Glancing at Paladin Took beside him, Robert silently spoke in his mind.
"Sign in."
[Sign-in successful! Congratulations on obtaining Prank Spells: Bring Some Fun to Your Life!]
Prank Spells?
Robert was immediately intrigued by the name of the magical book.
However, considering that he was still a guest in someone else's home, he suppressed his curiosity and temporarily put the book away, deciding to read it later when he had some privacy.
"This is my wife, Rosalie," Paladin Took said with a proud smile.
"And this is my son, Paladin the Second."
Paladin introduced his family to Robert.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Wizard Robert," Robert said politely, returning the greeting with a gentle smile.
Although he spoke calmly, most of his attention was focused on Paladin II, who looked to be about seven years old.
So this must be Pippin's father, Robert thought.
Like his father, the boy had a head of golden, curly hair, and even the signature golden fur on his feet. Though Robert had not yet met the future members of the Fellowship of the Ring, he had already encountered both Pippin's grandfather and his father—when the latter was still a child.
It was a strange and wonderful sense of fate.
Paladin's wife, Rosalie, was a gentle and warm woman. After serving Robert snacks and tea, she excused herself and went into the kitchen to prepare a generous feast for their guest.
Meanwhile, Paladin II proved to be a lively and restless child. He stared at Robert with wide, curious eyes, listening as his father conversed with the wizard. His constantly shifting gaze made it clear that he could barely sit still.
"Wizard Robert," the boy finally blurted out, "what kind of magic can you do?"
"Paladin!" Paladin scolded him immediately. "Don't be rude."
Then he turned to Robert apologetically. "I'm sorry about that."
Robert chuckled softly and shook his head. "It's quite alright."
By now, performing magic had become something of a routine for Robert whenever he arrived in a new place. In fact, he had even considered that once the gold Bilbo had given him ran out, he might earn a living by performing magic tricks.
Raising one hand slightly, Robert flicked his wrist.
In the next moment, little Paladin floated up into the air.
The boy gasped in surprise, then burst into delighted laughter, happily waving his arms and legs as he hovered above the floor.
Paladin Took stared at the scene in utter shock, speechless for a long while.
That evening, after being warmly entertained by the Took family and enjoying an exceptionally abundant dinner, Robert was shown to a comfortable guest room to rest.
Finally alone, he eagerly summoned the reward he had received earlier that day.
Flipping open Prank Spells: Bring Some Fun to Your Life, Robert felt his eyes grow brighter with each page he turned.
As the title suggested, the book recorded a collection of prank-oriented spells. There were five spells in total:
Densaugeo, Tarantallegra, Rictusempra, Flagrate, and Locomotor Mortis.
Densaugeo caused the victim's front teeth to grow continuously until they nearly dragged along the ground, rendering them unable to speak.
Tarantallegra forced the victim to dance nonstop. Without a counter-spell, the dancing would never end. As for the consequences, one could easily imagine them by recalling Andersen's The Red Shoes.
Rictusempra induced intense itching throughout the body, causing uncontrollable laughter. The victim would grow weak and unable to move, and if the spell were not lifted in time, they could quite literally laugh themselves to death.
Flagrate made the victim's skin feel as though it were being scorched by flames, producing severe pain and an intense burning sensation.
Locomotor Mortis glued the victim's legs together, preventing them from walking and forcing them to hop instead.
At first glance, these spells appeared harmless—mere pranks with little real power. But Robert quickly realized that when used against non-magical beings, their effects could be devastating in the right circumstances.
Reading through the book, Robert felt a strong urge to test these spells immediately. Unfortunately, since he was still a guest in someone else's home and lacked suitable targets, he had no choice but to restrain himself for the time being.
Over the next few days, under Paladin Took's enthusiastic introductions, Robert met many other members of the Took family.
The Took family was enormous, numbering several hundred members, all residing within the Great Smials.
Every Took expressed both curiosity and warmth toward Robert, the visiting wizard. Each household eagerly invited him as a guest, preparing lavish feasts in his honor.
Before long, a grand family banquet was held in the Great Smials' banquet hall.
The hall buzzed with excitement and laughter.
In front of Robert stood more than a dozen Hobbit children, lined up neatly, all staring at him with shining eyes full of anticipation.
Robert smiled and raised his wand.
"Tarantallegra~"
A red beam shot from his palm and struck the first child in line.
The child stiffened for a moment, then suddenly burst into uncontrollable movement as their legs began dancing on their own.
"That's amazing!" the children shouted in unison.
"Next!" Robert called.
"Me! Me! My turn!" the second child shouted eagerly, raising both hands.
"Alright, don't push," Robert laughed. "Everyone will get a turn."
"Tarantallegra~"
The second child immediately joined the dance, performing a lively tap dance while laughing uncontrollably.
The children behind them grew even more excited, pressing forward impatiently.
What surprised Robert most was that the adults present made no attempt to stop the children. Instead, many of them watched with eager expressions, clearly tempted to join the fun themselves.
Robert could barely suppress his smile.
Practicing prank spells on spiders is nothing compared to practicing them on people, he thought.
If he had some kind of proficiency system panel, it would likely be flashing endlessly in his mind with messages like "Proficiency +1."
After staying in Tuckborough for several more days, Robert finally decided it was time to continue his journey.
Paladin Took, ever generous, gifted him a pony-drawn carriage.
With proper transportation, Robert was naturally delighted.
The ponies raised by Hobbits were exceptionally intelligent and obedient. Robert hardly needed to guide it; the pony followed the road steadily on its own.
Seated comfortably in the carriage, Robert placed a small cage in front of him. Inside was a mouse.
This mouse had been caught at Robert's request, specifically for practicing prank spells.
Despite their playful names, prank spells possessed significant practical value.
Densaugeo could prevent an enemy from speaking—especially effective against those unable to cast spells silently.
Rictusempra could render opponents helpless through uncontrollable laughter.
Tarantallegra forced enemies to dance involuntarily, neutralizing them completely.
Locomotor Mortis could bind an enemy's movement, preventing attack or escape.
Flagrate inflicted intense pain, disrupting concentration.
Robert intended to master several of these spells to strengthen his combat capabilities.
"Rictusempra~"
"Rictusempra~"
The incantations echoed repeatedly within the moving carriage as it rolled along the open road.
The pony trotted forward steadily, the wheels creaking rhythmically beneath them.
"Success!"
After countless attempts and a painfully dry throat, the spell finally took effect.
The mouse squeaked with uncontrollable laughter, its tiny body twitching as if being tickled relentlessly.
Just before the poor creature ran out of breath, Robert lifted the spell, sparing it from laughing itself to death.
"Easy now," Robert murmured.
He tugged lightly on the reins, slowing the carriage, and gazed at the scenery around him. The rolling green grasslands had gradually transformed into endless tobacco fields stretching into the distance.
He squinted toward the horizon.
"Are we almost at Long Valley Town?"
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