Success.
Robert's expression lit up with pure joy.
As his concentration wavered, the spellcasting process involuntarily ceased. The leaf, which had been suspended in midair by his magic, lost its support and gently drifted back to the ground. It landed silently on the grass.
However, Robert wasn't disappointed in the slightest.
He took a slow, deep breath, calming his racing thoughts. Once again, he focused his attention and reached out with his magic. The leaf trembled, then slowly rose into the air.
This time, it lasted longer than before.
Under Robert's careful control, the leaf floated steadily, swaying back and forth as though dancing to an invisible rhythm. It spun, dipped, and glided through the air, responding to the subtle movements of his will. Only when his concentration finally broke did the leaf fall once more.
Robert exhaled softly, his lips curving into a satisfied smile.
After several more attempts—each one lasting longer than the last—he decided to increase the difficulty. His gaze shifted to a small stone nearby, slightly heavier than the leaf.
Controlling the stone proved far more challenging.
The moment he tried to lift it, Robert felt as though he had returned to the very beginning of his training. The stone wobbled unsteadily in midair, jerking upward before nearly dropping back to the ground. The duration it remained airborne was even shorter than the leaf had been during his first attempts.
Yet instead of frustration, excitement surged through him.
Each success, no matter how small, filled him with an almost childlike sense of wonder. He became completely immersed in the practice of magic manipulation, losing all awareness of time passing around him.
It wasn't until a voice broke the silence that Robert finally stopped.
"Robert… are you practicing magic?"
He turned around to see Bilbo standing not far away, his eyes wide with astonishment as he stared at the floating stone.
Robert nodded slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Strictly speaking, what he was doing couldn't even be called proper magic. It was nothing more than the simplest application of magical energy to lift objects. The weight he could control was still very limited—certainly no stronger than throwing something by hand. It had no real destructive power at all.
But to Bilbo, this was nothing short of miraculous.
"That's incredible!" Bilbo exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. "Absolutely marvelous!"
He looked at Robert with undisguised admiration, his expression filled with excitement.
"Robert, could you show me again?" Bilbo asked eagerly. "Please!"
"As you wish," Robert replied with a smile.
Being looked at with such open admiration gave him a secret thrill. He decided to put on a small performance for the Hobbit standing before him.
With a gentle motion of his hand, magic flowed outward.
In an instant, countless petals scattered across the garden responded to his will. They rose into the air all at once, swirling gracefully around Robert and Bilbo like a living storm of color. Reds, yellows, and soft whites danced together, forming dazzling patterns beneath the sunlight.
Bilbo's mouth fell open in shock.
His eyes followed the petals as though he were witnessing a dream.
For the next several days, Robert devoted nearly all of his time to practicing magic manipulation.
He progressed steadily—from lifting small leaves and pebbles to being able to raise objects weighing nearly ten catties. The duration he could maintain his control also improved dramatically, increasing from a mere two minutes to almost half an hour at a time.
Eventually, he began experimenting with multitasking.
Of course, this was very different from the brief display of floating petals he had used to impress Bilbo earlier. That had been little more than a momentary flourish, fueled by excitement and showmanship.
Now, Robert was simultaneously controlling multiple objects, each weighing several catties, and sustaining the effort for extended periods. It required precise control, unwavering focus, and constant adjustment.
As a result, it became a common sight to see various objects drifting through the living room of Bag End.
At first, Robert only practiced with sturdy items—books, stools, and wooden boxes. Later, as his control improved, teacups, teapots, and plates joined the practice. Not a single one broke, much to Bilbo's relief.
Bilbo himself gradually went from astonishment to complete acceptance. Eventually, he even began taking advantage of Robert's abilities.
On more than one occasion, when Bilbo felt too lazy to get up from his chair, he would simply call out, "Robert, could you fetch that for me?"
And moments later, the requested item would float gently into his waiting hands.
One day, Robert finally decided to pause his magical training.
The reason was simple: the food stored in Bag End had nearly been depleted by the two of them. No matter how generous Bilbo was, even a well-stocked Hobbit pantry had its limits.
So Robert and Bilbo set out together to buy supplies in the village.
They walked along the winding path that traced the gentle slope of the hill, surrounded by the peaceful pastoral scenery of the Shire. Along the way, they passed two or three Hobbits tending to their fields, quietly cultivating the land.
Whenever they spotted Robert—a noticeably tall human among the Hobbits—they would pause and stare with open curiosity.
There were no real secrets in Hobbiton. News of a human staying at Bilbo Baggins's home had already spread throughout the entire area.
However, Bilbo was known among the Hobbits as somewhat reclusive and not particularly fond of social gatherings. Because of that, no one had proactively visited Bag End to inquire further.
After passing the Stone Mill and crossing the Double Arch Bridge, they soon arrived at the central area of Hobbiton.
The houses here were different from Bag End. While still low and round, they leaned more toward human architectural styles, though they remained perfectly suited for Hobbit-sized residents.
Nearby stood the Green Dragon Inn—the only inn in the area and the Hobbits' favorite gathering place.
The marketplace was lively and bustling. Hobbits displayed their local produce and specialties, selling or bartering enthusiastically. Women haggled loudly over prices, while children wove joyfully through the crowd.
Robert stood out like a beacon.
Everyone who passed by glanced in his direction.
The adults observed him discreetly, their gazes cautious but curious. The children, however, showed no such restraint.
Several little Hobbits gathered around him, one of them even tugging at his clothes. With wide, innocent eyes, the child asked, "Are you a human?"
Robert looked down at the small figure who barely reached his knee and smiled. He gently patted the child's head and nodded.
"Yes," he said.
Bilbo, unwilling to let Robert be underestimated, cleared his throat several times. After attracting the attention of those nearby, he puffed out his chest proudly and declared, "Robert is not just a human—he is also a Wizard!"
A chorus of gasps followed.
The children stared in amazement, their mouths hanging open. The surrounding Hobbits were equally surprised, their curiosity now tinged with reverence.
After all, Wizards were legendary figures in Middle-earth—powerful, mysterious, and rarely seen.
The children, however, knew nothing of reverence. They crowded even closer, bombarding Robert with excited requests to see magic.
Robert didn't refuse.
With a light tap on their hats, his magic took hold. Instantly, the hats came alive, flapping their earflaps and soaring into the air. They zipped around playfully, just out of reach.
The children squealed with delight and chased after them, laughing loudly.
Even the adult Hobbits watching nearby couldn't hide their astonishment.
Bilbo looked immensely pleased. He cleared his throat again and said in a serious tone, "Hmm… Robert, we really should be going now."
Robert chuckled and nodded, following behind the Hobbit who looked as though he had just won a great victory.
After Bilbo finished shopping, Robert headed to the only blacksmith shop in Hobbiton.
The shop owner was startled to see a human enter but quickly stepped forward politely. "What does the guest require?"
Robert scanned the shop. Most of the items were agricultural tools—hoes, axes, cleavers, and other everyday implements.
"Do you sell weapons here?" Robert asked. "Longswords, for example?"
The owner looked at him oddly, then shook his head. "Hobbits don't care for fighting. Weapons like longswords have no market here."
Robert frowned slightly but continued, "What if I wanted to commission one?"
The blacksmith shook his head again. "I'm afraid we've never forged such weapons before. We lack the experience."
"If you want a good sword," he added thoughtfully, "you should go to Bree, east of the Shire. That's a human town. Their blacksmiths are skilled."
Robert shook his head. According to Bilbo, the journey to Bree would take nearly a week on foot. He had no plans to go there anytime soon.
In the end, Robert selected two heavy bone-chopping knives. Despite claiming not to forge weapons, the blacksmith's cleavers were thick, sharp, and well-balanced—capable of chopping through bone with ease.
The owner proudly claimed they would last a lifetime.
Robert was skeptical but paid anyway.
Naturally, the money came from Bilbo.
Penniless and reliant on Bilbo's hospitality, Robert had no idea when he would be able to repay him. Fortunately, the kind-hearted Hobbit didn't mind at all.
Robert couldn't help but feel grateful.
Meeting Bilbo first had truly been a stroke of luck.