-General-
"You were right, coming here was a waste of time," Dwalin grumbled, annoyed. He couldn't understand why Gandalf had recommended a cowardly hobbit who was only wasting their time.
"Actually, it wasn't a waste of time; at least one adventurer joined the team," Kili said, giving Aldril a thumbs-up.
"Not only that, I also won two bets, hahaha!" Bofur responded cheerfully, tilting his head mockingly.
"Hey, Bofur, you only won because of last night's competition; the bet on whether the hobbit would come isn't over yet," Glóin retorted, irritated, but the truth was he was a bit nervous as there was no sign of the hobbit catching up.
He trusted Aldril because Aldril had won him a bet the previous night, but as the minutes passed, he started to doubt if it had been right to bet on the hobbit.
"Hahaha, you were a fool to bet on him, Glóin, though I admit Mr. Baggins cooked us a sumptuous dinner last night. But that doesn't mean he has the guts to take risks on our adventure!"
Dwalin's comment made several dwarves nod. Although the hobbit was likable, his displayed cowardice didn't quite sit right with them. What dwarves hate most is cowardice, as for them it's a clear sign of weakness. They prefer to die fighting rather than save themselves by fleeing; this was demonstrated in the Battle of Azanulbizar and the Battle of the Five Armies, where, despite being outnumbered, all it took was for Thorin to stand up and lead them to fight to the end.
"Several minutes have passed and the hobbit hasn't shown up, so go get those coins already."
"Just wait a few more minutes."
"You only want to wait because you bet on him."
"Hahaha, maybe you won last night's bet, but this time you'll lose because you're an idiot."
"Who are you calling an idiot?"
It was almost noon; the sunlight created a peaceful atmosphere in the forest. The expedition team was discussing the bet. Those who had bet on Bilbo began to take out their coins, having lost hope of his appearance. The only exceptions were Gandalf, Aldril, and Balin, who were more patient and awaited Bilbo's arrival.
And it wasn't long before, just as the dwarves were preparing to split the winnings, a familiar voice came from behind, causing everyone to stop.
"I signed it!"
A short figure, wearing a burgundy coat and an unbuckled backpack, ran barefoot, waving something in his hand.
"Hahaha, look, Mr. Baggins did come!" A cheerful Kili turned to look at the other dwarves, who wore sour expressions from having lost the bet.
"Damn it, I lost again."
"What you won last night, you lost now, Bofur, hahahaha."
"It was just bad luck."
As the dwarves conversed, Bilbo arrived, waving the contract. Stopping near them, he leaned on his knees from exhaustion and handed the contract to Balin.
Balin, receiving it, pulled out reading glasses and searched for Bilbo's signature. Seeing it, he looked at Bilbo and with a smile said, "Welcome to Thorin Oakenshield's expedition, Mr. Baggins."
After Balin's words, the entire expedition party laughed politely. For a hobbit who had never traveled far to give up his quiet, comfortable, and relaxing life deserved admiration. At least the courage he showed earned him some respect from the dwarves.
"Give him a pony."
Thorin looked at Bilbo, and there was a trace of satisfaction in his eyes. Although he was still against Bilbo accompanying them, he recognized the courage Bilbo had shown in agreeing to join them.
[Bilbo]
I had never participated in battles or adventures before, much less ridden a pony. I know a pony is safer than a horse, but I still couldn't help but feel nervous.
I wanted to decline and tell them it wasn't necessary, that I was a good walker and there was no need to give me a pony, but they didn't let me speak. The white-bearded dwarf to whom I handed the contract quickly handed me a pony.
Fortunately, the pony was my size, so it wasn't difficult to mount it. As I arranged my belongings to be more comfortable, I heard the voice of the white-bearded dwarf, whose name I learned was Balin.
"Hey, Dwalin, it's time to pay up."
At his words, a bag of coins brushed against the side of my face, and thus they continued throwing bags of money back and forth.
"What's going on?" With a confused face, I turned to look at Gandalf, who I hadn't realized had stopped beside me.
"They made a bet; they bet you wouldn't come; most of them bet against you."
Gandalf's words left me speechless. Of course, why hadn't I imagined it? Last night they did the same, betting on Aldril and Kili's competition. But I was curious: would Gandalf have been for or against me? To satisfy my curiosity, I asked, "And you, Gandalf, were you for or against?"
I had barely finished speaking when a bag of money was thrown toward Gandalf, who looked at me with a smile.
"Of course I was for you; I never doubted you," he told me as he put the bag in his robe.
As I felt flattered by Gandalf's confidence, the man with the terrifying but kind eyes stood on my other side. His words surprised me in a gratifying way.
"Bofur, you're the only one left," he said, then caught a bag that was thrown by the dwarf who told me about Smaug and made me faint with fear.
Noticing my gaze, the man gave me a smile as he shook the bag of coins.
"I bet on you too, Bilbo."
It was nice that not only Gandalf trusted me. He certainly has those terrifying eyes, but he's a kind person.
"Thank you for your trust," I said, giving them both a smile.
[Aldril]
"You're welcome; we'll be adventure companions from now on," I said casually, but the truth is, if I didn't know the plot, I would have also bet against Bilbo, as his behavior last night gave the impression that he wouldn't risk leaving the comfort of his home for a very dangerous adventure.
I didn't really dislike him, nor did I intend to belittle Bilbo as the dwarves did, as I knew he was the main character of The Hobbit. Besides, Bilbo was proving that small people can achieve great things. Also, he will be the ultimate bearer of the One Ring and the only one, at this moment, capable of protecting himself from the evil influence it causes.
I watched as the little hobbit fell silent for a few seconds as he bowed his head and murmured, "Adventure companions."
This made me laugh; he began to nod quickly and then raised his head to say decisively, "Yes! I am now a member of the team, and my own adventure has begun! Perhaps I can achieve the same accomplishments as my great-great-grandfather and my great-grandfather in the future."
I certainly didn't know what was going through Bilbo's mind, but I was a bit lost in my own thoughts, thinking that if the plot remains unchanged, the One Ring is still in the hands of Gollum, who is in the depths of the Goblin Kingdom.
If we actually reach the Goblin Kingdom, should I snatch the One Ring from Gollum before Bilbo does? Middle-earth is a world with gods, and I don't know if my decision will cause them to change the destiny they have possibly imposed and, consequently, get angry and end up killing me.
As I pondered this question, a beautiful white bird landed on my shoulder, and I could hear a soft, beautiful voice telling me, "~That is not the bright destiny that awaits you~."
At the voice, I looked around, only to see the white bird fly away, while one of its beautiful feathers fell onto my shoulder. Picking it up, I could feel such calm and a touch of love as if it were the embrace of a grandmother or a mother.
"What the hell was that?" I said to myself as I watched the bird fly towards the horizon. As I watched the bird fly away, a memory of the original Aldril appeared in my mind.
....
In a small village surrounded by lush forests, a young Aldril was seen in a clearing, accompanied by a white bird. Not long before, Aldril had witnessed several children being accompanied by their parents, who showed smiles and loving gestures.
Aldril had grown up in an orphanage, where he had never received affection; the caregivers were indifferent to the children, so it was not a good environment to grow up in. So, faced with such a joyful scene, Aldril felt an emptiness in his heart that made him run to the forest to vent his sadness.
It was a sunny afternoon; as he ran through the forest, overwhelmed by sadness and uncontrollable tears, Aldril sat in a clearing and let his tears flow freely.
The leaves of the trees seemed to whisper words of comfort as a gentle breeze caressed his distressed face. In the midst of his pain, a beautiful white bird descended from the sky and gently landed in front of him.
With a soft flutter, the bird dried his tears with its soft feathers, as if it understood Aldril's suffering and wanted to offer him comfort.
Surprised by the bird's presence, Aldril felt a strange warmth and comfort he had never experienced before. Without saying a word, Aldril and the bird looked deeply into each other's eyes, and at that moment, he felt an inexplicable connection, as if the bird were someone close to him.
After drying his tears, Aldril watched as the bird flew away toward the horizon. Now calmer, he got up and returned to the orphanage, where they didn't even care how ragged he looked.
It was during the morning of the next day when a kind old woman appeared in the village; the old woman went to the orphanage where she adopted Aldril.
Certainly, Aldril was a little scared at first, but he calmed down when he felt that affection he had felt with the bird the day before.
From that day on, the old woman raised him as a son, until he grew up. When he turned 16, the old woman mysteriously disappeared.
That day, Aldril was quite depressed, as he felt abandoned, but in his moment of sadness, the bird from his childhood appeared again.
It landed on his shoulder and rubbed its head on Aldril's face, as if to comfort him. After his mood improved, the bird left again, and he hadn't seen it again until today.
...
"So, since my childhood, you've been there," I murmured as I watched the bird fly away.
"Who was the original Aldril? Or rather, what am I doing in this world? Transmigrated or reincarnated, and I only recovered my memories two months ago?" A myriad of questions arose.
"I hope to find answers."
***
I've seen that many people are upset that the MC doesn't drink or smoke, are they really upset about that? I personally have never smoked, the only time I drank I was disgusted and from that moment on I never drank again.
Anyway, this chapter leaves a huge clue about the origin of the MC.
Remember to support me on patreon where there are 5 chapters ahead and where they will be uploaded more frequently than on web novels "patreon.com/Mrnevercry"