"From today onwards, this place is also included within my territory."
"You can use all the magical properties as well. Someone will come to guide you later."
The next day, at Beorn's clan's dwelling in the northern Anduin Valley, Levi accepted the oath of allegiance from Beorn and his people in the great hall. From that moment, the entire northern Anduin Valley became his territory, and Beorn's clan officially gained citizenship status.
"The claim is valid."
Gandalf once again served as witness from the side. This fellow's ability to join in festivities was truly unparalleled.
With this ceremony complete, the entire road system from establishment to maintenance was now fully operational. Citizens from three territories would respectively handle their sections: Roadside Keep, Beorn's clan, and Dale territory, managing the starting point, midway, and endpoint sections. At least smooth passage on this road could be guaranteed, and any problems could be reported immediately.
"Going home, it's time to go home."
Galloping on horseback along the main road, before long Levi had traveled halfway and reached the former half-orc town location.
Oh right, this place wasn't called half-orc town anymore. It was now called "Midway Town" or "Halfway Town."
Due to geographical location and practical considerations, numerous houses and various living and guard facilities had been built on both sides of this massive passage through the Misty Mountains.
Similar to Halfway Town, there was "Starting Point Town," built on the road section near Lake-town, and "One-Eighth Town," built at the road entrance above Mirkwood, specially established for the woodland elves.
Though called "towns," these places functioned more like "service areas," mainly used for providing supplies and serving as temporary rest stops.
Everything had become well-established.
Past Halfway Town was the other side of the Misty Mountains. Once through here, Rivendell lay to the left, though due to terrain, you couldn't see Rivendell's situation from the road. People's view was blocked by the mountains surrounding the hidden valley.
Though Levi, Gandalf, and many Rangers were regular visitors to Rivendell, most people in the world didn't actually know of Rivendell's existence, including Bard before meeting Levi. To them, Rivendell was just some "reclusive elven dwelling place" from rumors.
Since Rivendell had little foreign trade needs and maintained their reclusive, tranquility-loving characteristics, no special entrance was established here. The nearest approach to Rivendell was near the Last Bridge.
This also effectively avoided threats from the troll forest to the right, where quite a few trolls still lived. But they could no longer threaten travelers, and nearby farms and villages had long since relocated, mostly westward into Roadside Keep's protection.
And Roadside Keep was the endpoint of this Sky Road.
Within a single day, Levi had traveled from the starting point of Lake-town to the endpoint of Roadside Keep. Here, his people were waiting.
"Lord Levi has returned!"
Someone shouted, and workers and residents gathered at the endpoint, eagerly watching Levi's approaching figure.
This long-awaited completion ceremony finally officially began under multiple witnesses.
Participants included project founder and leader Levi, project manager Bard, the Erebor dwarven high-altitude construction technical guidance team represented by Thorin, the road maintenance team represented by Beorn, party-crasher Gandalf, and most importantly, the workers from various parts of the territory who had contributed the most effort.
Eagle cries sounded from above. Under witness from messengers sent by the Eagle King, Levi made his final speech:
"All labor achievements belong to the industrious workers. Now let us open the new era of northern roads!"
Thunderous applause erupted as every person who participated in the road's construction felt a tremendous sense of achievement surge in their hearts.
These were their construction achievements, and the lord and all future travelers on this road would remember them, knowing they had participated in its creation.
In the autumn of T.A. 2947, the massive Sky Road was completed and officially opened for travel. The people named it the "Northern Miracle" and hailed its creator and initiator as the "Miracle Builder."
"Miracle Builder Levi."
"My brain's getting overwhelmed. What titles do you even have?"
Gandalf frowned, trying hard to remember all of Levi's accumulated epithets.
"If you can't remember, don't bother."
After the completion ceremony ended, Levi walked down from the main road with Gandalf, Bard, Thorin, and others, entering Roadside Keep proper.
It had been several years since Gandalf's last visit to Roadside Keep, and many new buildings had appeared. Old Gandalf could barely recognize the way anymore.
"Gandalf, didn't you come here before?"
Bard, curiously looking left and right, occasionally turned to see Gandalf also craning his neck to examine the place like him, finding it strange.
Bard was visiting for the very first time. Since hearing about this territory, his curiosity had never subsided, and now he was finally getting some satisfaction.
"This is really... much better than I imagined."
The building complex is almost comparable to elven architecture, with the ever-flowing fountains, never-withering gardens, clean tidy streets, the massive golden-gleaming beacon tree, the nameless wizard tower by the lake piercing straight through clouds, and the oldest, original building at the city center called 'Roadside Keep'...
Everything left Bard in complete awe.
The first few infrastructure projects were impressive but understandable. Dale territory had similar features, all standard territory amenities. But those last few were truly extraordinary.
"Too amazing, Gandalf, Thorin, you... hmm?"
Bard wanted to ask if this was how things looked when they'd visited before, then noticed one of them had lit his pipe without a word and started smoking with a life-questioning expression, while the other gaped upward with glazed eyes.
"If I remember correctly, it's been less than ten years since I last came here."
Thorin looked at Gandalf with bewilderment.
Gandalf slowly nodded: "To be specific, seven years and four months, Thorin."
"Durin above." Thorin muttered under his breath.
"Miracle Builder Levi. This title is quite fitting. No one could object to it."
First-time visitors to Roadside Keep, like Bard, would only marvel that rumors weren't false. Roadside Keep was indeed as prosperous as described in legends, with wonders standing tall.
Only those who had visited Roadside Keep before could appreciate how dramatically it had changed and be genuinely astounded by the transformation.
"Is it my imagination, Levi? I feel like you're guarding against something."
Exhaling two streams of smoke from his nose, Gandalf calmed down somewhat. Then he noticed Levi's abnormal behavior.
"Do I seem that way?"
"Yes, you're very nervous, like a soldier entering battle for the first time. Any disturbance touches your nerves."
After Gandalf pointed this out, Thorin also noticed the unusual tension.
"What's wrong?" Bard asked with genuine concern.
"No, nothing serious. I just don't want to get knocked over. That guy's now grown bigger than an adult pig. I can barely handle its enthusiasm anymore..."
"That guy?"
The three beside him looked somewhat puzzled, wondering what creature could possibly concern their formidable friend.