What's wrong with me, a mage, loving to farm?

Chapter 175. The Robe of the Rainbow Poem, the Elven Mansion

"It looks pretty good."

Kroya was very curious about the Moonlight Dew Grass and took a few more glances at it, but when she saw it, an uncontrollable desire suddenly rose in her heart.

He understood the source of this desire perfectly—it was the original owner's desire for it. It was this desire that drove the original owner to sign the contract, ultimately leading to his own death.

That was greedy desire.

To be honest, everyone has greedy desires, but he instinctively felt that this desire came suddenly and somewhat inexplicably.

In fact, upon closer examination, there are many suspicious aspects to the process by which the original owner and Stein signed the contract.

For example, the simplest one.

A level-five magical plant—to use such a treasure as a wager, is it really just because Stein is jealous of the original owner that he would use a level-five magical plant to lure the original owner into signing a contract?

Even if that mage Zell liked him a lot, it shouldn't be like this.

How many level 1 mages' lives could a single level 5 magical plant buy?

Didn't the original owner think much about it? Was it really stupid for someone to use a level-five magical plant as a bet?

Something was off between them.

"That's strange."

Kroya recalled the vague feeling she had when she controlled magic together with the Orpheus Swan Flute Tree while casting the Symphony.

Something within Zell resonated with his magic; otherwise, killing a level four mage would have required considerable effort.

"Could it be a very clichéd story... that the original owner possessed some kind of treasure, and killing them directly would attract too much attention, so they were simply banished?"

He felt that his guess was quite likely.

"Looks like I'll have to interrogate Stein properly later. I should have used the symphony to control Zell's soul."

The first time, he felt a little frustrated, realizing that what he did was still not perfect.

Stein might know something, but certainly not as much as Zell, so he shouldn't have been in such a hurry to kill Zell.

At the time, he was worried that if this veteran level four mage didn't die, he would definitely have to spend several times more effort to imprison him.

Who knows if these mid-to-high-level mages have any special magic?

He thought for a while and suppressed his thoughts.

Pointing at the Moonlight Dew Grass, she asked curiously, "Do you know what this thing is used for? All I knew at the time was that it could help with meditation and sensing magic."

"Hehe, I asked my mentor before I came." Estner was as helpful as ever: "This magical plant is said to have been cultivated by the Orpheus family of the Elf Kingdom. The well formed by its intertwined roots can produce Moonlight Dew under the moonlight."

"My mentor said that this Moonlight Dew has one-fifth of the effects of the original Moonwell, which can speed up meditation and has a certain chance to imbue magic with the properties of moonlight."

"The Moon Well is a unique wonder of the Elven race, said to be a gift of knowledge from the Moon Goddess."

"Another item from the Orpheus family, huh? Looks like I'll have to pay a visit to that oak tree." Kroya mused.

Then, feigning sudden realization, he nodded and praised, "As expected of you, you know so much!"

"Just having a good mentor." Estner chuckled awkwardly. "Now that the bet is over, do you plan to return to the Mage Guild?"

This was just a casual question he asked to change the subject.

Because anyone with a decent IQ would not want to leave the territory they have built so well and return to the Mage Association.

"I'm not going back."

Kroya shook her head and refused: "I don't plan to go back, but I will still get back the subsidies and aid that I'm owed."

Now that the villains are no longer causing trouble, he, a level four mage, has enough ability to protect himself in his own territory.

Of course, we should take back everything that belongs to us.

"...This might be a bit difficult." Estner looked somewhat troubled.

"Why?" Kroa asked, puzzled.

Even if the Mage Association is short-sighted, it wouldn't cut off aid to mages going out to fight, would it? Aren't they afraid that the mages will switch sides and join the kingdom's forces?

Every mage who can establish a business outside possesses genuine skills; these territories are essentially extensions of the mage association's influence.

How stupid would you have to be to give up on these people?

Estner shrugged: "Just as I was leaving, I heard that the Pit Lords in the Yavana Holy Mine and the Gray Sand Lords in the Gray Desert did some things."

"One defected to the cult, while the other summoned a projection of Leviathan within his own territory."

It is said that the entire Gray Desert was shrouded in the power of Leviathan, transforming it into a vast ocean.

Kroa: "???"

No, I've been staying home for over a hundred years, not just for a month.

Has something this big happened outside?

The Mage Lords Alliance didn't mention any of this information either.

Seeing the shocked expression on Kroya's face, Estner instructed, "Don't tell anyone. I heard this from my mentor. The association has blocked the news."

A level seven mage has already rushed over; the two of them are likely in grave danger.

"This is a huge stain on the mage association of the Kingdom of Norland."

"Since it involves demons, if the association doesn't react immediately, the church will probably take this opportunity to infiltrate its influence."

"It is because of them that the Mage Association is now rethinking the treatment and arrangements for the mage lords."

"..."

Kroya sighed deeply.

He didn't try to hide it, saying, "I did a deal with both of them not long ago. Why would they do something like that?"

Although he himself was also raising demons, raising demons and trading with demons were worlds apart.

Not to mention that it also involves Leviathan, the Lord of the Abyss.

Any organization with a modicum of justice would find this intolerable; doing such a thing affects far more than just themselves.

"So you need to be even more careful."

Estner warned, "Never get involved with them again. The Church has no regard for those who make deals with the devil..."

He didn't say anything more, but the meaning was clear.

Kroya nodded in agreement, changing the subject: "Don't worry, let's eat. We can talk after we eat!"

So for the next while, the two of them enjoyed a delicious meal and chatted on the castle terrace. Chloe shared her sunflowers, and Estner asked all sorts of questions...

Communicating with someone who was well-versed in the theory of magical plant cultivation gave Kroya a lot of inspiration and also made him aware of the cultivation methods of magical plants used by the outside world.

Time passed quickly.

It wasn't until nightfall that Estner reluctantly returned to the accommodations arranged for him by Kroya, who then went to her laboratory after saying goodbye to him.

In one of the laboratory rooms, Bamboo guarded Stein, while a coffin lay beside him, containing the body of the fourth-level mage, Zell.

When Stein saw Kroya arrive, he shrank back as if he had seen a demon.

He was completely different from the arrogant person I remembered.

Kroya didn't bother to mock him or anything; this man was already her prisoner, and she could mold him however she pleased.

He's not a cat; he doesn't play with his prey.

At most, Stein would have to slowly endure the pain and spend the rest of his time in agony.

Kroya walked up to Zell's body and looked down at the robe he was wearing, which was engraved with golden rings against a starry sky background.

A familiar flutter rose in my heart.

"As expected." He sighed softly.

This robe contains the power of the "Poem of the Rainbow".

He extended his finger and gently touched the robe, and three-colored magic poured into it like a tide, instantly filling the three golden rings with different colors.

Vibrant crimson, warm and soft orange, and eternal gold.

The robe detached directly from Zell's corpse, receiving a baptism in the radiance. The stains of fire and blood gradually disappeared, and it seemed to come alive, emitting a sense of joy and comfort.

"It has life."

Staring directly at the robe, the Astral Body Imprint Technique saw through its structure—seven extremely complex rings extending out into countless threads and magical runes, all composed of the magic of the "Poem of the Rainbow."

When combined, they resemble a beautiful rainbow.

It has a name, called...

Phobos, bathed in light.

If robes can have names, can they be considered magical beasts or magical plants?

Kroya expressed his confusion.

Moreover, the name reminded him of the daffodil: Narcissus the Seeker of Beauty, and the two were indeed somewhat similar.

After all the stains were washed away, the robe emitted a flattering aura and flew towards Kroya.

It was as if an invisible hand was draping it over Chloe.

Stein, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed like a startled goldfish as he watched incredulously as Kroya donned the robe.

After Kroya put on the robe, the seven rings that originally appeared on it became three, forming a substantial halo that slowly flew around Kroya.

The robe, resembling a starry sky, transformed into starlight, swirling and shimmering near Kroya's body.

At first glance, it looks as if Kroa is draped in a galaxy.

His aura suddenly became mysterious and vast, like the boundless galaxy itself, making one feel incredibly small with just one glance.

This feeling is very special, extremely special.

Kroya felt that his perception of the magic around him had increased by at least three or four levels, and controlling the magic was now a piece of cake.

The three rings around it are a manifestation of the three chapters of "The Rainbow Poem" that I have already learned.

It allows the magic of the three chapters to be unleashed more smoothly.

the most important is……

The robe's consciousness conveyed a message to him—

The blue chapters of "The Rainbow Poems" can only be learned in the Astral Plane, while the purple chapters involve the Aetheric Plane.

Although this is just a piece of information, for him, knowing the path ahead is definitely better than anything else.

He wanted to continue communicating with the robe, but the latter fell silent and slept peacefully within Kroya's magic, with even materialized snores rising from it.

"..."

Helpless, he decided he had to learn the art of communicating with all things, otherwise he would always be guessing and it was really painful.

Having resolved the issue of the robes, he turned directly to Stein beside him and said, "Tell me everything you know, and I swear by my magical name that I will not kill you, and I will arrange an absolutely comfortable place for you to stay."

Swearing an oath to a magic name is essentially the same as a fanatical believer swearing an oath to a god; it is the most binding contract.

It wasn't that Kroya had no other way to get Stein to tell the truth, but rather that he wanted to know the truth as soon as possible, and his curiosity was simply irrepressible.

Besides... not killing him doesn't mean we'll let him go.

Upon hearing Kroya's words, a glimmer of hope appeared in Stein's eyes, and he quickly said, "This was all done by that old bastard Zell!"

"That old bastard got one of your treasures and wanted to kill you to silence you, which is why he made me make a bet with you... He even used demonic power!"

In order to survive, he immediately told everything and pinned it all on the already dead Zell.

Zell's body was still lying there.

I wonder what Zell would think if he heard his most beloved illegitimate son calling him an old man and describing him as an utterly wicked villain.

Kroya gave a sarcastic smile: "You really are a whistle-wielder."

Stein was puzzled as to why Kroya used that "howling" sound of a storm, but he didn't dare ask and could only smile awkwardly.

There was a well-hidden hatred deep in his eyes—which, of course, could not be hidden from Chloe.

But it doesn't matter anyway.

Could the hatred of such a nobody possibly have any effect on him?

Through his magical senses, Chloe could confirm that the guy wasn't lying. However, the fact that he only knew so little information still left Chloe feeling quite dissatisfied.

At the same time, he felt increasingly regretful, wishing he hadn't killed Zell so decisively.

The information we have so far seems to be just the old tale of someone trying to seize ancestral treasures and then commit murder. We don't know if there are any hidden secrets in this story.

He sighed inwardly.

Fortunately, this matter has been completely resolved, which puts my mind at ease. Now I can continue to farm and develop my farm in peace.

Incidentally, he also planted some of his own spies in the capital.

So he smiled kindly at Stein and said, "Since you've told me everything, I won't kill you. In fact, I'll arrange a nice place for you to stay."

Stein was somewhat incredulous when he heard what Kroya said.

But for the sake of his own life, he blurted out nice things without thinking, nothing more than the same old platitudes about how Kroa was kinder and more benevolent than an angel and how powerful she was.

Kroya listened with interest as he praised himself, but there wasn't a trace of a smile in her eyes.

Although Zell instructed the whole thing, Stein was even more despicable as the one who actually carried it out.

Fortunately, I had already arranged the ending for him.

He led Stein to the place where the Emerald Bone Tree was placed, and the latter's expression changed drastically when he saw the Bone Tree.

I wanted to say something, but it was too late.

Because Kroya had already thrown him directly onto the Bone Tree, watching as the Bone Tree pierced Stein's body with its bones, watching as it drained Stein's flesh and blood.

Stein convulsed and struggled in pain.

The feeling of devouring flesh and soul and then reconstructing them is quite "exhilarating".

The whole process lasted about five minutes.

Kroya watched as Stein's body completely turned to ashes and vanished, while his soul was absorbed by the Emerald Bone Tree and entered its fruit.

At this point, the anger that had been lingering in his heart finally disappeared completely, and he felt his mindset become very peaceful.

"It's finally over."

He let out a soft sigh, unsure whether it was a sigh of relief or a genuine sigh.

He deeply realized that only by strengthening his own power and influence could he prevent such a thing from happening again in the future.

Since he doesn't intend to take the overt route of vying for supremacy, he will cultivate his own power in secret, forming a network based on his unique magical plants and magical beasts.

As long as he retains his unique value, he will have many, many friends, and they will all be understanding friends.

While pondering, he picked the fruit and placed it in a beautiful little villa surrounded by flowers and plants that had been prepared in advance.

He had specially bought these flowers and plants, which had a very obvious hallucinogenic effect. He believed that Stein would like this place and be very willing to cooperate with his experiments.

……

After settling Stein, he went back and carefully searched Zell's body, and found quite a few treasures.

Among them were a spatial artifact, a wand crafted from star iron and high-grade energy-gathering crystal, and five or six extremely powerful magic scrolls...

Finally, there was even a small house.

Its appearance is very delicate and elegant in an elfin style, with textures of vines and branches, making it look like a treehouse artwork.

At first glance, it looks the same as the "living place" that Kroya prepared for Stein; they are both models. But in reality, this is the real "mansion technique."

With just a little magic, this thing will expand and transform into a mansion.

Moreover, this thing is the Elf's Mansion Technique.

Elves are a race that really knows how to enjoy material pleasures, so you can imagine how valuable these things are.

He couldn't help but marvel at how wealthy a fourth-level mage truly was.

But after a careful inspection, he unexpectedly found a line of small Elvish text on the back—"Made by the Orpheus family."

The reason he could recognize Elvish was because the elegantly engraved characters were exactly the same as the ones he had seen over at the oak tree.

Kroya held the treehouse and stroked it.

He muttered to himself, "It's the Orpheus family again."

It seems he really needs to visit Oak Tree. He has already found so many things from the Orpheus family, and he wonders if the latter will give him some more benefits.

Thank you to Silent Master, Chalk1, Uesugi Eri Ei, Book Friend 20220304170022601, and Konggu Youhuan for your monthly tickets and recommendations.

Thank you everyone.

(End of this chapter)