This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 20 (Patreon)

Lulu was a rather shy fairy.

Most of the other fairies living in this oak forest had exchanged greetings with Matthew one way or another.

However, this particular princess always kept to herself. Even if she appeared in front of Matthew, she would hide among the other fairies, making it difficult for him to get a clear view.

It would be a lie to say that Matthew had no curiosity about Lulu. However, he always respected these small creatures that enjoyed his company.

After calling the fairy princess, Matthew voluntarily closed his eyes.

A gentle breeze brushed against his face.

For a brief moment, Matthew had the sensation that a fairy had landed on his nose and was boldly moving around.

This feeling quickly disappeared, and he thought it was just his imagination. He didn't believe the shy fairy princess would play tricks on him.

"I... am here..."

A weak and delicate voice floated over from a distance.

Matthew sensed that she was perched on a tree about five steps away from him.

"Good evening, I need your help. I have a ticket to the Moonlight Society, and only with the assistance of a natural soul can I enter the corresponding sub-plane," Matthew said, raising the item in his hand.

"This is not a difficult task," Lulu's voice drew closer. "Why are you closing your eyes, Matthew?"

Matthew smiled gently. "If you'd like me to open them, I certainly won't refuse."

"I... I trust you, Matthew!" Lulu's voice was initially hesitant, but she mustered up the courage and said, "You can open your eyes now."

Matthew naturally opened his eyelids, and he first saw a faint halo in the moonlight. Then, he noticed a pair of golden wings. Finally, he saw a figure slightly larger than a typical fairy, with incredibly delicate features.

In that moment, Matthew felt a buzzing in his head. His eyes widened unconsciously.

Whoosh! Lulu nervously flew twenty feet backward and then hesitated, inching closer to Matthew.

Matthew let out a long breath, snapping out of his momentary daze. "I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to be so beautiful."

He chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Did my eyes just pop out of their sockets a moment ago?"

Lulu patted her delicate chest with a small hand. "Your reaction was already quite good, but your gaze did startle me for a moment."

Matthew nodded, finally understanding why Lulu didn't appear easily in front of others. Perhaps it wasn't because she was shy, but because her beauty was unmatched by anyone else's.

"What's your charm level?" Matthew asked.

"20 points? Maybe more? I'm not sure," Lulu counted on her fingers.

20 points meant "extraordinary charm," the limit of beauty that mundane creatures could achieve. With the added charm bonus unique to fey creatures, almost all beings who saw Lulu would uncontrollably want to get close to her, touch her, and even play with her passionately. Even Matthew, after staring at those little wings for a while, couldn't help but have some seductive thoughts.

...

"You resisted the charm from the Fairy Princess (passive), your willpower +1."

...

"Shall we begin?" Matthew asked, making an effort to divert his gaze.

"Of course," Lulu said excitedly, spinning around Matthew. "This is the first time I've been so close to a creature outside of my kind. It's so thrilling!"

"Oh, you mean the Moonlight Society. No problem, come with me, Matthew."

With that, her shadow danced in the moonlight. Matthew followed leisurely.

Before long, the ticket in his hand disappeared.

The song of the natural soul awakened the young oak forest.

Matthew felt friendly eyes gazing at him.

Lulu stopped on the trunk of a tall oak tree.

Matthew approached and saw a faint green door on the tree trunk.

He pushed the door open.

Vibrant greenery greeted him.

...

"Tip: You have entered the realm of the Moonlight Goddess, Aesia — the sub-plane 'Moonlit Grove.'

This is the homeland of natural souls and fey creatures. They abhor evil, reject outsiders, and prefer to stay on good terms with druids.

It is also the sanctuary of the Moonlight Devotees. Every traveler who walks under the moonlight can pray to Aesia, and if she responds, they can briefly dwell here, safe from the creatures that lurk in the endless night."

...

The air was refreshing. That was Matthew's first impression of the Moonlit Grove.

He looked around, finding himself in an open area resembling an oak forest in the real world.

Not far away was an altar of the Moonlight Goddess.

A proud owl perched on the altar's stone tablet. Its gaze towards Matthew wasn't particularly friendly.

Matthew found it strange. According to the instructions on the ticket, there should be many natural souls and fey creatures nearby, even if he was a necromancer.

He should have to earn the recognition of the locals through various displays. Only then could he become a member of the Moonlight Society, gaining additional blessings and spellcasting convenience.

"Is there a change in circumstances?" Matthew tried to ask about the situation.

However, before he could approach the altar, something happened.

A rather impolite voice sounded out:

"Evil necromancer, if I were you, I would turn back without hesitation. At the very least, people should have some shame. I don't know how you got the ticket or how you coerced a kind natural soul to perform a ritual for you, but if you think this is enough to become a Moonlight Devotee, you're sorely mistaken!"

It was the owl again.

Her voice sounded like that of a young girl going through puberty.

Matthew explained, "I am indeed a necromancer, but I am not a bad person."

The owl flapped its wings and sharpened its voice further: "Bad people never admit they're bad! Leave immediately, necromancer! I detest you!"

Matthew furrowed his brow. He expected the conservative natural souls to have a less friendly attitude towards him due to his profession, but he didn't anticipate that they wouldn't even give him a chance to explain.

"Miss Owl," he maintained his composure and tried to persuade her patiently, "I consider myself honest. It would be unfair to exclude me simply because of my profession, don't you think?"

The owl flapped its wings and flew up, "Don't call me Miss Owl! I have a name! My name is Aela!"

"Aela will not believe a necromancer! Please leave immediately!"

With that, she flew to Matthew's head, as if she was going to attack him.

"Fine," Matthew shrugged in resignation. Fortunately, he had prepared for this. The natives of the Moonlit Grove and Lulu, as a new natural soul, were different. They might have lived here for hundreds or thousands of years, and over time, their thinking had become quite inflexible.

Not being able to join the Moonlight Society wasn't a big deal. It was just one school of magic.

Matthew started to leave.

"Quick, go away! If you look for a moment longer, you might offend the Moonlight Goddess, and she might send down her thunder to punish you!" Aela said triumphantly.

Matthew paid her no mind and stepped into the hidden door. But just as he did, he heard thunder behind him – a loud rumble!

Matthew was startled. Could the Moonlight Goddess really be so indiscriminate? He instinctively turned back for a glance but could vaguely see a lightning bolt striking Aela, the proud owl!

The next moment, he was back in the oak forest, and Lulu was nowhere to be seen.

...

"Did the Moonlight Goddess's lightning go astray?"

"Never mind, let's consider it a minor incident..."

Matthew adjusted his mood and returned to his cottage to start his evening studies.

Outside, Albin donned his cloak of shadows and silently patrolled the area.

The forest was calm and peaceful.

The night passed without incident.

At dawn, Matthew yawned and pushed open the wooden door. To his surprise, about thirty meters away from his door, perched on an oak tree, was a strange bird with jet-black wings and tiny limbs.

"Good morning, Mr. Matthew," the anxious bird greeted him.

Matthew hesitated as he looked at her. If her voice hadn't been the same, he wouldn't have connected this burnt bird to the proud owl from the previous night.

"Aela?" he inquisitively observed.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Matthew. I know I was wrong. My ignorance limited my perspective, and I thought all necromancers were evil. But that's not the case."

"Uh, are you planting trees? Wow, what a great undertaking! You're the kindest necromancer I've ever met!"

"Mr. Matthew, even your sweat-wiping gesture looks so handsome!"

Aela chattered in an attempt to please Matthew.

Matthew remained silent, continuing with his work. From morning until evening, he toiled away.

In the evening, he returned to his cabin.

A strange sensation washed over him.

...

"Your ability 'Nature's Gift' is in effect...

You have gained new abilities: 'Heat Resistance,' 'Tenacity,' and 'Swift Legs.'

Heat Resistance: You are highly insensitive to high temperatures and possess strong resistance to fire and extreme heat.

Tenacity: You have a more tenacious physique than the average person (Constitution +1 & Resilience +1).

Swift Legs: You possess exceptional sprinting abilities, especially in the narrow streets of urban areas, where you can achieve double your usual speed."

Chapter 21 >>

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