"Estel quite enjoys hearing your stories."
Elrond smoothed things over: "From the time he first heard legends about you, he's always wanted to meet you."
"I'm glad you enjoy hearing my stories."
Levi shook hands with Aragorn, saying: "It seems you're quite interested in adventures."
"Yes!"
Aragorn gave a very definite answer.
After saying this, he asked: "Did you really fight a dragon?"
"Of course, at the Lonely Mountain, the dwarves' territory."
Levi recalled: "That dragon was a chatterbox. The moment you stood before it, it would prattle on endlessly, trying to disturb your mind."
"It would slowly extend that massive dragon head that filled your entire field of vision right up to you, stare at you with those golden vertical pupils, then question you."
As Levi narrated, Aragorn used his imagination. At this moment, it was as if a huge dragon head appeared before him, looking down at him from above.
"And once you answered its words, you'd be subjected to a vicious curse. So never answer a dragon's questions directly. Either remain silent to its questions or deflect and stall for time."
"Moreover, besides that, it will also ask your name. If you tell it your name, your soul will be captured by it, and you'll become its puppet."
Aragorn listened quite intently, obviously drawn in by the story's details.
Levi had a sudden thought and said:
"It once asked me what my name was."
"Did you tell it?"
Aragorn couldn't help but ask.
A large face leaned in, answering quite ominously and slowly:
"Yes!"
"Ah!"
Aragorn cried out and stepped back repeatedly.
Pfft.
The corners of Levi's mouth couldn't help but curve upward, revealing a mischievous grin of successful scheming.
Halbarad's mouth twitched.
Elrond helplessly covered his eyes.
Gilraen stepped forward two paces, gently stroking Aragorn's head.
At this point, Aragorn also realized what had happened.
The young man took a deep breath, pouted, clenched his fists, and stood there, obviously not very pleased.
In all his years, no one had ever scared him like this.
However, after this little episode, the barrier between legendary story and reality also disappeared. At this moment, Aragorn suddenly realized that standing before him was not only the legend from stories but also a living person.
"Alright, alright, don't be angry. I apologize to you."
As if performing magic, a small red flower suddenly appeared in Levi's hand. He handed this flower to Aragorn.
"A never-withering flower, a specialty of Roadside Fort. I hope it brings you good luck."
"Thank you."
Though somewhat upset, Aragorn still politely accepted the small red flower and thanked Levi.
From this day forward, his room had a small potted plant.
Patting Aragorn's shoulder, this matter was settled.
A private reception banquet was quickly convened, though this time they didn't trouble Rivendell's elven chefs. Levi chose to cook personally.
After years of accumulation, the crafting table's food varieties had become quite abundant. Various vegetarian, meat, roasted, and boiled dishes, plus small desserts and salads, all came easily.
Besides this, Levi also brought out over ten barrels of homemade fine wine from his pack.
On this day, even Elrond couldn't resist having several more cups.
"Excellent wine."
The Lord of Rivendell gave a quite brief but apt evaluation.
Aragorn held his fruit juice, watching the several people at the table drinking happily, wondering when he might try some too.
It was rare to see his foster father Elrond this happy.
That beverage must taste very good.
But beverages aside, the food was truly fragrant. Everything he'd eaten before seemed like dry rations...
A certain someone didn't know that the banquet he'd casually prepared had an immeasurable impact on Rivendell's young man.
Perhaps someday in the future, when this Dúnedain chieftain drank some carefully stewed broth, he would remember today's scene.
Regardless of the future, now he could eat one more bite.
From listening to their conversation, this neighboring Lord of Roadside Fort, who liked to frighten people, didn't come often and was frequently elusive, completely impossible to find.
This meant opportunities to eat food he personally cooked were also rare.
The pleasant small banquet for host and guests soon ended.
By now it was late, and Aragorn was sent to rest by his mother.
Levi found Elrond and pulled out an apple gleaming with golden luster.
"I can see that what he bears will not only be the fate of the Dúnedain, but much more."
"When he departs, I hope you can give him this apple on my behalf. It can save his life in times of danger."
Elrond solemnly accepted the apple, obviously somewhat surprised and amazed.
Both surprised that Levi was willing to give such an apple and amazed by his regard for Aragorn.
"How the future will unfold, where fate will lead, no one can predict such things."
Elrond maintained his consistent style: "However, obviously, today a kind of fate has blessed our 'Hope,' Estel."
"I thank you on Estel's behalf."
"And I as well."
A gentle voice came from the side.
Gilraen.
"I thank you on behalf of my child for your gift."
She bowed slightly to Levi.
One could see this mother had quite a gentle nature.
Of course, gentle didn't mean weak. Like Aragorn, she was also a Dúnadan. If necessary, she could take up a sword anytime and cut down ten times her number in orcs.
"As long as you don't mind my little prank."
Gilraen smiled and shook her head.
Finally, they bid farewell to Aglar.
The next day, two armored swift horses rushed out from Rivendell, wind whistling in their ears.
"This is my first time riding such a fast horse!"
Halbarad shouted from ahead. Even at full speed, there was no sign of losing control.
Unlike a certain old man.
"Ha, then you'd better be careful. Some old man threw out his back on this kind of horse."
"Then his health definitely wasn't good. And though I may be older than most humans, I'm not an old man."
This full-speed gallop continued until the Misty Mountains pass.
Before a blocked doorway, the two casually ate something, briefly planned their route, and then continued on.
In this relatively narrow terrain with many obstacles, the horses' speed slowed slightly.
It was at this time that Halbarad suddenly mentioned: "I still haven't asked your purpose for going to the far East."
"Purpose..."
"If I must say, then I hope the war there can stop, and that those who long to return can go back to the place they think of day and night, rather than being lost somewhere."
"Home always holds fatal attraction for some people. This attraction often far exceeds gold and any other things. It can even make people disregard everything else."
"You're right."
Halbarad sighed: "Indeed so."
"Some people guard their peaceful dwellings yet remain unsatisfied, while others labor everywhere for the sake of home, even if it's just a dreamlike bubble or already-destroyed ruins."
The figure of the blue-robed old man appeared before his eyes.
'I may not be able to return.'
"Are you going to help him return home?"
An inexplicable phrase came from Halbarad's mouth.
The person behind him also inexplicably understood.
"He will return."
"Just like the others."