, Matthew's current choice is crucial.

One counterintuitive aspect of this spell is that...

The difficulty of learning the three malicious forms: frog, wild boar, and goat, varies from easy to hard.

That's right.

Turning a person into a frog is the easiest, followed by a wild boar, and the most difficult is a goat.

Matthew was initially puzzled, but after understanding the mechanics of this spell, he got it.

It turns out that even though the duration of the three malicious forms is the same, there is a significant difference in stability between them.

Once you turn an enemy into a frog, if anything harms or touches them, the spell may immediately fail.

Previously, when Zeller turned Sinwak into a frog, he intentionally put him in a glass jar to prevent the spell from failing prematurely.

If it's a small boar, you might need to push or shove them hard for the malicious form to possibly be disrupted.

As for the most stable, the goat.

Mages can even kick the goat in the rear end...

A few times!

That's the difference in stability.

The higher the stability of the malicious form, the more difficult it is to learn, which makes sense.

Of course, too much stability is not without risks.

In the history of the Alliance, there have been several cases where mages turned enemies into goats and were subsequently kicked in the rear end or crotch by the goats.

Goat horns are no joke.

This shows that Malicious Transformation Magic, while a powerful technique, is not without risks.

Both goats and small boars have a certain degree of charging and aggression.

Matthew contemplated for a long time.

In the end, he chose "goat."

He felt that something as ridiculous as being kicked by a goat wouldn't happen to him.

If it did happen, he would have to hold his two undead guards accountable.

As for the difficulty of learning...

Matthew figured that he had at least mastered a few wilderness forms, and the latter and Malicious Transformation Magic were closely related in the transformation field, which should help with learning the spell.

Although changing others and changing oneself are entirely different things.

Matthew remained optimistic.

Now.

He took out the items required for the "Contracting Ceremony" from his bag:

A standardized magical contract.

A handful of goat belly fluff.

Two goat whiskers from goats older than ten years.

A small amount of goat horn ground into powder.

A complete goat placenta.

Once everything was arranged correctly, following the requirements of the spell ceremony, Matthew quietly began to chant the incantation.

The candles on the table suddenly accelerated their flickering speed and amplitude.

The smell of goat's blood and placenta on the table emitted a foul and sinister odor.

Matthew's eyes and palms emitted a bluish-gray light due to the overflow of magical power.

The basement echoed with eerie whispers throughout.

For a moment.

The basement went dark for a second.

...

"Prompt: You have successfully contracted the 'Goat Covenant,' and your malicious transformation target is confirmed as 'Goat'!

You have gained some knowledge about the structure of a goat's body..."

...

Matthew closed his eyes and quietly sorted out the knowledge poured into his mind during the spell ceremony.

Gradually.

He gained more understanding about goats.

He could vividly sketch the appearance and form of a goat in his mind.

He could also distinguish the distinctive features of a goat's appearance, whether beautiful or hideous.

This feeling was so wonderful.

This was something he had never experienced even when he transformed into a wild beast.

It was a deep and profound understanding and control of animal forms.

"Not enough!"

Matthew opened his eyes.

To successfully master Malicious Transformation Magic, he needed to have a very detailed understanding of every detail of the malicious form.

The Contracting Ceremony provided a shortcut.

But it only established a framework of a goat in his mind.

To go further.

Matthew needed to not only learn the theory and knowledge of spellcasting but also gain a deeper understanding of goats!

For this, Grand Mage Ronan had already given him the best advice:

"Spells related to transformation often have no shortcuts.

You must immerse yourself in the experience, considering yourself as part of the target. The best way is to spend time with the target day and night.

One day, if you find that you resonate with it, congratulations, your spell is not only mastered but also at an advanced level.

As for true mastery.

That requires years of practice and dedication."

Matthew greatly admired Grand Mage Ronan's advice.

So the next morning.

Before going to work, he woke up early, went to a nearby farmer he had seen a few times, and bought a goat from him.

While buying the goat, Matthew had a sudden thought: if he was familiar with a female goat, would the malicious transformation also turn into a female goat? Female goats, despite having horns, are generally less threatening, right?

So, an hour later.

Matthew carried a handful of hay and led a docile female goat, with Afei hiding in his cloak, to the lord's mansion's office.

Time to check in for work!

The office was still quite empty this morning.

In fact, the daily affairs of Rolling Stone Town were typically handled by a five-person committee in the municipal hall. The lord's office only dealt with major events that threatened the territory and a very small amount of public business.

And the latter was entirely handled by Zeller.

So, when Zeller was not around, this place was no different from Matthew's Oak Forest.

When Matthew entered the office with the goat, Reiga was reading a newspaper.

It was a publication called "Hellish Gazette," and the lord seemed to enjoy it.

When he saw Matthew, he instinctively greeted, "Good morning!"

Matthew politely returned the greeting.

It wasn't until Matthew was about to enter his own room that Reiga suddenly noticed something was amiss.

He put down the newspaper and walked over, pointing at the goat, "Have I mentioned to you that you can't bring pets to work?"

Matthew blinked, "No."

Reiga said bluntly, "If there are no rules, there is no order. Sorry, Matthew, it's not about you, but the lord's office doesn't allow pets at work!"

"Never mind when this rule was established. Even if it was just set today, you have to follow it. After all, I'm the boss."

Matthew tried to argue, "But what if I say she's my family?"

Reiga widened his eyes, "Even if she were your girlfriend, it wouldn't be allowed!"

Matthew was surprised by Reiga's logic.

He decided to tell him about his study of Malicious Transformation Magic.

Reiga, upon hearing this, rubbed his chin and appeared troubled, "But the goat does have quite a strong odor, which could affect others' work."

Matthew nearly burst into laughter, "Other people's work... you mean reading the newspaper?"

Reiga looked at him with disapproval, "You don't understand. This is about staying updated on world events. While the reports in the Alliance Weekly and Hellish Gazette may not always be entirely true, many major events' details can often be found in those distorted stories. As the lord of Rolling Stone Town, I have a significant duty to interpret the changes in the world."

Matthew agreed with this.

He was also interested in the Alliance Weekly but hadn't subscribed due to budget constraints.

So, he asked Reiga, "Can I read your newspaper?"

Reiga graciously said, "Of course, you can. However, you'll have to wait until I'm done with the latest issue, then you can borrow it. Other than that, while reading Hellish Gazette, do not use scissors to cut out certain lewd images!"

Matthew was surprised and asked, "Has someone actually done that?"

Reiga looked meaningfully at him, "You should ask among those who borrow newspapers from me, which one hasn't done such a thing."

Matthew had a fascinated expression. Suddenly, he found the Hellish Gazette interesting, despite not having been interested in it before.

"I'll go get the latest issue for you, just wait a moment!"

Reiga, in a good mood, went back to his office.

As the lord's spell consultant, Matthew's job was quite idle.

Even though this place was quiet, it couldn't compare to the basement, which was essential for deep learning. So, I decided to read some books to pass the time or do some shallow spell theory research.

Time flew by, and half a day passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, I also didn't forget to spend some time getting close to the goat. However, the female goat, though gentle, appeared quite shy. Even when I tried to pet her head, she instinctively dodged my touch. It left me a bit puzzled.

I thought to myself, "Why didn't she shy away when Reiga petted her in the morning?"

After having lunch prepared by Mrs. Wesley, I started to feel restless. My eyes occasionally drifted towards Reiga's office. I knew that he usually took a nap around this time, making it the perfect opportunity for me to sneak away.

As expected, the daily routines of middle-aged people were quite predictable. After a few minutes, Reiga, dressed in his pajamas, came out stretching lazily.

Surprisingly, he didn't leave the office but headed towards his own room instead, saying, "After working for half a day, it's time to take a break."

He appeared fatigued. I couldn't help but wonder if reading newspapers was that tiring.

Reiga suddenly asked, "Matthew, I want to ask you a question: What does casting a spell feel like?"

I thought for a moment, then gave a serious answer:

"Magic casting can generally be divided into three phases, each accompanied by different sensations.

The first phase is the preparation of the spell posture and chanting of incantations. During this phase, we are forced to recall all the content of the relevant spell, along with the pain, difficulty, confusion, and sadness we experienced when learning the spell. This process not only consumes our mental and magical energy but also poses a significant challenge to our willpower. The feeling during this phase is one of pain, stiffness, and difficulty.

The second phase is when the incantation is complete, and magical energy accumulates. Many magical elements converge on us at this time, and we bear great pressure. This pressure compels us to release it, but we must hold it in until the critical moment. It's challenging to describe this sensation, somewhat like holding back before urinating. This phase doesn't last long, typically just a fraction of a second.

The final phase is the moment the spell is released. Due to the pressure built up earlier, we feel a sense of exhilaration as we release it all at once. This phase lasts for about one to three seconds, with more advanced spells having longer durations. The sensation during this phase is highly enjoyable and can be quite addictive. Many mages, after casting high-level spells, often stand still for a second or two. This is what people who don't understand spellcasting principles call 'post-casting sway.' In essence, spellcasting is a dangerous activity, continuously testing a mage's mental and emotional strength as well as their willpower. It's far from the beautiful experience that people commonly imagine, and it entails a lot of pain and fear, but it does have a unique charm. Is there a particular reason you're asking about this, or are you interested in spellcasting yourself?"

Reiga shrugged and said, "Who wouldn't be interested in spellcasting? I was just reading this piece of news."

He handed me the Alliance Weekly newspaper. I saw a section with his finger pointing to a headline, detailing how several mages became addicted to spellcasting and resorted to criminal activities. They had stolen a treasure from the Alliance Treasury known as the "Swift Gem," which was rumored to significantly reduce spell cooldown times and override daily casting restrictions. These mages were now on the Seven Saints Alliance's wanted list.

I was intrigued and took note of the names of those mages.

"It's a shame they fled to the north. Otherwise, I might have earned a substantial reward," I said.

Reiga seemed to share the same thought. He yawned and left the office without looking back.

I decided to leave too. However, as I walked with the goat through the hallway, I encountered Mrs. Wesley.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Wesley," I greeted her politely.

She paused her cleaning and looked up at me, "Good afternoon, young Matthew. Where are you going?"

I replied with a smile, "Just going out for a bit and then coming back."

She saw through me and said, "Are you trying to leave work early?"

I blushed a bit, "Is that a bit wrong?"

Mrs. Wesley shook her head, "It's good for young people to leave work early. It gives them more time for romance."

She took a few more steps and then turned back to me, "But I know now why Reiga brought you here. Before you arrived, he was the most idle person in the Lord's Mansion."

I was curious and asked, "Why?"

Mrs. Wesley said seriously, "Before you arrived, he was the least active in the Lord's Mansion."

I didn't understand and said, "Huh?"

Mrs. Wesley swept a pile of dust into the corner and said with a smile, "Not anymore."

In the Oak Forest, I kept myself busy like a diligent little bee. The tree planting tasks during this time were quite demanding. I had to direct the zombies to work diligently.

After a few days of hard work, I had accumulated 168 enhancement points. Now, the question was: which zombie should I enhance?

It was not an easy decision. Back when I had just one squad of skeleton soldiers, the choices were limited. Getting to enhance Afei was considered lucky.

Now, I faced an overwhelming sea of zombies! There were 119 Silvermoon zombies in total, including Quilboars, Gnolls, Imps, Lesser Demons, humans, and even Dragonblood Warriors! Of course, there was one zombie who wasn't from Silvermoon.

I observed for a long time, even using Balance Sense, but couldn't make a decision. The zombies generally had good qualities, but it was challenging to pick out the best one.

As I continued to hesitate, I had an unusual thought: "Why not let someone else decide?"

The moment this idea crossed my mind, I unexpectedly let go of the rope in my hand. I allowed the mother goat to wander freely among the zombies.

But the next moment, the mother goat emitted a frightened bleat, "Baa!" and started running frantically through the group of zombies!

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