The Story Begins Here [Seeking Recommendation Tickets]

The contract the dwarves provided for Morgan was drafted on the spot.

Bilbo's contract had been prepared in advance, as Gandalf had spoken of it from the very beginning.

However, due to Morgan joining the party, the commission promised to Bilbo had to be adjusted.

The original share promised to Bilbo was one-fourteenth of the total profits, which was temporarily revised to one-fifteenth.

As for Morgan's commission, since the dwarves could not scrape together any extra funds on such short notice, it was set to one-fifteenth of the total profits, just like Bilbo's.

As to why there were sixteen people in the party but only fifteen shares of the profits, Morgan did not know, nor did he ask.

When Thorin Oakenshield solemnly handed the makeshift contract to Morgan, Morgan scanned it quickly and signed his name at the bottom without hesitation.

Bilbo, on the other hand, hesitated at the final moment of signing after reading through all the terms.

For a Hobbit who had never ventured far from Hobbiton since birth, leaving behind his warm home, his delicious breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, and the leisurely comfort of Bag End to rashly embark on a dangerous, arduous, and dirty adventure truly required immense courage.

In the end, Bilbo shook his head, saying he needed time to think, and retreated to his room.

At this point, it wasn't just Morgan who saw that Bilbo had lost the heart for adventure; Gandalf saw it too.

Thus, no sooner had Bilbo left than Gandalf followed right behind him.

The night had grown deep.

The dwarves, having spent the day in a ruckus, began to yawn.

They had to be up early the next morning to hit the road.

Bilbo's Bag End was too small, and there were no spare beds.

The dwarves had to make do with sleeping on the floor or finding their own way to rest.

Fortunately, it was still summer and the weather was warm, so sleeping on the floor was of no consequence.

Morgan simply sat on a bench and slept with his head resting on the dining table for the night.

Early the next morning, Morgan woke up to see the party of dwarves preparing to depart.

After a quick wash, Morgan led the ponies the dwarves had specially prepared for the journey—sturdier and capable of carrying heavier loads.

He and Gandalf had already taken care of their own horses from the day before.

Morgan led his horse over to Gandalf, who was puffing on his pipe while watching the sunrise, and asked, "Is Bilbo not coming?"

"What, do you also think Bilbo is unwilling to leave?" Gandalf turned his head and asked, looking at Morgan.

"Well, that's not it. I just think it takes great courage for an ordinary person to leave everything they have behind to go on an adventure with us. Of course, I have more faith in you, Gandalf!" Seeing Gandalf's contemplative gaze, Morgan patted him on the shoulder and laughed.

Bilbo had not yet risen, but Thorin Oakenshield was not prepared to wait any longer.

The dwarves cleaned up everything they had messed up in Bag End the day before.

The party mounted their ponies and left Bilbo's home.

Of course, the contract given the day before was left behind.

As long as Bilbo was willing, and as long as he didn't wake up too late, he would be able to catch up with them.

The late summer sun was not blinding.

Walking along a path shaded by tall trees, the dwarves chatted, and the conversation soon turned to Bilbo.

Before long, a betting pool regarding whether Bilbo would catch up was underway.

Morgan truly witnessed the capabilities of these dwarves: they always seemed to find a way to have fun.

Bofur, the dwarf who loved wearing his fur hat, spoke up first: "I bet Mr. Baggins won't follow us because he doesn't have the nerve. Who dares to take that bet?"

Fili, the young dwarf with golden braids, immediately cried out in dissatisfaction: "Hey, everyone knows Mr. Baggins isn't coming! That's not fair!"

Immediately, other dwarves chimed in, "Exactly, exactly!"

Kili the dwarf also joined in, "Bofur, if you want to bet that Mr. Baggins will come, then I'll take that bet with you."

Just then, Morgan suddenly spoke up with a laugh, "I bet Baggins will definitely catch up. Who among you dares to bet against me?"

If he didn't know the plot, judging by Bilbo's performance yesterday and the fact that he hadn't even managed to get up this morning, Morgan would never have taken the bait, as the odds were far too slim.

But now, since there was money to be made and a chance to boost his favorability with Gandalf, why not?

Sure enough, the moment Morgan spoke, Gandalf looked over with a smile.

He believed Morgan was doing this entirely out of trust and to save his face.

One had to realize that even he himself had no confidence that Bilbo would be able to catch up.

Moreover, the dwarves mocking Bilbo for lacking courage was, in a way, a slap to Gandalf's face, even if the rowdy dwarves didn't necessarily mean it that way.

After all, he was the one who had recommended Bilbo with all his might yesterday.

"I'm with Morgan, count me in too."

Gandalf tapped his pipe against his shoe and chuckled happily.

As his voice fell, two voices immediately called out in succession.

"I'll take Morgan's bet."

"I'll take Gandalf's."

Kili and Bofur spoke up in a hurry, leaving the other dwarves who had intended to bet lamenting that they were a step too slow.

"Count me in as well. I suspect Mr. Baggins might just catch up; we might as well give him some trust."

At this moment, Balin with the white beard spoke up, causing everyone to pause in surprise.

Gloin the dwarf was the quickest to react, quickly saying, "I'll take Balin's bet!"

Just then, the young dwarf Fili prepared to speak.

"Fili, you're too slow, haha!"

While the members of the expedition party were joking around and betting on Bilbo.

Inside Bag End.

Bilbo had just woken up from his sleep.

He got up to find the house empty, with everything neat, clean, and as good as new.

If not for the fact that the food in the pantry had been completely depleted, Bilbo might have even thought that everything from last night was a dream.

Looking at the empty rooms and recalling the lively commotion of yesterday, a sudden, inexplicable sense of loss welled up in Bilbo's heart.

Soon, he saw the contract on the table that he had refused to sign the day before.

At this moment, Bilbo suddenly remembered Gandalf's words from yesterday: "Bilbo, your mother, your grandfather, your great-grandfather, and your great-great-great-grandfather were never ordinary."

"You are also of the Took line; do you really intend to spend your whole life holed up in this tiny home?"

Gandalf's words seemed to still echo in his ears.

A wild, indescribable impulse suddenly surged in Bilbo's heart: Yes, I don't want to. I don't want to spend my life like this. I am not willing to be ordinary!

Bilbo immediately found a pen and signed his name on the contract.

He then rummaged out his pack, stuffed in a few changes of clothes, and rushed out of Bag End, sprinting toward the distance.

Half an hour later.

With his backpack slung over his shoulder, not even having had the time to tie the opening, Bilbo finally caught sight of the expedition party in the woods just as he was about to leave Hobbiton.

Waving the contract in his hand, Bilbo ran toward them, overjoyed.

The story begins right here.