Chapter 11: There Is a Problem with the Arkenstone!

— From Igris' point of view —

It has been two days since my conversation with Gandalf and Thorin. Both of them appeared deep in thought during the journey, speaking only occasionally. Everything continues as normal. According to Halt and Gilan, there is no one following us, and although I trust their judgment, I still can't find peace of mind.

When they arrived in this world, they were granted knowledge equivalent to what they had in their own. Meaning, if they knew two languages in their original world, they know two languages here as well. If they know which tree branches make the best bows there, they know which tree branches make the best bows here. But knowing something and experiencing it are two entirely different things.

By the way, here are the rewards I've received from the system over the past two days:

System: [Conducting lottery… 3… 2… 1… Congratulations, the host has won "Senior Imperial Crossbowmen x16"!]

System: [Conducting lottery… 3… 2… 1… Congratulations, the host has won "Edible Mushrooms x50"!]

If we ignore the mushrooms, the first reward was actually quite good. At first, I wanted to summon them to my side immediately, but the system said it wouldn't assign them horses since they're not cavalry units. Of course, if I had a spare horse nearby, I could have summoned them, but unfortunately, we don't have any suitable ones.

Currently, I have a 50-slot inventory, meaning I've already paid 3,100 silver coins—three-quarters of my wealth—just for inventory upgrades. I used to be a wealthy man, but then I commissioned a full plate armor set, a one-handed sword, a shield, and a two-handed greatsword. Guno charged me nearly 80,000 gold for the materials and craftsmanship! Honestly, I don't understand smithing, but I do believe he crafted the armor from high-quality metals.

Anyway, back to the point.

I sent the 16 crossbowmen to join the 200 Swadian militia and gave them orders to begin their operation. The Imperial Crossbowmen are from the world of Mount and Blade: Bannerlord. If I remember correctly, there wasn't actually a "Senior Crossbowman" unit in the game. I asked the system about this, and it told me that in the game, after the Imperial Crossbowmen, there was indeed a sergeant rank, but in the real world, soldiers are expected to serve and gain experience for a long time before achieving such a title.

This makes sense to me. I always thought the "sergeant" class in the game was weird. I mean, imagine building an army entirely of sergeants—what's the point of the title then?

Now that I have 16 elite combat units, I'm confident they'll complete their missions without issue. I've already chosen my capital, but in order to claim the area, I'll need to make some delicate plans—especially when it comes to killing Smaug inside his mountain. If he escapes and takes flight, we're in serious trouble. I hope Lord Elrond has both a deadly poison and a powerful paralyzing poison.

We'll have to strike a tough bargain once we get there. Hopefully, Lady Galadriel will be present as well. From what I heard from Balin and what he told me, it seems that Thror was once a good and wise king, and that he gradually changed over time. I had my suspicions while watching the movie. Most likely, the Arkenstone is either a Trojan horse created by Sauron, or it's a real stone that was tampered with while no one was watching—perhaps cursed or tainted by dark magic.

And yes, dark magic users do exist. They even have their own council. After Sauron's defeat, they went into hiding, but they've caused problems across the continent—plagues, fires, kidnappings, sacrificial rituals. One of the reasons I've designated the northern lands for my kingdom is precisely because of them. Dragons are extremely sensitive to dark magic.

Because dark magic originates from the demon race. The rulers of the Dragon Continent generally don't interfere in the affairs of other dragons. However, if a rogue dragon's territory harbors a dark mage within a 1,000 km radius, and the Dragon Continent is made aware of it, they immediately dispatch the Silver Dragons to execute them!

 The Dragon King Aotrax sacrificed himself to stop the war, which deeply saddened the dragons. It's said that Aotrax was one of the most powerful and kind-hearted kings in dragon history. Many races respected him immensely. That's why, even the slightest link between a rogue dragon and demons leads to an instant execution order. Thanks to that!Plus I don't have to worry about liches or necromancers. One of the greatest shames a dragon can experience is being turned into a skeletal or undead dragon.

Now, back to the Arkenstone!

In The Lord of the Rings movie, Sauron is portrayed as an incredibly powerful enemy who is defeated absurdly easily. When Isildur cuts off his fingers, Sauron's body collapses and is destroyed! What a joke, right? Even the White Council considered Sauron a greater threat than Morgoth—and yet, such a threat dies just from losing a few fingers? I can't remember how it happened in the book; I read it years ago when it first came out!

But in this world, Sauron doesn't die from having his fingers cut off.

During the war, Lord Elrond, Lady Galadriel, Elendil and the other Men kings, Durin IV and the other Dwarf kings, and King Oropher and his son Thranduil launched a nearly coordinated attack on Sauron's forces in an attempt to force him out. The elven and human leaders encircled Sauron, trapping him in a ring formation, while their remaining armies and commanders held back Sauron's troops to prevent reinforcements.

The battle raged for three days and three nights. At a critical moment, Isildur cut off the finger wearing the ring, allowing the other ring-bearers to escape Sauron's mental and spiritual attacks channeled through their own rings. Imagine—those kings had to resist constant psychic assaults throughout the battle! Once the pressure lifted, Galadriel caught Sauron off guard and stabbed him in the chest with a sword forged and blessed by the high elves.

The strike stunned Sauron. Then, the remaining leaders of the alliance drove their weapons into his body, and Elrond decapitated him. His body was then incinerated at the request of the elves by the breaths of silver, light, and dark dragons sent by the Golden Dragons!

In my opinion, that was a fitting end for Sauron...

Well—if it had been the end.

No one suspected that Sauron had been experimenting with his soul, trying to find a way to escape death! The man's basically this world's Voldemort. He saved himself by preserving his soul. All he needs now is a body—but half of his soul is likely still inside the Ring. That's why he won't create a new body until he retrieves it!

At first, I thought he was truly dead—but the signs say otherwise. And even though this is a different Middle-earth, the threads of fate tend to follow similar patterns. The system also gave me some background information about this world's past, just like it did for Halt and Gilan.

Anyway… I've strayed way too far from the main topic.

While watching the movie, something caught my attention. Why did Sauron reveal himself to prevent the dwarves from reclaiming Erebor before he had fully regained his strength? Why did he send two large, organized armies for that mountain? What is it about that mountain—or that region—that would cause someone as masterful in strategy and deception as Sauron to make so many mistakes? I'm certain there's something in Erebor that Sauron desperately wants! And as someone from the modern world who has read many novels, I have absolutely no intention of leaving something my enemy desires so strongly in his hands! I don't know what it is, but I'm sure the mountain's strategic location is only a secondary concern! Or maybe I'm just overthinking it and Sauron made a mistake out of arrogance. Whatever. Time will show us the truth.

The reason I want to see Lady Galadriel is to ask her for a divine-quality purification water. I hope Gandalf can use his charm to help me.

"Why are you looking at me like I'm some kind of pervert?" said Gandalf.

"Gandalf, can I ask you a personal question?"

"…Yes?"

I stepped closer and asked, "Have you ever slept with Lady Galadriel?"

Gandalf choked on his pipe smoke and nearly fell off his horse.

"DON'T SPEAK NONSENSE!" he shouted angrily.

Wow, I've never seen Gandalf this mad before.

"So, did you?" I asked again.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT! NEVER BRING UP SUCH A TOPIC AGAIN!"

"Damn, I need to think of something else," I said and looked to the side. At first, Thorin was laughing at Gandalf's embarrassment, but then he suddenly shivered.

"…No, he's a dwarf," I muttered.

"What wicked thoughts are running through your head now?" Halt asked.

Then I looked at him and Gilan and said, "Whatever, this plan is way too stupid!" I shook my head, snapping myself out of it.

Thorin turned to me and asked, "What's got you thinking so much?"

"The Arkenstone."

Thorin looked surprised and focused. "What about it?"

"I spoke with Balin about your grandfather, and according to what he told me, Thror was a wise and gentle king."

"Yes, he was… but then he slowly changed and became greedy," Thorin replied with a hint of sadness.

"Thorin, I think there's something wrong with the Arkenstone."

"WHAT!? Why would you say that? What did Balin tell you? The stone isn't cursed or anything! If it were, everyone in that mountain—including my father and me—would have been cursed."

"That may be, but I don't think it's a natural curse."

Gandalf calmed down and listened intently. "What do you mean, Igris?"

"I think the stone is fake, and it's a magical artifact made to curse those of Durin's line, one by one, based on their purity of blood—or someone tampered with it when no one was looking," I said calmly and continued, "Of course, to make such a curse, you'd need remains like bones, hair, or blood from the victim's ancestors. And wouldn't you know it—Khazad-dûm, the dwarves' first capital, is overrun by a Balrog, orcs, and goblins, meaning there's no shortage of material."

They both fell into deep thought, and finally, Gandalf spoke.

"I don't believe the stone is fake, Igris. And if someone used the remains from Moria to cast a curse, it would have affected more than just Thror."

"Then the second option! Someone did something to the stone," I said.

"That's not possible either! The stone was always in the Throne Room, and the guards constantly patrolled the area. That's impossible!" Thorin protested.

"Are you sure, Thorin?" I asked.

"Yes!"

"Please, Thorin, think carefully. After the stone was found, was there anything unusual in or around the throne room?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know—unauthorized entry? Theft? Maybe some mischievous dwarf children playing in the throne room? Or an assassination attempt?"

Thorin looked at me and began to speak firmly, "No! The throne room, especially after the Arkenstone was found, was tightly guarded. There was never an—" He stopped mid-sentence. His face turned serious and contemplative.

"What is it?" Gandalf asked.

"I remembered something!" Thorin said, and shouted,

"BALIN! DWALIN!"

The two quickly came over.

"What's wrong? Have the followers found us? How many of them are there?" Dwalin asked.

Balin didn't say anything, but when he saw Thorin's face, he dropped his usual smile and looked serious.

"No! That's not why I called you," Thorin said. Both of them looked surprised and kept listening.

"Eight years after the Arkenstone was found, a red scorpion infiltrated Erebor. Do you remember that incident?"

Red Scorpions—an ancient assassin cult loyal to Sauron! They're still active, but no one's ever found their central stronghold. I suspect they're hiding somewhere in the Far Hazard deserts.

Balin and Dwalin's expressions shifted strangely as they exchanged looks with Thorin.

"I was inspecting Erebor's outer garrisons during that time. But Balin was in Erebor; he personally investigated the incident," Dwalin said.

Balin nodded and asked, "That was a long time ago. Why do you bring it up now?"

"Balin, where exactly did you find and kill the Scorpion? This is very important!"

"It was found and killed in the throne room," he said and continued, "Actually, it was a very strange incident. The red scorpion was wearing a necklace made of gold shaped like a scorpion, with eyes of red ruby! So it was definitely a high-level assassin! But the strange part was that the scorpion entered while Thror wasn't in the throne room. That's very odd—if someone of that caliber came for an assassination, he shouldn't have made such a mistake. The throne room was specifically designed to prevent assassins from setting ambushes. There were many more vulnerable areas outside the throne room where an attack would have been easier."

"Balin, was there anything unusual found on the scorpion's body or in the throne room?" Thorin asked.

Balin furrowed his brow and drifted deep into thought for about half an hour, seriously contemplating.

"Well, I don't know if it counts as unusual, but it had poisonous weapons and three vials of poison. One of those vials was empty. At first, we thought he had poisoned the food or water sources, but nothing was affected. Then one of the guards found traces of the poison on the throne itself. The throne was immediately destroyed, and the surrounding stone tiles were removed and replaced. The Arkenstone was also examined by healers and washed in special antidotes. Even the high-level healers of the Woodland Elves inspected the stone—we paid a hefty price in moonlight stones just for that! But no issue was found."

"Balin, did you open and analyze the vial?" Gandalf asked.

"Yes, the healers examined the last remaining drops, but they couldn't decipher it. One drop was dripped into the mouth of a goblin we caught in the wild. Honestly, I've never seen such a horrible poison—the goblin's terrified screams still echo in my mind. His flesh and blood rotted within minutes and he turned into a mummy, like he had been dead for years! The soil where his blood and flesh spilled quickly died and the corruption spread within a 10-meter radius. We spoke to the Woodland Elves to investigate, but they concluded the poison had turned the soil into lifeless matter. Even they were shocked and said they had never seen such a poison."

"Were there any wizards among the elves who came?" Gandalf asked.

Balin shook his head, "No, there weren't. At that time, all the elven wizards of the Woodland Realm had gone to Lady Galadriel. They were going to celebrate a special event."

"What a grand coincidence! The only nearby wizards just so happened to be away on a special gathering during this incident," I said dramatically.

"Actually, the gathering wasn't that special. It's a regular meeting held every fifty years. All the elven wizards from the continent attend and stay there for a year to receive advice from Lady Galadriel and other high-ranking elven mages," Balin explained, giving me a strange look.

"You were right, Igris," Gandalf said, his expression serious. "What Balin described is a sign of a curse."

Thorin looked furious and began muttering Dwarvish curses. And some of them were really harsh! How do I know? Try living with dwarves for three years and see for yourself.

Balin and Dwalin were shocked. "What curse?" Dwalin asked.

Balin also looked startled. Then his expression changed and turned pale. "No… it can't be!"

I nodded and shared my theory. As they listened, both of their expressions changed. Especially Balin—he looked overwhelmed with sorrow and regret. Tears began to stream from his eyes.

"Thorin, I'm so sorry. I had a feeling something was wrong. I sensed there was a problem… If only I had investigated more thoroughly, maybe I could have found something! I wish I had been smart enough to call a wizard or a druid."

Before Thorin could say anything, Dwalin cut in angrily, "Nonsense! If there was a curse, why isn't it a full-blown mental plague affecting all dwarves? There are many types of curses—famine, madness, plague—why would it only make the king obsessed with gold and status? It's ridiculous!" He turned to me. "Stop making baseless accusations, Igris!"

At first, I was surprised. But then I thought for a second, smiled, and even started laughing out loud.

"Why are you laughing? Are you mocking me?" Dwalin asked, both confused and irritated.

"Ha-ha-ha…" I kept laughing and turned to Dwalin.

"I want to kiss that bald, shiny head of yours! You made me realize something I had overlooked—and confirmed my suspicions!" I said, and everyone around me looked stunned. I ignored them and tossed two bottles of strong alcohol from my inventory to Dwalin. "If you get drunk and slack off, you'll be training with me until we reach Erebor!" I said, and Dwalin shuddered and nodded.

"What did you find, Igris?" Gandalf asked, and the others leaned in, paying close attention.

I looked at them and began my explanation. "Whoever placed this curse—his goal was to render Erebor and its surroundings desolate!"

"WHAT!?" x3

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked.

"Think about it! Dwalin is right—why didn't the enemy use more dangerous curses? He could've caused a famine, spread a plague, even raised the dead. But he didn't! Why?"

I paused and waited for their responses.

"If such a curse had been used, the dwarves would've eventually noticed and called a human or elf wizard," Gandalf said.

"Exactly!" I replied. "Even if the Woodland Elves formed an alliance with you based on mutual interest, they would never allow a curse to grow near their territory! They would've investigated at even the slightest suspicion!"

"Then why did the curse make the king obsessed with gold and status? Why not drive him insane or curse him to death?" Dwalin asked.

"No, this won't work either. No matter how little we know about such matters, if we sensed something was wrong, we would consult the wizards," said Balin.

"True!" I agreed.

"Could you explain it to us? Why would they use such a curse?" Thorin asked.

"This curse is a slow-acting, powerful obsession curse that requires the victim's blood or body tissue. Also, after the victim dies, it passes on to their nearest relative who is of the same bloodline, doesn't it Gandalf?" I looked at him.

He thought for a moment and said, "I'm not sure. Elven wizards can sense curses without touching them, but they can't detect well-hidden ones unless they touch them. I can't say anything without touching the stone and scanning with mana, but what happened to Thror points in that direction."

"So, what is the purpose of this?" Dwalin asked again.

"If I'm not mistaken, by giving Thror an obsession with gold and status, they isolated Erebor and made it a target."

"?!" X 4

"Think about it, Thror began to see himself as above everything. Everyone had to obey him—dwarves, humans, even the wood elves. Slowly, he clashed with all of them, and Erebor began losing its allies. In the end, no one extended a hand to help Erebor and its dwarves."

"…" X 4

"And his obsession with gold became a full-fledged mania in the vast mines of Erebor. Thror never used the gold properly and simply hoarded it. This not only stopped Erebor's development and growth but also made it a target for creatures with an intense obsession with gold. And then Smaug came! He took over Erebor and declared it his domain! The mountain and its ! The mountain and its surroundings were completely deserted. No race would want to disturb a dragon unnecessarily."

"Let's say you're right, but now there's a dragon in that mountain! Whoever did this, they can't get what they want from the mountain anymore," said Dwalin.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

He looked at me, and I continued, "If I'm right, and someone created such a delicate and complex plan, they must have already found a way to deal with the dragon."

Everyone fell silent and drifted into deep thought. I took a large sip of water, my throat was sore from talking too much.

"So what does this have to do with the issue you asked me about?" Gandalf asked, a little embarrassed.

"Well… I want to get the divine purification potion from Lady Galadriel, but I'm poor, and getting the treasure from the mountain is not guaranteed! At least not in their eyes. So, I hoped you could get it from her with your romantic charm," I said, and his face darkened, veins bulging on his forehead. As he reached for his staff and began mumbling something, I quickly stopped him.

"I was wrong, I'm sorry!" I said. NEVER ANNOY A WIZARD! Experience talks!

He looked at me and calmed down. "I accept your apology, but if you bring up such a topic again…" he said, showing his staff.

"No problem! I won't bring it up again!" I said, trembling.

"But Gandalf, we need that potion! Thorin might resist with his willpower, but he can't keep resisting forever. If we can't get the potion, the only option is to destroy or move the Arkhen stone." I said, and the Dwarves focused, though they didn't speak, probably because my reasoning and the unknown enemy made them uneasy.

"Can you find a way?" I asked Gandalf.

"I don't know. A potion at that level is very valuable. Even though I have a close relationship with Lady Galadriel, which is unusual by their standards, this potion is made by high-level elf alchemists with great effort, and its ingredients are very rare. It's not easy to get." He said after thinking for a while.

"Then I might consult Plan D."

"D!? What happened to Plans A, B, and C?" Thorin asked.

"They were about charm, but never mind."

"Charm!?" X 4

The four of them shook their heads and came back to their senses, and Thorin asked,

"What are you thinking?"

I gave Thorin a deep look but first turned to Balin.

"Balin."

"Yes?"

"Thorin, is he from the 4th Durin's line?" I asked, confirming my suspicion. If he truly comes from the 4th Durin's line, things will be much easier for us!

Everyone around me was stunned, and Balin answered.

"Yes, he is directly from his line. But why do you ask?"

"Perfect!"

Gandalf gave me a suspicious look and asked, "What evil things are going through your mind?"

I looked at Gandalf and stayed silent.

"What kind of evil things could be going through my mind?"

Gandalf looked at me suspiciously but didn't say anything.

"What does the situation with my ancestor 4th Durin have to do with it?"

"Thorin, we're going to ask for help from your Great Uncle!" I said, giggling.

"GREAT UNCLE!?" X 3 and even Gandalf was surprised.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Did you eat poisonous mushrooms?" Thorin asked. Why does everyone suspect I eat poisonous mushrooms? Does anyone in the group talk to horses?

"Yes, what uncle? Why didn't I know about this? Balin, do you know something?" Dwalin asked.

"No, brother, I'm hearing this for the first time." Balin said, stunned.

Gandalf looked at me strangely with great suspicion.

"Curious?" I asked, smiling.

They shook their heads.

"I don't want to spoil the surprise! Hahahaha…" I said, looking at the dark atmosphere. "Let's find a nice spot and take a break!" Sometimes I miss technology! I would love to take pictures of Thorin and his fellow dwarves' faces when they meet his dear great uncle! Or record a video!

I left them behind with dark faces as I walked on.