The moment the potion entered their mouths, their expressions changed; it was not the bitter or strange taste they had imagined. On the contrary, the liquid was warm and sweet, warming their throats and quickly spreading through their bodies. The dull pain and throbbing ache at the spot where they had been kicked in the stomach rapidly subsided, followed by a pleasant warmth. Both simultaneously lifted their shirts to check their stomachs.
To the surprise of the others, the small bruises on their stomachs from the kicks disappeared at a noticeable speed. It was as if the bruises were erased by an invisible hand, and their skin returned to its normal colour. In less than two seconds, everything had changed, as if they had never been injured, leaving no trace.
"This..." Fili touched his stomach, his eyes full of disbelief. "It doesn't hurt at all! I don't feel anything!"
Kili jumped up, bounced a few times on the spot, and then made several large turns.
A collective gasp echoed through the living room.
"The medicine is so effective! It works immediately after taking it?"
"A real treasure! This is truly a treasure!"
"This potion could save a life at a critical moment!"
The dwarves exclaimed in amazement, shifting their gaze from Karl to the potion bottle and back again. They had all experienced fierce battles and knew very well how valuable a medicine that provided instant healing was. On the battlefield, even a second's delay in stopping bleeding could be fatal. This potion could heal bruises in seconds, but what about more serious wounds?
Thorin's chest heaved, his breathing noticeably quickened. He walked over to Karl, his eyes shining with excitement. "Karl, what is the limit of this Life Potion's effectiveness? What kind of wounds can it heal? How much can you make?"
If this remedy could only treat minor injuries, then although useful, its effectiveness was limited. But if it could heal serious injuries, or even fatal ones... then it would be invaluable.
Karl smiled and, looking at Thorin, slowly said: "As long as the person doesn't die on the spot or lose half their body, they can be saved."
"One bottle can turn a minor injury into no injury at all; three bottles can turn a serious injury into a minor one; and as for fatal ones... no one has reported such cases yet."
"As for production... the ingredients for this potion are very rare, and the annual output is only enough for ten bottles."
The output was deliberately limited by Karl. In reality, one golden vegetable could make more than ten bottles of Life Potion. With the reserves he had, there was more than enough for every member of the company to take a bath in it. However, given the nature of dwarves, they should know that potions could be produced in large quantities. They would most likely squander them generously and might even use them as a regular remedy. Therefore, it should be described as rare and scarce, so they would value and cherish it, and thus use it sparingly.
And indeed, Thorin and the others were overjoyed to hear from Karl that the healing effect was so powerful. Their joy lasted only a few seconds, after which their faces fell, and they sighed upon learning that the quantity was limited.
Thorin adjusted his mindset and nodded: "That's true, this Life Potion is a treasure, so it's no wonder its production is limited."
"Karl, your Life Elixir is very important to the company."
"With this, losses to the company can be minimised, so..." Thorin paused for a moment and looked around at his companions. Fili, Kili, Balin... every dwarf looked at him, waiting for his decision.
"I have decided to divide the treasure of the Lonely Mountain into fifteen shares, one of which will be used to pay your reward and compensate for the loss of your potion."
Even if it was only one fifteenth of the treasure, it would still be filled to the brim with gold, gems, and artefacts. However, none of the dwarves present objected to Thorin's decision. In the previous deal, the three conditions Karl had put forward had reduced his due reward. But the Life Potion... the dwarves desperately needed it, and the risks along the way were unknown, so injuries were inevitable. Even the thick-skinned dwarves would be ashamed to waste such a precious item belonging to their comrades.
Karl nodded, agreeing to Thorin's terms; the treasure did not interest him. However, this allowed Thorin and his companions to use the potion with a clear conscience, without feeling they owed him anything.
Thorin breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Karl nod in agreement. If Karl was unwilling to trade, they couldn't force the other party, could they? Besides, they might not even be able to defeat Karl...
The negotiations were essentially over when Thorin suddenly remembered something, and his expression became somewhat awkward. "Karl, I'm sorry to say this. At the moment, the contract cannot be drawn up and given to you for signing. We may have to wait a while."
Thorin said helplessly: "Because the previous contract was taken by our burglar, Mr. Bilbo Baggins."
"We didn't expect a fifteenth member to join us along the way."
At this moment, Thorin and his companions looked around and, not seeing Bilbo, realised that one of the hobbits was not in the living room. While Thorin and Karl were negotiating, Bilbo had quietly made his way to the door. He felt like an outsider; the dwarves discussed battles, potions, and the distribution of treasure — topics far too distant from his own.
He was just a hobbit, a hobbit who enjoyed a peaceful life, tended his garden, and smoked his pipe. Adventures? Dragons? Treasure? All of that existed only in fairy tales. In real life, they shouldn't exist, at least... they shouldn't exist in the Shire.
So, when all attention was focused on Karl and Thorin, Bilbo first slowly moved his feet back, pretending to adjust his posture. Then, gradually, using the dwarves' bodies as cover, he approached the doorway. Hobbits were naturally good at moving stealthily, using their feet, and thus didn't draw unnecessary attention to themselves. Since everyone's attention was focused on the negotiations, it seemed no one noticed his movements.
However, when Bilbo tried to move, Karl glanced at him but said nothing. Bilbo's heart pounded as if it were about to leap out of his chest. Finally, he reached the wooden door and carefully took hold of the doorknob. He looked back; Karl was standing with his back to him, and Thorin and the others were looking at Karl. Gandalf was smoking his pipe, his eyes half-closed, and seemed not to notice him.
Bilbo tiptoed open the door, slipped out sideways, and gently closed it behind him. Throughout the entire process, the wooden door made only a faint, barely audible "click."
He had done it! Outside, it was deep night, and Bilbo took a deep breath of the cool air, feeling completely relaxed. He hurried home; he had no intention of participating in solo mountain expeditions. Mr. Karl was a witcher, a warrior capable of defeating two dwarves in an instant. But what about him? He was just a hobbit, a hobbit who had never even held a sword. As Thorin had said, he had no combat experience. What was he supposed to do? Be a burden and a hindrance?