So ti later, Gandalf and the eagles ca into view. A very tall man was with them — probably Beorn. They looked over the area I had incinerated and then ca to the tent.
"What happened here?"
"The orcs tried to attack Dale, so I took care of them."
Gandalf looked dumbfounded.
"Geez... You could have helped us."
"I only kept my promise to protect Dale."
"Dragons certainly take their promises seriously."
"A dragon's promise is a matter of pride. It can't be helped. That's why we don't make them lightly."
"Good grief..."
Gandalf went outside, spoke with Beorn and the eagles, then returned.
"Beorn and the eagles have agreed to deal with the remaining orcs."
They had decided to do the cleanup.
"Well, I'll get so sleep, pack up, and head back. I miss my wife."
I added firewood to the stove and slept on the cot. About five hours later, I woke up. It was still dark — before dawn. Gandalf was asleep on the cot beside . He must have been exhausted from the previous day.
I added more wood to the stove, drank a cup of coffee, and went outside. Piled in front of the tent were gold and silver treasures — likely a gift of gratitude for protecting the town. At dawn, I called Bard.
"Hey, take this back. I don't need it."
"So the wizard was right. He said you wouldn't like it. Anyway, thank you for protecting the town."
Bard thanked and, with the townspeople, took the treasure away. It was probably the dead Master's property. I decided to make one last al for them and began heating water in the pot for soup. Gandalf yawned and ca out.
"After all that running around yesterday, I'm tired."
"Wait. I'll make you so tea."
Gandalf looked incredulous.
"Geez... You're so strict about other things, but you freely give food and tea to people."
"It's awkward watching people drool. Spoils my appetite."
I poured Gandalf a cup of coffee.
"This drink you make — coffee — really wakes you up. And it's delicious."
He didn't know it was the caffeine.
"It's coffee, not 'cophy.' I'll pack so for you before you go."
"Oh~ Thank you."
While the water heated, I chopped vegetables. Gandalf drank his coffee and told about yesterday.
"Thorin was banished from Erebor yesterday. They said he lacked the qualities of a king. Dáin, who rules the Iron Hills, will act as steward in his place."
In the original, Thorin cos to his senses and helps the dwarves when they're cornered by the orcs. But I had wiped out the orcs, so he never had that chance. So Thorin was branded as a king who only coveted treasure.
"The dwarves declared they would not accept him as king until he completed his revenge against the previous king's enemies or achieved so great deed."
"I see."
"It's his own doing."
Perhaps it was for the best. In the original, Thorin repented before dying. Here, he lived.
"Dáin returned the White Gems of Lasgalen to the elves and gave adequate compensation to the people of Dale. I think he also gave sothing to Bilbo, but I'm not sure."
From what Gandalf said, everything had ended well.
When the soup was ready, Gandalf and Bard distributed it to the people, and we ate as well. Then I packed up the tent and put it away in my inventory. I gave Gandalf a sleeping bag, so coffee, sugar, and crear, and taught him the golden ratio for instant coffee. I left the large pot for the people of Dale.
"See you later, Gandalf."
"Yes. Thank you for your help. Farewell."
After saying goodbye, I walked out of Dale's gates, transford into my dragon form, and flew back to the Dragon's Tower.
When I arrived, Arwen smiled and welcod .
"You're back. I was waiting."
"Wife, co here a mont."
"Yes?"
Arwen ca close. I grabbed her cheeks and stretched them.
"Mmmph~! It hurts!"
"You know why I'm doing this?"
"I-I'm sorry. I was worried about Father..."
"Not good enough! You need to be punished!"
I scooped her up and carried her to bed, where I spent the entire day punishing her with my strong, thick club.
The next day, after making the bed, I gave Arwen another ring.
"Don't give this to anyone else. Use it only in real danger. Otherwise, you'll be punished again."
"Understood. But can I use it when I want to be punished?"
"Geez... No!"
Seeing her say such things so easily, I wondered what had happened to the innocent Arwen of our wedding night.
I organized the gold and silver coins I had received as paynt into the vault beside my room. The vault was about 10 pyeong (approx. 35 sq ters), and even after filling it, I had barely stored a tenth of what I'd taken — and that was without counting the accessories, gems, and gold items.
"Wow~ I've never seen so many gold and silver coins."
"It was paynt. If you need any, use them."
"What would I need them for? I never leave Rivendell or the tower."
True. Arwen rarely went anywhere else.
"That's true. Then let's take a trip together soti."
Arwen happily agreed.
"Okay."
Two years passed. Gandalf and Bilbo visited the Dragon's Tower.
"Long ti no see, Gandalf, Bilbo."
"Good to see you, Arkad Jean."
"Good to see you too."
I served them a al, and Bilbo told what had happened. He, Gandalf, and Thorin's Company had continued their journey to help Thorin achieve revenge. They eventually found Azog's host near the Grey Mountains north of Mirkwood and succeeded in their revenge.
"After that, we returned to Erebor and attended Thorin's coronation."
"So it ended. I thought it would take longer."
"The orcs were exhausted from fleeing Beorn and the eagles, so it wasn't too difficult. After regaining the throne, Thorin apologized to us all for his foolishness."
Thorin had finally co to his senses, just like in the original. Bilbo received a chest each of gold and silver coins as compensation. The dwarves offered more, but he could neither carry nor spend so much treasure on the way back to the Shire.
I made sure Gandalf and Bilbo rested well.
After resting, they were about to leave when Arwen and I decided to join them. We had promised to take a trip together, so we would go with them to see the Shire.
I prepared a carriage made in the MCU and brought out a driver. I had prepared one in advance — a robot, more like, rather than an Android, with pre-programd swordsmanship, perfect for guarding. Arwen asked about the driver, but I lied and said I had hired a trustworthy person from a nearby village.
I replaced the tower with its replica, hung the "Gone Traveling" sign, and loaded everyone onto the carriage. The carriage was not only large and sturdy but also had a toilet — no discomfort at all. The seats folded out into beds, making it a fantasy RV.
"I visited the Shire once, but it was so long ago. What is it like now?"
While traveling, Arwen asked about the Shire. Bilbo enthusiastically described his holand. I listened while taking out roasted sweet potatoes and eggs from my inventory to share. Traveling together was definitely more fun.
Suddenly, Gandalf said:
"Stop the carriage. There was a forest near here..."
Bilbo seed to rember sothing.
"Ah~ You're looking for that chest."
"Yes. Shall we go?"
"Sure."
Gandalf and Bilbo asked us to wait while they searched the forest. Three hours later, they returned, carrying a dirt-covered chest. They showed it to us and explained.
"This is the gold and treasure we found in the troll cave during our journey. We couldn't carry it, so we buried it. Seeing it again brings back mories. Those trolls almost killed us."
Bilbo tried to share the treasure with Arwen and , but we refused. So he and Gandalf split it.
"I don't know if I'll ever spend all this treasure in my lifeti."
Bilbo looked at his share with satisfaction. Gandalf said sothing aningful.
"You may need more money than you think. So keep it safe and bring it ho."
"Huh? What do you an?"
Bilbo asked, but Gandalf didn't answer.
"You'll see when you get to the Shire. Let's go."
We continued on to Bree. There, Gandalf said goodbye.
"I must go north. We part ways here."
"I see. Until next ti. And take this. A gift."
I gave Gandalf more coffee.
"Thank you. I was just thinking about it. I'll enjoy it."
Bilbo looked sad to part with Gandalf.
"I'll never forget the adventures I shared with you."
"I enjoyed them too, Bilbo."
Gandalf left. We looked around Bree and then moved on to the Shire. Arwen said:
"I don't an to be rude, but human races don't seem very interested in hygiene."
"I thought so too, but it varies by city. So are dirty, so are clean."
"I see."
Arwen was clearly shocked by the grimy people and dirty streets of Bree.
We continued on and arrived at Hobbiton in the Shire. The Shire's narrow lanes wouldn't accommodate the carriage, so we left it with the driver and walked.
"The Shire is still beautiful."
When Arwen complinted the Shire, Bilbo smiled.
"Yes. Hobbits love decorating their hos. Even that one — look at the flowers in the yard."
He pointed at another house.
"But that house looks neglected. The flowers in the yard are dead, the door is open. Maybe no one lives there?"
I looked where he was pointing. It was his own house.
"Bilbo, doesn't that house look familiar?"
"Yes... Oh, it's my house!"
Bilbo hurried inside. Arwen and I followed. The house was empty — no furniture, no dishes. It was as bare as a new construction.
"What happened..."
Shocked, Bilbo stood frozen for a mont, then snapped out of it. He handed us his belongings and ran off. He returned in the evening, looking angry, and explained.
"It seems I was presud dead. The town auctioned off all my furniture. Unbelievable."
Hearing Bilbo's story, Arwen said:
"So that's why Gandalf said you'd need a lot of money."
"Seems so."
Bilbo sighed.
"Sigh... I had many treasured possessions. This is a disaster. I need to find what I can."
We spent the night in the carriage. The next day, Bilbo went to the market and demanded his goods back, but the Mayor insisted he prove his identity first.
I helped by claiming to be a dragon from the Dragon's Tower and applying so intimidation. The Mayor said it would be difficult to recover items sold over six months ago but handed over the auction proceeds.
Bilbo used that money to buy back his furniture from around town. Of course, the hobbits who had bought cheap furniture were unwilling to return it, so Bilbo had to pay extra.
Arwen and I stayed in the hobbit village, sightseeing and helping Bilbo. A week passed.
"Sigh... I've only found half."
"Give up and buy new furniture. It'll be cheaper and less trouble. I'll gift you so dishes and bowls."
After a week of searching, Bilbo had spent a lot of money, hurt his reputation, and exhausted himself, so he agreed.
"Sigh... Fine."
"Cheer up. You had an adventure most people never will."
"That's true."
I gifted Bilbo a dinnerware set.
"Wow~ Such beautiful dishes. Thank you."
My gift and words seed to cheer him up. The next day, Bilbo stopped looking for his old furniture, showed Arwen and the sights, and ordered new furniture from a shop. Arwen and I visited the places Bilbo recomnded, enjoying the scenery and a picnic lunch. The Shire was truly beautiful.
After another week in the Shire, we said goodbye to Bilbo and traveled further west to the Grey Havens to see the sea, then returned to the Dragon's Tower. Arwen was very satisfied with the trip — the carriage had made it comfortable.
Sixty years passed.
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