Chapter 030 – Matthew's living room
...
Facing Raga's actions, Eli instinctively wanted to fight back, but at the critical moment, he restrained himself. His intuition told him that this man in front of him seemed to have no ill intentions.
He furrowed his brows and pondered the meaning behind Raga's question.
Then he shook his head and said, "No."
Raga was somewhat surprised.
It was well-known that Matthew was popular among girls, and he thought that Eli, like himself, belonged to the "victimized girls" group.
"Sorry."
Realizing that he had acted out of line, Raga let go of Eli's hand and sighed, saying, "I envy you."
"You have no idea how much the Necromancer is adored by underage girls. If you have a daughter, you must keep a close eye on her, or else you might regret it!"
Eli's lips twitched slightly.
In the end, he truthfully said, "The one who just went in is my girlfriend."
Raga widened his eyes.
The two men on the rooftop fell into a dead silence.
...
In Matthew's living room.
The atmosphere was initially somewhat strange.
When two young women with different figures and appearances appeared in a closed space, it was inevitable that there would be meaningful eye contact.
Soon after.
Sif sweetly smiled and said, "Matthew, do you have guests? You can chat with them first. Peggy and I will go to the kitchen."
As she spoke, she casually linked her arm with Peggy's.
The two of them affectionately went to the kitchen.
Not long after.
Laughter like silver bells could still be heard coming from the direction of the kitchen.
Samantha withdrew her gaze, feeling somewhat curious. She asked, "Are human girls nowadays so bold?"
Matthew shook his head and smiled, saying, "Sif is just an exception."
He then personally poured a glass of milk for Samantha.
"I came to find you today because of what you said that day."
Samantha got straight to the point, saying, "At first, I didn't think what you said was right, but your words reminded me of... a friend from the past."
She took a sip of milk, pressed her lips together to remove the foam, and a strong reminiscing expression appeared on her beautiful face.
"Actually, a long time ago, someone said similar things to me. But at that time, I was too young and lacked understanding of this world."
"I later thought about it carefully. Although you are a Necromancer, you don't seem like a bad person."
"That day in the Insect Nest, I saw you transform into a raven. That's not an ability of a mage; it's the wilderness form that only Druids have."
"And even in the worst case scenario, the Moonshadow Walker's spot would never be given to someone unrelated to Druids."
"It was these thoughts that prompted me to come find you. I want to know if you really have the ability to master both nature and the undead."
Matthew smiled slightly at her words and said, "Sorry, that's my secret."
Samantha's face immediately turned red.
She seemed a bit uneasy and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry into your secrets. I just... I just wanted to confirm something."
Matthew crossed his hands and supported his chin, saying, "How about we talk about your friend first? If I'm not mistaken, he is the biggest reason why you came to find me, right?"
He thought Samantha came to find him because she was convinced by his brilliant debate, but he didn't expect there to be another reason. This made Matthew feel a bit frustrated and curious. What kind of friend would make Samantha, a conservative Druid, dare to break free from her own constraints and come to him for confirmation?
Samantha fell silent for a while.
After a long time, she slowly said, "Alright, let's start with my hometown. My hometown is a village by the seaside. My parents and the other adults in the village make a living by fishing."
"That village... I don't actually have many memories of it. I don't know why, but at that time, I was either nine or ten years old, and my memories of my hometown are so vague."
"I only remember that one day, all the people in the village ran out to see what was happening. My mother pulled me along, and we went to the shore. It was on a rocky beach, and we saw a huge, magnificent, majestic, and exquisite ship—no matter what language I use, I can't express the shock I felt when I saw that ship for the first time."
"It was like the armor of a god, inspiring awe in people who saw it."
On the keel of that ship, there was a black flag with golden edges and golden characters. The patterns on it were also very beautiful.
The people in the village had never seen such a flag before.
Many years later, I found it in the library of the Emerald Jade Court.
It was the flag of the "Su Kingdom."
Speaking up to this point, Samantha paused, and she looked at Matthew with a peculiar gaze.
"Do you know the Su Kingdom?"
Matthew quickly understood the emotions in Samantha's eyes.
That emotion was called anticipation.
"Sorry, I don't know," Matthew said, feeling that the term "Su Kingdom" didn't fit the common language habits of this continent.
"Alright."Samantha's eyes flashed with a fleeting disappointment:
"Most people in Aindor know very little about the Su Kingdom. After I became a Druid, I went crazy searching for traces of the Su Kingdom for a while, but it was really difficult.
All I know is that the Su Kingdom is on the other side of the Endless Ocean, starting from the Gem Coast. There are three routes to find that legendary kingdom: heading north, crossing the Ancient Icefield and the Desolate Road, and passing through the barren and dangerous Far East, which gives you a chance to reach the northern part of the Su Kingdom;
Heading south, you have to go southeast after reaching the Sawtooth City, crossing the Doomsday Volcano, Voodoo Swamp, and the Barbarian Peninsula. It is said that this way gives you a chance to reach the southern part of the Su Kingdom.
The last option is to take a ship across the Endless Ocean.
In short, that kingdom is very distant, mysterious, rich, and powerful.
Do you know?
The leader of the Su Kingdom possesses a legendary profession called "Emperor". They combine their own mana with the earth's veins and can unleash unmatched power with a wave of their hand. The Su people say that they are the incarnation of a true dragon.
The Emperor's wife usually obtains the legendary profession called "Empress". It is said that she can communicate with the phoenixes above the nine heavens and also possesses great power.
The Emperor, Empress, and their subjects guard the land of the Su Kingdom.
But at the borders of the Su Kingdom, in the endless abyssal rifts, there are always demons lurking. To fight against these demons, the emperors of past generations have built a magnificent magical wonder called the Great Wall.
It is said that even the shortest section of the Great Wall exceeds 300 meters!
The Emperor often personally fights the demons in the Great Wall and the abyss. Every mage in his command is a formidable character, and they also possess a special advanced profession called "Great Wall Mage".
It is said that the Great Wall Mages can cast spells using the power of the Great Wall. When ten level 17 Great Wall Mages join forces, they can unleash a devastating spell comparable to a legendary large-scale destructive spell.
Of course, the Empress also has her own group of mages, but their special advancement is called "Jade Phoenix Mage". It is said that their power comes from the phoenix with which they have made a contract with the Empress..."
...
As Samantha narrated all this, there was a clear light in her eyes.
Matthew listened quietly, but his heart was not calm either.
According to her description, why does this Su Kingdom sound so much like a modified version of ancient China?
When Samantha finished speaking, Matthew said with a fascinated expression:
"That is truly a surprising kingdom. So, all of that was told to you by your friend?"
Samantha nodded:
"I believe you have also guessed it. My friend comes from the floating ship. He told me that their ship encountered a sea monster while sailing in the deep sea, so they had to change their direction to avoid the pursuit of the sea monster. In the end, they were forced to land because the ship was too damaged."
Speaking of this, she suddenly smiled self-deprecatingly:
"To call him a friend might be my wishful thinking. Maybe in his eyes, I was just a little girl who was greedy for snacks and loved listening to stories.
He is the captain's son, three years older than me. Their ship had countless snacks, each one of them opened my eyes at that time.
He took me secretly onto the ship and into his father's room, where there was a star mirror - a mirror that could see very far away, and the view was very clear. He also told me how they fought against those giant monsters over 300 meters in size in the deep sea...
For me at that time, these things were like a dream."
Matthew's interest was piqued:
"Do you like him?"
Samantha waved her hand:
"That was just an unrealistic fantasy of a precocious girl."
"We played together for a little over two months. Then one day, they quietly left, just like when they arrived."
"I only remember the night before he left. He came down from the ship and brought me a lot of snacks. He told me that their voyage was to find a legendary mage's treasure left in the Endless Ocean of the Su Kingdom. Once they found that treasure, they would have a completely new path - one that could control the power of life and death at the same time.
He said that if he found that treasure, he would come back to find me and share it with me.
In the following winter, the village was destroyed by bandits, and I joined the Moonlight Society and became a Druid.
Of course, he never came back.
Sometimes I can't even be sure if that magnificent black floating ship was just a dream I had when I was young."
Speaking of this, Samantha's eyes were filled with intense reminiscence.
The living room fell silent for a long time.
"So, you found me just to know if the treasure your friend mentioned really exists?" Matthew asked.
Samantha nodded, shaking her head with some pain:
"I would rather it doesn't exist, otherwise, I'm afraid I would have a hard time facing my beliefs."
Matthew spoke solemnly upon hearing this:"Your faith should be in nature, not in gods who only possess partial natural power."
Saying that, he stood up and reached out his hand to Samantha.
"Give me your hand."
Samantha hesitated for a moment.
But in the end, she placed her hand in Matthew's palm.
...
On the rooftop.
Raga felt a violent roar in his ears.
A gust of wind swept by.
The wild man rushed into Matthew's garden at an astonishing speed.
"Let her go!"
Eli roared angrily, wanting to break through the window.
But the next second.
A tremendous force spread from Matthew's body.
Gentle breeze came from all directions.
The house seemed to disappear.
In its place.
Was a warm and friendly oak forest!
Under an oak tree.
Matthew and Samantha stood with their palms pressed together.
And Eli.
His attacking movement was interrupted by the power of the domain.
He looked around in astonishment.
Suddenly.
An incredible howl came from his mouth!
Five seconds later.
The oak forest twisted and disappeared.
...
"You have activated the Oak Domain. With your help, Samantha, the Druid, can perceive the power of the Oak Domain from now on;
Eli, the Druid, unintentionally entered your Oak Domain. With his extraordinary talent, he will also have the opportunity to comprehend the power of the domain."
...
"Ah?"
Matthew turned his head in surprise towards the window.
Outside the window.
Eli's face was twisted, his eyes filled with gratitude and pain, a complex expression.
"Eli!"
Samantha stomped her foot in anger.
Eli pushed open the window and gritted his teeth, saying:
"Let go of my hand first."
Samantha ignored him and looked at Matthew.
"I didn't expect you to really possess the power of life, but you shared the Oak Domain with me. It must be more than just a demonstration. What do you want me to do for you?"
Eli's eyelids twitched.
But under Samantha's murderous gaze.
He ultimately couldn't say a word.
"Su Kingdom."
Matthew withdrew his hand. "I want to know everything about the Su Kingdom, and if possible, I also want the information from the hidden treasure."
Samantha nodded.
"You will get what you want, next time we meet."
Eli couldn't help but ask:
"There will be a next time!?"
Whoosh!
Samantha transformed into a leopard and pounced on him, knocking him to the ground.
In an instant.
She turned into a brown bear and quickly dragged Eli out of town.
"Sorry, Samantha, I didn't intentionally break the agreement. I just couldn't control myself. I was always worried that the Necromancer would deceive you."
Facing Samantha's anger, Eli seemed somewhat submissive.
"That's enough, Eli. I don't want to talk too much about this topic with you. Maybe there was a time when we got along well, but your possessiveness suffocates me. I am an independent individual, I have my own mind and judgment, I know very well what I am doing."
Samantha crossed her arms.
"Give up on this, we're done."
Eli couldn't believe what he was hearing:
"You're pushing me away for him?"
There was a hint of pity in Samantha's eyes.
"In your eyes, can't I have my own will? Am I doing everything for others? You have disappointed me too much. Goodbye, Ancient Tiger."
With that, she transformed back into a leopard.
After taking a few steps forward.
She turned back and warned:
"If I find out that you dare to cause trouble for Mr. Matthew, you know what will happen."
The leopard leaped a few times and disappeared into the night.
Eli extended a hand in despair, as if doing so could bring back that agile figure.
There was a burning flame in his chest.
He stood still for about ten minutes.
Suddenly, he let out a roar and transformed into a tireless tiger, running away, trying to temporarily forget the pain.
But as he ran.
He unexpectedly arrived at the oak forest to the north of town.
Having just sensed the Oak Domain, he was certainly not unfamiliar with this place.
This was the source of power for the Necromancer's domain!
Instinctively, he raised his paw to strike down an oak tree.
But at the critical moment.
He retracted his paw:
"I can't vent my anger on a tree."
He muttered to himself.
"Perhaps Samantha was just momentarily angry. I shouldn't have doubted her. That Necromancer actually possesses the power of the Oak Domain. She must have discovered something and went to visit him. I almost ruined her plans, so it's normal for her to be angry."
"If I go and beg her a few more times, she should soften up."
Unconsciously.
He walked to the northern part of the oak forest.
Eli suddenly stopped in his tracks.
A dangerous aura emanated from the front.
"You're still so sharp, little tiger."A charming female voice came from behind a stone.
Eli growled.
A slender black panther walked out gracefully.
"Kuna?!"
Eli said warily.
The panther approached leisurely.
She even walked up to Eli and tried to scratch the tiger's chin with her claws.
But Eli dodged the action.
"What's wrong, little tiger? Upset because your girlfriend dumped you?"
The panther chuckled.
"Then let sister take good care of you. After all, it's not the first time between us, right?"
"Shut up, Kuna!"
Eli's eyes flashed with disgust.
"I was young and ignorant back then, that's why I was seduced by you. And I didn't know you had become a member of the Withered Cult. We are enemies now!"
"While I haven't decided to kill you yet, get lost!"
The tiger growled lowly.
Intense killing intent solidified like substance.
The panther wanted to tease him a few more times, but seeing the situation, she leaped away:
"You're just a little tiger who doesn't understand fun!"
Eli coldly stared at the direction where the panther disappeared.
His mind did not become unclear because of the heartbreak.
"Kuna appearing here means there must be other members of the Withered Cult nearby. What are they doing in this small town? The only forest nearby is this oak forest!"
Eli strolled through the forest, pondering little by little.
"Do the withereds want to attack the oak forest? No, there must be a worse situation."
"No, I can't just sit back and do nothing. The oak tree is innocent—the domain of the necromancer just now also benefited me greatly. Even if it's to repay this favor, I must stop the withereds' conspiracy!"
With this thought, Eli made a major decision.
He would stay in the oak forest to guard this place.
He wouldn't leave!
...
Matthew's living room.
"Hey? Did that well-proportioned lady just go out through the window?"
Facing Sif's confusion, Matthew explained with a smile, "She is a druid."
"I see..."
Sif put her hands behind her back, her expression unusually shy.
"Matthew, I came here today mainly to thank you for saving my life."
Matthew was taken aback.
"Haven't you already thanked me?"
He was already thinking about how to refuse Sif's next visit.
However, the next second, Sif quickly took out a delicate and small satchel from behind her and handed it to Matthew.
"Last time was just verbal thanks, but this time I brought a gift."
Sif's eyes sparkled.
"You won't refuse me, will you?"
Matthew asked hoarsely, "How much does this thing cost?"
"1400 gold coins," Sif said frankly, "It used up all my pocket money before I turned 15, but it's okay. I'm about to turn 16, and my father will give me a large sum of pocket money again."
"I can't accept it, it's too precious."
Matthew said with a conflicted expression.
"My life is worth much more than 1400 gold coins!" Sif said with a smile, "And I've already bought it. You know the situation in Rolling Stone Town. There are hardly any mages there, and others can't use it. Just accept it!"
Matthew looked troubled.
A shadow rushed into the kitchen and snatched the satchel.
"I'll accept it for him!"
Peggy said loudly.
Matthew glared at her fiercely.
"Did you tell her that I wanted a better satchel?"
Peggy shrugged.
"I said you just wanted an upgraded version, the one that costs 500 gold coins. Who knew she bought the super version."
Sif spread her hands.
"Anyway, the gift has already been given. I can't stuff it back to myself!"
Saying that, she lazily sat on the sofa.
Matthew sighed and said, "Okay, okay, thank you for your kindness. I do need this. Thank you, Sif."
Sif blinked her eyes.
"Everyone wants you to go back to class—I'm very interested in the history you told me, but I can't read books!"
Matthew shook his head helplessly.
"I really haven't had time to go to class recently, but if you have any requests, I can personally tell you some."
"Okay."
Sif sat up straight from the sofa.
"Let's start with the 'Hundred Cities Division.' You didn't finish telling me last time how the Seven Saints Alliance governs the hundred major cities."
Matthew nodded.
He went back to his room and took out a thick history book.
Then he sat in front of Sif and began to explain to her.
...
Outside the living room window.Raga, who was trying to hide in the haystack, listened to the conversation in the living room with a shocked expression:
"They're really just giving a lecture!?"
Just then.
A carefree skeleton walked out of the kitchen door.
Raga curled up his body.
The skeleton circled around the windowsill and then walked back.
"Thank goodness it didn't notice me."
Raga was feeling relieved.
Suddenly, he heard such a conversation coming from the room:
"Matthew, Matthew! I've found a legitimate, stable, and high-profit way to make money!"
"Go on."
"You should try to use your charm to attract more adult and underage girls to come home for classes, then we can sell the seats under the windowsill at a high price!"
"Huh?"
"How would you know if you don't try, go ask."
Raga silently looked up.
Then he met Matthew's incredibly complex gaze.
"Uh, Mr. Raga, would you like to buy a ticket?"
He asked politely.
......