He was an old man clad in white robes, dignified in bearing, holding a black staff. His expression was stern, his head held high as he surveyed everything with sharp, critical eyes.
"Hmph, so this is the city built by the so-called 'Lord of the North'... by Legend Levi himself?"
His words dripped with contempt and thinly veiled bitterness.
He was also somewhat breathless, with sweat beading on his brow.
People kept a cautious distance from this strange old man.
This proud stranger in white robes was none other than Saruman.
At this moment he walked along Roadside Keep's flat, spotless main road, looking left and right with scrutinizing eyes.
This odd behavior attracted considerable attention.
"He doesn't look like that grey-robed wizard with a good relationship with our lord."
Someone nearby remarked.
"Obviously—those are white robes."
"White robes, grey robes—what's the difference?"
Regarding wizard knowledge, citizens didn't understand much. Actually, this was Middle-earth people's norm. Only those at the lord or king level possessed sufficient understanding of such matters.
Regarding nearby residents' undisguised discussion, Saruman chose to pretend he couldn't hear.
After all, this was someone else's territory. Unless it was something major, it's best not to make a scene.
Of course, residents weren't saying anything particularly insulting either. Plus, though Roadside Keep residents had plenty of leisure time, not everyone was interested in wizards.
Most people just glanced while passing by, found it mildly novel, then continued their own business.
After all, this was Roadside Keep—novel things were everywhere.
Right now under the mallorn tree lay a living dragon. If this got out to other lands, who'd believe it?
Moreover... just a wizard—what's so surprising about that?
Speaking of rare, their certain lord was far more precious than any wizard.
"I'll grudgingly admit this city indeed has some merits."
After entering the gate and walking some distance, Saruman offered his assessment of Roadside Keep.
"But ultimately just an ordinary city. In some aspects still inferior to Orthanc..."
Mid-sentence, he suddenly looked up to see the Nameless Tower by the lake looming ahead.
So he closed his mouth abruptly.
That tower didn't look any shorter than Orthanc, and its craftsmanship seemed quite impressive too.
"Just don't know about inside..."
Saruman muttered, changing routes to first tour the tower's interior.
Then got thoroughly dizzy from the seemingly endless great library stairs spiraling upward like the exterior.
The staff tapped against the stairs, making soft echoing sounds. Saruman's gaze swept over book after book on countless shelves, as if wanting to engrave their titles in his mind.
"Interesting."
He silently wandered back and forth on stairway after stairway, seemingly wanting to catalog everything here.
Occasionally passing some bookshelves or study desks, he could see people reading—quite focused on their studies.
For these people genuinely thirsting for knowledge, Saruman didn't disturb them. His movements were soundless and measured. Many didn't even notice someone passing right beside them.
Though he had many unpleasant encounters with the tower's master and their temperaments clashed badly, as a rather proud wizard and also a high-ranking leader among his order, basic decorum was still necessary.
This had nothing to do with good or evil nature, nor was it deliberate pretense—just habitual conduct ingrained over millennia.
When Saruman again returned to the great library's starting point, suddenly a separately displayed book caught his attention.
Roadside Keep's History.
Saruman picked up this book to read but quickly flipped to the end, scanning through it rapidly.
"Shallow history. Barely worth the binding."
Shaking his head, he set down the book dismissively.
Then discovered another book beside it.
Chronicles of the Free Peoples
This book clearly had more substance.
For investigative purposes, Saruman opened this book with greater interest.
Moments later, he found a comfortable place to sit, reading for quite a while—the sky outside changed from afternoon to evening—before finishing everything recorded in the entire volume.
Clearly, this book recorded far more than just Roadside Keep's history.
It recorded all Free Peoples territories' development, even documenting territorial predecessors and exactly how territories came under Levi's management and protection.
"Interesting indeed."
"Truly enviable... divine power."
However, not entirely unattainable either.
His research on that beacon had yielded considerable results. Now the most critical problem was lacking understanding of its ultimate origin and fundamental nature.
Thinking this, Saruman couldn't help shaking his head in frustration.
He didn't tour this great library for nothing. One main purpose coming here was searching for information related to 'beacons' and the mysterious 'nether stars' within them.
But an entire great library's books—at least all the book titles he'd viewed—contained not half a record about these items.
As if Levi had conjured them from thin air.
"Heh, seems you also have a stingy side. Won't even display a bit of useful information. Orthanc's knowledge held nothing back from you when you visited."
As above, Saruman had already prepared his cutting greeting for meeting Levi next.
Right, choke him with this—he'll definitely have no good response.
Setting down the Chronicles of the Free Peoples, Saruman left the Nameless Tower, returning to the city proper.
Heading straight for that somewhat inconspicuous lord's residence among many prosperous buildings—the keep called 'Roadside Keep.'
Walking near the residence, his steps stopped again.
"A mallorn tree?"
"Never expected to see one here. Seems he has deep trust from Lothlórien's elves."
Saruman was slightly surprised, but only for a moment before returning to his usual demeanor.
These trees were plentiful in Valinor, and Valinor's mallorn trees were far more magnificent than Middle-earth's specimens, containing even more potent magic.
Nothing particularly rare to one who'd walked in the Undying Lands.
Thinking this way, Saruman turned and walked on without looking much.
Thus he strode past Roadside Keep's many scenic areas, through the bustling plaza crowds, past the golden mallorn tree, over a casually lying fire dragon...
Wait?
Saruman's eyes widened as he turned sharply.
What creature!?
"A dragon?"
Those already blurred, nearly forgotten ancient memories revived sharply in his mind. Subconsciously, Saruman frowned with deep distaste.
"That fellow actually keeps dragons as pets too?"
"You'd better stay away from me, evil thing."
Due to stereotypical impressions of dragon-kind, his first instinctive reaction was disgust and wariness.
He even used his staff to poke twice, trying to drive away this dragon blocking the path.
Creak.
Finally, Little Pink was poked to impatience. Turning its head lazily, it bit Saruman's staff, making as if to fling this annoying hard stick aside.
However, Saruman wasn't a pushover either—to reiterate: wizards only looked frail and elderly, but their strength was no less than experienced warriors.
He grabbed the staff with both hands, pulling back hard.
"Let go, you evil dragon! Don't touch my staff!"
Little Pink also got stubborn with him, immediately climbing to its feet and biting the staff while refusing to let go.
A tug-of-war began between wizard and dragon in the middle of the plaza.