Chapter 40: The Company Gathers

Kael's brows furrowed at the sight, and his appetite instantly vanished. He put down his knife and fork. Bilbo was dumbfounded, still reeling from the unexpected arrival, when the door was knocked upon again. This time, it was a white-bearded dwarf: Balin. He walked in just as unceremoniously, greeting Dwalin with a familiar nod. "Who are you? Why are you in my house?" Bilbo stammered, trying desperately to assert some control, but they acted as if they hadn't heard him, already rummaging through his pantry. Immediately after, the door was knocked on repeatedly. A steady stream of dwarves arrived: Kili and Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur. Each one swaggered into the house, then somehow squeezed around the already cramped dining table. The modest Hobbit-hole instantly became crowded and boisterous. Bilbo stood to the side, looking at these uninvited guests with a helpless, shocked expression. His cozy home seemed to have been transformed into a gathering hall for Dwarves, and he, the owner, had become an outsider in his own abode. He looked at the dwarves, who were now ransacking every morsel of food and drop of wine in his pantry, with a tearful expression. He could only look pleadingly at Kael: "Kael~" Seeing Bilbo's frustrated expression, a mixture of anger and helplessness, Kael chuckled with a hint of sympathy. He patted Bilbo's shoulder, deciding to help him and teach these impolite dwarves a swift lesson. "Petrificus Totalus! Petrificus Totalus! Petrificus Totalus!" The living room instantly fell silent. Twelve dwarves were frozen mid-action, in various awkward poses, their eyes darting around with looks of sheer terror. Bilbo breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness for you, Kael!" he exclaimed with immense gratitude. But before he could fully relax, the door was knocked on again. Bilbo was somewhat shaken and dared not open it. Kael had no choice but to walk over and open the door himself. Standing outside was Thorin Oakenshield. "Thorin." "Kael." The two nodded in greeting to each other. "Has Gandalf arrived?" Thorin asked as he walked through the door. Kael shook his head. "Not yet. He must have been delayed by something." Thorin frowned at his words. As he walked into the living room and saw the petrified dwarves, his pupils instantly constricted. His expression became solemn, and he questioned Kael in a deep voice. "What's going on? What have you done?" Kael's expression was calm. "They were a bit impolite. I just temporarily quieted them." Thorin's face darkened. He felt Kael was trying to assert his dominance. He gritted his teeth and said coldly, "Please, Wizard Kael, undo the magic on them. I will apologize to you on their behalf!" Kael shook his head. "The one they should apologize to is not me, but the owner of this place..." "Sorry, I'm late!" Gandalf's voice suddenly boomed from the doorway, instantly cutting through the tense atmosphere inside. Gandalf walked in, bending his tall frame to fit through the Hobbit door, and looked at everyone with a smile, asking, "Did I miss anything?" "Gandalf, you're here!" Bilbo looked as if he had seen a savior, rushing forward with excitement. The oppressive tension had almost made him unable to breathe. "Hello there, Bilbo!" Gandalf greeted him with a smile, then observed the petrified dwarves stiffly standing at the dining table, a knowing glint in his eyes. "It seems you've all met each other, so I don't need to introduce you, do I?" Seeing Gandalf attempt to ease the atmosphere, Kael decided not to antagonize the dwarves further. He waved his hand, lifting the Petrificus Totalus from them. The dwarves, whose bodies had been stiff for what felt like an eternity, instantly collapsed in a heap, groaning and moaning as they rubbed their sore limbs. Their gazes towards Kael now held a clear hint of awe. After some adjustments, everyone settled down again. Although he didn't particularly welcome the dwarves, Bilbo still brought out all the food and wine from the pantry to entertain them. At the dining table, Kael and Gandalf sat together, while the dwarves, led by Thorin, huddled together on the other side. Only Bilbo was constantly busy, shuttling back and forth between the kitchen and the dining table. Everyone discussed the expedition over dinner. "We don't need to confront the dragon Smaug directly," Gandalf explained. "We just need a key person—someone flexible enough, not easily discovered, who can quietly sneak into the Lonely Mountain's hall and steal the Arkenstone." He looked at Thorin. "With the Arkenstone, Thorin, as the heir of the Durin family, you can gather a Dwarf army and reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon's hands." Thorin was visibly moved. He looked at Gandalf. "Do you have a candidate?" Gandalf did not answer immediately but turned his gaze to Bilbo. Thorin followed Gandalf's gaze and immediately frowned, questioning, "Gandalf, are you sure?" In Thorin's opinion, this Hobbit was completely useless except for cooking. He was shorter than a dwarf, and his arms were not as strong as a dwarf's, making him seem weak and of no use at all. Bilbo was somewhat flustered by everyone's gazes and tried to shrink behind Kael. Seeing this, Thorin's frown deepened. However, Gandalf remained unfazed. He explained, "Hobbits are small in stature, light-footed, and possess an innate instinct for stealth. They are skilled at moving unnoticed—such as secretly picking mushrooms or avoiding nosy neighbors—making them the perfect choice for a burglar." He leaned in. "Moreover, Hobbits are never noticed by evil Dragons, unless they are trampled underfoot. And while Smaug's eyes and nose are sharp enough, he is familiar with the scent of Dwarves, Elves, and Men. But he has never seen a Hobbit, nor can he imagine what they could do." Thorin was somewhat convinced by Gandalf's words, but he still remained skeptical about Bilbo as a candidate. Seeing Thorin remain silent, Gandalf turned to Bilbo and said with a very serious demeanor, "Then, Mr. Bilbo Baggins, are you willing to join the expedition and venture to the Lonely Mountain?" "Me?" Bilbo was caught off guard, his expression shocked. He shook his head frantically. "No, I can't! I never go on adventures. Find someone else!" Gandalf watched Bilbo hide behind Kael but didn't give up. "Bilbo, don't you want to experience a great adventure? Think about those adventure books you've read. Don't you want to personally experience those places described in the books? And when you return from your adventure, you can even write your own adventure book, so that your future descendants will know about your adventures and be proud of you!" Gandalf paused, then added, "And Kael will be accompanying you on this adventure. Don't you want to go with him?" When Kael was mentioned, Bilbo looked at him with some confusion. "Kael, do you want me to go too?" Kael shook his head, not joining Gandalf in persuading him, but sincerely said, "No matter what decision you make, I will support you." Although he knew that Bilbo would leave the Shire, encounter the One Ring of his destiny, and that his choice would even determine the direction of the entire Middle-earth, making him a key character in the saga. But if Bilbo was content with an ordinary life, only wishing to live as a common Hobbit in the Shire, Kael would unhesitatingly choose to support him. Hearing Kael's words, Bilbo's expression showed struggle and hesitation, with rationality and courage constantly in conflict. Finally, he took a deep breath and said to everyone, "I am willing to join!" (End of Chapter) *** [Check Out My Patreon For More Chapters On All Of My Fanfics!!] [www. [email protected]/meowthtl] [+300 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter] [+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter] [Thank You For Your Support!]