This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 13

The "Relaxing Glove" was a rather interesting magical item. It couldn't directly enhance one's combat abilities, but when used correctly, it had the potential to outperform the sum of other items. Its negative drawbacks were also within acceptable limits. When not in use, it could be casually tossed in a corner.

As Matthew sorted through his various spoils, he marveled at Feyn's wealth. However, he also reminded himself in the back of his mind, "Having so many magical items but no opportunity to use them means that in any battle with others, regardless of how well-prepared I am, there's always a risk of perishing."

Matthew was risk-averse, which extended to his attitude towards combat. At least at this stage, he preferred to avoid most battles unless the arsonists and sorcerers threatened his resources. If he had a bone dragon capable of taking on enemies up to the fifth rank, he would not initiate combat.

But he understood that avoiding battles wouldn't solve all problems. Therefore, ensuring his own survival in future battles became his top priority.

"No matter what kind of battle, the core principle must be 'survival' because you can only have an impact when you're alive. From another perspective, as long as you're alive, even if you're on the brink of death, there's hope for a desperate comeback!"

Reflecting on tonight's two battles, Matthew seriously summarized his experiences. His first battle philosophy was "Survival Above All."

However, applying this philosophy in practice involved many details, especially considering Feyn's death. Matthew elevated "Beware of Perishing" to the highest priority.

Any squishy profession was susceptible to perishing because this world was filled with all sorts of ingenious means of taking down enemies. Archmage Ronan once gifted Matthew a book titled "Death of a Mage," which recounted 99 stories of famous mages throughout history meeting their demise.

The final page of the book read:

...

"If, after reading this far, you still think the author is making a big deal out of it, then you are very likely to be the 100th spellcaster to pay with your life due to arrogance."

...

Perhaps influenced by this book, Archmage Ronan had highly recommended the series of spells related to "Garcia's Armor." However, Matthew now felt that magical armor spells were useful but somewhat one-sided. Drawing from his previous gaming experience, he highlighted three key attributes in his mind:

...

"Toughness & Immunity & Willpower"

...

Toughness was the fundamental attribute for resisting most negative effects and control methods. The benefits of high toughness were incredible. If he had faced a practitioner on the path of a swordsman instead of a dark sorcerer tonight, Little Boil's Dragon's Wrath would likely have been easily mitigated by the swordsman. Even though the bone dragon's level was still significantly higher, the fight would not have been so straightforward.

This was the most direct manifestation of the value of toughness. "If a thief tries to sneak up on me, I have 'Sensory Blindness' to counter invisibility. But if the opponent has a frightful ability similar to Dragon's Wrath, I'd probably be helpless!"

Just thinking about this scenario made Matthew anxious.

"Immunity" was a crucial attribute for combating microbial parasites, bacterial or fungal infections, and voodoo curses. "Willpower" played a more significant role in resisting soul-stirring checks.

Given Matthew's current development path, he didn't need to worry too much about "Willpower" for now. The meditation technique of the necromancer naturally increased willpower slowly.

"Immunity" was relatively obscure, and he mainly used it for corrupting others. As long as he was careful, he usually wouldn't run into trouble.

"Only 'Toughness' was hard to come by. Strengthening the physique had only a minor effect."

"Perhaps the druid's abilities have a way to enhance 'Toughness,' or if I can get a high 'Toughness' value through a wild transformation."

"I remember there are some low-level passive spells that can slightly increase 'Toughness'..."

After a long contemplation, Matthew finally withdrew from his self-analysis. He opened his quest menu.

The "Rapid Growth" spell was already acquired, and with his current mana, he could use it about ten times a day, which would undoubtedly be a significant help in his tree planting venture.

However, the other reward left him somewhat puzzled.

...

"Moonlight Society Entry Pass (Consumable)

Description: Holding this pass, on a full moon night in the wilderness or forest, with the assistance of a natural spirit, you can enter the sub-plane where the Moonlight Society is located."

...

Matthew knew that the Moonlight Society was a kind of existence similar to the Druid school of magic. But would this be genuinely useful for him? Even if a natural spirit was willing to help him gain entry, would he, a necromancer, not face hostility when entering the society?

"Should I give it a try? What if my 'Natural Affinity' works here?"

He didn't have high expectations.

Below the quest menu, the yin-yang symbol had undergone a significant change.

...

The gray energy on the left had surged by a considerable margin, reaching about 3/4 of the total capacity. The green energy on the right was almost full.

Based on Matthew's previous experience, planting four or five trees should be sufficient to fill the gap.

He eagerly anticipated the changes that would occur once the energy was full.

The next day, Matthew woke up early and went to the Oakwood Forest to continue his work. He planted several trees and increased his energy to the maximum, but the expected changes did not occur.

This disappointment led Matthew to ponder: "Do I need other conditions to trigger this, or does it simply require more time to accumulate?"

He didn't dwell on it for too long. After all, planting trees was his primary task. Each oak tree brought him 10 XP, and he was content with that.

...

In the afternoon, Matthew made two trips, first to the Westfall Academy and then to the local constabulary.

At the academy, he went to the headmaster's office to request leave. Given his status as a "privileged" individual, obtaining permission was a smooth process. The headmaster not only granted the leave promptly but also engaged in a lengthy conversation, showing genuine concern.

On the other hand, his visit to the constabulary, where he briefed Brad about the farm, appeared to be discreetly handled. The constabulary personnel greeted Matthew just as they always did, as if they hadn't connected him to the necromancer from the previous night.

The two of them had a prolonged discussion in the morgue.

...

"You can't imagine how chaotic it was last night. I did my best to reassure my team, sent word to another squad that they could return to the city, and then I was informed that Lord Zeler might have gone on his own to find the kidnappers!"

...

"At that moment, we were all baffled. I quickly handed over Sophia to Lord Zeler's people and prepared to lead the team back to Ghoulhag Castle. Guess what happened? Just a few miles outside of town, Lord Zeler returned on his own! Later, I found out that Mr. Zeler has a way to communicate directly with Lord Zeler. When he learned that Sophia was safe, he came back on his own."

...

"But during the latter part of the night, I still led my team to the desolate hills. The environment there was extremely eerie. The mist from the castle had descended to about halfway down the mountain. I don't know where the bandits had set up their camp, but if it's on the mountain, their fate would be quite miserable."

...

Brad rubbed his dark circles under his eyes and spoke in a low voice, complaining about the situation.

Matthew chuckled and, meeting Brad's curious gaze, casually commented, "Their camp was on the mountainside in a valley, and those kidnappers met their end before the mist descended."

Brad was stunned, "You're amazing!"

Matthew shook his head, and after a few more casual words with Brad, he left the constabulary.

On the way back home, Matthew's thoughts remained heavy.

The events of last night seemed to have concluded, but there were still many unanswered questions and potential developments.

...

Firstly, regarding the Cult of Calamity.

From the contents of the secret message, the dark sorcerer Feyn was just a shepherd, and his influence was limited to Rollingstone Town and a few surrounding cities. Although Matthew had eliminated the entire dark sorcerer camp, it was possible that other members of the Cult of Calamity might have further plans.

...

Secondly, there was a high probability of a mole within the Blood Banner Clan.

According to Brad, Sophia was kidnapped while traveling in the countryside, following a route known only to a select few. Discovering the traitor among their ranks was crucial because, if left unaddressed, it would remain a potential threat.

Furthermore, Feyn had mentioned the unique nature of Sophia's bloodline, which intrigued and unsettled Matthew.

...

Thirdly, Feyn's message mentioned that "Archmage Ronan is trapped in the Astral Plane."

At first, Matthew dismissed it as nonsense, but just now, he learned from Brad that Ronan had been absent for over a year! Not only in Rollingstone Town but even in the Gem Bay he was stationed at, several significant incidents had occurred without Ronan's intervention. This was a cause for concern.

If this information was accurate, the days ahead in Rollingstone Town might not be peaceful.

...

Lastly, it concerned Ghoulhag Castle. The captured merchant's spirit had mentioned being killed by a disheveled tall figure.

Feyn and Angler didn't fit this description. During last night's descent into the mist, Matthew had seen a disheveled figure. This indicated a connection between the merchant's death and the castle's mist.

However, his body was discovered on a road far from the castle. This aspect raised many questions.

"So, did Feyn's unnatural creations stimulate the passive descent of the mist, or was it someone's hunting operation? Could it be that with Archmage Ronan trapped in the Astral Plane, the castle's malevolent entities are becoming active?"

Matthew's headache intensified with every thought.

It wasn't until dinner time that he began to let go of his worries.

...

Tonight's dinner consisted of creamy tomato soup, black pepper steak, and clove egg tarts.

Peggy's culinary skills were still top-notch.

However, Matthew's appetite was lacking, which Peggy promptly noticed. She asked, "What's wrong, dear Matthew? Have you entered the phase of being love-struck? Tell me, which girl has you so distracted? It can't be Sophia, right? She's your student!"

Matthew rolled his eyes, "I'm just thinking."

Peggy responded seriously, "Don't think during meals. It's a basic form of respect for good food! People often take for granted the ordinary things. Only those like me, who've died once, know how wonderful and luxurious it is to eat like a living person."

Matthew hesitated for a moment, then apologized, "You're right, Peggy."

He pushed aside his thoughts and enjoyed his dinner wholeheartedly.

Peggy, supporting her bony chin with both hands, added, "That's more like it, Matthew!"

"By the way, I have some gossip to tell you. I overheard it recently!"

This time, it was Matthew's turn to give her a stern lecture:

...

"Peggy, how many times have I told you—don't sneak around in the dead of night, eavesdropping and prying into other people's affairs. It's impolite! If you get caught, it's not only embarrassing but also frightening."

...

Peggy shrugged her shoulders, "So, are you going to listen or not?"

Matthew, with a spoonful of delicious soup halfway to his mouth, found himself unable to resist. He muttered, "Go on."

"Do you know why Lord Blood Banner despises necromancers?"

Peggy said mysteriously, "Because his wife ran away with a necromancer!"

Chapter 14 >>

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