Ping!

Rino checked his quest manager and cackled inwardly at the timely reward. With these three fairy sisters none the wiser, he could charm the hats off them easily without trying.

===

Side Quest #11 (Complete)

Objective: Craft Runes of the following elements.

- Fire

- Earth

- Water

- Wind

- Light

- Dark

Reward: Increased affinity with spirits.

Claim your reward here.

===

The increased affinity with spirits meant that Rino could gather a spirit army from wisps to dryads to work for or with him. The lower levelled faes could be convinced to form a servitude pact with him. Magic trees and faes often shared a mutually beneficial relationship of having the faes protect the territory of the magic trees from beasts and humans. In return, the magic tree will enrich the environment with its cultivation progress and speed up the maturity of these faes for evolution.

He had many wisps in his shadow army but not wisps that could evolve into faes born from condensed mana. This was something Rino wanted to see. He wanted to try and grow his own great sprites from wisps or even dryads from flower fairies if possible.

"Great tree, what kind of task do you have in mind for my sisters and me?" the fairy asked, bringing Rino back to reality.

Rino thought for a while. There wasn't a lot that flower fairies could do. However, as gardening fairies, they could at least water plants, right?

"There is a field that the lich there will take you to once he awakens. He is destined to be the new Monarch in this world, and you will assist me in supporting him under my leadership. The Gods have tasked this lich to create a potato farm. However, his undead farmers cannot work during the day. Please help him to water the ploughed fields twice a day."

The fairy sisters beamed with joy at their first task and hovered around the fallen skeleton that they now knew was an apostle chosen by the Gods.

Tree RIno pretended to be asleep once more as the fairies chattered endlessly. There were still many hours until the daily quest was updated. He spent enough time laying the foundation to prepare himself for the next part of the daily quest. Honestly, Rino wished that it would not be another chain quest. He hated chain quests the most because of how unclear they were.

Now that the fields were well weeded and thoroughly ploughed, Rino had a feeling the Gods would entrust him with sowing next.

Fronzo would be able to do that with the help of the farming volunteers. However, Rino did not have enough clothes or farming tools to go around for that. He wondered if planting with bare hands during the night was a good idea.

Two hours later, Rino could feel his consciousness extend back to his lich body. Being in control of two bodies at once was an odd feeling. However, it was somewhat similar to listening to the thoughts and feelings of his shadow army.

As long as the lich could focus on one perspective or voice, the other would fade out into the background until he needed it.

The fairy sisters rejoiced when Rino sat up.

"How are you feeling?" the youngest fairy asked, and Rino checked his mana reserves.

They were currently filled to the brim, and Rino could not help but want to spam spells. Compared to a few hours ago, Rino could only describe this difference in power as heaven and earth. All the mana he sacrificed to create this legendary tree only amounted to a fifth of his current mana capacity.

Rino wasn't sure if he could summon all his shadow army now with this much mana. He did not want to be reckless, but the curiosity was there. He had no idea if this magic tree could passively grow in strength to add to his lich's power. There was only one way to find out if the same theory of enslaving souls worked. This time, he was on the lookout for spirits to tame instead.

"I've never felt more alive," Rino mused and wondered if the fairies could follow his method of travelling.

He never tried to teleport anyone else using his spell, but they could be his first test subjects now that he had enough mana to make the trip more than ten times. Surely transporting himself and three other fairies will use less mana than that.

The three sisters did not object when Rino told them he would teleport them to his farmhouse. They were thrilled to have a guide and were eager to prove their worth to the great magic tree. Rino activated the spell and expanded the area to include the three fairy sisters for a short trip to the shadow realm.

It was a very interesting experience teleporting three other individuals. The fairy sisters were unfazed by the shadow realm and stuck close to Rino as he walked and showed them the way, explaining to them where several of his bases were located in the absolute silent landscape.

"We understand," the oldest fairy smiled and tapped her chest twice. "Leave the farm maintenance to us! You will have the biggest and healthiest potatoes by harvest under our care."

They left the shadow realm, and Rino noticed how the sun was starting to set. What great timing!

"The farms are a little further from the farmhouse, but it is close to the forest and can be seen from here if you fly in this direction," Rino explained.

Then, he summoned Fronzo and introduced him to the new helpers. The farmhand was not fazed by the new farming volunteers, but he was more shocked when Rino summoned all twenty farming volunteers.

"Master! The six of us can complete tilling the next acre in a few days. There is no need to go to this extent! Please beware of your health!"

Rino wanted to laugh. Compared to Mutt, this lad was more thoughtful.

"Do not worry," he told Fronzo and patted the farmhand's skull. "Do as you are told and teach them what they have to do. Night will fall soon. I will summon more wisps to light the way and weave more clothes for everyone."

After sending the farming party away with the eager fairies, Rino summoned more wisps and gave them instructions to weave more linen cloth. He needed more clothes for the runners to transport things from the clay and stone mines.

Now that things were progressing smoothly with his mana depleting slowly, Rino knew the limits of his new abilities.

It was finally time to tame some stray spirits. He knew just the place for it.