Chapter 203 Adopted Son

Lord Elrond truly treated Thorin and the others as honored guests, showing no stereotypical bias or the inherent arrogance often found in the Elven race.

Even for Thorin, it was difficult to maintain a cold attitude when facing such an elder.

However, faced with a table lacking even a hint of meat, the dwarves couldn't help but start complaining, clattering their knives and forks against the bowls to express their feelings.

It sounded quite impolite, but Lord Elrond remained tolerant.

Of course, while Elven tastes are generally lighter, they aren't vegetarians; it was just Lord Elrond himself who was one.

Accompanied by the Elves' harmonious music and admiring their outstanding appearance and temperament, Chen Nuo still ate quite happily, even if it was just crisp lettuce.

It would have been even better if there was some salad dressing.

"Nuo, personally, I don't like female Elves. They're too thin, their skin is too delicate, and most importantly, they don't have beards on their faces."

Kili sat beside Chen Nuo, followed his gaze, and offered his own assessment.

As the youngest among the dwarves, Kili was also the most lively in private.

Of course, that was only when Thorin wasn't looking.

Thorin had very high expectations for his two nephews.

Dwarves view beards as a point of sexiness, regardless of gender.

This was a difference in racial aesthetics; Chen Nuo couldn't appreciate it, but he showed respect.

Of course, putting aside the excessive hair, according to the memories of a certain custom VVVIP, the Dwarf race was not entirely without its charms.

Don't ask how he knew; human progress stems from curiosity, and he just happened to have a little bit more of it.

"However, this one looks alright."

Kili raised an eyebrow, watching an Elf pass by.

"That's not a female Elf."

Chen Nuo picked up a pastry and replied.

Mhm, this pastry tastes good.

The Elves of Middle-earth were indeed somewhat lean in their physiological features. But it wasn't to the point where one couldn't distinguish male from female; it could only be said that Kili, a greenhorn who had grown up this much, had simply never seen many women.

Should he take him to see the world if he got the chance?

"Hahaha..."

"..."

A burst of laughter erupted at the dining table.

If he could, Kili surely would have wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into right now.

"It's okay, Kili. Young people like you sometimes get confused about their interests, but don't worry, I've always been open-minded and will never discriminate against you for it."

Chen Nuo patted Kili on the shoulder comfortingly.

"..."

Kili's face turned beet red instantly, not feeling comforted at all.

Dwarves are a boisterous and lively race; the current serene and peaceful atmosphere was clearly not to their liking.

Since there was no excitement, they would take the initiative to create some; exercising subjective initiative had always been something dwarves excelled at.

Bofur stood up on the dining table; a lover of music, he felt he needed to give the Elves' ears a wash with a Dwarven tune.

As the highly rhythmic song began, the table's cutlery became musical instruments in the dwarves' hands.

Watching the food fly about, the one who could most empathize with Lord Elrond right now was likely Bilbo.

When he first met the dwarves, he had been subjected to similar chaos.

Chen Nuo quickly protected his pastry to prevent it from being ravaged by the dwarves beside him.

Lord Elrond was a magnanimous person; understanding the nature of dwarves, he didn't hold it against them. However, Gandalf, sitting nearby, felt a bit ashamed to show his face.

What had he just said?

Noble and proper, exceptionally well-bred, and possessing a heart that deeply loves art?

He really wished there was a magic in this world that could take back spoken words.

After the banquet ended.

Gandalf took Thorin to see Lord Elrond.

They had come to Rivendell primarily to have someone decipher the ancient map for entering the Lonely Mountain.

Long ago, dwarves and elves were close, and back then, elves even helped build the Dwarven kingdoms.

But now, times had changed. The dwarves had long forgotten the ancient Dwarven tongue, and only the immortal Elves could still remember the language of their former allies.

As for Chen Nuo, he didn't participate and instead went for a stroll alone.

In this Elven realm, it wasn't just Elves who lived there; there was also a human boy who had just turned ten.

Hearing that dwarves were visiting, the boy, full of curiosity about the outside world, secretly slipped out of his room and watched from a distance.

Then he saw a rather eyesore-inducing scene.

The dwarves were using the fountain as a bathtub, splashing around and playing stark naked inside.

It had to be said, the dwarves' hair was indeed thick.

"Kid, you have some pretty heavy tastes, peeping at dwarves bathing?"

The sudden voice from behind nearly made the boy jump out of his skin.

However, he quickly calmed down, turned around to look at Chen Nuo standing behind him, and asked.

"Are you the human Ranger who is with the dwarves?"

"That's right. And who might you be?"

"Aragorn."

"Why is there a human child in an Elven kingdom?"

Chen Nuo asked, looking at the young boy with a youthful face.

"Lord Elrond is my foster father."

Aragorn replied with his head held high.

This was indeed something to be proud of.

Chen Nuo nodded and then said with a smile.

"Lord Elrond's foster son likes to peep at dwarves bathing."

Hearing this, Aragorn immediately became anxious and hurriedly said.

"I do not like watching dwarves bathe!"

"Oh~ So you don't deny the fact that you were peeping."

"..."

Aragorn was suddenly choked up and speechless.

He wanted to explain and argue, but didn't know where to start. After all, he really was peeping just now.

But that was just out of curiosity about dwarves he'd never seen before, not because he wanted to see them bathe!

What's so good about looking at naked dwarves!

"Aragorn, you wouldn't want this matter to get out and bring shame to Lord Elrond, would you?"

Chen Nuo leaned down and asked with a beaming smile.

Aragorn's breath hitched. Young as he was, he experienced the wickedness of the human heart for the first time.

How could this person be so mean!

"Wh-what do you want to do?"

Aragorn sniffled and asked with a hint of a sob.

For the honor of Lord Elrond, he was prepared to sacrifice himself.

"Come on, show me around. This is my first time in an Elven kingdom."

Chen Nuo reached out and ruffled Aragorn's hair.

"Eh? Is that all?"

Aragorn froze for a moment, his body and mind relaxing as he realized Chen Nuo had just been teasing him.

Despite a stomach full of frustration, Aragorn still acted as a guide, taking Chen Nuo on a tour of Rivendell.

The next day, he even took the initiative to come to the door.

Rivendell was naturally a wonderful place, but for a ten-year-old boy, it was a bit too quiet and monotonous.

After all, those living here were all adult Elves. How could they have nothing better to do than play with Aragorn? Moreover, the Elves' forms of entertainment were indeed not suitable for a young boy.

In contrast, Chen Nuo, who looked like a human just like himself, was much easier to get along and play with.

"I heard Lord Elrond say you're a very strong Ranger?"

Aragorn looked at Chen Nuo curiously.

When he went back last night, he asked Lord Elrond some things about Chen Nuo.

Although there wasn't much information, it was enough to spark a young boy's yearning for the outside world.

A Ranger sounded like a very romantic profession.

"No."

Chen Nuo shook his head, then corrected himself under Aragorn's puzzled gaze.

"A very, very, very strong Ranger."

"..."

Aragorn looked suspicious, thinking Chen Nuo was bragging.

"What, you want to experience it for yourself?"

Chen Nuo asked back.

"...Then let's try!"

Aragorn was eager to try.

He received the highest level of education from Lord Elrond, which naturally included swordsmanship.

Furthermore, Aragorn was quite confident in his swordsmanship; after all, Lord Elrond had praised his talent more than once.

A short while later, Aragorn was beaten into a state of withdrawal.

"Don't be too discouraged. You're still young and your body hasn't fully developed yet. It's normal to lose to me."

Chen Nuo said comfortingly.

Hearing this, Aragorn's mood lifted quite a bit.

That's right, he was still a child. Wasn't it normal that he couldn't beat an adult?

Then he heard Chen Nuo's next words.

"Only when you grow up will you truly realize how vast the gap between us is. It'll be soon enough to feel despair and withdraw then, haha."

How does that saying go?

"If you do not practice the sword, you see me as a frog in a well looking at the moon; if you do practice the sword, you see me as a mayfly looking at the clear sky."

"..."

Aragorn indignantly kicked a pebble by his foot.

He really wanted to punch Chen Nuo's annoying face. To think he had just thought the man was cool.

"It seems the two of you are getting along well."

Lord Elrond had been keeping an eye on Chen Nuo and Aragorn; he had invested a great deal of energy into this foster son of his.

As a direct descendant of the High Kings of Men, with the blood of the Maiar and Elves flowing through his veins, a person like Aragorn was destined for an extraordinary future from birth.

Not to mention that Lord Elrond had long prophesied that Aragorn would play a very important role in the future fight against the darkness.

"Lord Elrond."

Chen Nuo greeted politely.

Aragorn, on the other hand, quickly ran to Lord Elrond's side, looking up at him and seeking emotional comfort.

Failing to withstand even one of Chen Nuo's moves just now had been a bit of a heavy blow to him.

"Are you finding your stay here comfortable?"

Lord Elrond's attitude was gentle and friendly.

"Very much so. Rivendell is the most livable kingdom I've seen. I haven't slept this comfortably in a long time."

Chen Nuo spoke the truth.

He had previously spent most of his time active in human territories. Compared to the Elves or even the Dwarves, human civilization was a step behind.

After all, it wasn't yet time for humanity to show its strength.

"I heard from Aragorn that you seem very interested in the Elven script and language."

"Yes, I have been studying it recently."

Chen Nuo replied in Elvish, which made Lord Elrond's eyes light up.

Although there were still some obvious flaws in his pronunciation, Chen Nuo had truly mastered the essence of the Elven language.

In this land, the more ancient a language was, the more it contained a certain power. It wasn't something just anyone could learn; their spirit and will were often not enough to carry such knowledge.

This made inheritance a major problem.

Just like the dwarves of today, their civilization had suffered a rupture. This wasn't solely due to war; a large part of it was because the ancient script and language were difficult to learn.

The original Dwarven blood had thinned over time.

But remembering that Chen Nuo was no ordinary mortal to begin with, Lord Elrond tucked away his surprise and said instead.

"Do you need me to provide some assistance?"

This was both a gesture of goodwill and a way to understand him further.

Like Gandalf, Lord Elrond was a guardian of Middle-earth. An existence like Chen Nuo was undoubtedly a subject of close observation.

"That would naturally be for the best, Lord Elrond."

Chen Nuo said readily.

Even if Lord Elrond hadn't brought it up, he would have found an opportunity to ask.

"But before that, let me see just how strong your swordsmanship really is."

Lord Elrond took the wooden sword handed to him by Aragorn and stepped forward.

It made sense; after all, Aragorn's swordsmanship was taught by Lord Elrond, so he had to reclaim some face.

Aragorn's eyes widened, full of excitement and anticipation.

After three moves, watching his own wooden sword being knocked away, the expression on Lord Elrond's face clearly became a bit strained.

Wait, brother, aren't you a bit too strong?

"Cough, actually, I am a healer, and swordsmanship is not my best skill."

It wasn't that Lord Elrond couldn't afford to lose, but in front of his foster son, he still had to save some face.

And he wasn't lying.

Lord Elrond's most widely known professional identity was that of a healer; as for his swordsmanship, it was merely a hobby cultivated over a long time.

"Actually, I also know a bit about medicine. How about we discuss it?"

Chen Nuo became genuinely interested upon hearing this.

"..."

Lord Elrond couldn't help but swallow.

You're just going for the kill, aren't you?

With his authority at stake, Lord Elrond could only bite the bullet and begin communicating with Chen Nuo.

This discussion lasted an entire day.

Chen Nuo's profound knowledge deeply impressed Lord Elrond.

The medical knowledge systems that differed from the current world brought a great shock to this Elven Lord.

Of course, Chen Nuo also learned a lot from Lord Elrond.

"Perhaps I should have someone else learn and exchange ideas with Nuo."

An idea occurred to Lord Elrond.

As a Half-elf, Lord Elrond possessed a vision and foresight different from ordinary Elves; he felt that Chen Nuo might bring a new breakthrough to the entire Elven civilization.

To be honest, the reason the Elves always reminisced about the glory of the Years of the Trees was precisely because they hadn't been able to break free from their state of decline.

Back in his room, Lord Elrond put pen to paper and wrote a letter, detailing the contents Chen Nuo had described, and then sent it to his daughter Arwen, who was living in Lothlórien.

If Lord Elrond could have foreseen the future he had caused, he would surely have slapped himself hard and torn the letter in his hand to shreds.

However, for now, Lord Elrond was filled with beautiful expectations and a good mood, waiting for his daughter's reply.