Chapter 262: Quiet Charles and the Brass Key

Quiet Shire.

In a lush apple orchard.

Ino sat alone under a tree, using an exquisite sword to cut a section of white ivory.

These ivory were gifts of "friendship" from the Harand people, and the long sword in his hand was also a trophy, the sword of the Witch King of Angmar - the Blade of Morgul.

As for the Sword of the Slayer, he returned it to Gandalf after the battle. He chose to refuse something that he didn't want a hundred years ago.

…

It has been half a year since the Battle of Pelennor, and more than four months since the destruction of the One Ring.

After the Battle of Pelennor ended, after a short rest, Gondor once again joined forces with Rohan to attack Mordor.

This attack with an egg against a rock also successfully attracted Sauron's attention.

And the rest of the things, everything is as in the story, Frodo lived up to everyone's expectations and completely destroyed the One Ring at Mount Doom.

The story is over.

This epic story spanning the Second and Third Ages finally came to a perfect end.

After declining Theoden's invitation, Ino returned to the Shire again, where he had his house and his friends.

The land he used to grow tobacco leaves has now been cut down by the White Witch, and replaced by this lush apple orchard.

...

Bag End.

As a former legend, Bilbo finally showed an old state after a hundred years.

As the former holder of the Supreme Ring, he obtained a long life against common sense, but as the ring was destroyed, this Hobbit forgotten by time was finally found by time again.

After finishing his daily work in the apple orchard, Ino pushed open the door of Bag End.

"Why are you showing off? If I'm not here, you can ask Frodo to help you."

Looking at the old Bilbo, Ino couldn't help but wave his wand to stop the other party from planning to cook food.

"I'm not old enough to move!" Bilbo's tone was full of dissatisfaction.

But soon, Bilbo changed the subject and said with some sadness: "Frodo is worse than me. I don't know what he has been through."

"Everything will be fine! Believe me." Ino patted Bilbo on the shoulder.

He looked at Frodo's condition. He was stabbed by the Witch King of Angmar with the Blade of Morgul. Although the ring was destroyed, the power of the curse contained in the blade had already spread through Frodo's body along the wound.

For this kind of injury involving the curse, Ino was powerless. Whether it was the healing spell or the white fresh essence, it was aimed at physical injuries.

Of course, if Fid was a normal phoenix, everything would be easy.

But life does not have so many ifs. Frodo can only hold on to the pain and wait to go to the Immortal Land in the West.

After comforting his old friend, Ino used magic to cook dinner for the two.

He has been living in Bag End for the past six months. After all, Bilbo's physical condition is really not reassuring.

...

Half an hour later.

Exquisite dishes floated out of the kitchen one after another.

At the dining table, Ino looked at the old figure opposite.

"Old man, let me tell you a story."

"Hey, that's great." Bilbo took over.

"I vaguely remember that when we first met, you said you were a bard, but I didn't care much at that time. All my attention was on those delicious candies."

Bilbo spoke intermittently, as if he had extracted long-lost fragments of memory from the depths of his mind.

"So, I really haven't told a good story..."

Ino sighed lightly, and then the suitcase in the bedroom was automatically opened, and a stack of bound parchment and automatic writing quills flew out together.

"This story begins in the Shire, the hometown of the Hobbits..."

...

Years slipped from the fingertips like fine sand, disappearing silently in the wind.

A week passed in a trance.

In the past week, Ino went to the apple orchard to water it during the day, or chatted with Lina, and basically stayed in Bag End for the rest of the time, telling stories to the two Hobbits.

Yes, in addition to Bilbo on the first day, Frodo also joined on the second day.

And the story he told was also very simple, which was the adventure of the uncle and nephew.

From the unexpected visit of the dwarves at Bag End to the destruction of the One Ring a hundred years later.

In the story, there is no focus on the glorious epic scenes, and there are more stories of small people.

Ino tells his experiences in Middle-earth from his own perspective.

In the melodious sound of the piano, the past scenes seem to emerge again.

Doris, the woodland elf, Julia, the old woman of Gondor, the young Lily, the brave but lacking overall view of Theodred, and five thousand old, weak, women and children of Rohan...

Each of them is a story, and they are also the protagonists of the story.

In the concept of traditional bards, stories are stories, there is only a difference in length, not in high and low.

"...The expedition team completed their mission, the Supreme Ring was destroyed in Mount Doom, and Frodo and Sam returned to their hometown, the beautiful and rich Shire."

As the last syllable fell, Ino felt the throbbing of returning again.

Coincidentally, it seemed as if he was waiting for him to finish telling a story.

But this time, he was not in a hurry to leave, and waved his hand to let a whole stack of parchment bound on the side fly to Frodo.

"I know you are also writing stories, so I give it to you. The stories of Middle-earth should be spread in Middle-earth."

Ino smiled and looked at Frodo, and at the same time looked around Bag End again.

When he returns to Middle-earth next time, things here will definitely be different.

"Are you leaving again?" Bilbo keenly noticed the memory.

"Yes! The story here is over! I have to go to other places to tell stories."

Ino stood up and gently hugged his old friend who was about to leave.

"It's good to leave!" Bilbo nodded in agreement.

"The Shire is not your destination, but the Shire will always have your home."

As he spoke, Bilbo stood up with difficulty and walked slowly towards the room.

After a while, when he walked out of the room again, he had an old brass key in his hand.

"I was going to give it to you when we parted, but who would have thought that you would leave faster than me."

Bilbo smiled with full energy, and then put the brass key on the table.

"This is the key to Bag End. I told you! The Shire has your home. Frodo and I will leave Middle-earth, but Bag End will always have someone to inherit it. As you said, it is the starting point of the story."

"Okay!" No one refused, and Ino took the key on the table.

"When the Fourth Age begins, when I have recorded enough stories, I will come to find you."

"Then I will wait for you in Valinor in the west! To be honest, I haven't felt this way for a long time. It feels like a new adventure is about to begin."

He is obviously over a hundred years old and looks old.

But at this moment, Bilbo's eyes once again reveal the eyes of his youth.