For Eric, there were only two truly valuable items worth trading with the piglins.
One was the ender pearl, used for teleportation. The other was enchanted books, though those were far rarer and entirely dependent on luck.
He traded two sets of gold ingots. In return, he only got a single enchanted book, and it turned out to be Soul Speed - useful only if you enjoyed sprinting across soul sand, which Eric decidedly did not.
He couldn't help but wonder if the piglins were deliberately trolling him.
Sometimes, they really did deserve a slap or two.
But like it or not, the trade had to go on.
Under the relentless barrage of gold, the piglins eventually coughed up several chests' worth of assorted loot. More importantly, they surrendered a whole row of ender pearls. The count had now surpassed 140. Finally, Eric could say he had a respectable stash.
With enough pearls on hand, the very first thing he did was combine them with blaze powder, producing a gleaming batch of Eyes of Ender.
Back at the roadside fortress, he tossed one into the sky.
The Eye of Ender soared overhead, trailing shimmering particles before hovering mid-air and rotating gently. A second later - crack! - it burst into glowing dust.
Well, now he knew this wasn't the way to the End.
Eric turned toward the shout. A resident was hurrying over, looking slightly flustered.
"There's a hobbit at the gate. Says his name is Baggins. Claims to be your friend. Should we let him in?"
Eric's expression brightened.
"Of course. I'll be right there."
The residents exchanged glances as their lord strode off.
Truth be told, they'd long noticed he wasn't the type to issue orders. He cooked his own meals, fetched his own materials, and couldn't be bothered to hire servants.
And yet, they all knew - if he so much as raised his voice, a hundred volunteers would leap to action on the spot.
The gates opened with a resonant thud.
"Welcome. You finally made it, Bilbo."
Bilbo trudged through the gate, wrapped in an oversized coat and looking thoroughly disheveled.
"You wouldn't believe what happened to my house. It's awful!"
"Don't tell me you were robbed?"
Bilbo threw up his hands in outrage.
"My cousins - the Sackville-Bagginses, have been eyeing Bag End for years. And while I was off on our adventure, they had the nerve to declare me dead! Held a funeral and everything!"
Eric raised an eyebrow.
"When I came home, they'd taken everything! Furniture, cutlery, even tried to auction off that sword you gave me!"
Eric's expression darkened.
He had known the Sackville-Bagginses were trouble, always coveting Bilbo's estate. But some things were not to be touched.
In fact, if he remembered correctly, when Saruman eventually turned his eyes toward the Shire, it was this very family that sold it out. For a fat sack of coins, they revealed its secrets, welcomed in thugs and spies, and let the peaceful Shire fall into chaos.
Bilbo huffed. "It took no small effort, but I managed to get everything back."
"They acted like I was some thief breaking into their home! Fortunately, I still had that old contract from Thorin's company. Without it, I wouldn't have been able to prove I was me."
Hearing this, Bilbo let out a breath, a mix of anger and relief. Then, with a crooked smile, he added, "But I'm glad we both survived."
He chuckled. "You remember that contract, don't you? I fainted the first time I read it."
"Oh, I remember," Eric said with a small smile. "Gandalf had to spend half an hour talking you down."
Bilbo nodded. "Despite everything… I'm still glad I went on that journey."
Then he glanced left and right, lowering his voice a little.
"Are these your residents?"
"Yes," Eric replied. "They've all relocated to Roadside Fortress. They used to live in the Anduin Valley, between the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood. But it's become too dangerous there, no longer fit for a peaceful life."
"I don't know if you've ever heard the tale, but once upon a time, many hobbits lived in that region. Later, they crossed the mountains and traveled west. The king allowed them to settle and build the Shire."
Bilbo blinked. "No… my family never mentioned any of that. Who was this king, anyway? The Shire's never had a king."
"That kingdom fell long ago."
Eric gave a slight shake of his head and said no more. If Bilbo really wanted the whole tale, they'd need Gandalf. Eric only knew the outline.
Bilbo seemed to sense that and let the matter drop. He curiously observed the people nearby - some working, some resting, before following Eric into the castle.
Once inside, Bilbo carefully unstrapped his pack and placed it on the table.
"Eric, I brought you something."
"It's a vintage wine, straight from my cellar. One of the oldest bottles in my collection. Possibly older than me."
With a flourish, he pulled out twelve ornate bottles of ruby-red wine.
"The Sackville-Bagginses always had their eyes on my wine cellar. But I'd sooner drink them all myself than let those vultures get a drop."
"These are yours. You won't be disappointed."
"Thank you. I… well, I'm not much of a drinker, really. But no matter. I'll take good care of them."
Then, curiosity returned to his face. "By the way, why did you want to see me?"
Eric was still placing the bottles into storage when he paused, then turned to face Bilbo with a serious look.
"Bilbo, I think it's time we talked. You're… different, aren't you?"
Bilbo stiffened. His heart skipped a beat.
"I… I'm not sure I follow."
"A ring, Bilbo. I know you're carrying one."
Instinctively, Bilbo plunged a hand into his pocket, his face a mix of confusion and alarm.
Wait… I've been carrying it this whole time? But… why?
The memory was murky. He didn't recall taking the ring out recently. In fact, he barely remembered placing it in his pocket.
Then he thought back to a recent talk with Gandalf. Grimacing, he gave a resigned sigh.
"Yes. I do have a rather… unusual ring. Honestly, I forget it's even there."
"Would you like to see it?"
He began to pull it out.
"No, no, don't take it out."
Eric quickly raised his hand.
"I don't want to see it. Just… keep it with you. But I'd like to study it. Not the ring itself - just the effects."
"…Alright. If that helps."
"Don't give it to me," Eric added quickly. "Keep it in your hand. Oh, and would you like some milk?"
"Absolutely. I've been living on milk these days."
Bilbo gratefully accepted the drink and took a long swig.
"Delicious. Fresh as the morning dew."
Eric waited for him to finish before nodding.
"Alright. Let's begin. Don't worry - it's just a few harmless tests. I won't be taking your ring."
"I understand," Bilbo said seriously. "I'll cooperate however I can."
Eric looked up. "Just?"
"Well, this isn't a complaint, really. Just a cultural thing, perhaps. But… you always talk with your back turned to people. That's a bit rude, you know."
Eric blinked. Then slowly turned around.