Hearing Levi's words, Saruman replied thoughtfully, "The nature of things is never singular. No one can understand everything about something merely through its appearance."
"Looking at something from different angles—horizontally, vertically, inside, or outside—just different perspectives alone may reveal entirely different properties, let alone decay and rebirth—such more mysterious matters containing vast wisdom."
"People are always unable to grasp things beyond their cognition. Eyes can only see surfaces, ears can only hear sounds to a certain degree, and what the nose smells is merely what can stimulate it."
"Precisely because of this, we must use various means to understand more properties of things—those aspects that cannot be understood merely through our limited senses."
"Only thus can we control more powerful... power."
This time it was Levi's turn to be slightly surprised.
He hadn't expected this old man, so deeply immersed in pursuing power and feeding his desires, to have such profound insights.
Interesting.
"Mm... I roughly understand now." Saruman muttered to himself.
Sometimes in research, an object's origins were quite important, relating to many fundamental principles.
"Then I'll take my leave. I still have matters requiring my attention."
Saruman spoke and made to stand.
Extremely enthusiastic when asking and listening, but once done asking, he'd rise and leave immediately without a shred of courtesy.
As for repayment—absolutely don't expect him to mention it proactively.
Look at Fangorn Forest's Ents—this group of pitiful tree-folk had been shamelessly freeloaded from by him for thousands of years, teaching him countless pieces of ancient knowledge. Not only had he never repaid anything, he even wanted to cut them all down and burn them into charcoal for his forges.
Actually, Ents were still treated relatively well. Saruman wouldn't directly provoke them when unnecessary. At least when face-to-face, his etiquette was impeccably maintained.
The tree-cutting was calculated precisely—Ents loved staying deep in forests, sleeping for centuries. If no one woke them, they might all be harvested while sleeping soundly.
Speaking of which, only those possessing powerful strength could make Saruman sit down and speak as equals.
Like Levi.
Switch to someone weaker—they might not even have the opportunity for equal dialogue with Saruman. Either obediently listen and satisfy all his demands, or get magically voice-controlled first, then satisfy all his demands anyway.
If Levi's power couldn't match Saruman's... whether he could stay conscious, whether the territory remained his—all would be hard to say.
Peace always accompanied sufficient power.
"In such a hurry to leave?"
Levi's statement made Saruman stop mid-stride.
He had to stop—after all, if the person behind wanted to, they indeed had the ability to force him to stop.
"The tea isn't even brewed yet."
"Not necessary."
Saruman refused without turning back.
"I still have urgent matters. Won't linger here."
Levi poured a cup of tea regardless, saying, "No need to be so hasty."
"I have some things to consult with you about, wise one."
Hearing this, Saruman turned back around.
"Given your reasonably good attitude, if you have questions, speak them."
"I'll tell you everything I know."
He sat back down with barely concealed satisfaction.
Levi spoke directly, "Some time ago, I heard Gandalf mention the Ents situation. Do you know the Entwives' whereabouts?"
"Heh."
Hearing that particular wizard's name, Saruman made a disdainful sound.
"Gandalf—that fellow with a head full of pipe-weed smoke knows what exactly?"
Levi, holding his teacup, looked up and glanced at Saruman pointedly.
Quite a bit of pipe-weed gets transported to Isengard annually. You'd better not be smoking it yourself.
"In the War of the Last Alliance, the place where Entwives lived was already burned to scorched earth by Sauron's forces. They no longer exist in this world."
"However, some ancient prophecies say when the world approaches its end and everything dissipates, they can grow from the earth again and meet their mates once more."
"World's end." Levi spoke the term aloud.
Should refer to the final prophesied battle. Then even Morgoth would return from the Void. Legend said it would be everything's final chapter—the world would shatter and be reorganized anew.
But that was also a distant future matter.
Levi shared his own information. "I've heard rumors circulating among the Shire's Hobbits. In the North Downs, people claim to have seen great walking trees. And the Old Forest—there are supposedly tree-folk inside there as well."
"Rumors and superstition."
Saruman dismissed it outright.
"The North Downs cannot possibly have tree-folk. That place lacks the conditions they need to survive."
"As for the Old Forest, it's full of ill-tempered trees. You can say they're alive and possess a kind of thinking, but in both power and wisdom, they're far inferior to true Ents."
"Ents gave these ignorant creatures—neither true Ents nor ordinary trees—a name. They're called 'Huorns.'"
"Fangorn Forest also has many Huorns, but they're better behaved, all controlled by the Ents. Those in the Old Forest are different—Huorns without control are nothing but brutish, dangerous creatures."
"Some Hobbits use stories of Huorns eating people to frighten their children into behaving."
"But this isn't merely a story."
"Many years ago, Hobbits fought them fiercely to claim the lands."
Levi listened attentively, nodding. "Alright, seems Ents won't find their mates for quite some time yet."
"Why do you care about such matters?"
Saruman truly didn't understand this interest.
"Nothing important. I just like worrying about random things. You can't control it."
"I don't have idle time to control your eccentricities."
After drinking the cup of tea Levi had poured, Saruman immediately stood once more.
"If nothing else, I'm leaving now."
"Go, go—so urgent, as if thieves broke into your home."
Hearing this, Saruman looked back at Levi with narrowed eyes.
"No thieves, but a bandit did break in once."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing important. Farewell."
Saruman hurriedly left before Levi could respond.
Another peaceful year passed across Middle-earth.
Under the continuous tireless efforts of the Roadside Keep and Riverside Keep Rangers, wilderness dangers were again driven toward more peripheral areas and hostile territories.
At the North Downs—directly north of Bree corresponding with the South Downs—a new Ranger outpost was established. Roadside Keep's sphere of influence pushed steadily west, beginning to affect the North Downs, plus the Barrow-downs north of there, and nearby vast uninhabited wilderness.
The Kingdom of Arnor's former royal city—Annúminas—plus Fornost Erain lay in these regions. The former at the Barrow-downs, the latter near North Downs.
Of course, now only haunting ruins remained.
However, even if once-great royal cities only left broken walls, cities full of wild grass and withered trees, they were never places that could be casually violated or occupied by dark forces.
Before Roadside Keep's Rangers arrived in force, this wilderness already had Dúnedain wandering as guardians. They roamed among ruins of their ancient homeland, carrying indescribable complex emotions, opposing various dangerous things that crept from the shadows.
Their resistance had never stopped, not for a single generation.