After delivering the gifts, Levi didn't stick around. He returned to his territory near the crossroads, chiseling and hammering underground, continuing his renovations.
Decorating towers at Roadside Keep, building highways in the Nether, constructing bunkers in Gondor...
He was bound to be building things for the rest of his life.
Regarding the outpost in Gondor, Levi had opened it up. Gondor's Rangers and soldiers could use it, as well as civilians and travelers seeking shelter. They could enter and use the resources within.
There was only one condition: consciously maintain the environment and respect everything within the territory, like visiting someone else's home.
This news spread in the form of a "legend." Besides Rangers and Gondorian soldiers who knew this place existed and would regularly come to investigate, some truly desperate people would also try to find this legendary safe haven built between Gondor and Mordor.
Holding onto hope.
"Finally found it."
North of Ithilien, Levi crouched in the grass, picking a few mushrooms from a piece of rotting wood.
Right. This is it.
The mushrooms were tossed into his backpack, and Levi sighed in relief.
"I need to go back and personally make mushroom soup."
To salvage his dignity as a chef.
"Aha, look what I found. A careless mushroom picker..."
Suddenly a voice came from behind. Levi stood up and glanced back.
Seven or eight Uruk-hai were staring at him from behind.
They collectively took a step back.
Seeing Levi's "what's wrong with you people" expression, the lead Uruk-hai had a flash of inspiration and immediately stepped forward: "My lord, I know where to find the mushrooms you're picking! I can bring them to you!"
"You'd better know."
"I definitely know!"
They ran off.
About the time it takes to drink tea, one Uruk-hai ran back, carefully setting down the pile of mushrooms from his arms.
"Mm. These are the ones."
"Get lost. Leave this land." Levi gave the order.
When he'd left a year ago, this area rarely saw orcs or Uruk-hai. But it seemed after a year passed, some fellows appeared to harbor persistent evil intentions.
"Yes, yes, we'll leave immediately..."
The Uruk-hai quickly ran back.
Perhaps this area would be peaceful for another while. But it wouldn't last long ultimately.
Looking at the blackened land and mountains across the way, Levi stroked his chin, thinking briefly.
After a moment, he slowly shook his head, turned around, and returned to the White City.
The next day at noon, in Thengel's home, a pot of delicious mushroom soup was stewed.
"This is what mushroom soup should taste like."
Levi tasted his own soup with a quite pleasant expression.
That was the right flavor.
Thengel's soup from a few days ago had made him start doubting himself.
"Please forgive me. I had doubts before."
When Morwen tasted the authentic Levi mushroom soup, she was also quite surprised.
So this was what the soup normally tasted like...
"Indeed a bit better than mine," Thengel nodded. "I'll remember this."
"Perfect timing. There's nothing happening at the front recently, so I can relax for a while. In the coming days when I have time, I'll practice this several more times to recreate this flavor."
Morwen's face changed.
"Drink it all yourself. I heard drinking too much mushroom soup is bad for children's growth."
"What a pity."
Thengel looked somewhat disappointed, reaching to take away Morwen's bowl of Levi-brand mushroom soup.
"In that case, this bowl..."
"No way."
Morwen protected the soup bowl.
"Once in a while is still okay."
"Alright, fine."
Another food guardian.
This Gondor trip didn't last long. When the messenger Thengel had sent returned, Levi also left.
The brief journey ended.
However, Levi was never one to stay put. Having come out this far, how could he not visit other places?
The day after returning to Roadside Keep, he set out again.
Westward, to Lindon.
Years ago, Lindon's leader Círdan had invited him to visit, but this matter had always been pushed to the back of Levi's mind. Forgotten many times.
Fortunately, from the elven perspective, this amount of time wasn't much. Even if he went ten years later, Círdan who had issued the invitation, wouldn't feel much time had passed.
When Levi traveled again, residents expressed they were quite accustomed to it.
Doing this anywhere else definitely wouldn't work. After all, territorial affairs large and small needed management, various relationships required maintenance, plus decisions about the territory's future development. Especially for a place like Roadside Keep that developed extremely rapidly, becoming the "Northern Center" in just one year, requiring even more management.
But Roadside Keep did exactly this. Or rather, all of Levi's territories were like this.
Due to the territory's special nature, having such a lord, plus high educational standards and an unlimited material foundation, these places simply didn't need special management and oversight. Nor did they have power struggles or benefit disputes.
The only potential problems were technical issues. Certain commonly used methods are too backward, or there are areas that could be improved.
When everything stabilized and the new generation gradually replaced the old generation in becoming active, residents' perspectives on the world also gradually changed.
The new generation's living needs were no longer just eating well, dressing warmly, and having warm houses to live in. They looked toward farther and higher places.
For example, following in the footsteps of their mysterious, sacred, unknowable yet amiable, kind, down-to-earth lord.
Gentle breezes swayed tender green grass, with small white flowers appearing and disappearing among them.
Brightly colored grassland undulated in the wind, with several white towers standing atop high hills.
Western Eriador. On high hills within Lindon territory, west of the Shire and east of the Grey Havens, a black figure on horseback slowly approached, standing there gazing into the distance.
Tower Hills.
As early as the beginning of the Second Age, this place had served as an elven outpost, with many white towers built here.
The tallest tower was called "Elostirion," atop which was kept a palantír.
But this palantír was special. It couldn't communicate with other seeing-stones, nor could it be used to observe various places in Middle-earth. Its only function was to show visions of the Blessed Land, the realm where the Valar dwelt.
Many elves came here on pilgrimage, just to glimpse through this palantír a corner of the holy land's beautiful scenery.
Before the tall tower of Elostirion that housed the seeing-stone, several Lindon elves stood guard.
When Levi approached, their faces showed some conflict.
Not everyone could view the visions of the Blessed Land. For elves, that place was sacred, pure, and inviolable.
If other races approached, they would mostly persuade them to leave.
But this person...
"Greetings to you."
The guard beneath the tower spoke first.