The Collection of The End

——Third Age, 3018, September 29——

Buri, Prancing Horse Inn.

Aragorn was sitting in a corner of the hotel with his hood on and his eyes closed to meditate.

A few days ago, Gandalf, who had always been invisible, returned to the team again, but left behind a bad news and an irresistible task, and then ran away on horseback at night.

He confirmed that the "ring of invisibility" held by his old friend Bilbo Baggins was actually the One Ring, and asked Aragorn to escort Frodo Baggins, who was carrying the ring, to Rivendell.

In this regard, Aragorn had only one idea - could you not just catch the Baggins family?

After all, as the future King of Gondor, he cannot allow the Demon King Sauron to be resurrected through the Lord of the Rings. This task must be completed.

However, Bree is different from the Northern Kingdom, the Great Wilderness, Gondor, and Rohan. It excludes all outsiders. If you go there with your entire battle group, you will probably have to fight with the guards there. There is also a person among them. "Famous carrot lover", that's pretty cool.

In the end, he had to disguise himself, enter the town as inconspicuously as possible, and take away the dwarves before the Nazgul found them.

"Oh, look who is this? Four young hobbit masters, how can old Butterfly help you?"

"We are friends of Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey. Can you tell him that we are here?"

The innkeeper's smooth voice and the hobbit's unique soft voice attracted Aragorn's attention.

Four... He looked at the four little men who didn't know what being low-key was.

Gandalf clearly said that there were only two hobbits escorting the ring, and the extra two were probably attracted by the race's natural adventurous spirit.

"Oh? That old wizard in gray clothes wearing a pointed hat? I haven't seen him for half a year. Do you want to open a hobbit room here to wait for him?" The boss tried to make a deal by taking advantage of every opportunity.

"No, we..."

"Please open a room for us. My name is Underhill. If Gandalf comes, please tell him this name."

The leading hobbit stopped his companions from speaking, and then gave a false name.

Oh, of course it's a fake name. The so-called "under the mountain" is a hint that Bilbo Baggins settled the Battle of the Five Armies at the Lonely Mountain. It also hints that the Hobbit's residences are all caves.

These little guys are not bad. Aragorn lowered his hood a little and went to contact them when there were fewer people.

——

He retracted his previous thoughts. Except for the leader, Frodo Baggins, none of these little guys were reliable.

In order to avoid arousing suspicion, there was no problem for Froro to order more food, but the man named Sam who ignored his surroundings and kept eating was putting the cart before the horse, and Merry, who looked nervous and looked like everyone around him was trying to harm him. And Pippin, who started talking loudly after drinking two cans of ale - well, yes, these names were all said by Pippin, as if others cared that Frodo was his second cousin.

"What... Baggins? Didn't I say that? Baggins is-" "Pippin!!"

When Pippin, under the influence of alcohol, was about to reveal who the rumored "Baggins of the Shire" the Black Knight was seeking was, Frodo stopped him loudly and strode over to try to drag him away.

It's a pity that he is not a big strider. As a hobbit, he can take such a long stride-

Phew!

Frodo didn't take two steps before he stepped on the cheese that someone had dropped on the ground. He slipped and fell on his back. At the same time, the gold necklace that he had originally hung around his neck as a pendant dropped. The ring also flew out.

This thing can be sold for about 500 dinars, or 750 if you bargain.

Aragorn stared at the gold ring flying in the air and quickly completed the appraisal. valley

Snapped.

Then, the ring fell into the palm of his hand that he had just opened unconsciously.

Ha...that's interesting.

"If you want to get your 'heirloom' back," Aragorn stood up and said to the hobbits who stared at him with the eyes of an enemy: "Follow me."

He tossed his cloak, clutched the ring and walked towards the guest room on the second floor.

——】

snort.

The Lord of the Rings, nothing more.

——

"Please give me that ring back, Strider."

When the four hobbits chased Aragorn to a guest room, they had already found various weapons from nowhere. Sam was holding a rake, Merry was carrying a shovel, and Pippin was carrying a stick. , only Frodo held the candlestick with a calm expression, and reported the nickname Aragorn.

"If you can't keep it well, I don't mind changing to a 'keeper of the ring.'" Aragorn spread his hands and threw the Supreme Lord of the Rings away: "If you drop it, it will fly out. I doubt you very much. Whether you can complete the task entrusted to you by Gandalf."

"Hiss..." "Ah..."

Merry and Pippin obviously saw the One Ring for the first time, and their eyes couldn't help but follow the golden ring that flew and fell.

"Obviously, the companion you chose is not very good either." Aragorn glanced at them.

"You have been influenced by the Supreme Lord of the Rings. Any thoughts you want to continue to hold it are what it makes you think." Frodo stared at Aragorn: "If you want to deny this, please give any examples. A reason why you should give it to me.”

"This is sophistry," Aragorn grinned: "I can also say the same. Any thought that makes you reasonably ask for the ring is what the ring makes you think. Please give me any reason why I shouldn't give it to you. ?”

"..." Frodo was startled for a moment, then fell silent.

"Hey, stop talking nonsense, I only know that the ring belonged to Frodo half an hour ago. If you are too lazy to return it, you can try the gardener's rake!" The slightly fat Hobbit began to wave the farm tools in his hands.

"You don't seem to be affected by the Lord of the Rings, but you are just a gardener..." Aragorn looked at Sam thoughtfully.

"I thought of the reason why you shouldn't give the ring back to me." Frodo raised his head and looked at Aragorn: "Are you sure you want to listen?"

"Tell me about it? Maybe after hearing this, I feel it makes sense and really stay?" Aragorn threw down the Lord of the Rings again.

"By accepting my ring, you accept my proposal," the hobbit said. "Please be sure to wear it at all times."

"..."x3

Frodo's hobbits were stunned.

Aragorn shook his hand and threw the gold ring towards Frodo: "Take it away! Take it away! If Evenstar misunderstands, I will be dead!"

"..." Frodo took the ring, strung it on the necklace, and then said: "So you rejected me?"

"Yes, ah, no, no! I have nothing to do with you!" Aragorn was speechless, and after stammering for a few words, he pulled out his sword and pointed it at Sam, Merry and Pippin: "You haven't heard anything today! "

The hobbit nodded.