The Lord of the Rings: Lords of Middle-earth.

Chapter 235 Entering the Mountain
"Thank you, Bion. We're off!" Roland thanked Bion, who had personally seen them off.

"Thank you, Your Excellency Bion. May you be healthy and safe." Bahrain said with a gesture of thanks.

"I wish you success in reclaiming your homeland. Although I hate dwarves, those damned orcs and goblins are a million times more disgusting than dwarves." Bion smiled good-naturedly.

"Goodbye." Roland waved his hand.

"Giddy up!" With a light nudge to the horse's belly, the incredibly intelligent Shire warhorse immediately took off galloping.

"Children, keep up!" Balin waved his arm, calling to the dwarf warriors who had just landed.

"Oh! Turin above, I hate rocking ships!"

"Thank God! I swear on my beard! I'd go crazy if we didn't get ashore soon."

"Damn it! What was I thinking to suffer the ordeal of a boat trip again?" This was clearly a dwarf who had come from the Western world.

"Hey! Keep it up! If everyone's fast enough and we get to our destination on time, we'll have soft toast, rich cheese and jerky for lunch, and everyone will get a beer!" Balin immediately unleashed his "weapon," nothing beats alcohol for dealing with dwarves.

"Turin! I feel much better now!"

"Damn it! My legs aren't weak anymore! I can run another 10 miles without getting out of breath!"

"Yes! I can still run!"

"Make way, make way, don't block my way!"

"Hey buddy, if you're not feeling well, how about I have your beer?"

……

Roland stared in disbelief as the dwarves, who had been as listless and lethargic as dead dogs, underwent a "medical miracle" under Balin's beer offensive! The dwarves, who had been lying on the riverbank with aches and pains, suddenly burst forth with a morale even higher than that of the Lagrang soldiers. If the Lagrang soldiers fought for their king and their homeland, then these dwarves were undoubtedly fighting for alcohol and food!

"My God, Mother! I can't believe I'm witnessing such a medical miracle in my lifetime! Isn't this effect even better than forbidden healing spells and divine magic?" Roland exclaimed in shock.

“Oh my god, by the Dragon God… these dwarves are really…” Omsk smacked his lips, unsure how to describe them.

"Maybe if they give you enough drinks, they'd even dare to chop up a god for you?" Caslo shrugged and quipped in a low voice.

"It seems I underestimated these dwarves' fondness for alcohol." Roland shook his head, deeply shocked. It must be said that even sailing on a calm river is torture for dwarves who can't swim. All dwarves hate the rocking motion; it makes them feel unsafe and ungrounded, and most usually get seasick… and the behavior of those dwarves on the boat just now… well, let's not even go there. It's truly fortunate that the dwarven kingdom has never been by the sea; otherwise, who knows where the dwarves would find a navy to protect their shipping lanes.

……

"Your Highness, please have a taste!" Balin handed Roland a roasted rabbit that was golden brown and dripping with oil.

Roland took it casually, and a fragrant aroma immediately wafted over. Only then did Roland realize that the roasted rabbit was sprinkled with various precious spices.

"I must say I know too little about you dwarves. I always thought only halflings were good at cooking! I didn't expect your dwarf barbecue skills to be so good!" Roland exclaimed, taking a bite of the roasted rabbit. The golden-brown skin was incredibly crispy, while the meat inside was incredibly tender. At this moment, Roland truly understood what it meant to be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside! Paired with the dwarfs' special spices and salt, Roland's appetite was immediately whetted, and he devoured the rabbit in no time.

"How was it? Not bad, right?" Balin smiled as he watched Roland finish the roasted rabbit, flipped it over, and then proudly said, "Your Highness, you underestimate the dwarves. We have far more parties than the nobles in the human kingdoms. After all, dwarves are never stingy with their own people. Do you think our skills are any worse? It's not just halflings who can cook. I can't guarantee anything else, but every dwarf has a superb barbecue skill. After all, we spend all our time with the fire!"

“That’s true. I know those vampires among the human nobles all too well!” Roland nodded. Although he had never met the human nobles in Middle-earth, he imagined they were similar to those in the Middle Ages. Very few nobles were willing to share with the people under their rule. Most of them were vampires who clung to the people, like the mayor of Lake-town!
"Yes! Greed is the original sin! Its end is destruction!" Balin said painfully, closing his eyes. The destruction of both Kezad-d'Um and Irubb was due to greed! The dwarves greedily dug for the treasures of the underground world, but this only brought endless covetous eyes, ultimately foreshadowing their end.

“We should be at the foot of the Misty Mountains by now,” Roland said, changing the subject.

“That’s right, we just walked through here last autumn!” Bahrain said with a hint of nostalgia.

“Yes! Who would have thought! The dwarves have successfully reclaimed Lonely Mountain, and the name of the king at its foot has spread throughout the Middle-earth! Now it’s your turn, Balin! Don’t let us down!” Roland stared at Balin with utmost seriousness.

"You need the restoration of the old capital to demonstrate the glory of the dwarven revival, and we need its wealth to fill the people's bellies, repair the city's defenses, build villages... (and a dragon rider!)" Roland's gaze was deep and far-reaching. The dwarves might be able to bear the failure of the expedition; after all, they were used to it. But Roland could not bear the impact of all this. Without funds, Stream City could not develop. Waiting for trade caravans? That would be a long time coming! Perhaps by the time of the Lord of the Rings' War, Roland wouldn't even be able to muster ten thousand men to fight! If that happened, Roland would truly lose face among the kings! You must know that both of the two great human kingdoms could easily raise an army of ten thousand men.
“Of course, the dwarves will not let their allies down!” Balin said firmly.

"Then I wish you well in advance, Lord of Moria, Your Highness King Balin the Dwarfs!" Roland said with a smile.

"Um... it's a bit early to talk about this now." Balin wiped away his cold sweat and said helplessly. This King Roland's thinking is too unpredictable. He's already wishing himself to become king before even conquering Moria...

"Early? It's not early at all. Think about how to conduct your coronation ceremony. After all, you will be the first dwarf to successfully set foot in Moria in all these years." Roland shook his head. Even without Roland's help, Balin could still be called the Conquerors of Moria, let alone with Roland leading a large army. The only variable was how many people would be injured or killed!

“Caslo, get your soldiers on their toes! We’re about to enter the Misty Mountains… I brought them out, but I can’t guarantee I can bring every single one of them back, so I want them to be on their toes, even if it’s just for my own sake! The road here is tough! And this time we don’t have the Knights to back us up!” Roland frowned as he beckoned to Caslo and gave him instructions.

"I understand, Your Highness!" Caslo bowed deeply and immediately went to relay Roland's orders.

"Rest assured, Your Highness, I will be your strongest wall. Anyone who wants to harm you will have to step over my dead body first!" Omske raised his imposing lance, his voice booming from beneath his heavy helmet. Omske, who had been slacking off the whole way, now stood fully armed beside Roland.

"Thank you, but I am a knight too!" Roland smiled leisurely, pulled down his visor, and raised his lance!
"For our future... Forward!"

(End of this chapter)