Moon Drop, a Tycoon the Moment He Landed

"I didn’t choose to go home right away because of this." Aaron grinned, then took out the Moon Drop he had treasured for three years.

"What is this?" Gandalf’s pupils contracted as he stared at the bottle of purple liquid in astonishment. "I have never seen such a miraculous solution."

"It is the essence of the moon. It can remove all negative conditions.

It is a universal antidote. To be honest, even the Arkenstone’s temptation can be broken with it." Aaron spoke the most shocking words in an utterly calm tone.

"You plan to use it to treat my father’s face?" Even Legolas found it hard to believe. If what Aaron said was true, then this bottle of solution was extraordinarily precious.

Aaron nodded without denying it.

"I’m a healer. I observed Thranduil’s face up close. Once the residual magic of the Dragon Fire is removed with Moon Drop, all that remains will be an ordinary burn.

I believe the Woodland Realm has no trouble treating burns. A full recovery will take a long time, but time is the one thing elves lack least."

"I cannot thank you enough," Legolas said sincerely.

"Don’t thank me yet. A whole bottle is too much. One cup will be enough, so tell your father to use it sparingly."

"One cup… will do."

Aaron was quite pleased by his tact. He used Transfiguration to create three small cups, poured a third of the Moon Drop into each, and sealed their openings.

"One is for Thranduil, as promised. One is for you, as a token of my friendship with the elves."

"Gaius." Gandalf was tempted too and impatiently asked, "Is the third one for me?

We wizards have it hard. We have to worry about Middle-earth’s peace every moment of every day. With an antidote in hand, I’d have a little more confidence when facing Sauron."

Aaron rolled his eyes at him, then solemnly placed the third portion of Moon Drop into Bilbo’s hands.

He was not worried about that old bastard Gandalf in the slightest, but Bilbo was different. The One Ring was ultimately a hidden danger. Carrying this antidote at least counted as insurance.

Gandalf watched longingly until Aaron put away the remaining Moon Drop, only then giving up on the idea.

"Legolas, forgive my curiosity, but you and Tauriel?"

"She chose that dwarf, and I will respect her choice." Legolas smiled. "Elves live a long time. If some matters aren’t dealt with decisively, they can become quite troublesome."

Aaron raised his brows and silently gave him a thumbs-up.

There were plenty of fish in the sea. Many people understood that principle, but most still loved to get hung up on things. There really were not many as open-minded as him.

"Gaius, where do you plan to go next?" Legolas asked. "If you have no plans, you can come with me to the Dúnedain in the north. My father asked me to find a Ranger there."

"Heh! Not interested." Aaron refused without a second thought.

Was he kidding? He had suffered enough in this world already.

Now that he could finally go home and rest, there was no way he would keep adventuring.

"All right." Legolas was not disappointed. Starting this journey alone would not matter much.

"Ahem!" Gandalf cleared his throat. "Actually, you could come with me to Rivendell. King Elrond, Queen Galadriel, and Radagast are all there. They would be very happy to see you."

Aaron: …

Damn it! There are always troublemakers trying to screw me over!

If he met those big shots, it probably would not be so easy for him to get away afterward.

"No, I plan to go home." Aaron sighed softly. "I miss my mom."

"Where is your home?" Bilbo asked curiously. "If it’s convenient, could you tell me? I might visit someday when I have the time."

"I’m afraid that won’t be possible, Bilbo Bagins." Gandalf tapped his pipe and blew out a smoke ring. "His home is very far away, so far that you could walk your entire life and never reach it.

Isn’t that right, Gaius?"

"You know?" Aaron looked at Gandalf with amusement. "Since when?"

"During yesterday’s battle, your magic was far too outrageous. So outrageous that I began to suspect you were not from this world." Gandalf chuckled. "Can you tell me the answer now?"

"Your guess was right. Originally, I only intended to tell Bilbo."

"You came from another world?" Bilbo’s mind buzzed. "No book has ever written anything like that."

"Perhaps you can write one yourself."

"Then is Moon Drop also something from your world?" Legolas asked curiously.

"No. It is my own treasure. Even in my world, it is one of a kind." Aaron spread his hands. "So you’d better use this potion sparingly."

Gandalf seemed to think of something and looked at Aaron meaningfully. "Was your previous introduction also true?"

"Of course. I am the most outstanding heir of the Gaius Family.

According to our ancestral teachings, those with exceptional talent must train in other worlds at a certain age and spread the name of Gaius."

"And those teachers you mentioned?" Bilbo asked uneasily. "And your ancestors… those weren’t true too, were they?"

Aaron gave a soft laugh. "What do you think?"

Bilbo smiled awkwardly. There was no need to guess. They were probably true too.

"Gaius, you should be able to stay a while longer, right?" Gandalf revealed a kindly smile.

"Hmph!" Aaron gave him a disdainful look. "Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking.

Gandalf, you’re a lot like my headmaster. You’re a good person, sure, but you’re always trying to get something out of me."

"If I’m not mistaken, this so-called ‘while longer’ might stretch on indefinitely, right?"

At that, Gandalf’s face flushed red, and the smile on his face instantly froze.

Having his thoughts exposed by a child was inevitably awkward.

That was indeed what he had been thinking. The apparent crisis in Middle-earth had temporarily been resolved, but dark undercurrents still churned beneath the surface.

Sauron had not been destroyed. No one knew when he might rise again.

The wizards and the Elf King were all Sauron’s old adversaries. Gandalf understood them well. If Sauron truly targeted them, he would be impossible to guard against.

But if a wizard who wielded powerful, unfamiliar magic joined them, the situation would be completely different.

Moreover, Aaron had fully demonstrated his wisdom, temperament, and strength throughout the expedition. He was entirely trustworthy. There could be no more suitable candidate.

"Looks like I guessed right. You just want to keep milking me dry!" Aaron said indignantly. "I’m telling you, even if I die, die out there, or jump off Ravenhill, I still won’t stay in this world.

During this time, I’ve suffered all the hardship I was supposed to suffer in my entire life. I’m only fourteen years old. Why should I have to go through this?"

Gandalf opened his mouth, still wanting to make one last effort, but Aaron gave him no chance.

"Bilbo, tell me, what were you doing when you were fourteen?"

"Climbing trees, picking fruit, and… playing with mud."

"What about you, Legolas?"

"I forgot." Legolas said sheepishly. "That was several hundred years ago."

"It doesn’t matter. Just tell me, did you take part in a war of yesterday’s scale when you were fourteen? Or fight a dragon when you were fourteen?"

"How could I? My father protected me very well."

Aaron clapped his hands, then gave Gandalf a meaningful look. "Everyone else had carefree lives at fourteen. Now look at me.

Bullying a child like this, doesn’t your conscience hurt?

The Grey Wizard may not be human in the true sense, but you should at least have some conscience. Otherwise, how are you any different from a necromancer?"

Gandalf: …

It seemed he could not keep him after all.

"Haha, I was merely making a suggestion. I meant nothing else by it."

Bilbo and Legolas exchanged a glance, both dismissing that explanation with contempt.

If he had meant nothing else, Aaron would not have reacted this way.

"Even if you do mean something else, it won’t work." Aaron snorted, then rolled up his sleeve to reveal the World Tree symbol on his left arm. "I can go home now."

"Can we come and see?" Bilbo asked with great interest, feeling that he could postpone his return home a little longer.

"No. Only those of Gaius Family blood can pass through the portal."

"That’s such a pity. I wanted to see another world too."

"That would be difficult." Aaron thought for a moment. "Unless I reach godhood and gain the ability to travel between two worlds. But by then, you might already be dead."

Bilbo’s mouth twitched. Did he have to put it so bluntly?

"Haha, it’s all right. When the time comes, bring some local specialties and offer them at my grave. If possible, plant a tree beside my grave that doesn’t exist in this world. That would fulfill my wish in a roundabout way."

"Definitely." Aaron hugged Bilbo, then bit his finger and dripped blood onto the Gaius Family crest on his left arm.

The phantom of a Giant Tree suddenly appeared. It was much smaller than the one in the family’s Chamber of Secrets. A colorful doorway emerged before Aaron, and the words on its frame changed from "Born to shine" to "Welcome home." There was also an extra sheet of parchment.

Aaron curiously took the parchment from the doorframe. After reading its contents, his expression became incredibly strange.

"What is it?" Legolas asked.

"It’s… a contract." Aaron said, somewhat baffled. "But it isn’t for me. It was prepared for my descendants.

This is the first time Gaius has set foot in this world. Once I sign this contract, the chance of my descendants coming to this world for training in the future will increase by ten percent."

"Then sign it already!" Gandalf urged impatiently. He could not keep Aaron, but perhaps he could win over Aaron’s son or grandson someday.

"Heh." Aaron sneered. "This world hasn’t left me with many pleasant memories. I’m not about to let my descendants come here to suffer."

"How can you call that suffering?" Gandalf argued anxiously. "You only think that because you joined the expedition shortly after arriving. Between beauty and hardship, you chose hardship without hesitation.

Think of the Shire. Think of Rivendell. Aren’t those places peaceful and beautiful?"

Aaron frowned slightly. He knew what Gandalf was plotting, but he had to admit that Gandalf had a point.

This world was not so terrible. He had merely stepped into the fray of his own accord, confronting its darkness before he had even had the chance to experience its beauty.

Seeing Aaron hesitate, Gandalf immediately decided to add fuel to the fire. "Aaron, I won’t say much else.

But your story in this world will be widely told. The friendship of wizards, the friendship of elves, the friendship of men, the friendship of dwarves—these are all invisible assets.

As long as your descendants are willing to come, these races will treat Gaius as honored guests. Can you bear to let such invisible yet immense wealth go unclaimed?"

Gulp!

Aaron swallowed and, after struggling for a moment, signed his name on the contract.

He had no selfish motives whatsoever. He simply wanted his descendants to become tycoons the moment they arrived.