The Dwarves's true animosity was with the Sindar Elves, having little to do with the Ñoldor Elves.
Thorin and the Ñoldor Elf King were both well aware of this situation.
This was also why Thorin, despite knowing that Gandalf was leading the adventuring party on a detour, still reluctantly arrived at Rivendell.
As for Elrond, he actually had no prejudice against the Dwarves; at most, he simply disliked their rudeness.
At this moment, Elrond in the square also displayed the magnanimity befitting an Elf King and did not overly trouble Thorin and the other Dwarves.
"Excellent craftsmanship; this must be a sword forged by the ancient Elves…" Elrond, after admiring the ancient Elven broadsword, handed it back to Thorin and kindly said, "I hope you can use it well and not let this Elven sword gather dust."
"Of course." Taking back the Elven sword, Thorin glanced at the Elf King and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, an ancient Elven sword was still an Elven sword. If Elrond truly wanted to reclaim something belonging to the Elves, Thorin would have no standing to keep the sword.
Next, Gandalf and Bilbo also handed their respective Elven swords to Elrond for his appraisal.
It was clear that neither of them had overthought the situation like Thorin, so the atmosphere in the square became increasingly harmonious.
During their conversation with everyone, Elrond also learned that the three of them had each named the ancient Elven swords in their possession:
Because its blade could emit a crisp sound, Bilbo gave the short sword in his hand a cute name—sting.
The Melee Wizard Gandalf, on the other hand, referred to his ancient Elven longsword as Glamdring.
Finally, Thorin named his ancient Elven broadsword Orcrist, meaning Goblin-cleaver.
"Lord Elrond, the Dwarves will likely need a little help from you on their trip to the Lonely Mountain…" Seizing the harmonious atmosphere, Gandalf immediately wanted to propose that the Elf King help the Dwarves translate the runes.
Because he was asking for a favor, Gandalf's tone was very polite.
Normally, Elrond would have readily agreed.
However, seeing the Elf knights returning at the entrance and the handsome human walking among the ranks, Elrond reached out to stop the Gray Wizard and said, "Let's discuss this later. Our other guest has arrived."
It must be said that even Elves are visual creatures; Mike's exceptionally handsome appearance instantly won the Elf King's favor.
On the other side, Mike, who had entered Rivendell, was admiring the beautiful scenery. The faint misty glow in the valley made it as beautiful as a fairyland on earth.
Beneath the lush shade of trees and beside babbling brooks, the melodious singing of Elves occasionally drifted, adding a lively touch to the beautiful scenery.
It was at this moment that Mike saw Elrond approaching, along with Gandalf and others behind him.
"Lord Elrond, the adventurer Mike greets you." Mike greeted the Elf King with proper etiquette.
"As expected of the Troll Slayer…" Elrond looked at the human before him and said with satisfaction, "Rivendell welcomes you as a guest."
It had been said before that the Elves admired heroes; if this hero was not only powerful but also polite, then it was even better.
"Long time no see, Gandalf… And Bilbo, how are you?…"
After greeting the Elf King, Mike then greeted the Gray Wizard and the Hobbit separately.
Especially the latter, Mike specifically gave the "poor" Bilbo a caring hug.
Then, several Dwarves in the crowd, "forgetting past grievances," also spoke up to greet Mike, who had helped them.
Of course, this still did not include Thorin; this descendant of the Dwarves royalty still chose to observe coldly.
"Friends are here, and fine wine awaits. Everyone, please come this way. I have prepared a banquet for you—" At this moment, Elrond also had a brief conversation with the returning Elf warriors, then issued an invitation to Mike and the others in the unique Elven language.
Then, he led the way to the Elven banquet hall.
"What is he saying? Is he cursing us?" Because the Elf King's tone was too formal, it caused some misunderstandings among the sensitive Dwarves.
After all, under Thorin's influence, the Dwarves, more or less, harbored some prejudice against the Elves.
"Not at all, Lord Elrond is inviting us to a banquet." Fortunately, Gandalf was there; he smiled and helped the Dwarves clear up the misunderstanding.
"So he's inviting us to eat! It's perfect, I've been walking all this way, and now I'm starving…"
"I feel like I could eat a whole cow…"
"I wonder what Elven cuisine is like, and how it compares to ours…"
"..."
The Dwarves' emotions came and went quickly. Hearing that Elrond was hosting, the Dwarves, who had never tasted Elven food, excitedly discussed what the Elf King would serve everyone.
"Mike, I heard you killed several Trolls in Mirkwood recently and saved many humans…"
"…Also, is the Northern Highlands fun? And what's the situation with the Great Eagle that was with you…"
Because they hadn't encountered the three Trolls in Mirkwood that required the entire adventuring party to fight together, Bilbo wasn't as close to the Dwarves in the party now.
Having no "friend" to confide in along the way, he seemed to turn into a chatterbox upon seeing Mike again.
"I can share my stories with you slowly if there's a chance later. But you, it seems you're not happy staying with the adventuring party." Mike could tell that compared to the carefree Hobbit he once was, Bilbo was not doing well now.
"Don't even get me started, those Dwarves are not only rude but also have very strange personalities. They're just hard to get along with…" Bilbo whispered his complaints about Thorin and the others, then added, "Oh, and I haven't thanked you for the Elven dagger you gave me. It's been a great help."
At this point, Bilbo had not yet proven his worth, so the Dwarves hadn't specifically taken care of him along the way.
To have safely emerged from Mirkwood, Bilbo indeed needed to thank the ancient Elven dagger in his hand, which could warn him of approaching dark creatures.
Along the way, this sword had helped him avoid several unknown dangers.
"Do you regret it?" Mike asked.
Bilbo, who lived a comfortable life with food and drink in the Shire, had no need to participate in this Dwarf adventure.
"Although Thorin and his companions have bad tempers, I don't regret this journey if it means helping them reclaim their homeland…" Bilbo thought for a moment before giving his answer.
It must be said, it was indeed Bilbo, still that kind-hearted Hobbit.
Subsequently, bathed in the afterglow of the sunset, everyone followed the Elf King through the stone-slab corridor to the Elven outdoor banquet hall.
The Rivendell Elves, who loved nature, had built their banquet hall on an open mountaintop, offering panoramic views of the mountain scenery.
"Everyone, please make yourselves at home and enjoy the food." Upon arriving at the banquet hall, Elrond pointed to the tables laden with Elven delicacies behind him, signaling the Dwarves to help themselves.
The Dwarves, who had traveled far and were pursued by Wargs and Orcs today, cheered and rushed to the tables when they heard they could finally eat.
Then they froze…
A table full of green, healthy food was nothing short of fodder to the Dwarves. Only the wine brewed by the Elves could somewhat satisfy them.
Compared to the Dwarves, who were picking and complaining, Mike, Gandalf, and Bilbo were much more elegant.
The salad-like dishes, paired with Rivendell's unique spices, had a distinct flavor when savored carefully.
As the host, Elrond, sitting at the other end of the table, found the Dwarves' rude behavior unbearable; only when his gaze shifted to Mike and the other two did a smile return to his face.
As the banquet entered its latter half, Elrond, who had a small appetite, summoned a group of beautiful female Elves to perform unique Elven dances for everyone.
"How wonderful it would be if Middle-earth could be free from disaster…" At this moment, Gandalf, holding a glass of Elven wine, sat down with Elrond.
"Protecting the peace of Middle-earth is our duty; we can only blame those dark creatures that refuse to die," Elrond sighed.
"I was just about to bring that up. The Lonely Mountain is an important gateway for dark forces to invade Middle-earth. If someone can reclaim it from Smaug, it will surely curb the expansion of dark forces." Gandalf subtly steered the conversation towards the Dwarves.
"Oh? It seems you have high hopes for those Dwarves." Elrond asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Yes, it is their homeland after all." Gandalf did not deny it and continued, "However, before that, the Dwarves need to decipher a password written in runes to enter the Lonely Mountain."
At this point, the Wizard stared directly at the Elf King, his request unmistakable in his eyes.
Moon runes? I happen to know a little; feel free to ask for help if you need it." Elrond generously offered to help the Dwarves.
"That's wonderful!" Gandalf smiled, having gotten his wish, then called out to the idle Hobbit, "Bilbo, go tell Thorin to bring over that map with the runes. Tell him Elrond has agreed to translate the writing on it."
At this moment, Mike was admiring the graceful dance of the female Elves. Although these female Elves were slender, it was undeniable that they were all very beautiful.
Furthermore, the female Elves of the Elven race have nearly infinite lifespans, and their constitution allows them to survive on dew, which makes their material demands very low.
Thus, they shifted their energy to spiritual pursuits.
This led to the female Elves becoming exceptionally enthusiastic about the worship of "heroes."
It just so happened that Mike's title, "Troll Slayer," was very well-known, and his appearance perfectly matched the Elven aesthetic.
Therefore, this group of female Elves who came to performance a dance showed particular enthusiasm for Mike among the crowd.
It could be said: the man is willing, and the woman is agreeable.
However, this was tough for Bilbo. Neglected by his friend, he could only huddle beside the Wizard.
Feeling bored, he immediately perked up upon receiving Gandalf's task and then walked towards Thorin among the Dwarves.
The Dwarves, on their part, were already very dissatisfied with the Elven cuisine, and the delicate female Elves were not within their aesthetic preferences.
Therefore, with resentment accumulating, the Dwarves began to eye the exquisite tableware on the table.
Some Dwarves had already given in, secretly hiding the Elven tableware in their arms.
Thorin watched the entire time, still saying nothing.
"Thorin, Gandalf says the Elven King has agreed to help us translate the runes." Just then, Bilbo brought good news to the Dwarves.
Watching the Dwarves discuss whether the Elven King was trustworthy, Thorin stood up and said, "You wait here. Balin and I will go check the situation."
Balin, who had served three generations of the Dwarves royal family, had always acted as the strategist among the Dwarves.
At this moment, Thorin just needed him.
"Mike is also going to the Lonely Mountain, and he might even confront the evil Dragon there. Perhaps we should call him over too, to hear what the runes on the map say." Bilbo's idea was very simple; he naively believed that Mike, who shared a common goal with the Dwarves, was an "ally" with Thorin and the others.
Since they were allies, they should share information.
Therefore, after informing Thorin, Bilbo then thought of calling Mike, who was surrounded by female Elves, to join them.
"Are you crazy? The one who opens the Lonely Mountain treasure can only be us, the Dwarves." Thorin roughly pulled Bilbo, showing his disgust for the other party's inability to recognize the situation.
Bilbo, who was inexplicably yelled at, was still a bit confused. However, having signed a contract with the Dwarves, he still respected Thorin's wishes.
…
"The writing on this requires moonlight to appear. You're lucky; tonight's moonlight perfectly fits the conditions…"
When Thorin brought Balin and Bilbo to the Elven King, Elrond studied the Moon runes on the map and said, "Please follow me—"
So, Thorin and the others followed Elrond to a palace.
Their movement naturally caught Mike's attention. However, currently busy enjoying the enthusiasm of the Elven maidens, he had no time to care about Thorin.
Of course, he also didn't care about the runes on the Dwarf map.
After all, with Mike's strength, he could completely use brute force to break through the Lonely Mountain gate. He didn't need to interpret Moon runes to find the small path into the Lonely Mountain.
Thus, while Mike was enjoying the gentleness of the female Elves, Thorin, full of hope, followed Elrond into a crystal palace.
Moonlight shone through the clouds onto the palace, then was refracted and converged by the crystals above, forming a natural beam of moonlight on the stone table.
Elrond walked to the stone table, unfolded the Dwarf map, and let it fully bathe in the bright moonlight.
"How is it? Can you tell me what it says?" Thorin put away his arrogance and looked at the Elven King expectantly.
Perhaps even the ancestors of the Dwarf race never imagined that, many years later, the Dwarf race and the Elven race would fall out.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible to leave text on an important map that only the Elven race could read.
Of course, this could also be said to be Thorin's own doing.
At this moment, facing the Elven King's "humble plea," it was all his own fault.
"Wait a moment—!" Elrond didn't dwell on it. He held up the map, observing it carefully, then suddenly said, "It's appeared. What's written on it is indeed Moon runes…"
"When the Thrush knocks… Stand by the Grey Stone… And the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day… Will shine upon the keyhole… This is all that the text records."
The Elven King didn't keep them in suspense and directly helped Thorin translate the Moon runes that appeared on the map.
"Thrush, Grey Stone, Durin's Day?" Thorin couldn't immediately understand the secret message left by his ancestors. He frowned, looked at the Elven King, and asked, "Is there nothing more?"
"Yes, if I'm not mistaken, that's all the content." Elrond finished speaking and returned the map with the Moon runes to Thorin.
"Durin's Day… Durin's Day…" Thorin mumbled, and he and Balin studied the text on the map by moonlight.
However, the two Dwarves could not understand Moon runes.
"No matter what, we should reach the Lonely Mountain before Durin's Day. Perhaps then we will know the answer." Balin offered his advice based on experience.
"If that's the case, then we don't have much time left. If we miss this year's Durin's Day, we'll have to wait another year…" Thorin realized the seriousness of the problem and planned to call Gandalf and the others back to discuss the itinerary.
The Dwarf Durin's Day is the day when autumn and winter intersect, which is the first day of the last month of autumn, precisely in early November.
It had been nearly two months since the Dwarves departed, and it was now midsummer. The adventure team had only completed one-third of their journey to the Lonely Mountain.
Next, the latter half of the journey to the Lonely Mountain would become increasingly difficult, partly due to terrain and partly because the dark resistance encountered in the latter half would be stronger.
Therefore, for the adventure team to reach the Lonely Mountain before Durin's Day, they had to speed up their progress.
"You go back first, I still have something to discuss with Elrond." Gandalf still needed to talk to the Elven King about the Cursed Sword, so he naturally had no time to concern himself with Thorin's urgent mood.
And in the eyes of the highly suspicious Thorin, this was a sign that the Wizard had something to hide.
Finally, the descendant of the Dwarves royal family glared at the Wizard, then, in a fit of pique, called Balin and hastily left the palace.
"You go too; I want to talk to Elrond alone." Gandalf gestured for Bilbo to leave as well.
Once there was no one else in the palace, Elrond asked, "Speak, what is more important than helping the Dwarves reclaim the Lonely Mountain?"
"Look at this…" Gandalf took out a long, wrapped object emitting an ominous aura from his person.
He opened the tightly wrapped leather, revealing a black short sword inside.
"This is the Cursed Sword, where did you get it?" Elrond asked in surprise.
"The Barrow-downs, Radagast and Mike went there. According to Radagast, they encountered the Ringwraith Angmar Witch-king and the Dark Lord Sauron there…" At this point, Gandalf couldn't help but emphasize his tone.
"Impossible… Sauron was killed by Isildur, the Human Emperor, over a thousand years ago. How could he appear in the Barrow-downs?" Elrond was a bit flustered due to his extreme surprise.
However, at this moment, neither of the two in the palace cared about that.
"But the one ring was not destroyed. Perhaps Sauron is relying on the power of the Ring to make a comeback. Moreover, the recent resurgence of dark forces in Middle-earth is too coincidental, as if someone is deliberately creating momentum for the Dark Lord's return." Gandalf stated his conjecture.
This was also the situation he feared most.
"No, the resurrection of the Dark Lord is too incredible. We must gather more people to discuss countermeasures… I hope this time we are overthinking it." With the Cursed Sword as proof, coupled with the recent abnormalities of the dark forces in Middle-earth, Elrond almost believed Gandalf's conjecture.
However, he still harbored a slight hope.
"I suggest we also consider Mike; his strength is very powerful, and he might be helpful for the future situation in Middle-earth." Gandalf then made another suggestion.