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

Chapter 292. Today is the Bard's Day.

"This is absolutely legendary magic."

The power of the constellations fascinated Chloe.

The feeling of being able to strike regardless of space and distance, as long as one's own spiritual power serves as a beacon, made him feel as if he had become a god—although the gods in this world all have some serious ailments, the experience of divine power was truly amazing.

Moreover, this thing also satisfied his long-standing desire to strike from a great distance without even showing his face, much like some games he used to play where he could unleash "divine punishment" simply by tapping the panel.

The only problem is that after using the constellation this time, it will probably take several days to recharge, since this is only a "juvenile constellation".

He savored the feeling for a moment, then suddenly frowned and muttered to himself, "But why did the process of crossing space seem so smooth?"

When the magic was cast just now, there was almost no delay or barrier; the light from the constellation descended upon the main plane in an instant.

Was it more than 0.01 seconds?

You know, even casting a fireball in the prime plane requires considering the magical environment and air resistance, but the astral plane doesn't care about so much.

He clearly remembered reading a book about the astral plane, which said that casting spells within the astral plane was extremely difficult.

After much thought, he concluded that it could only be due to the uniqueness of "The Poem of the Rainbow".

The sun is, after all, a star, so it seems perfectly reasonable that it spreads rapidly within the celestial realm.

"It seems I still need to get used to it. If I can enter the Astral Plane in the future, this ability to cast spells at will should be of great help to me."

"I've already learned the second one, so why am I still not making any progress on the first one?"

Kroya recalled the still blurry blue first chapter and felt slightly depressed.

That's what "The Poem of the Rainbow" is like. In a sense, it all comes down to a flash of inspiration and a lucky coincidence. You just can't learn it if you can't.

However, he quickly realized that since he couldn't learn it so quickly, he would just take it slowly.

After turning his gaze away from the starry sky, he began to think about what to do next.

Now that Demos has submitted to him, he can act more boldly and be more domineering in his occupation of the lands beyond the North.

The legacy given by Miya, the two books on death magic, and the prophecy... all require further research.

However, the most pressing issue is infrastructure development outside the North.

King Norland and the Mage Guild will support his actions, so he will need to provide adequate logistical support.

This was the price he paid in exchange.

He planned to take this opportunity to control the entire food supply of the Norland Kingdom and, incidentally, begin to expand his influence outwards.

Making friends indiscriminately is not enough, but if you are powerful and have enough benefits to offer in exchange, then you will definitely be surrounded by many beautiful people.

War Legion is one part of it.

The reason he allowed his legions to quickly sweep everything away with brute force this time was not only because he felt that taking things slowly would be a waste of time, but also because it was frightening.

He wanted to demonstrate the fighting power of his legion—to show them the most superficial aspects of their combat capabilities.

This way, a large number of people who don't understand the current situation will be prevented from bothering him. As for those smart people who think they can beat him, they will come sooner or later.

Then he will reveal his hidden trump card.

After all, who would believe that in just a few years he could build up a powerful fighting force comparable to the Knights of the Seven Gods Church?

However, even though the infrastructure and farmland in the North are now being put into full production, it is extremely difficult to produce more crops.

However, ordinary crops are different from magical plants. Even with the help of magic, they cannot be ripened instantly. If ordinary people consume crops that have been ripened too quickly over a long period of time, they will experience some problems.

It can lead to a series of terrifying mutations, such as stunted growth and physical deformities; that is the effect of magic on the human body.

In this respect, ordinary crops are even more delicate than magical plants. They need sunlight, air, and water, unlike magical plants, which can thrive no matter how densely they are planted, as long as the magical environment is well-maintained.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on: "It seems I have to go there myself... The Elf Orchestra can't be used outside the Northern Border, so I'll have to figure out a way."

He was actually a little reluctant to leave his warm and comfortable little home, but the situation outside required him to take action.

If the Elven Orchestra were to appear in the outside world and be discovered by the Church of the Earth Mother, it would be very troublesome—tuning in the North would go unnoticed, but it would certainly be discovered outside.

He cannot allow the Church of the Earth Mother to confront him directly at this moment.

"So we have to think of other ways. We can't always rely on miracles. The world is so big, there's always a way to solve it."

He thought about it for a while, but he didn't feel troubled at all. On the contrary, he was vaguely looking forward to solving the problem in the way of a mage.

After making some preparations, he walked out of the mage tower, silently looking up at the vast and boundless sky and the dawn breaking in the east.

The golden-red sunlight was slowly rising, its rays piercing the cold and darkness of the North.

His eyesight was excellent; he saw women waking up from their sleep, hurriedly preparing breakfast; children being urged to go to school; men getting ready for work; magical plants stretching their bodies; magical beasts shaking their fur…

He watched this scene quietly, and suddenly felt a strange sense of excitement. He thought about the vast land and world in front of him... and realized that he had never truly experienced it.

They haven't even had a proper chance to bask in the sun anymore.

So much so that even going out like this evokes an instinctive excitement within me.

He thought quietly for a while, then suddenly clapped his hands.

"By the way, bards, singing and traveling."

"All I've managed so far is chanting; I haven't traveled at all."

Although he cannot recklessly abandon his power to travel all over the continent, he can certainly do so in the places he has already occupied.

He glanced at the North again and muttered to himself, "In order to see more scenery, I need to occupy more territory."

Thinking this way, he became even more excited about this trip.

He even went back into the mage tower on the spot to change his clothes—a very standard bard's outfit.

Pointed boots, a flowing cloak, clothes that were neither new nor old, a hat on her head, and a harp in her hand.

By this time, the Gopher wood harp had become extremely old and worn, looking just like an ordinary harp that could be bought for a few copper coins at a roadside stall.

"Not bad, he does look more like a normal person than a mage. Today is my day as a guest bard."

He looked at his outfit and left the mage tower with great satisfaction, intending to find a pet to follow him—a duck would be quite nice.

Behind him, the tower spirit watched his figure leave with great curiosity. It sensed that its master seemed very excited, even more so than when he had obtained Demos.

Why is that?

……

Kroa quickly arrived at the seabed.

That is, the habitat of the fishtail duck.

After being bred and imprinted by Kroya, the fish-tailed sea ducks at this point could be considered an army. They were practically invincible in the sea, if not rampant.

When he arrived and stepped into the territory of the fishtail ducks, several ducks even quacked, as if to warn him.

The next moment, the ducklings that were leisurely playing around on the ancient pasture fungus disappeared underground, and a large group of ducks, even stronger than geese and covered in armor made of fish scales and bones, walked out in formation.

"quack!"

"quack!"

Accompanied by a majestic "caw caw" sound.

Like an army, they surrounded Kroya, this "uninvited guest," with each duck wearing a pearl necklace around its neck and the Water Magic Sword floating beside it.

They stood there warily, watching Kroya cautiously, unable to figure out who this strange bard in odd clothes was.

"..."

The Merlion Duck Legion?

Kroya scratched his head, suddenly wondering if he hadn't paid attention to the Warcraft Legion for too long. How come all these fish-tailed sea ducks have become sword cultivators?

He blinked and gently plucked a string on the harp with his finger.

The immense magical power emanating from the mage instantly formed numerous icicles radiating cold air, so many of them that they visually surrounded the flock of ducks.

"Quack quack!" The flock of ducks immediately erupted into chaos.

They instinctively sensed something was wrong and launched an attack.

The ducks at the very front, with their exceptionally thick feathers, formed shields made of feathers on their bodies to block the attack, while the rest of the ducks sprayed ice spikes and controlled the Water Sword to launch attacks.

In an instant, attacks came from all directions.

"Oh, so you know this too."

As Kroya watched his icicles being blocked, a slight smile appeared on his lips, and he plucked the string of his harp once more.

This time, however, a large number of crimson fireballs appeared.

They floated densely behind him.

The intense heat instantly banished the ice spikes and the icy magic, making it seem as if the sun had descended upon the seabed.

"quack!"

The ducks panicked the moment they saw the fireballs. They buried their heads in the ancient pasture fungus with their rear ends sticking up, trembling and completely losing their will to fight.

"Um?"

"Don't you all know how to put up a fight?"

This scene felt somewhat familiar to Chloe.

It seems... when I first tamed the ducks, they also showed their submission in this way, right?

But these ducks are clearly not from the previous batch.

It is clearly a new generation.

Could it be the ducks' experience?

Just as he was feeling puzzled, a shadow suddenly appeared from afar, flapping its wings and flying over at such a speed that it made him dizzy.

An extremely large and robust duck landed in front of him.

The duck's feathers display a luxurious color that blends deep blue and gold, and its head is adorned with feathers and a fleshy crest that resembles a crown.

Its eyes are extremely sharp and bright, and although it is just a duck, it inexplicably has a kind of domineering aura.

"So it was you!"

Kroya immediately recognized it as the Fishtail Duck King, which he had beaten up back then. It had actually advanced to the fourth level of magical beast in terms of magical power.

"Quack quack!" The Fishtail Sea Duck King let out a gentle call, respectfully lowering its head to Kroya, allowing its most fatal weakness to be exposed to the mage.

Seeing their leader act this way, the other ducks nearby also quickly and respectfully lowered their heads, creating a spectacular sight of a sea of ​​ducks.

Kroya then understood, patted its smooth feathers, and said:

"You've come at the right time. Come with me then. I'm looking for a suitable pet for a bard."

"Hmm... but you need to be cuter."

After observing the fishtail sea duck for a while, Kroya began to imprint it with the "Phantom Cloud Transformation Technique," a combination of the Phantom Cloud Serpent and the True Transformation Technique.

[Imprint complete, Fishtail Sea Duck King (Illusion Cloud Transformation)]

[A special shapeshifting spell that can only be cast by magical beasts possessing "feathers." It involves turning the feathers into a cloud of mist and then consuming the feathers as a price to cast the shapeshifting spell.]

A feather fell from the Fishtail Duck King and, amidst swirling clouds, transformed into a duck about half a person's height, pale yellow in color, and looking rather clumsy.

Then it grabbed Kroa's leg, its eyes sparkling, and rubbed against her.

This is much cuter and more harmless than that domineering duck from before.

"Hmm, the feathers are very soft and plump."

Kroya nodded in satisfaction and left with it.

The other ducks watched their king and his owner leave, and then, as if relieved, began to frolic and play.

……

The man and the duck boarded the newly opened train on Hanjiao Island, intending to travel to the front-line station in the western region.

After getting on the train, Kroya first sent a message to the apprentices through the mushroom people's network, telling them not to rush, to conduct an assessment first, and to wait for him to arrive.

Then, he found a spot, sat down with the plump duck in his arms, and looked around—

This is a newly commissioned magic train. The interior is simply decorated, and there is enough space between the seats to prevent people from crowding together.

The magic lamps cast a bright light, and there was no bumpy feeling inside the car. All you could see was the scenery outside the window rushing past, dazzling your eyes.

"I remember the capacity was... 1,500 people, right? It's already full."

He looked around and was slightly surprised.

The carriage was already packed with people, including mages in robes, warriors in armor, nobles in fine clothes, and ordinary people in plain clothes.

At first glance, this outfit, combined with the surrounding high-tech decor, even gave Kroya a strange sense of dissonance.

It felt like watching a large-scale imitation show.

"Friend," a young man dressed as a warrior said enthusiastically upon hearing Kroya's words, "Judging from your attire, you must be a bard, right?"

You don't know yet, but the Western Frontier is currently carrying out monster eradication and infrastructure construction. The gentlemen of Hanjiao Island have already gone there; we're all looking for work to do.

I heard that the Magic Bread there is all-you-can-eat!

The young warrior couldn't help but lick his lips when he talked about the magic bread, a look of longing appearing on his slightly immature face.

Hmm... When the outside world is affected by locust plagues and food supplies are insufficient, the North suddenly recruits workers like this, and the key is that they can definitely be fed.

This is heaven for some combatants.

It's important to understand that fighters eat a lot. For them, food can be directly converted into combat power. If they don't eat enough, they won't have combat power and may even gradually lose levels.

"I see. There weren't that many when I came to the North."

"But I've only just arrived in the North," Chloe replied with a smile. "You said they're recruiting a lot of people there? Can I participate?"

"Sigh, the North is great, but there are just too many good things there, and it really costs money fast."

"That's true. The Northern Territory has so many good things. Although it doesn't require much gold or magic crystals, there's just so much stuff!"

The young soldier nodded in agreement, carefully recalled the job description, and said, "It should be fine. I heard that bards and mages who know some music magic are also very popular."

Legend has it that the Duke of Han Reef Island is a master of musical magic, surpassing even the elves!

At this point, a look of regret appeared on his face: "Unfortunately, direct entry to Hanjiao Island is not allowed, and I was not even able to pay my respects to His Excellency the Duke."

Oh?

Upon hearing this, Kroya said, "I was fortunate enough to hear the Duke's music. Although it is certainly not as good as yours in the slightest, I can still try to imitate it."

He was in a really good mood today, and looking around, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

He lowered his head and thought for a moment.

He reached out and stroked his gopher wood harp, then began to play. He didn't use any special magic; he simply played the music.

But even without using magic, the music he played was still quite special—

The clear and elegant music emanated from the harp strings, initially drowned out by the surrounding conversations. But as time went on, more and more people stopped talking, listening with rapt attention to this rare and beautiful melody.

They were supposed to be heading to hard work and busy making a living, but at this moment they felt incredibly comfortable and relaxed.

Even the sunlight outside the window seemed to brighten up, and the gentle breeze made the approaching winter feel as bright as spring.

Kroya was also immersed in this rare experience. He felt that although he had not used the magic of "The Rainbow Poem" this time, his understanding of "The Rainbow Poem" was even deeper.

It was a very ordinary piece of music, played very casually, without even a score or melody; it was just him improvising as he pleased.

The lack of any restrictions actually inspired him, and he even felt comfortable and relaxed while playing.

Time flew by as his music played.

Just as the train arrived at the station, Chloe plucked the last string to end the performance—the golem train was actually intelligent, and it was deliberately helping Chloe play.

Well, this is a car that knows how to survive. Maybe it will get a promotion, a raise, and more high-energy engine oil.

"We have arrived at the Western Front. Please take your belongings with you and do not lose anything..."

A gentle female voice roused the people from their reverie of the music, but instead of leaving, they expressed their gratitude to Cloa.

"That sounds so good!"

"I feel energetic again!"

"You must be a very powerful bard!"

After expressing their gratitude, they left amidst Kroya's somewhat shy smile, stepping out of the car and heading off to their respective lives in the bright sunshine.

Music can indeed bring joy, and differences in identity, profession, or even experience cannot affect the happiness that music brings.

Kroya finally stood up slowly, lost in thought. Although the performance was quite ordinary, he felt that it was possible to compose a piece based on it.

For example, could it be called... "The Journey of Morning Sunshine"?

Thinking about it this way, he felt it was indeed feasible. Now it was time to study his own music magic. He was already a level six archmage, how could he rely entirely on the ancient texts?

After thinking for a moment, he looked to the side and asked, "Why haven't you gotten off the bus yet?"

The young soldier beside him, who seemed to have been waiting for Kroya, quickly replied after hearing the question, "I'd like to see where you work. It would be wonderful to hear your music every day!"

As he spoke, he scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly.

Kroa didn't seem to think anything of it.

He nodded. "Okay, I don't know much about this area either. Can you tell me about it?"

"Okay, okay!" the young soldier nodded quickly.

The two got out of the car and headed towards the bustling front-line base in the distance.

Thank you all for your monthly tickets and recommendation votes!

(End of this chapter)