"Wizard?"
The young Elf's gaze scrutinized the two, especially lingering for a few seconds on the bubbles above their heads.
Then he spoke a sentence in Elvish to the other Elves.
The Elves instantly lowered their bows.
"I am Legolas, son of Thranduil."
"Gandalf, the Grey-robed, I have heard of your name. My father says you are a wise man."
Gandalf bowed slightly, the hem of his grey robe sweeping the moss at his feet, a warm, smiling tone in his voice: "It is my honor to be so highly regarded by the King of the Woodland Realm."
He looked up at Legolas, his eyes clear, "Thranduil's son, indeed as sharp as this forest—it seems the winds of Mirkwood have blown all the best talents to you."
Facing Gandalf's praise, the young Elf Prince appeared a bit reserved.
He turned his gaze to Luke, his face filled with curiosity: "A while ago, we captured Orcs who had escaped from the Misty Mountains, and from them, we learned that Azog, the Defiler, had been killed by a Black-robed Wizard. I presume that was you."
"If there aren't any other Black-robed Wizards, then it must be me," Luke said with a smile.
Legolas's wariness towards the two had lessened considerably by this point, but he still asked:
"May I ask, what brings the two Wizards to Mirkwood?"
Knowing that the Elves of the Woodland Realm and the Dwarves had a conflict, Gandalf naturally would not say they were looking for Dwarves.
He cleared his throat and explained: "We were preparing to cross Mirkwood to reach Lake-town, but we encountered Giant Spiders along the way, until your arrival."
Legolas nodded.
"In that case, please follow me. My father would likely want to see you."
Gandalf and Luke exchanged glances and did not refuse.
It was a good opportunity to find out if Bilbo and the others had fallen into the Elves' hands.
The two followed the Elves north.
The further north they went, the less Mirkwood was polluted by the dark forces, and the forest regained its vibrant appearance, with the air becoming fresh.
Seeing this, Luke simply removed the Bubble-head Charm from above their heads.
Most of the Elves in the Woodland Realm were Silvan Elves, also known as Wood Elves, whose hair was predominantly black and brown.
Compared to other Elf races, Silvan Elves were closer to nature, able to establish connections with the flora and fauna of the forest, skilled with bows and arrows,
They could hide themselves using natural environments like trees and rivers, and even sense threats.
But what was surprising was that although the Woodland Realm was primarily inhabited by Silvan Elves, they were ruled by a minority of Sindar Elves.
For example, the Elf King Thranduil, and also Legolas, were Sindar Elves, with their golden hair being the most obvious sign.
The Woodland Realm was located in the northeastern part of Mirkwood, only a few miles from the edge, with the Forest River winding past the southern gate.
Unlike the Elf architecture in Rivendell, the Elves of the Woodland Realm lived in a magnificent palace built within underground caves.
The main gate was carved into a maple-covered hillside, and two tall stone doors were inscribed with magical Elvish runes, making it difficult for anyone to leave once they entered.
The two followed Legolas through the gate and into the winding tunnels, passing through many checkpoints and passages, directly arriving in a spacious hall.
At the highest point in the center of the hall sat a stone-carved throne, with giant elk antlers behind it.
Seated on the throne was the Elf King of the Woodland Realm—Thranduil.
He was tall, wearing a crown woven from red leaves and berries, dressed in a magnificent robe, with a majestic and somewhat arrogant expression on his handsome face.
"It has been a long time, Mithrandir." Thranduil stood up from his throne, stepped down, a polite smile on his face.
"Your Majesty Thranduil." Gandalf bowed slightly.
Luke also followed suit.
Thranduil's gaze instantly fell on Luke.
"A rare young Wizard, you must be Black Robe Wizard Du Yi'er Wizard who killed Azog, I presume? I have heard tales of you from distant kin—Wight-bane, Troll-slayer, bane of Orcs, truly a series of great achievements!"
"The rumors are a bit exaggerated, Your Majesty Thranduil," Luke said, shaking his head.
"I can tell whether it's exaggerated or not," Thranduil waved his hand, "The huge explosion in the forest just now must have been your doing. My Elves went to investigate, and a hundred meters of forest land was leveled, with at least a hundred Giant Spiders killed."
"Such power is many times stronger than what the rumors suggest!"
As he spoke, he proudly showed off his son to the two, "Speaking of which, you must have already met my son—Legolas. He is the most excellent marksman in Mirkwood, his arrows never miss, and he has killed countless Giant Spiders."
Gandalf very graciously joined in the praise, complimenting Legolas for having his father's demeanor, with a continuous stream of flattering words.
Luke watched Thranduil's mouth unconsciously curve upwards, and he silently gave Gandalf a thumbs-up in his heart.
Gandalf had hit Thranduil's sweet spot.
For Thranduil, praising his beloved son made him even happier than praising himself.
As for Legolas, who was also present, he was blushing from his father's boasting and Gandalf's continuous praise.
When Thranduil was pleased, he ordered a banquet to be held to entertain Gandalf and Luke, the two guests.
At the banquet,
Thranduil sat at the head of the table, Gandalf and Luke were the guests, and Legolas accompanied them.
They enjoyed various fine wines and delicacies amidst soothing music.
During the banquet, Thranduil inquired about the purpose of Gandalf's journey.
"Mithrandir, what important matter brings you through Mirkwood this time?"
Gandalf explained somewhat vaguely: "We are preparing to go to Lake-town."
"Lake-town?" Thranduil's hand, holding his wine glass, paused. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Gandalf and Luke, "What charm does Lake-town possess to attract two Wizards to visit it?"
'I remember the residents of Lake-town were descendants of the survivors of Dale. When the dragon attacked the Lonely Mountain back then, Dale at the foot of the mountain also suffered, and some survivors fled to Long Lake to establish the current Lake-town."
"Are you going to Lake-town for the sleeping dragon in the Lonely Mountain?"
Seeing that Thranduil had guessed their purpose, Gandalf no longer concealed it and nodded.
"Yes, we are preparing to investigate the Lonely Mountain, as that dragon could awaken at any time, which is a huge hidden danger."
"So, you are cooperating with Thorin Oakenshield? Do you intend to help him reclaim the Lonely Mountain?"
Thranduil frowned, his expression displeased.
Seeing Thranduil's attitude instantly turn cold, Gandalf was somewhat helpless, but he still took the opportunity to ask: "Your Majesty Thranduil, have you already met Thorin and his companions?"
Thranduil had no intention of hiding anything and replied coldly: "They trespassed into my territory and have been imprisoned in my dungeon."
"You and Luke are my invited guests. The Woodland Realm welcomes you, but if you intend to intercede for the Dwarves, then spare your breath!"
Thranduil did not give Gandalf a chance to plead, directly cutting off his words.
Gandalf opened his mouth but swallowed his words.
Thranduil's attitude was very clear: as long as they were not pleading for the Dwarves, they would still be friends.