Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Gandalf's Invitation
A total of thirteen dwarves plus a tall, gray-robed elder.
With such distinctive features, how could Ino not recognize that the people before him were the protagonists of the story of Smaug?
After a moment, this group seemed to catch their breath and began to take in their surroundings.
"Hey! You human, your farm was almost breached by a giant beast, and you just stood there watching? You didn't even come to help," said a fat dwarf.
"Bombur!" An imposing middle-aged dwarf stepped out from the crowd, rebuking the fat dwarf's complaint, then turned to look at Ino.
"We apologize for the trouble we caused. Please allow us to stay for one night. We will leave early tomorrow morning. The dwarves will remember your kindness and repay you in the future."
"You shouldn't be saying this to me because I'm also a guest here," Ino said, somewhat innocently, spreading his hands.
"Then who is the owner here?" the dwarf asked.
As soon as the dwarf finished speaking, the gray-robed elder, who had not spoken until now, stepped forward: "I think the owner of this place was just locked outside by us."
Hearing that there was no owner here, the dwarves, like students in a classroom without a teacher, no longer cared about any etiquette. They found comfortable spots in the courtyard, lying or sitting down to rest.
Seeing this, Ino shook his head with a smile and then turned to walk into the house.
Having slept in the courtyard all afternoon, the bread and honey he had eaten were long gone, and he needed to prepare some dinner.
As for the dwarf company, they would follow their own fate.
Inside the room.
Ino first heated up the bread from lunch, then took out two jars of blueberry jam, some dried cheese, and sliced ham from his suitcase, and began eating on his own.
Speaking of which, he needed to thank Dumbledore. After the modification, his suitcase was much like Newt's, with two modes.
In Muggle mode, he always kept some simple food, convenient to eat during his travels without seeming out of place.
Just as Ino was enjoying his dinner, a small head poked out into the room.
"Can I trade some food with you? Fresh blueberry jam and smoked ham, these are my favorite dishes from the Shire."
"Oh, by the way! I'm Bilbo, a Hobbit from the Shire."
Putting down his bread, Ino looked with interest at the 'burglar' from the adventure party.
He had a good impression of the Hobbit before him, who could resist the temptation of the One Ring. That alone showed better character than ninety-nine percent of people.
"Alright, Bilbo! But what do you have to trade with me?"
Seeing Bilbo empty-handed, Ino teased him.
"I have something!" Bilbo said, lifting his shirt and rummaging around before pulling out a small, crudely wrapped but well-sealed package.
"Top-quality pipe-weed from the Shire! I've been saving it, not wanting to smoke it. You'll love its rich, mellow taste!"
Looking at the small package on the table, Ino became interested. In his distant memories, he had loved such things, never going without them before bed and after meals.
"I agree! Eat as much as you like, and tell me if it's not enough, I have more."
Handing an unopened jar of jam to Bilbo, he then cut another plate of ham.
After doing all this, Ino began to open the gift from the Shire. Seeing the familiar color and recognizing the scent, he hesitated for a while.
In the end, he chose to repackage it. Despite looking like he was in his twenties, that was just the effect of the Polyjuice Potion.
Glancing at Bilbo who was eating heartily, Ino picked up the half-eaten bread again.
However, this meal seemed destined to be troublesome. Just after taking a couple of bites, another figure entered the room.
"Sorry to intrude! Can we talk, traveler from afar?"
Gandalf's words, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, immediately made Ino tense.
Of course, to make sure he wasn't overthinking it, he calmly replied, "Of course! It's always pleasant to have someone to talk to during a journey. I've heard of your legend, Gandalf the Grey."
On the other side, seeing the two start talking, Bilbo politely picked up his food and left the room.
The room was now exceptionally quiet.
"Dark forces are rising again," Gandalf said slowly, sitting on a nearby chair. "They are stirring. Middle-earth will once again be shrouded in darkness. The dwarves' reclamation of the Lonely Mountain, restoring the glory of the King Under the Mountain, will secure the vast lands west of the Misty Mountains…"
"…Using the Lonely Mountain as a starting point, we can unite the Woodland Elves and the Men of Lake-town to form a defense line, sparing countless lives from disaster and the ravages of war."
After a few minutes of listening quietly, Ino finally spoke:
"A great mission! But I am merely a wandering bard. Perhaps I can sing of your great deeds during my travels."
He understood Gandalf's underlying message but did not want to take the bait.
"Wandering, huh?" Gandalf repeated with a smile. "Perhaps. But if the dark forces are completely eliminated, you might not need to wander anymore."
"Wandering is not about having no place to stay; it's my choice to wander," Ino explained.
He now realized that Gandalf seemed to have seen through something, constantly hinting at joining the dwarves' adventure.
To be honest, though the dwarves' journey to the Lonely Mountain wasn't particularly dangerous, he didn't want to get too involved. Smaug might be manageable, but the subsequent Battle of the Five Armies was not something a young wizard could handle, even with his fourth-year magical abilities.
After a long while.
Gandalf spoke slowly again: "It seems you understand my intention. Yes, I want you to help them, wizard from afar. Really, this way you might not need to wander anymore, for Middle-earth will always welcome you."
Time ticked by.
If Gandalf's earlier words were like tossing a stone into a calm lake, his current words were like setting off a deep-water bomb in that lake.
After a while.
Ino calmly said, "Can we talk about this tomorrow? I'd like to rest now."
"Of course!" Gandalf, seemingly having completed his mission, stood up with a smile. "But make it soon, as we depart early tomorrow morning."
…
"Phew…"
Ino leaned back in his chair, letting out a long, even breath.
Although he knew Middle-earth had its depths, he hadn't expected it to be this deep.
Today's situation was something he had never encountered before, even compared to Father Christmas in Narnia, who had only lightly hinted at things. But Gandalf's words today...
Comparing the two, the former was like a neighbor girl shyly expressing her affection, while the latter was like a fiery school beauty boldly kissing and confessing.
"Always welcome you…"
Leaning back in his chair, Ino repeated Gandalf's words.
This made him reassess himself and the miracle that had happened to him.
It seemed that from the beginning to the end, he had never fully understood, whether entering stories or leaving them, he had always passively accepted them.
And today, Gandalf's words seemed to have opened another door, revealing another possibility.
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