Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, Daniel mostly stayed in his inn room, diligently practicing wandless casting of the Lumos Charm. The results were significant. He had reached a point where he could quickly release a dazzling white light from his hand, enough to temporarily blind an enemy. Furthermore, he could condense a ball of light at his fingertip, which would then detach and exist independently for a period of time. This was the result of combining the Lumos Charm with his magic for controlling objects.
As the anniversary arrived, Michel Delving was enveloped in a joyful atmosphere. Flowers adorned the town, while cheerful music filled the air. Men carried barrels of beer and ale from storage cellars, and women prepared their best dishes.
When night fell, everyone gathered in the spacious Great Hole Hall to celebrate. The banquet hall was bustling with people, an array of delicious food and fine wine. Children happily weaved through the crowd, and adults danced to lively country music.
Daniel was invited to sit next to the Mayor, with Sheriff Robin on the Mayor's other side. The Mayor, a person of great prestige in Michel Delving, stood up to give a speech and then introduced Daniel beside him.
"Welcome! Let us welcome Wizard Daniel to our banquet; this is indeed a cause for celebration!"
Under the gaze of thousands of curious eyes, Daniel smiled and stood to acknowledge them. It was his first time seeing so many Hobbits at once. The height of the hall allowed him to stand upright, and looking at the Hobbits, who only reached his waist, he felt like he had stumbled into a land of little people.
When the banquet reached its climax, the Mayor, flushed from drinking, made a request to Daniel. "Wizard Daniel, may we have the honor, during this joyous occasion, of witnessing the wonders of your magic?"
Sheriff Robin, nearby, winked, having clearly discussed this with the Mayor. Seeing everyone's eager eyes, Daniel smiled and nodded.
"Of course."
With a clap of his hands, under everyone's expectant gaze, a dazzling light burst forth from his palms. Just as everyone was about to be blinded, he clapped his hands forcefully, and the light scattered into countless specks that darted around the banquet hall.
"Wow!"
Everyone's eyes widened in astonishment. The bolder children even reached out to grab the specks of light, dancing with joy.
"Truly amazing magic!" the Mayor exclaimed.
The other Hobbits looked at the Wizard with wonder. Seizing the opportunity, Daniel requested to buy the chainmail vest from the Mathom-house. The Mayor immediately asked the attendees for their opinions. As expected, no one objected. For the Hobbits, the items in the Mathom-house were things that were too valuable to discard but otherwise useless to keep. No one had any objections to gifting it to Wizard Daniel.
Thus, the Mayor decided to give the chainmail vest to Daniel for free, as a reward for his magical demonstration. Both parties were delighted.
Having obtained the chainmail vest, Daniel was thrilled. He let go of his inhibitions and fully immersed himself in the banquet atmosphere. During the toasts with the Mayor, Sheriff Robin, and others, Daniel successfully got drunk for the first time.
"Wizard Daniel, are you really not staying longer? The Midsummer Feast is approaching; it would be a shame if you didn't attend!" Sheriff Robin tried to persuade him the day after the banquet.
Daniel shook his head, "I'm sorry, Sheriff Robin, the warmth of Michel Delving has indeed captivated me, but I must continue my journey."
He had obtained the chainmail vest he wanted, and now that it was securely on him, he saw no reason to delay his departure. Speaking of the chainmail vest, Daniel couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness. It had extremely strong defense. Even when he wielded two cleavers and hacked at it forcefully, he failed to leave a trace, while the cleavers' blades bore significant nicks. Wearing it, he felt a great sense of security.
With his attempts to persuade Daniel unsuccessful, Sheriff Robin had no choice but to give up. "In that case, I can only wish you a safe journey!"
"Thank you, goodbye Sheriff Robin!"
After bidding farewell to Sheriff Robin, Daniel left Michel Delving and headed south. His next destination was Tuckborough, known for being the hometown of Pippin, one of the four Hobbits in the future Fellowship of the Ring.
Tuckborough was not too far; Daniel arrived after half a day's walk. Unlike most Hobbit towns built beside valleys and rivers, Tuckborough was built on top of a hill, overlooking the entire Westfarthing of the Shire. The town resembled a fortress, with Hobbits patrolling and guarding it.
Upon his arrival, Daniel was questioned by the Hobbit guards. "Who are you? What brings you to Tuckborough?"
Looking at the wary and cautious Hobbits, Daniel didn't mind. "I am Wizard Daniel, I just came from Michel Delving, and I plan to visit here."
Hearing this, the Hobbit looked at him in surprise and said, "Please wait!" before quickly entering the town to report.
After a while, a Hobbit with golden curly hair and a stern face emerged with the guard. He subtly sized up Daniel, then enthusiastically stepped forward to greet him.
"Welcome, Wizard Daniel, I am Paladin Took."
"I received a letter from Bilbo a few days ago saying you would come to Tuckborough, but I didn't expect you to arrive so late."
Daniel was a little surprised to hear this; he hadn't expected Bilbo to write to this person. "Hello, Mr. Took, what is your relationship with Bilbo?"
"Bilbo's mother, Belladonna Took, is my aunt, so he and I are cousins."
Paladin Took briefly explained, then invited him into the town. "Alright, Wizard Daniel, please allow me to properly entertain you, a guest who has traveled so far!"
At Paladin Took's warm invitation, Daniel came to his home. The Took family lived in the Great Smials, a giant version of Bilbo's Bag End. The Great Smials had many tunnels and rooms inside, like a sprawling underground kingdom, where many members of the Took family lived. Paladin Took's home was the largest and most luxurious among them, as he was the head of the Took family and the hereditary lord of Tuckborough and the surrounding territories.
The Took family had been prominent and wealthy for generations, were members of the Shire Council, and had served as Thain of the Shire throughout history. Moreover, the Took family was different from other Hobbits; they were impetuous and adventurous, arguably the most warlike branch of the Hobbits. This is also why Bilbo Baggins was chosen by Gandalf to be part of the expedition to the Lonely Mountain. Because he had half of the Took family's blood in him, along with an adventurous spirit.
**[Hogwarts Sign-in System: Location Shire - Tuckborough, do you want to sign in?]**
As soon as Daniel entered the Great Smials of the Took family, the system prompt appeared before him.