A Contract Scary Enough to Make You Faint

"Don't forget, we also Warlock in our team." Kili cleverly steered the conversation towards Gandalf, "Gandalf must have killed hundreds of dragons in his life."

"No," Gandalf waved his hand awkwardly, "I wouldn't say that."

"I think so too." Aaron scoffed. "Hundreds of dragons, that's a bit too much for some."

If Gandalf were truly that capable, why would he need to organize an adventure team?

"How many are there?" Dori asked anxiously.

"What?"

"How many dragons have you killed?"

Gandalf was smoking when he choked and couldn't speak.

"Hurry up! Give us a number."

Gandalf did not answer, and the dwarves seemed to glean a sad answer from his silence, and immediately began to quarrel.

The scene suddenly became extremely chaotic, and the morale of the troops was in disarray even before they set off.

That's enough.

Thorin shouted and stood up, and everyone else immediately fell silent.

"If we see the signs, why can't others see them?"

"Excuse me, I'll interrupt you again."

What are the omens?

Thorin turned his head and glared at him.

Why are you interrupting when adults are talking? Can't you see I'm trying to rally the troops?

"The omens say the time has come," Oin explained. "There is Prophecy that when the ancient bird flies back to Erebor, the rule of the monster will come to an end."

"Now rumors have begun to spread, Evil Dragon Smaug has been missing for sixty years."

The crowd gazed at Lonely Mountain in the east, observing, pondering, and assessing the risks. Perhaps our wealth was currently unattended; should we sit idly by and watch them seize it by trickery and force?

Perhaps we should seize this opportunity to take Erebor.

Thorin roared out his last words, and inspired by their leader, the dwarves' morale soared.

But Aaron couldn't laugh; this adventure might be more difficult than he imagined.

If Smaug seized the dwarves' homeland sixty years ago, it means he has lived for at least sixty years, and for sixty years, his very name alone was enough to deter people from approaching him.

This is no ordinary demonic Magic Dragon; it is at least a dragon king-level dragon.

"You've forgotten something: the main gate is sealed off," Balin said. "We can't get into Lonely Mountain."

"Balin, that's not entirely true." Gandalf flipped his fingers, and a jet-black key appeared in his hand.

Thorin stared intently at the key, asking incredulously, "How did you get it?"

"Your father gave it to me, Thrain put me in charge of looking after it. Now it's yours."

Thorin put away the key, as if recalling his father, and his eyes welled up with tears.

"If there's a key, there's a door," Fili said.

Gandalf nodded and pointed to the runes on the side of the map, "The runes say there is Mithras Passage leading to the lower hall."

However, it is hard to find, as the dwarf door is invisible when closed.

The answer is hidden somewhere on the map, but I can't decipher it yet. However, someone in the Middle-earth world can.

"I plan to do this mission, which requires both skill and extraordinary courage," Gandalf said, glancing at Aaron and Bilbo. "If we are careful, we should be able to succeed."

"That's why we need Golden Snitch," Ori suddenly realized.

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at Aaron and Bilbo, who stared at each other in bewilderment.

"Mr. Baggins, you used to be Golden Snitch!" Aaron teased. "Excuse me, but were you... a professional?"

"I'm not Golden Snitch, I've never stolen anything in my life."

"You're not Golden Snitch." Aaron frowned, then his eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, you're not asking me to steal something, are you?"

"Perhaps." Gandalf took a drag of his cigarette. "My plan is that if Bilbo doesn't go, then you'll have to become the Golden Snitch."

"Wortefa!" Aaron rolled his eyes. "Is it appropriate for you to bully a child like this?"

"You're no ordinary kid." Gandalf tapped Aaron's sleeve with his pipe, and a black magic Wand fell out. "Humans who can use magic are extremely rare, even in Middle-earth. You could count them on one hand."

"Are you Warlock?" Thorin asked in surprise.

The others also looked at him with curiosity, especially Bilbo, who realized that his guest seemed to be hiding some secret.

"Uh... don't look at me like that." Aaron chuckled and waved his hand. "You've misunderstood. I'm not a Warlock. I have absolutely nothing to do with Warlock."

"Then how do you explain this Wand?" Balin asked.

"It's an ancestral recipe," Aaron blurted out.

"Heh!" Thorin sneered. "We're all quite knowledgeable, but we've never heard of Gaius."

"That's normal, after all, it's been passed down for so many generations." Aaron said, looking angrily at Gandalf. "You know, I can't cast any magic."

"It's alright, this adventure might just unleash your potential."

Aaron:...

Is this never going to end?!

"But I have never stolen anything."

Even if I had experience in this area, how much memory do you think my current brain could retain?

"That's why I put you in the substitute position." Gandalf took a puff of his cigarette. "It mainly depends on Bilbo."

"Me?" Bilbo pointed blankly at himself. "Are you sure you haven't got the wrong person?"

"Certainly.

Hobbit are incredibly agile and can appear and disappear without a trace.

"Furthermore, the dragon is too familiar with the scent of dwarves, but has never smelled the scent of Hobbit, which will give us a great advantage." After Gandalf finished explaining, he looked at Thorin, "You asked me to find the fourteenth member of the expedition, and I chose Mr. Baggins."

I took it upon myself to add a fifteenth companion, Aaron Gaius.

They may not look impressive, but they can make contributions far beyond your wildest dreams; you have to believe me.

"Alright!" Thorin nodded slightly. "It's up to you!"

Give them the contract.

Balin produced a folded parchment, "Just a general contract, outlining the self-funded portion, the time required, the fee, funeral expenses, etc."

The two exchanged a glance and then went to watch from the side.

Contract: Cash on delivery.

If there is a profit, each person may receive a maximum of one-fifteenth.

"That sounds pretty good." Bilbo nodded.

"Taiping?" Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Thirteen dwarves, you, me, Gandalf ... sixteen people, one-fifteenth each."

Although I'm not very good at math, I know there's a problem here, and a big problem at that.

Throughout history, countless bloody battles have been fought over the unequal distribution of spoils!

"Yes! It should be one-sixteenth."

"Cash on delivery," Thorin said casually. "I'll be responsible for receiving the goods, no more than fifteen people."

Furthermore, that's not stolen money; it's our dwarf wealth, and we have the right to take it.

"Then there's no problem." Aaron smiled and continued reading the remaining content.

The group will not be liable for any injuries caused or resulting during the expedition, including but not limited to lacerations.

"A laceration?" Bilbo paused.

"That's normal, after all, it's stealing things right under the nose of a giant dragon."

If you can't dodge Smaug's claws... it'll leave a laceration.

Bilbo's eye twitched, and he turned to the next page: Abdominal organs lost.

"If the claws pierce too deeply, it's normal for them to pull out some organs. If you're lucky enough to witness Smaug teeth, you might not die so painfully; one bite and it'll be over."

But no worries, with the Hobbit ' skills, dodging the dragon's claws is a piece of cake.

"Haha!" Bilbo's face lit up. "You're really funny."

"Many people have praised me like that."

"Didn't you have amnesia? You still remember many people?"

"Amnesia can be recovered, but mine is recovering rather slowly," Aaron said confidently.

Bilbo was speechless. He looked at the irresponsible last member of the group and couldn't help but swallow.

"There were also deaths from burning?"

"This... at least you don't have to experience the pain of lacerations and organ loss."

"You're even more humorous than I thought." Bilbo placed the Contract in Aaron's hand, then squatted down, supporting himself on his knees with both hands, as if he had just run a marathon, his breathing particularly rapid.

"Are you alright, young man?" Balin asked.

"It's nothing," Bilbo waved his hand and exhaled several times. "I just feel a little dizzy."

"I imagine it's a winged incinerator..." Bofur stood up and gave a brief description.

"I need air."

"In the blink of an eye, you will be reduced to ashes."

Bilbo stood up, but after a few seconds he could no longer hold on.

"No."

The Hobbit were so frightened they fainted.

"You guys are really making things worse!" Gandalf was speechless.

"This is necessary." Aaron decisively signed his name in the Golden Snitch section of the contract: Son of Vico Gaius - Aaron Gaius.

"I'm stating the facts; the reality is only much harsher."

"Being dizzy now is better than fainting when you see a dragon!"

"I think so too," Bofur.

"Come on! You're not trying to scare people. What you said was much more vivid than what I said."

"Why aren't you afraid?" Thorin asked.

"This... maybe it's because I have a strong mentality!"

Just kidding, I've witnessed the entire process of dissecting a human body.

The mere dragon is nothing compared to the Mol's chamber; his standard chamber is truly terrifying.

Aaron crouched down, pressing one hand against Bilbo's philtrum and the other against his chest, feeling the heartbeat.

"Water."

Gandalf handed over a wine glass. Aaron examined it and couldn't help but twitch his lips. "That's so mean! You're giving me a glass of hot water because you think it won't burn him to death?"

"Sorry, I thought you were going to give him water," Gandalf said apologetically, then took a glass of cold water.

Aaron splashed the water on Bilbo's face, Hobbit's eyes immediately opened, though he seemed not yet to have recovered from the shock.

"You can do this too?" Gandalf asked curiously.

"I know a little; my ancestors were doctors."

"Didn't you say your ancestors were blacksmiths?" Fili asked.

"No, Fili, he just said that his ancestors were magicians."

"My great-grandfather was a blacksmith, my great-great-grandfather was a doctor, and my great-great-great-grandfather's great-uncle was a magician, is that not allowed?"

The two dwarf brothers looked at each other, feeling that something was amiss, but they couldn't quite put their finger on it.

"Gandalf, give me a hand and help Bilbo over to the fireplace."

"OK!"

More than half an hour later, the dwarves went to a room to rest.

Bilbo, holding his water glass, sat by the fireplace and said, "I'm fine, let me sit a little longer."

"You've been sitting here for far too long," Gandalf said, exasperated. "Since when have your the Mother's tablecloths and porcelain become so important to you?"

I remember that child who searched for fairies in the forest. He would stay outside until very late, only returning home after dark, dragging twigs, mud, and fireflies with him.

That little Hobbit was only interested in knowing what lay beyond the Shire's borders; the world wasn't in your books and maps, it was outside.

"I can't just wander around outside like this; I'm Bagins of Bag End."

"What a comfortable and self-righteous attitude, but this scene seems so familiar!" Aaron smiled thoughtfully. Gandalf's persuasion of Bilbo was just like Vico's persuasion of Aaron, no doubt about it.

"Bilbo, you have Took blood," Gandalf, pointing to a portrait on the wall. "Do you know that your great-great-great-uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so huge that he could ride a real horse?"

"Yes."

"Yes, he can."

In the Battle of the Greenhorn, he attacked the Orc army, violently swinging his club at the Orc king's head, sending his head flying into a rabbit hole at least a yard away.

They won the war, and in doing so, invented the game of Goyle.

"So that's how Goyle was invented?" Aaron's lips twitched slightly. "But hitting an orc king on the head? That's ridiculous!"

Even if you remove the word "king," this statement still holds some truth.

Bilbo's face unconsciously broke into a smile, even though he knew it was made up by Gandalf. Everyone likes to hear such praise of their ancestors.

"All good stories deserve embellishment." Gandalf glanced at Aaron. "There will be several more stories to tell when you come back."

"That's one of my goals!" Aaron sighed. "But what I want isn't the story, it's the legend."

"This goal seems a bit too big, and difficult to achieve," Gandalf said with a smile. "I must say that this adventure is exactly your opportunity."

Can you guarantee I'll come back?

"He can't do it," Aaron interjected. "If he could, the contract wouldn't have been written so extravagantly."

We're risking our lives for a reward, and on a profoundly meaningful adventure.

"You signed it."

"Yes, you signed it." Bilbo paused for a moment after saying that before looking at Aaron in astonishment. "You signed that contract?"

When? Why didn't you tell me?

"When you were unconscious."

As for why I didn't tell you... I think there are some things I can decide for myself.

"But, but you're just a child," Bilbo said anxiously. "You don't need to take such a risk by asking Thorin to amend the contract."

"No." Aaron said firmly, "The Gaius family values the spirit of contracts the most. Even if it's just an ordinary contract, once I've signed it, I must abide by it to the end."

"You, really..." Bilbo stood up from the sofa. "This is too hasty."

You saw that contract, too. Lacerations, loss of abdominal organs, death by burning... My God, do you know how high the mortality rate is?

"I know that I signed the contract after careful consideration."

"I heard that. That's Gaius's courage," Gandalf said. "And you? Would you like to join the expedition?"

"I'm sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign."

You've got the wrong Hobbit.

After saying that, Bilbo left the room.

"Looks like you didn't convince him?" Aaron teased. "Are you feeling quite disappointed?"

"Bilbo will join," Gandalf said confidently. "He has Took blood, is Belladonna's son, and his adventurous genes will drive him to make the choice."

"I think so too." Aaron shrugged. "But it has nothing to do with his family background; it's just my opinion."