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

Chapter 303. The River of the Underworld, Life's Wool Grass

Before officially ending her trip, Chloe returned to the dormitory she had recently rented and tinkered with it for a while.

Then, he led the Fishtail Duck King out of the room.

Inside the hallway, the apprentices, who had learned of his arrival, were already waiting with near-anxiety.

Under the eager gaze of his anxious apprentices, he asked without changing his expression:

"How did things go?"

Naturally, he stepped forward, and the elite apprentices beside him took turns reporting to him the current progress and data of the survey of the western lands and the locust eradication plan.

Everything worked together seamlessly, like gears turning perfectly. He, positioned at the very center of the apprentices' circle, understood the situation clearly and gave instructions methodically:

"We sent people to communicate with the rock ape tribe, saying that we could provide a more special kind of salt."

"The land must be isolated, and the magic readings of each piece of land must be recorded."

"We will develop another plan for the infrastructure development of the indigenous villages in the western region and then submit it to the management department of Hanjiao Island for review."

"Inquire with those who possess the crystal skeletons whether they are willing to join the Northern Reach Bureau. If they are not, then control their movements."

Just as he finished dealing with all the trivial matters that required the lord's personal judgment, a little girl was standing not far away, her body still trembling slightly.

That was... a little girl with five bones. Behind her, four shadows could be vaguely seen, all of them resembling boys and girls.

He stopped, and the apprentices stopped as well. They cleverly began to disperse all the bystanders and formed a circle to ensure that their lord could handle these emergencies in a relatively quiet environment.

The ivy on Cloa's wrist let out a short sigh.

Its voice was somewhat muffled: "Once upon a time, there was a group of children who made a living by stealing. They gathered every day in a warm, cramped house, enjoying the food they stole, and waiting for tomorrow to come."

But one day, some of them fell ill, and the disease began to spread. In the end, only the youngest child survived with the help of the village chief.

She couldn't believe that all her older siblings were dead, so she fantasized that they could come back to life, and then one day...

"And they really did come back to life."

Kroa continued, "And that little girl also gained the power to communicate with the Sea of ​​Mercury and received the favor of the Lamp Demon."

Former companions and friends reunite around you, free from worries and anxieties about food and livelihood, allowing you to simply enjoy joy and games every day.

Don't you think this is a wonderful fairy tale?

Ivy paused for a moment, "But fairy tales always come to an end. That lamp demon cannot exist in the real world, even with my power."

"Souls that remain in the world of the living will be snatched away by a scythe from the underworld, and wait to be decomposed and reassembled in a dark and silent river."

"In the end, she will still be alone."

"This is the kind of ending fairy tales never depict—fairy tales always end in a heartwarming way, like history that abruptly stops, with no sequel."

Upon hearing this, Kroya shook her wrist noncommittally, the leaves of the ivy bracelet reflecting a rustic, verdant light in the sunlight.

He looked at the little girl and beckoned to her: "Come here."

As the little girl walked over somewhat nervously, he whispered to Ivy, "Luckily, I have the ability to continue writing fairy tales."

The young monk's voice even sounded somewhat excited.

……

Within the Dark Dimension.

This small plane, granted by the Orpheus family, has been modified time and again. The living space of the Devouring Wood has been compressed again and again, and the dim lamps are releasing a stable and gentle light.

The ever-changing sunset glow flowed across the land like a stream, encircling the exceptionally thriving sun grass—yet never entering the latter's light curtain.

On the contrary, the golden spike flowers, growing in a staggered pattern under the light curtain illuminated by the sun grass, have tiny stamens that reflect golden light, a light that is completely different from the sunset and belongs to the dawn.

The flowing stream mingles with the dust from the flower stamens, and the convergence of sunset and sunrise creates a magnificent spectacle.

Those are "Drops of Morning Dew" and "Powder of Evening Glow," two kinds of level-three materials produced in this entire dark plane.

At the point where the Spirit Drops and Spirit Powder meet, there is a mine under construction, a mine surrounded by deep darkness.

Further away are research institutes needed for observation and endless magic crystal panels.

Kroya knew very well that the mine was the most precious thing in this dark dimension.

He was very satisfied and praised him, "You did a great job, Kashu."

The young man standing behind him had become very experienced and calm through the trials of the past few years.

Although he would still feel happy about Chloe's praise, he wouldn't be as excited as before.

"Everything is thanks to your guidance!" His eyes were filled with respect and fervor.

Kroya turned his head and looked directly at the apprentice.

He said gently, "Go see your father. Your current honor is enough to bring him back. I believe he will make the most rational choice."

"Thank you for your kindness!"

Kashu's eyes lit up even more. He bowed to Kroya again and then left without waiting.

Today, those former nobles pose no threat to Kroya, so it wouldn't matter if they were brought back.

After watching the apprentice leave, Kroya's gaze shifted to the mine shaft.

"The light of the underworld?" Ivy finally exclaimed in surprise, "This world actually has such minerals? Was it a gift from the Orpheus family to you?"

"That's right." Kroya was also very curious: "After the morning dew and the evening glow gathered, a third strange substance appeared, and it was even related to the underworld."

Could there be a path to the underworld through the gaps in the morning dew and evening glow?

Ivy pondered for a moment and replied, "The moment of morning dew is the moment of human birth, like the weaving of the thread of life."

At sunset, life is about to end, the thread of life is being severed. Therefore… in the moment between the weaving and the cutting of that thread, we must preserve it.

It seemed to be carefully choosing its words, telling Chloe everything it could, so it spoke vaguely.

"It involves the gods of the underworld?" Kroa noticed this keenly.

"That's right." Ivy breathed a sigh of relief. This involved the rules governing the world, and even if it wanted to explain it, it would take a lot of courage.

Fortunately, it is now on Kroa's wrist, where the sunlight and the hymns of praise warm its leaves, allowing it to shield itself from some of the influences that affect it.

Kroya stared thoughtfully at the mine, already having an answer in his mind. Since it was related to his memories of his hometown, it meant that there might be something wrong with his time travel.

He is already very powerful, and he will become even more powerful in the future.

Powerful enough to confront these hidden truths, memories and history deliberately obscured by the rules of the world.

"By the way, the Holy Spring Merchant Guild should be looking for you, right?" Chloe suddenly remembered something. "What's your connection with the Holy Spring Merchant Guild?"

He is now almost certain that both the sudden favor bestowed upon the Gray Sand Lord by Leviathan and the events that occurred in the mine were related to Celeste, a senior member of the Holy Spring Merchant Guild.

She's definitely looking for something.

"The Holy Spring Merchant Guild..." Ivy's voice was slightly nostalgic: "If you're not mistaken, then she is indeed looking for me."

The Holy Spring has always wanted to reclaim the treasures left behind by that world civilization.

"You don't need to worry about the Holy Spring Merchant Guild. They are the most contract-abiding entities in the entire Star Realm. Now that I'm in your hands, they will give up the search."

However, you could try contacting the Holy Spring Merchant Guild's envoy; you might be able to obtain even more.

Chloe nodded; he felt he might need to meet with Celeste.

But now, he is about to welcome the arrival of a god.

He turned his head to look to the side, where Alessa was standing.

The girl had changed into a long black dress, looking serene and elegant. The power of the god of the underworld had entered her body, turning her into a favored one.

"Let's begin."

Kroya commanded, "This small plane, once under the control of the Holy Spring Merchant Guild, is the most suitable area for the River of the Underworld to flow."

In the gaps between morning dew and evening glow, the pitch black of death emerges.

Agatha bowed respectfully to Chloe, the favored one of the gods of the underworld, facing the newly opened riverbed, and began to chant the hymns required for the ceremony.

A surging black mist and a deathly stillness gradually emerged from beneath her feet, accompanied by a "splashing" sound, and a small stream of water flowed out and then drifted away into the distance.

As the water flowed, it gradually became deeper and deeper. In the blink of an eye, it transformed from a small stream into a large river, yet it still flowed steadily within the channel made of magic crystal.

The riverbanks are still filled with the spiritual droplets of morning dew and the spiritual powder of the evening glow, which surround this dark river. No matter how dazzling the light, it cannot completely illuminate the dark and deep water.

Until... the river reached its end—the location of the mine.

"Huh?" Agatha opened her eyes, somewhat bewildered, and said, "M-Sir...that mine is absorbing the power of the River of the Underworld!"

"I know," Chloe's voice remained steady. "Continue your prayers."

Although Agatha was curious, she immediately continued to pray as Chloe had instructed, and more water from the River of the Underworld flowed into the seemingly endless mine.

But the light inside the mine grew brighter and brighter; it was gentle and steady, like the light emitted by some magical lamps.

As time passed, some dense white grass suddenly spread out from the radiance, pure white and soft, like wool that had been washed and was waiting to be spun.

The dark river water flows into the mine, yet it grows such pure white wool.

Kroya stared at the mine shaft—a tall woman was slowly climbing up the ladder, and after she had completely reached the top, she couldn't help but complain:

"I was very impressed with your welcoming ceremony."

At this moment, the goddess of the underworld looked like a miner, her wide black robe stained with the waters of the underworld river and covered with wool-like crystals.

"I think you'll like it." Kroya blinked. "Ms. Kreha, now that you're back in the world of the living, do you remember this?"

He took out the Salt Stake Staff, which he had previously obtained from the Holy Spirit of the Mage, and released a soul that had almost turned into smoke.

Kreha instantly recalled the pastor who had once bestowed her blessing, and a smile appeared on his beautiful face: "Want me to handle this?"

"This is a gift for you, please make yourself at home."

The goddess leaped out of the mine, traversing the river of the underworld upstream, and quickly reached Kroa, reaching out her fingers to pinch the constantly spinning smoky soul.

Then gently squeeze it.

"Smack!"

That powerful, legendary soul turned into nothingness, with no possibility of ever existing again.

After casually crushing the soul of a legendary figure, the goddess's expression gradually calmed down. She didn't continue talking about it, but instead turned her gaze to the little girl behind Kroa.

With His abilities, He could certainly see that there were four souls residing beside the little girl, hmm... souls forcibly trapped in the world of the living by His remains.

"Do you wish for these four souls to remain in the world?" the goddess asked.

"Well, let's just say it's a sequel to a fairy tale," Kroya chuckled. "Do I need to perform some kind of mysterious ritual for you? I've heard that the resurrection of the dead requires a ritual."

The goddess waved her hand: "Those rituals are just to appease the believers' prayers. If it weren't for the expensive ritual materials, they would chant my name every day."

Kroa: "???"

This is the first time I've come to realize that rituals aren't necessary for communicating with the gods.

Seeing the confusion in Kroa's eyes, His expression grew even more pleased: "Apart from some extremely special materials, the materials of the Prime Material Plane are useless to the gods."

Rituals and sacrifices are like an equivalent exchange, merely receiving a response from the gods. But if the gods truly favor you, elaborate rituals are unnecessary.

He gave this explanation, then returned to the mine and took a handful of minerals that looked like wool. He then picked up a few bone needles and began to weave the wool.

I also gave some to Kroya.

"If you want the dead to walk in this world, you need something to rely on. These living wools are just right. With a little processing, they can become excellent materials."

The two sat on the ground, knitting wool and chatting casually. Although it was only their second meeting, they acted like old friends.

Agatha and the little girl standing nearby were almost petrified when they saw this scene.

After a while, Miya, who was strolling leisurely over, saw this scene and couldn't help but say, "It's been so long since we last met. Your weaving skills are still so proficient. He really is a great teacher."

Kreha retorted, "It's clearly me who learned it better, Ring of Radiance... Come on, let's weave it together."

"You should now call me Miya."

"..." A hint of surprise flashed in the goddess's eyes, but she readily agreed, "Venerable Miya, please come."

Miya nodded and joined in the weaving work after walking over.

His weaving technique and speed were no slower than those of the goddess of the underworld, so skillful that even the goddess couldn't comprehend it, prompting her to ask, "You can actually make this kind of thing?"

The answer came from Miya's calm voice: "When I lived here, I not only knitted bracelets, but also sweaters."

Kreha: "? ? ?"

A sweater? Are you really not lying to me?

Growing increasingly puzzled, the goddess of the underworld inquired about the daily life of her friend, the Ring of Light, and received the following answer:

"During the day, I have breakfast with the elves, then bask in the sun and listen to some beautiful music. At night, I knit in front of the fireplace, and when I feel tired, I go to sleep."

"..."

The goddess felt that it was already strange enough that she was able to come to the main world so smoothly, but she never expected to encounter something even stranger.

So He silently focused on weaving and stopped speaking.

Soon, the four bracelets with knots were woven by the goddesses of the underworld, Kroya and Mia.

The goddess beckoned to the girl, then casually pulled the hesitant souls behind her and slipped the bracelet onto their slender wrists.

The moment the knot was tied, their originally ethereal, mist-like souls instantly solidified. Although they had no physical bodies, they were at least outwardly indistinguishable from humans.

That's a special bracelet woven from the God of the Underworld, a Ring of Radiance, and a being with the magic of the sun. Calling it a divine artifact would be an understatement.

"Wow!"

When the girl saw her friend standing there "alive and well," she gasped in surprise, her face flushing with excitement.

Her companions were equally excited, never expecting that they could still sense the wind and light belonging to the world of the living.

"Alright," Kroya said to the overjoyed girl, "You'll be joining the Northern Administration soon. With the help of four partners, you'll definitely be able to accomplish some things."

This is the continuation I wrote for you. Are you satisfied?

"Thank you! You are such a kind person!" The little girl and her friends bowed to Chloe in gratitude.

Kroya waved for them to leave.

The children immediately chased after each other happily.

After continuing this chapter of the fairy tale, Kroya was in a good mood and smiled at the goddess of the underworld, saying, "You once promised that I could let my apprentices walk in the world of the living, so I'll trouble you and Instructor Miya to continue making bracelets for me."

Upon hearing this, the goddess asked dismissively, "How many people? Can your power guarantee the integrity of their souls?"

Kroa blinked and slowly backed away.

Just before leaving, she uttered a number—a number that left the goddess of the underworld stunned.

By the time the goddess of the underworld came to her senses from that number, Kroya's figure had already disappeared from this small plane.

He couldn't help but complain to the Ring of Radiance, just like long ago: "How did he manage to preserve so many souls in this world so well? I thought the vast majority of souls had vanished!"

Miya waved her hand, summoning a large patch of woolly grass, signaling the goddess to begin weaving, before slowly replying, "Those are my apprentices."

His face showed obvious joy and satisfaction.

It was only at this moment that the goddess of the underworld understood His meaning, exclaiming in shock, "A true apprentice?"

"Otherwise what?" Miya glanced at the goddess: "The Ark also needs to be moored. The sunlight is enough to dispel the gloom on the Ark."

After all, the sun was once the ark's energy source.

That's wonderful.

The goddess of the underworld was pleased with Him and sat with her old friend on the banks of the flowing River Styx, summoning more water from the river to grow woolly grass, while they wove bracelets together.

The two chatted casually, and the enormous number of bracelets didn't seem so unacceptable anymore.

Thank you all for your votes and monthly passes!

(End of this chapter)