Karl, of course, sensed the politeness in the invitation and politely declined with a smile: "Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Baggins."
"However, I need to go to the market first for some supplies. I've just arrived, and there's still much I need to prepare."
After that, they politely parted ways, and Bilbo carried the fish back to Bag End. He occasionally glanced back at the tall figure, his heart filled with curiosity.
Karl stood still, surveying the lush greenery around him, the hills like green waves. The meadow stretched to the horizon, dotted with scattered trees whose canopies swayed gently in the wind. The air was incredibly fresh, blending the scents of grass, earth, and wildflowers carried from afar.
Karl took a deep breath, and for the first time in months, a genuinely relaxed smile appeared on his face. Gathering everyone for war preparations, confronting Dagon, the battle in the void... During this period, he had practically no free time, and now he found himself in this relatively peaceful world. If his memory served him correctly, Bilbo's adventure to the Lonely Mountain, at his current age, had happened not long ago.
"Just treat it as a vacation," he muttered to himself.
---
Karl settled in the Shire, choosing a level spot on the outskirts of the settlement, near a grove of trees. Then he manually felled the trees and, within a minute or two, built a three-storey wooden house. The house was small but comfortable, with several living rooms and a few bedrooms. A small kitchen, as well as an underground storage room for various items and medicinal herbs. Behind the house, he planted a vegetable garden of about half an acre, carefully fenced in.
At first, the neighbouring hobbits regarded this "little giant" with curiosity and wariness. But Karl quickly won them over with his behaviour; he never disturbed others and spoke politely and gently. More importantly, the vegetables he grew were exceptionally delicious.
At first, they were ordinary radishes, cabbages, and potatoes, but less than two weeks after planting, Karl noticed something was wrong. It was early morning when he went to water the garden as usual and suddenly saw a golden glow. Upon closer inspection, he realised it was indeed a radish, but not an ordinary one. It was entirely golden in colour, with a smooth, glazed surface that softly glowed in the morning light. He pulled the stem, washed off the dirt, took a bite — and found it sweet, crisp, and juicy. After swallowing, he felt a gentle warm current spread through his body.
Karl frowned and examined the rest of the crops: silver cabbages, golden potatoes, and enormous golden pumpkins.
"Problem with the soil?" His first thought was that the soil was affected by some magic, or that some treasure was hidden underground. He used his super vision to scan the soil, even its deeper layers, and even flew over several hobbit gardens. To his surprise, there was not a single trace on the land. The soil was completely ordinary; it was just the usual fertile black soil of the Shire.
So the problem is... Karl returned to his garden, squatted down, and gently pressed his palms to the ground. He closed his eyes and felt the changes within his body. Through him flowed a power carrying the meaning of life, growth, and abundance. When he personally sowed, watered, and tended to these crops, some force seeped into the soil, altering the nature of the harvest.
An experiment confirmed his suspicion: he used the same seeds and the same soil to plant vegetables in different parts of the garden. In areas where he personally tended the crops, the plants sprouted on the same day, matured in less than two weeks, and reliably produced golden or silver varieties. In areas where direct contact with the plants was minimised, the crops grew only slightly faster than usual and did not change colour.
"Freya's blessing..." Karl muttered.
Whether golden vegetables or silver, ordinary vegetables were delicious, filling, and highly nutritious. Long-term consumption could gradually improve physical fitness and immunity, as well as slow down ageing. And how did the vegetables affect Karl himself? He took a golden carrot and ate it in a few bites. In an instant, he absorbed and transformed the radish's life energy, receiving an effect roughly equivalent to five seconds of sunbathing.
"Useless for me. But for ordinary people, this is a treasure," he commented, then laughed. Soon, he decided how to handle the vegetables.
Even the ordinary vegetables were tastier than those grown by hobbits. He regularly put them on the market for sale at fair prices, and they quickly became a sought-after commodity. The golden and silver varieties were kept for personal consumption or used to make potions. Sometimes, as a gesture of friendship, he sent Bilbo ordinary vegetables. Bilbo initially refused, but after the first try, he never refused again.
Three months later, Karl noticed that Bilbo had grown a little taller, and his complexion had become more ruddy and healthy. Of course, among hobbits, this change was not particularly noticeable.
---
Three months passed in the blink of an eye. On the morning before the summer solstice, Karl was harvesting vegetables in the garden. The basket was already full of golden carrots, cabbages, and a few ears of corn that shimmered with a pearly lustre. He had just pulled out a golden radish and brushed off the dirt when he heard footsteps and a knock on the door in the distance.
"Knock-knock-knock!" A rhythmic knock came at the wooden door.
"Mr. Karl! It's me, Bilbo!"
Are you home? Today is the Summer Solstice — don't miss it!
Karl paused for a moment, then quickened his pace, his figure moving like the wind through the garden. Wherever he passed, ripe vegetables automatically detached from the ground and flew into the basket. Meanwhile, he drew a bucket of well water, washed his hands, and straightened his clothes; the entire process took less than two seconds.
"Coming!" The bolt slid back, and the wooden door opened.
Bilbo stood at the door in his best dark-green coat. A small yellow flower was pinned to his collar, and his face shone with festive joy.
"Mr. Karl! Today is the Summer Solstice. There will be fireworks by the wizards this evening. Would you like to come?"
Bilbo asked enthusiastically, but his gaze involuntarily darted into the house, curious about what his mysterious neighbour's home looked like.
Karl smiled. After three months of vegetable nourishment, Bilbo had indeed grown, and his previously rather thin build had become much sturdier. He nodded: "Of course, such a grand festival shouldn't be missed. When does it start?"
"I'll come for you after sunset, and we can go together!"
"Good."
As night fell, the sky over the Shire gradually changed from pale blue to deep purple, and the first star appeared in the east. Bilbo arrived as promised and was about to knock when the wooden door opened from within.
Karl stepped out, and Bilbo's eyes widened in surprise. Instead of his usual everyday clothes, he wore practical battle gear. Dark-brown studded armour covered his chest and shoulders, and leather bracers and greaves showed signs of wear, clearly indicating long-term use. Most notably, he carried two swords crossed on his back: one long, one short.
"Mr. Karl, is this what you said witchers wear when working?" Bilbo asked curiously, circling Karl.