Chapter 234: Dragon Slaying? I'm not sleepy anymore
That's mine… Don't touch my wine… Put it back… Give it back to me… Don't touch my jam…
It turned out that Bilbo had still underestimated this group of Dwarves.
Despite some psychological preparation, watching his pantry being emptied by one Dwarf after another, and being powerless to stop it, still filled him with a mix of sadness and indignation.
Especially when a chubby Dwarf walked past him, carrying three large blocks of cheese, a total of fifteen kilograms, he felt as if a new layer of shadow had been added to his understanding.
"That's Grandfather Mungo's chair… This one too, put it back… That's an antique, not for sitting on… Those are books, not coasters, put the map back…"
After the food, some antique furniture also fell victim. The Dwarves completely treated the place as their own home, meticulously using everything to prepare for tonight's party.
"Excuse me, Mr. Gandalf, would you like a cup of chamomile tea?" a Dwarf holding a tea set asked.
"Thank you, Dori, just some red wine will do."
Gandalf helped tidy the dining table, then walked to the hallway, counting on his fingers, "Fili, Kili, Oin… Gloin, Dwalin, Balin… Bifur, Bofur, Bombur… Dori, Nori, Ori…"
"Stop counting, twelve Dwarves," Aaron interjected, "but it seems not everyone has arrived yet."
"Not everyone has arrived yet?" Bilbo felt his heart couldn't take it anymore, dreading the sound of another doorbell.
"No," Aaron shook his head with certainty, "These Dwarves are young, middle-aged, and old, and they might have different professions, but they all have one thing in common."
"Gluttony?"
"Of course not, they are male, and they have prepared weapons.
They are warriors, Dwarf warriors.
And there is no difference in their status, but since this is an adventure party, the only one missing can only be the leader."
"Indeed, we are one Dwarf short," Gandalf said with some concern.
"He's just late," Dwalin said, leaning against the doorframe, his tone full of unquestionable confidence, "He'll arrive after attending the clan gathering in the North."
Then he walked up to Aaron, "Gandalf said he wanted to add someone at the last minute. I was initially unwilling, but you are a little different from what I expected."
Aaron forced a smile, "You'd better remain unwilling, I didn't plan to go. Gandalf didn't even discuss it with me."
"It doesn't matter. One more of you makes no difference, and one less of you makes no difference."
Aaron:...Who is he looking down on?
"Mr. Gandalf, the small glass of red wine you wanted." Doriwalked over with two glasses of red wine, "It has a very rich fruity aroma."
Just as Gandalf was about to take the glass, Aaron snatched it before him and downed a glass of red wine.
"Not bad." Aaron smacked his lips, still wanting more, "Bilbo, is this wine you brewed yourself?"
Bilbo subconsciously nodded, but then he quickly glared at Aaron, "Children shouldn't drink alcohol."
"Don't be so particular!" Aaron shrugged, "At least I'm a proper guest, right!"
Bilbo was speechless. Compared to the Dwarves, Aaron was practically a shining presence among the visitors.
Soon, the dining table was laden with all sorts of delicious food.
Gandalf and the twelve Dwarves sat together, enjoying the food and wine to their hearts' content.
The sound of chewing food, accompanied by the Dwarves' joyful laughter, unexpectedly formed a beautiful scene.
Bilbo watched this from outside the door, turning his face away in resignation.
Out of sight, out of mind.
However, as soon as he turned around, he saw a messy pantry, as if it had been ravaged by a locust army, which made him even more agitated.
"Care for a drink?" Aaron handed him a mug of ale, "Drowning your sorrows in alcohol is also a good method."
"Thanks!" Bilbo Took a big gulp, fuming, "Damn Dwarves, eating my food and using my things is bad enough, but they've also made my house such a mess, it's truly outrageous."
"Correction, it's not the damn Dwarves, it's Gandalf," Aaronsaid earnestly, "That old scoundrel is using your Bag Endand your food to entertain his Dwarf friends.
I detest such acts of generosity at others' expense. We should protest strongly."
"You're right," Bilbo nodded in agreement, "but there are too many of them."
Aaron snapped his fingers and pulled out a piece of parchment, "First, take a look at this."
Bilbo was puzzled, but after taking a look, his expression instantly became incredibly colorful.
"An IOU? Isn't this inappropriate?"
"How is it inappropriate? Paying for food is only natural.
I've recorded this list item by item. I can't say it's perfectly accurate, but it can minimize your losses.
At least, you'll feel a bit better."
"Forget it," Bilbo was silent for a moment, then smiled and shook his head, "Gandalf is my elder, after all. I've known him since I was a child.
And the Baggins family has some connection with him. Old Took loved his fireworks, and my mother also respected him greatly."
"Well… alright, if you're happy."
…After eating and drinking their fill, the Dwarves gradually emerged from the dining room.
Bilbo blocked Gandalf, his annoyance clearly visible on his face.
"Why are you so angry?"
"Asking the obvious." Aaron handed the list to Gandalf, "Mr. Baggins has decided not to make you compensate him for his losses, but you at least owe him an explanation."
"Right," Bilbo nodded eagerly, "What are they doing in my house?"
"Once you get used to them, they're quite fun."
"I don't want to get used to them," Bilbo tugged on Gandalf's sleeve, pointing to the floor, "Look at my kitchen, the carpet is covered in mud, the pantry is empty, not to mention what a mess the bathroom is."
"And my guest room," Aaron said with some weariness, "They moved the only set of table and chairs out of the room."
"That's still good. They used my tablecloth as a rag, and that's a knitted item, pure handmade."
"Excuse me, excuse me for interrupting, but where should the plates go?" Ori asked, holding a stack of plates.
Aaron held his forehead and shook his head, "Put them back where you got them!"
Ori was stunned. They had taken at least a hundred plates, and he certainly hadn't remembered them that clearly.
"Here, Ori, give me the plates."
A Dwarf walked over, casually tossed the plates from Ori's hands, Kili caught them at the door, threw them into the room, and Fili, with his back turned, caught them and quickly washed them clean.
"Those are my mother's antique porcelain, over a hundred years old," Bilbo shouted.
However, the Dwarves acted as if they hadn't heard, continuing to pass and wash the dishes in their own way.
The clinking of knives and forks, combined with an impromptu rap, formed a surprisingly harmonious melody.
"Just let it go! You can't stop them," Aaron comforted, "If anything gets broken, I'll help you fix it."
"You can do that?" Bilbo looked at Aaron in surprise, "Wait, aren't you suffering from amnesia?"
"Hmm… but some things you always remember." Aarontapped his temple, "My ancestors must have been tinkers."
"I'd better go check on my antique dinnerware!"
Bilbo struggled through the pile of Dwarves and reached the dining table, where he saw neatly stacked dishes, without a speck of dirt.
The Dwarves' work efficiency was very high, and in just a few minutes, they had cleaned the Hobbit hole thoroughly.
Apart from the food being completely gone, the rest of the place was no different from before they arrived.
Bang! Bang!
This time it wasn't the doorbell, but a simple, forceful knock on the door.
Everyone fell silent, looking towards the door in unison.
Gandalf Took a puff of his pipe and said in a deep voice, "He's here."
Aaron noticed a flicker of reverence in the eyes of all twelve Dwarves, and he thought to himself: It seems this leader's prestige is unusually high.
Gandalf personally opened the door, and a 'tall' Dwarf walked in.
Compared to Dwarves like Dwalin and Balin, this Dwarf's equipment was no better, but he possessed an air of authority.
"Gandalf, you said this place was easy to find.
I got lost twice, and if it weren't for the mark on the door, I wouldn't have found it at all."
"So… everyone's here now," Aaron raised an eyebrow, "The thirteenth Dwarf."
"Bilbo Baggins, Aaron Gaius, allow me to introduce the leader of this expedition," Gandalf said, "Thorin Oakenshield."
"So, this is a Hobbit." Thorin looked at Bilbo with some disdain, then cast an even more disappointed glance at Aaron, "Gandalf, you didn't tell me the person you added at the last minute was a child."
Aaron blinked.
How many times have I been looked down upon now?
"Thorin, he's different," Gandalf smiled mysteriously, "This feeling is very accurate, I haven't experienced it in a long time.
Trust me, I can guarantee that Gaius will play a crucial role."
Some of the disdain in Thorin's eyes lessened, "But he is a child after all."
"What's wrong with being a child? Everyone was a child once." Aaron straightened his back defiantly. If he hadn't been unclear about the state of this world, he would have taught Thorin how to be a Dwarf in a minute.
"Hmph!" Thorin sneered, "Do you have combat experience?"
"I should have some!" Aaron looked at Thorin with some uncertainty, "One against three shouldn't be a problem."
"Axe or sword, what is your preferred weapon?"
"Sword, I suppose!"
"Indeed, an axe would be a big challenge for you.
What about you, Bilbo Baggins?"
"I'm quite good at using chestnuts," Bilbo said with some pride, "but I don't understand what that has to do with anything."
"I thought as much. You don't seem like a burglar, rather like a grocer." Thorin laughed, and the Dwarves and Gandalfalso laughed, the atmosphere becoming a bit more relaxed.
The dining room had been converted into a temporary meeting room, and Gandalf and the thirteen Dwarves sat around a table.
A bewildered Aaron and Bilbo couldn't squeeze in, so they could only listen in.
"How was the gathering in Ered Luin? Did everyone come?" Balin asked.
"Yes, emissaries from all seven kingdoms came," Thorinsaid.
"Emissaries from the kingdoms?" Aaron lightly tapped his chair, "It seems your status is more noble than I thought."
"Of course, Thorin is…"
"Balin." Thorin glared at Balin, who sheepishly closed his mouth.
"What did the Dwarves of the Iron Hills say?" Dwalin asked, "Will Dáin support us?"
Thorin was silent for a long while, "They won't come."
Hearing this, the other Dwarves looked somewhat disappointed, but also felt it was somewhat expected.
"They said this adventure is our own business."
"Bilbo, please make it a bit brighter here." Gandalf Took a map from his sleeve and unfolded it before everyone, "Far to the east, past mountains and rivers, through dense forests and wastelands, lies a Lonely Mountain."
Bilbo Took a candle, and in the candlelight, he clearly saw the place name Gandalf was pointing to, "Erebor."
"That's not the point." Aaron pointed excitedly at a symbol above the Lonely Mountain, "This is."
"This is…" Bilbo swallowed with difficulty, "It can't be a Dragon, can it?"
"This is the terrifying Smaug, the greatest and most brutal beast of this age," Nori said, "If you're scared, you don't have to go."
"No, I'll go." Aaron's eyes were firm, "Please, you must take me."
Gandalf's lips curved slightly. He had originally thought he would have to spend more effort convincing him, but he didn't expect Aaron to be so cooperative.
"Aaron," Bilbo tugged at his sleeve, "Do you know what you're saying?"
"I know very clearly, clearer than anything."
Is that a Dragon? That's clearly the key to activating the Dragon Slaying Magic Crystal.
To search for something far and wide, only to find it effortlessly!
Brutal, no guilt in killing it, powerful, and the Dragon Slaying Magic Crystal might have other properties once activated.
All in all, no one is going to snatch it from me.
"Child, you may not know the terror of Smaug," Balin said seriously, "A Dragon is a fire-breathing monster, with teeth like blades, sharp, long claws, and scales that are impenetrable all over its body."
"I know. You might not believe me, but my understanding of Dragons surpasses everyone here," Aaron said very calmly.
He himself raised a Dragon, and although it was still in its infancy, they had lived and eaten together for over two years. He dared say no one present had that experience.
Ori suddenly stood up, banging the table. "I'm not afraid, I'm ready. I'll make him taste the might of Dwarf weapons."
"Well said, Ori."
"Sit down quickly."
The courage of the young Dwarf seemed to inspire everyone, and they felt a surge of confidence.
Aaron, seeing this, couldn't help but frown.
Slaying a Dragon wasn't about confidence. He didn't know what Ori's weapon was, but he was very sure that Fili's sword definitely couldn't break the Dragon's defense.
As for the others, there was even less to say; they were probably all equally matched, and some hadn't even brought weapons.
"Even with an army in support, this journey remains perilous and unpredictable, and we are only thirteen people," Balin said with some concern, "And not the thirteen most elite, nor the smartest."
"Excuse me, may I interrupt again?" Aaron raised his hand, "It's fourteen people, and with Gandalf, it's fifteen, not excluding Bilbo joining as well.
Also, determination is sometimes more important than being elite and smart."
"Exactly," Fili nodded in agreement, "Perhaps we are not many, but we are all warriors, to the death."
"Um… excuse me, I might have to interrupt again.
'To the death' might be a bit too serious for me. I will do my best to help you within my capabilities, but let me be clear, if there's a threat to life, then… I'll just have to make a strategic retreat."
Everyone: …What he said, it somewhat disrupted morale.