Now, every penny the dwarves spent was being deducted from his hoard! If not for his master's strict prohibition, Smaug would have gladly gobbled up these drunken dwarves in one bite. Just as his glare grew increasingly undisguised, Luke smacked him hard on the head with his staff, instantly clearing the dragon's mind—and the dwarves finally breathed a sigh of relief. Working alongside a dragon was far too stressful; if this continued, they might have gone on strike!
The village chief of Amon Sul, had once offered to build Luke's castle for free, but Luke refused.
Despite Smaug's constant whining about his dwindling gold, the truth was that even a tenth of the Lonely Mountain's treasure was enough to construct countless castles. So Luke was far from short on funds and had no need for the villagers' unpaid labor. He merely hired them to prepare daily meals for the thousand dwarven craftsmen.
After entrusting all affairs to Chief Luke and Edward, Luke retreated alone to the seventh-floor meditation chamber, where he spent his days in deep thought. Outside, the construction site buzzed with activity, but no sound reached the chamber. Here, Luke either meditated, studied magic, or practiced alchemy.
Then one day, the innkeeper of the Prancing Pony brought him good news: He had found a seven-year-old rooster.
Luke's spirits lifted, and he immediately Flooed to the inn.
"Where's the rooster?"
The innkeeper, greeted Luke with deep respect and enthusiasm—after all, this was his best customer! Bowing slightly, he said, "Lord Luke, rest assured, the rooster is in perfect health. I'll fetch it for you right away!"
With that, he hurried to the backyard and returned with a cage, placing it on the table. Inside was a magnificent rooster—its comb bright red, neck feathers gleaming with a metallic sheen, body robust, and tail feathers fanned out like a colorful display. Its beak was sharp, and its claws looked formidable.
Luke leaned in for a closer inspection.
Afraid Luke might doubt him, Butterbur quickly assured him, "Lord Luke, I swear this rooster is truly seven years old! I bought it from an elderly Hobbit in the Shire—he kept it as a pet for seven whole years! I wouldn't dare deceive you!"
Luke remained noncommittal but pointed his wand at the rooster, casting a spell. A beam of white light struck the bird, and after a brief shiver, a glowing "7" appeared above its comb.
Confirmed—this rooster was indeed seven years old.
Luke smiled in satisfaction.
Ordinary roosters rarely lived to seven years, and those that did would be frail, with dull and sparse feathers. But this one had clearly been well cared for—even at seven, it remained strong, its plumage vibrant and lustrous.
Having secured the rooster, Luke then asked, "What about the other materials I requested?"
Butterbur replied, "I've gathered a batch already, but some of the items you need are… quite unusual. It's taking time to collect them all."
"That's fine. Give me what you have now, and keep gathering the rest at your own pace," Luke said.
"Please follow me, my lord. The items are rather… numerous and unsettling, so I stored them in the cellar," the innkeeper explained, a hint of unease in his voice.
Luke's requested ingredients were bizarre and macabre—if not for the generous pay and Luke's reputation, Butterbur would never have agreed to procure them.
The two descended into the cellar, where Luke's potion ingredients were stored:
A crocodile heart preserved in a large glass jar.
Bat hearts, eel eyes, frog brains, salamander spleens, pufferfish eyes, and other grotesque specimens.
No wonder Butterbur had hidden them away—if any guests saw these, they'd likely flee the inn in terror.
Luke, however, was pleased. With a wave of his wand, he stored everything in his spatial bag, then turned to the innkeeper.
"Keep gathering more for me. Don't worry about overstocking—send whatever you find to Weathertop, and you'll be well compensated."
He handed Butterbur a hefty pouch.
"A thousand gold coins. Will that suffice?"
"More than enough! Thank you, my lord!" The innkeeper beamed. "I'll make sure to collect even more materials for you!"