This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 41

In the hall bathed in bright light, the arcane runes representing "Remote Mirror Magic" extinguished one by one.

Matthew blinked, adjusting to the changing light.

"It's over, and the coordination was decent," Zeller remarked as he walked over.

He removed the remaining magic traces of the mirror spell and signaled for Matthew to relax.

Matthew quickly shed his stiff cloak and couldn't help but ask, "Did this really work?"

He asked because he felt that he hadn't put much effort into the process. He had only disguised himself as the Archmage Ronan and walked back and forth in the area Zeller had planned, trying to make his gestures and demeanor resemble that of a legendary mage.

Although Zeller had explained the principle to him in advance:

He would use the mirror spell's traces to simultaneously display Matthew's image at three different locations: Rolling Stone Town, North-South Trade Station, and elsewhere. Then, at the right moment, command the others hiding at the scene to detonate the magical fireworks left by Ronan.

Benefiting from the festive atmosphere, no one would pay much attention to Matthew's impersonation of Ronan before the fireworks. But after the fireworks went off, as people consciously searched, there was no shortage of "concerned individuals" who would see the "Archmage Ronan."

The subsequent commotion would naturally follow.

However, after the whole process was over, Matthew still had a strong sense of unreality.

"It's hard to say, but it's a matter of human intervention. At least we've stirred the waters, haven't we?"

Zeller said with a grin. "I have some matters to attend to. Wait here for a moment."

Matthew had to remove his makeup by himself.

It was at this moment that he suddenly received a message from the system.

"The two elements of the Deception domain?"

Matthew rubbed his chin. "Does this mean we've at least succeeded halfway in this little charade?"

Elements were the prerequisites of the domain. In normal circumstances, for mortals to explore a domain, they had to collect the relevant "elements" of that domain. The more related elements they gathered, the greater their chances of exploring the domain.

Elements were the keys to access the domain.

But this didn't mean they were the entire domain. As Matthew had done on three previous occasions, he had entirely disregarded the keys and forcefully entered the domain.

It was clear that the domain's "entry keys" provided by the system made this process significantly easier. Especially since unlocking the Path of Legends, Matthew could clearly feel that accessing domains was a thousand times easier for him than for others. Even in this case, for others, it would be nothing more than a "fraudulent experience."

While Matthew hadn't directly entered the Deception domain, he had indirectly obtained two keys to it. With a little effort in that direction, he could become a newcomer to this domain, just like the Oak, Moderation, and Undying domains.

In Ronan's opinion, domains were more advanced tools than spells. Matthew had gradually realized that perhaps his "innate talent" in domains was his greatest strength.

"Next, I can focus on the three domains I already have, deepening my knowledge within them to gain more abilities. At the same time, I can expand horizontally to dabble in other related domains."

As he contemplated, Matthew had removed most of his makeup.

Zeller hurriedly returned. "I have some good news that proves we haven't been doing futile work, at the very least."

Matthew looked at him curiously.

Zeller smiled and said, "When we set off the fireworks, Bradley captured a member of the Silver Frost Brotherhood."

Matthew praised, "Our head of security really knows his stuff. How did he figure out that the person was a member of the Silver Frost Brotherhood?"

Zeller couldn't help but chuckle. "It's said that the criminal voluntarily signed up for the 'Martin Sprint' event and then won first place. He ran so fast that he was immediately recognized as an extraordinary individual."

Matthew stared blankly for three seconds. He had a completely new understanding of the intelligence of members of evil organizations.

"Then he must have an accomplice," Matthew said.

Zeller nodded. "That's obvious. Silver Frost Brotherhood members usually work in pairs during missions. Although we couldn't find his partner, it's certain that he and his partner both saw 'Archmage Ronan,' especially him. When he was arrested, he seemed eager to pass on this crucial information. Honestly, I'm thinking about whether to find an opportunity to release him."

Matthew thought for a moment. "There's no need to be too deliberate about it."

Zeller agreed. "You're right. With so many people present at the Spring Celebration, the information is bound to spread. In any case, from what we can see now, we've done a good job. Thank you for your hard work, Matthew."

Matthew shook his head. "I didn't help much."

Zeller said seriously, "At the very least, you're a genuine mage, which is significant when it comes to anti-divination."

"All right, your task is over. Next, we'll take care of the three major evil organizations. Unless necessary, we won't disturb you."

"Of course, if you're willing, I'd like to formally invite you to join the Lord's Mansion. Your position will be the Lord's Magic Advisor, similar to my role."

Matthew's heart stirred. "Will Reggie agree?"

Zeller smiled. "I'll persuade him. I'm good at that."

Matthew thought for a moment and asked two more questions. "If I become the Lord's advisor, what would my responsibilities be, and what's the compensation?"

Zeller's invitation was clearly not a spur-of-the-moment decision, and after listening to Matthew's words, he replied without hesitation, "There won't be much to do most of the time. Your main task will be to provide magical assistance and related knowledge when needed. As you've seen, I'm just a mage, and my understanding of regular magic is far less than that of you mages. Rolling Stone Town has long been in need of a formal magical advisor, and I think you're a perfect fit. As for compensation, it won't be less than 200 gold coins per month for the first year. After that, we'll reevaluate based on your contributions over the past year, but your compensation will only increase, not decrease."

If the workload was as light as Zeller described, the compensation was quite generous.

But Matthew didn't immediately agree. He just nodded and said, "I'll consider it carefully."

"Of course, but I hope we have the opportunity to continue working together."

Zeller smiled and snapped his fingers.

In the mirror, Lysanna timidly peered at the two.

"Charge this wand."

Zeller succinctly handed her the object.

Lysanna took the wand, and her cheeks turned slightly crimson. "Okay, please wait."

After a while, her alluring figure reappeared in the mirror, with the blush on her face even more pronounced. "There you go."

Matthew received the wand, coughed, and then happily noticed that the wand had changed to the "charged" state and was ready for use. The only strange thing was that when he first received the wand, he felt it was slightly warm and damp.

"Thank you," he said, without asking the succubus how she charged it.

After a brief chat with Zeller, Matthew left the Lord's Mansion in a hurry.

It was still crowded outside, as it was the afternoon. Matthew spent a whole afternoon in town with the soldiers, experiencing the festive atmosphere. Only after that did he return to the Oakwood.

At dusk, Matthew's weary figure reappeared near the pit in the northern wasteland.

There was no other choice; he had missed a day's work during the day, so no matter how late it was, he had to make up for it with tears.

There were only four days left until the temporary "Double Harvest" status ended.

In the next four days, nothing would stop Matthew from planting trees with all his might.

...

Night fell.

In an abandoned mine pit in the northeast of Rolling Stone Town, torches scattered like stars illuminated the dark and damp pit. Various figures, tall and short, moved along the flickering firelight, their shadows reflecting on the rocky walls of the pit, giving them an eerie appearance.

The murmurs and gradually escalating arguments echoed in the cave.

"Ronan can't possibly be here!"

A deep voice abruptly silenced the other noises.

It came from a young man with a torch held high in his right hand. He had a somewhat oily appearance, wearing a gray-brown mage robe. A faint black aura enveloped his entire body, adding a touch of sinister charm.

"I swear in the name of my Lord, Ronan's true self is undoubtedly trapped in the Starrealm. This fact has been confirmed by multiple sources!"

The man's gaze swept around, full of undisguised malice, making anyone he looked at stand on end involuntarily.

However, there were also those who were not afraid of his presence.

A graceful black panther appeared, her voice husky yet magnetic, instantly capturing the attention of every male present.

"But we've all seen Ronan. Edson, your Lord must provide real evidence before anyone believes him."

Edson glared at the black panther with ill intent.

"You better choose your words carefully, Kuna! My Lord is not just some sinister deity. He once ruled this land from the heavens of Tierlon Palace!"

Kuna sneered.

"Every occultist firmly believes their master is the true deity of Tierlon Palace. You should offer some substantial proof before we complete this ritual. We've lost the element of surprise. Rolling Stone Town has fortified its defenses, and we're on the backfoot. What you should do now is be transparent, not continue with secrecy. It doesn't benefit our collaboration."

Her words resonated with many.

In the shadows, a member of the Silver Frost Brotherhood named Leon stepped forward.

"Kuna is right. Publicly challenging the Lords' Mansion was the idea of your Lord, Edson. We've already cooperated with your plan and infiltrated, but now we've found information suggesting Ronan might still be in town. A legendary mage is no joke! I've also heard that the Lord of Rolling Stone Town has sought the support of a legendary martial monk. I don't think any of us want to face such an adversary."

Others chimed in with agreement.

The members of the three organizations were already divided in their intentions. They had been incited by Edson, the High Priest of the Cataclysmic Church, to emulate the rituals of the Enlightenment Era, where they would destroy Rolling Stone Town for various gains, particularly the desire for legendary powers. Whether it was the arsonists, witherers, or occultists, participating in the annihilation of an orderly territory would bring them untold benefits.

However, Rolling Stone Town displayed a spirit that was far different from regular remote towns. Led by Bradley, the town's defense had been greatly bolstered. This escalated the difficulty of infiltrating the town.

Moreover, even those who managed to infiltrate couldn't bring their weapons.

This was one of the dilemmas Leon brought up. Many of the infiltrators had arrived barehanded and were in disarray. Even though they'd successfully made it inside, what could they do now?

The news that Ronan might still be in town was the last straw.

These evildoers weren't fools. They were extremely adaptable to the circumstances, and even a slight hint that something was amiss would make them retreat first and wait for a better opportunity. No one wanted to be the reckless one who went ahead first.

As a result, the cave filled with arguments and accusations.

The members of the three organizations bickered for a while but couldn't agree on who would complete the crucial "activation ritual."

"That's enough!" Edson shouted in frustration. "I knew I couldn't rely on a bunch of misfits. Thankfully, I didn't expect much from you all in the first place."

His eyes, as cold as a venomous snake, scanned the group.

"First, all of you, shut your mouths! Your equipment and weapons will be delivered shortly. Secondly, I will personally perform the activation ritual. After tomorrow, I'll shroud Rolling Stone Town in an ominous shadow. I hope by then you weaklings won't find any more excuses."

He emphasized once again, "Ronan is trapped in the Starrealm. This is a message delivered personally by my Lord. If you don't believe it, you can verify it yourselves. There should be ways for all of you to investigate this."

After his speech, Edson left the area.

He opened his hands and began to chant a spell loudly.

The atmosphere tensed immediately.

The beginning of a battle was imminent.

Over to the north...

A group of silver skeleton zombies continued their diligent work.

However, Matthew quietly put down his shovel and gazed to the north.

Elyea appeared beside him.

"There's an evil presence, and it's stronger than we've ever sensed. They're here!"

As Elyea warned, a group of figures emerged from a mine entrance ahead.

Dark clouds drifted overhead, concealing the moon's light.

But at that moment, both sides saw each other!

The tension in the atmosphere became palpable.

A battle was about to begin.

Chapter 42 >>

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