Chapter 231 Busy

"Did you finish buying it?"

"Well, I'm done buying it."

"The chef in that pastry shop is still so enthusiastic, and his craftsmanship is better than before."

Levi reached into the basket and handed Bud a piece of the snack he thought was the most delicious.

"How do you think of the chef's latest snack?"

"Pretty good."

While eating, Bud couldn't help but nod and raise his eyebrows.

You can tell I really like it.

"Eat more if you like, there are a lot of them anyway."

"You still have to be a little more restrained."

After eating one, Bud stopped eating.

"It's going to be meal time soon, I have to save some room for dinner."

"All right."

Levi put away the basket and the bread snacks in his hand, followed Bud to find a tavern, and had a simple meal of nutritionally balanced barbecue, vegetables, and a piece of bread.

This combination can be said to be a very classic pub set meal, and most people who plan to have a full meal will choose this combination.

If it is not enough, add another bowl of thick soup and soak a piece of hard bread in it so that the hard and crispy bread shell can absorb a little of the soup. This is also a very representative way of eating.

"Hello, bring me a glass of mead."

After finishing the food on the plate, Levi stopped the passing maid and ordered some drinks.

"Okay...Oh! It's the lord..."

The maid covered her mouth and exclaimed, then trotted to the counter to get a wooden cup and drink the fresh frothy honey beer.

Since Levi took away the two bees from Beorn, honey is no longer something that needs to be imported. Whether it is roadside forts or river valleys, there are more places dedicated to beekeeping. Generally, this kind of There are cherry blossom trees planted all over the place.

At first, the residents responsible for beekeeping were startled by the square bees that were almost as big as a human head. However, after confirming that as long as they did not attack them actively, they would never throw out the stings on their tails. They became bolder and sometimes even touched them when they saw them on the roadside.

After all, this big, fat bee is indeed quite cute just from the appearance.

Gudong... Gudong...

"ha--"

"It feels really good."

Putting down the empty cup in his hand, Levi sighed.

It's so refreshing to have this little honey beer after the meal.

"One more drink."

He couldn't help but drink more.

"Won't you have some?"

While drinking, Levi asked Bud, who was sitting opposite and ordered another bowl of soup and a loaf of hard bread.

"Hmm...still not. I have a lot to do in the afternoon and I have to stay awake."

As always, Bud is still so self-disciplined and knows how to control himself.

"All right."

Putting down the wine glass, Levi didn't force it, and just nibbled on another carrot while waiting for Bud to eat.

Crunchy.

After confirming that Levi really just wanted to take a stroll, Bud stopped looking at him. Instead, he called a carriage in River Valley City and returned to Long Lake Town to continue handling his never-ending affairs.

Watching Bard leave, Levi stood there and thought for a while, then turned around and left River Valley City, heading towards the gate of Lonely Mountain.

The guard near the gate turned sideways and saluted slightly.

This is the same level of treatment as a king under the mountain.

It's been a few years since I visited, but Erebor is still brilliant and lively, and if you listen closely, you can still catch the tinkling sounds echoing in the mountains.

The dwarves continued to dig deeper as before, starting from Erebor and continuing to develop the vast mountains behind.

Although Gushan seems to be such a big place, in fact it can only be regarded as an entrance. The space and development potential inside are no smaller than those of the human and elven kingdoms outside.

After all, there is a huge gray mountain range behind the lonely mountain, and so far the dwarves have only developed a small part of that mountain range.

And just the wealth accumulated from developing this corner has attracted dragons many times, whether they are fire-breathing ones or non-fire-breathing ones.

Crossing the lively market and the majestic bridge all the way, when we arrived at the conference hall, as expected, Thorin was here.

"I haven't seen you for a while."

When he caught a glimpse of Levi from the corner of his eye, Thorin immediately turned around and said hello with a smile. The subordinate who was discussing things with him was also stunned, then turned around and said hello with a little helplessness.

No matter what matter is being discussed, no matter how important it is, it is not as high a priority as this one.

If someone else came to visit, Thorin might even say 'sorry' and ask him to wait for a while until the business here is finished before going to receive him.

But the current situation is like this, don't worry about what you have on hand, let's not do it for now, let's talk about it later.

"I haven't seen you for a while. How have you been lately?"

The two shook hands.

"As usual, there is a lot to do and it is very busy, but I am also happy to be so busy every day because everything is going in a good direction."

"This couldn't be better."

"Have you eaten?" Levi asked habitually.

Thorin was stunned.

"Oh, this is really not the case."

"There are too many things, and I always forget about this. When you said that, my stomach also reacted. It is indeed a little hungry."

"And you?"

Thorin suggested: "Would you like to go have something to eat together?"

"Already eaten, but I don't mind eating more."

Soon, the two moved to a table.

Soon, a large plate of fragrant roasted meat with bones, which was quite characteristic of the dwarves, was served, followed by a few pieces of bread.

There were no vegetables or fruits.

"Try to dip it in this sauce."

Thorin tore off a piece of meat and handed it over, and pointed to a pile of original sauces next to it, which looked very high in fat, mixed with butter, oil from the roasted meat, and some other ingredients.

With the combination of the two, this piece of meat was directly eaten by Levi.

"Enough, enough, no need to give me more, I'd rather have a glass of ale."

Levi felt better after drinking the cold ale.

Unlike the comfort of honey beer, the dwarf's ale has another feeling:

"Refreshing."

"I feel like I can eat another piece of meat."

"Then eat more, after all, only when you are full can you have the strength to work."

After speaking, Thorin handed Levi another piece of meat, and then he was busy with the food on his plate, eating it in big mouthfuls.

That look made Levi's appetite whetted, except that he looked a little dry.

"Why not some wine?"

"Wine?"

Thorin shook his head and said, "I'm afraid not now. As you can see, there are still many things waiting for me to do. I must finish eating quickly to deal with what happened just now, otherwise they will chase me to my doorstep next time."

"It's really hard."

Levi shook his head and just drank the remaining beer silently.

"By the way, what are you doing this time?"

"Nothing, I just want to see my friends."

"Well, thank you for your concern. I'm very happy to see you in my busy life day after day."

The short lunch time ended. As soon as Thorin stood up, he was blocked by the dwarf he had just talked to, and continued to work on the matter that was interrupted by Levi's arrival.

Putting down the wine glass, stretching, Levi walked out of the gate of Lonely Mountain and took a deep breath.

Still felt a little full.

But to be honest, except for being a little greasy, the taste was really good.

This kind of thing... the first bite is enjoyable, the second bite is satisfying, and the rest is a bit of torture.

It's easy to say when the satiety is low, just eat as much as you want, pure fat Levi can eat like a starving ghost.

But after the satiety is full, forget it.

"Ah--"

Sighing for no reason, Levi returned to River Valley City again, strolling around the square for a while, looking at the statue commemorating the 'Dragon Slayer' and the 'Dragon Slayer', and then going to the palace at the top to look at the lonely mountain and Raven Ridge from a high place.

After that, no one saw him in the city again.

Huh--

At night, when the warm yellow light from the lanterns on the roadside replaced the sunlight, the noise and busyness of the day also came to an end for the time being, and people went home and talked about rumors and interesting things in the warm house.

It was at this time that a gray figure walked into an alley, tidied his robe, and sat down on a step.

Just like a few years ago, he threw his cane against the wall, treating it like a clothesline.

"You look like you've been sitting here for a while."

Gandalf lit his pipe, and a faint light appeared, drawing the statue-like person next to him out of the darkness.

"It's been a while."

Levi sighed and asked, "Have you eaten?"

"Not yet."

A piece of fresh-looking snack was handed over.

"It was made by the same chef."

"Oh, thank you, it's very good, and I've made progress." Gandalf chewed and couldn't help nodding.

"Then why did our gray-robed wizard come to visit?"

"Wizards are never late." Gandalf replied irrelevantly.

"Late?"

"I mean, when something happens, or when someone needs it."

"...Maybe."

"The journey always has an end."

Gandalf stared at the smoke from his pipe and said, "Death is a road that everyone must take, an inevitable road."

"But it doesn't mean that people can't start the next journey."

"When life comes to an end, darkness will sweep the consciousness, and all senses will become nothingness."

"But after that, you will catch-"

"What?"

"The cry of a newborn baby and the light that reappears before your eyes."

Levi suddenly smiled.

Just as He is merciful, He gives humans freedom. All humans who die in Middle-earth can get rid of the constraints of the Arda universe, stay away from the hustle and bustle of the world, or go to other worlds.

And, humans are also the only race that can decide their own destiny and are not limited by the great music.

"I understand."

He took a deep breath and stood up.

The faint fire flickered.

"Let's go eat something. I'm a little hungry." Levi suggested.

"Me too."

Gandalf touched his stomach and responded, "You don't know how much I have walked in the past month and how many bad things I have encountered... I was scolded and driven away in Rohan, drank uncooked poisonous mushroom soup when I was a guest in Gondor, and was chased by Orcs all the way when I passed by the Brown Land. This world is crazy."

"It sounds really tortuous. Why don't we find a place to drink and tell me about the interesting things you have experienced during this period?"

"I'm afraid that won't work." Old Gandalf shook his head.

Levi was really unhappy now.

"Why don't you... Tell me what you are busy with?"

"Busy looking for you."

Gandalf pouted and complained: "Why do you think I'm here? Bard and Thorin drove me out of the house so that I could use what they call 'wizard's sense' to find you."

"Ah?" Levi was a little stunned.

"Don't treat people as fools. Some things people can see at a glance."

Gandalf extinguished the pipe after shaking it lightly, hung it on his cane, and said: "They came here as soon as they finished their work today, but they couldn't find you."

"Now hurry back with me, the protagonist of tonight's cocktail party can't be absent."