This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 97

In the bustling hall of the inn, on the edge of a table surrounded by curious onlookers, sat a man exuding an aura of unruly charisma.

His dazzling golden hair cascaded casually over his shoulders, the upper half of his silk shirt daringly open to reveal a dense forest of chest hair. At his waist, a jade-green flute emitted a magical gleam, and the radiant, legendary runes hanging beside the flute constantly reminded others of his prestigious status.

With that unmistakable air of flamboyance, it could only be Lorand.

Matthew exchanged greetings with the innkeeper, Trug, and ordered a couple of fruit juices for himself and Peggy before making his way over.

At the sight of Matthew, Lorand's eyes lit up, and he leaped down from the corner of the table, pushing aside the bystanders with open arms.

"Matthew? You've returned at the perfect time. I was just about to regale everyone with your heroic tales!"

Matthew couldn't quite handle Lorand's exuberance. After a brief, half-hearted embrace, he discreetly stopped Lorand's attempt to get any closer, pulled a chair and sat down.

"My adventures are hardly worth mentioning. How about you, Lorand? Weren't you enjoying yourself on the Island of Saint Jide? Why did you return so soon? How's the island's charm?"

At the mention of Saint Jide Island, Lorand's enthusiasm surged, and he settled himself in front of Matthew.

He raised a glass of mead and exclaimed, "Fantastic! You have no idea what I went through there. Well, there was a rather dull period when I got captured by a group of nagas and forced to venture underwater. I got pretty sick of it. All I saw every day were nagas, and while they come in various flavors, some are more gentle, while others are more mysterious. But after a while, it just gets old. So, I hatched an escape plan. Eventually, I managed to set foot on Saint Jide Island. My friend knew about my ordeal and, knowing I had lost interest in nagas, arranged for me to be entertained by 'Sea Nymphs' and 'Crabfolk.' Sea Nymph ladies were rather enjoyable, but the Crabfolk girls, not so much. They had this constant scent of rotting seafood, even if they doused themselves in perfume. I felt sorry for them, so I let them accompany me on the island for three days before sending them away. I was feeling quite down at that time. Saint Jide Island is beautiful, but it wasn't as exciting as I had imagined. It wasn't until my friend finished some business and came to keep me company…"

Matthew's interest was piqued. "Your friend?"

"Exactly, she's the stone elemental beauty I told you about!"

Lorand said with great excitement, "Can you believe it? Stone elementals from the Primary Material Plane are incredibly rare. At first, I suspected she might be lying in her letters, but when we met in person, I realized she was the stone elemental she spoke of! The details that followed, well, I'd rather not go into them here. But let's just say we had some wonderful nights together."

At this moment, Trug, the innkeeper, approached them, served Matthew and Peggy two generous glasses of juice, and smiled, saying, "Welcome back. Old Gito was asking about you two not too long ago. If he knew you both made it back safely, he'd be thrilled."

Both of them nodded in acknowledgement.

Once Trug left, Matthew quickly cast a "Purify Food" spell on his juice. In his sight, the faint glimmers symbolizing bacteria and viruses were eradicated by the vibrant green energy.

Matthew took a sip, feeling assured. The juice tasted pretty good.

"Lorand, I have a question," he asked curiously while sipping.

"This question may touch on privacy, but it's primarily out of academic curiosity. I mean, the structure of stone elementals is different from that of ordinary humanoid beings, isn't it?"

Lorand responded matter-of-factly, "Of course, at first, I had no idea. It was like hugging a rock, not much fun. It wasn't until I thought of the 'Petrify to Mud' spell..."

Pff! Matthew sprayed juice all over Peggy.

"Is that how you use 'Petrify to Mud'?" he asked, utterly shocked.

Unbeknownst to him, Lorand wore a perplexed expression.

"Isn't 'Petrify to Mud' designed for that purpose?"

Matthew glanced apologetically at Peggy, who shrugged and sought out Trug for a key to their room upstairs.

"Spells are definitely not designed for that kind of thing," Matthew said seriously, turning his attention back to Lorand.

"As far as I know, it's a spell created to overcome specific obstacles or terrain."

Lorand questioned, "Are you sure about that? Can't obstacles be moved or dismantled without the need for inventing a spell?"

Matthew furrowed his brow in thought.

Lorand pressed on, "You magicians are so refined, why suddenly invent a spell that turns stone into muck?"

"There must be some strong motivation behind it."

"And I believe that the power of love that transcends races is strong enough motivation, don't you, Matthew?"

Matthew fell silent.

Lorand continued with a sharp edge, "In fact, many spells can support my theory. For example, the 'Mage Hand' spell, which your kind of magicians often use!"

Matthew had a question mark over his head. "What's wrong with the 'Mage Hand' spell?"

Lorand blinked. "Legend has it that during the Enlightenment Era, many mages would lock themselves in their mage towers, researching magic all day long. In such circumstances, not seeing anyone else for years was quite common, let alone the opposite sex. So, they invented the 'Mage Hand' spell to experience the comfort of being touched by a hand other than their own."

"When you think about it, those ancient hermit mages were rather pitiable."

"I even have a unique theory about this. By examining the quality of a mage's 'Mage Hand,' you can judge whether they have a partner and how well they get along with them..."

Matthew's temples started pounding.

He wanted to object, but looking at Lorand's confident and chatty demeanor, he realized that arguing with him was not a wise move. Especially because if they continued to debate like this, Matthew might even convince himself!

"Your understanding of magic is truly unique," Matthew reluctantly complimented. "Maybe you could write a book on the subject. It might be even more popular than your novels."

Lorand's eyes lit up. "You're right! Let me think. I'll call the book 'Lorand's Magical Wonders.' But since it's a serious work in the field of magic, I'll need a reputable magical consultant, and that can only be you, Matthew! Besides providing the necessary magical knowledge, you'll have to demonstrate it."

Lorand's face broke into a cunning smile. "How about this, Matthew, let me see your 'Mage Hand' first."

Matthew adamantly refused Lorand's invitation. "I decline!"

But then he explained, "I'm a necromancer, exposed to negative energy all year round. My 'Mage Hand' might be contaminated, making it unsuitable as a typical case."

"And, I have very limited magical power, so the role of a magical consultant doesn't suit me. You should find someone more qualified for that, Lorand."

Upon hearing this, Lorand's expression turned displeased. "Hey, Matthew, you're not being a very good friend here. Excuses like having limited magical power may work on others, but they won't work on me. Someone who can create an undead tornado, easily obliterate a major demon altar, doesn't really fit the description of 'limited magical power.'"

Matthew looked at him in surprise. "You knew all that?"

Lorand proudly puffed out his chest, further opening the collar of his shirt.

It was only then that Matthew noticed Lorand's chest hair had been meticulously groomed into the shape of a heart, adding to his overall flamboyance.

"Bards know everything, dear. High-level bards have a class feature called 'Catching the Wind.' It means we have a certain chance to perceive major events occurring within 20 to 100 kilometers around us. And if a bard's perception is high enough, they can even witness glimpses of major events as visions."

"Let me tell you, destroying a demon altar is nothing, but that tornado was seriously cool! I chased after the vision all over Saint Jide Island. I could even see the zombie brains and intestines flying out when the tornado struck!"

Lorand bragged, with a satisfied smile.

'Catching the Wind'? Bards in this world have this ability?

No wonder every significant event seems to be known to someone.

With these humanoid news disseminators around, it was nearly impossible to keep a major event under wraps. Matthew noted this to himself as the topic had been successfully diverted. He decided to talk about his own adventures in the rainforest, starting from his arrival on the Equilibrium Island, his visit to Yu Lian in the city of Corraldo, his return to the rainforest to confront the Dragon Cult, and finally his escape thanks to Blorken.

He skipped many details, but Lorand listened attentively. What surprised Matthew was that the part of his recent adventures that Lorand seemed most interested in was the Earthfire Dragon he had encountered.

"Did you manage to rescue him later? I mean, that poor dragon named Aru. He's so chubby now, he must be quite immobile," Lorand inquired with concern.

Matthew corrected him, "Aru Terlen is a male Earthfire Dragon."

Lorand shrugged, "I just want to talk to him. Don't you think he's amazing? After being exploited by the Dragon Cult for five years, he's still full of spirit."

Seeing Lorand's eagerness, Matthew reluctantly explained, "That dragon was too fat to squeeze through the passage leading to the dark domain, so the Black Banyan Tribe took him in. The rainforest is rich in resources, but I doubt the tribe can afford to keep him. He might have to learn to hunt for himself."

He then added, "There is some good news, though. Before I left, he told me he planned to lose weight and become a vegetarian. If he manages to become a vegetarian, there might be a chance to improve his health."

Lorand was amazed and expressed his desire to meet the Earthfire Dragon. After some more casual conversation, they decided to attend a theater performance that evening at the Southern Theater. Matthew had intended to leave Zeswater City in the afternoon with Layla, but Lorand convinced him to stay and watch the show.

Matthew got a room for Layla and explained the situation to her, and she was fine with exploring the city on her own. Matthew and Lorand went to buy tickets for the evening's show.

Outside the ticket booth, there was a long line of people waiting to buy tickets. Most of them looked in good spirits, and their attire was cleaner than the average streetgoer's.

"These are probably servants of the wealthy in Zeswater City, buying tickets for their masters," Lorand commented, pointing at the queue. "This theater is particularly famous, and the last time we were here, their circus troupe and a few key actors were invited to tour several cities in the north. They just returned a few days ago. The performance tonight is the first since their return. I heard they've prepared a brand-new script, costumes, and performance style. It's really something to look forward to!"

He continued, "Just look at how many people are in line; it shows how popular this place is. Of course, if their script and performance can please me or even captivate me, I won't hesitate to applaud. But if it disappoints me, I'll have a couple of critical remarks!"

Matthew noticed a poster standing beside the ticket booth. It featured a very handsome man with a bright, radiant smile, surrounded by several scantily clad young ladies. Somehow, the layout of the poster seemed oddly familiar.

"That's Brandon White, the headliner of the Southern Theater. He's the ultimate weapon for attracting female audiences in Zeswater City and several nearby cities. From elderly women in their nineties to nine-year-old girls, they all adore him," Lorand explained.

"But I think his smile looks a bit forced, and his gestures are not as good as the clown over there!" Lorand added, pointing to a small corner of the poster where half of a clown's face was visible. It seemed like a minor character.

At the top of the poster, the title of the play was written, "A Particularly Exciting Story."

"Shall we go and buy tickets?" Lorand headed straight for the ticket booth, already making arrangements with the people in line.

"Good day, sir. How many tickets would you like?" The ticket clerk was quite accommodating, likely influenced by the incident earlier.

"Two, for the best seats," Lorand replied, leaning his arm casually on the ticket booth.

The ticket clerk glanced at his chest, and a slight blush colored her cheeks as she stated, "One hundred and twenty gold coins, sir. You can choose the front row for an up-close theater experience, or a second-floor private box. The box offers a better view, more tranquility, and no one will disturb you and your companion."

"Only 120? That's not as expensive as I imagined," Lorand said with a grin.

He rummaged through his storage items and pulled out a handful of coins with varying designs.

The ticket clerk had an uneasy expression and said, "Are these Nagas' coins? I'm sorry, sir, but we only accept the Seven Sanctums Alliance standard gold coins here."

Lorand looked a bit irritated and then placed a gold brick in front of her, saying, "Will you accept this, then?"

The ticket clerk was left speechless. She stammered, "I need to check with the manager about this."

Matthew stepped in to stop her, asking, "What's going on?"

Lorand explained, "I've run out of Alliance gold coins, and she won't accept Naga coins or gold bricks. Should I go find someone who can exchange them now?"

He grumbled before turning to Matthew, "Do you have any gold coins with you?"

Matthew hesitated and reluctantly handed over the required amount of gold coins. "Thanks, consider this a loan from me. I'll find a place to exchange it tomorrow and pay you back."

Lorand paid the money, collected both the gold brick and the Naga coins, and then received two tickets and a yellowish booklet from the ticket clerk. He handed one of the tickets and the small booklet to Matthew.

"'The Plump One's Tome'?" Matthew was a bit surprised.

"Borrowing money means using collateral," Lorand grinned and patted his shoulder. "Let's go, Matthew. We can chat more when we get back, and it's better to avoid attracting more thieves with my gold brick."

Just as they walked a few steps away, Matthew could feel that they were being followed by quite a few people. These individuals appeared to belong to different factions.

"Is this the charm of the gold brick?" He gazed at Lorand with a touch of envy.

Lorand still walked proudly and without fear. A little further, he even led Matthew through a side street.

But after a brief moment, Lorand looked puzzled as they entered an empty alley. "What's going on? The gold brick isn't attracting thieves anymore?"

Matthew walked past him with a smile and patted Lorand on the back. "Let's go. Maybe the pickpockets have become smarter."

Meanwhile, in another alley just two streets away, there was a muffled sound. The last pickpocket fell awkwardly onto a pile of people. On the ground, there were over a dozen individuals either in a fainting state or awake but powerless, groaning continuously.

The instigator of all this was a cloaked figure.

After everything was done, the cloaked figure left with an air of nonchalance. However, just as they were about to exit the alley, they suddenly stopped in their tracks.

In the horrified gaze of the pickpockets, the cloaked figure silently turned back.

Then, those skeletal, fleshless hands began to move over the weakened bodies of the pickpockets.

Elsewhere, a notification appeared: "Hint: Your summoned entity, Ah Bing, has defeated the approaching pickpockets. Ah Bing has partially awakened memories of his past life and has begun showing some interest in the money of the living. Ah Bing starts collecting the wealth from the pickpockets."

"Your summoned entity, Ah Bing, has gained a new keyword: 'Intermittent Honesty.'"

"Intermittent Honesty (Gray): In most cases, when collecting loot and coins on your behalf, he won't be greedy."

The effectiveness of Ah Bing's keyword "Elementary Enlightenment" has been enhanced:

"Elementary Enlightenment (Enhanced): Ah Bing's current intelligence level is equivalent to that of a 7-year-old child."

Table of content

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