[The Silmarillion] Romimus

"Is it convenient to talk now?" On the second day after Sauron left, Romemus knocked on Celebrimbor's open door, "I want to discuss with you about the relationship between Linton and Mordor. The war to be waged."

Celebrimbor said nothing, but stood up and offered Romemus the only chair in the room.

"Thank you, but I'm a little tired just standing and looking up at you, so I won't sit down." Romimos said with a smile.

Celebrimbor didn't force it either, and the two of them finally stood in front of the window sill, and the morning sun shone softly and dimly into the house from here. Once Sauron left, even the weather seemed to improve.

"Then, I'll just omit the useless gossip." Romemos said bluntly, "Have you almost recovered?"

Celebrimbor held the wrist of the other hand with his left hand, and moved slightly: "...um."

"I know I once said that you can leave at any time when you recover, and I also know that you must want to go back to Linton and warn Gilgalad about Sauron's next moves in advance, but what I want to say is that I I regret it." Romemos said this sentence confidently, "I will not let you leave now."

"why?"

"Hey, are you asking me? I thought you already had the answer in your heart." Romimos exaggerated, "But I'm not an unreasonable person, of course you can get an explanation from me. As for It's up to you whether you believe it or accept it."

"You go ahead," Celebrimbor said with a slight sigh.

"The reason is also very simple. You also know how far I am from Linton. If you want to go back, you have to go through the entire Eriador area." Romemos said, "It was nothing before. Question, but the situation is different now. Sauron is about to attack Linton in an all-round way. Eriador is no longer safe, and the risk of going back now is too great. Of course, whether you live or die has nothing to do with me. You want to kill me. I can't stop you, I can only say that I was confused because of my head twitching, and I don't know what I was trying to save you at the beginning. I accidentally dug such a big hole for myself, and now I can only jump in if I bite the bullet... ..."

Romemos was full of resentment and chant for a long time, and Celebrimbor could only listen in silence as if he was being scolded. Although he also felt that Romemus did something inexplicable, at this time he popped out a sentence: "I asked you to save me?" It's a good thing to get a bargain.

"In short, your life and death is no longer your own business. If Sauron finds out that you are still alive, I will have to go around." Romimos crossed his arms.

"I'll be more careful," whispered Celebrimbor, "and if I'm caught, I'll keep my tongue as tight as I keep the Three Rings of the Elves, and I'll never tell you anything about you."

"Oh, I don't doubt you." Romemos sighed, "But it's not up to you. Will Gilgalad win this battle? Judging from the previous situation, I'm afraid it will be difficult for the elves Have too much confidence. Even if you are lucky enough to avoid all the eyeliners of Mordor and return to Linton, once the situation is not good for Linton, will you be a coward who hides in the fortress and does not fight? It seems unrealistic, right? In the end, Sauron will still recognize you. He always thought that he thought you had been eaten by Shelob. If he finds out that you are still alive, he will definitely go to Master Shelob to ask the crime, even if you don’t confess me—— Believe it, the bond between Sheloh and me is not so strong."

Celebrimbor was silent for a while, and then spoke in a hoarse voice, "Then you ask me to stand by while my people bleed?"

"Yes." Romimos admitted without any guilt, "unless two conditions are met. First, there is a way to ensure that you will not be discovered by Mordor after you leave; second, the elves cannot lose in this war." .Otherwise, the time you borrow to live with me will be extended indefinitely, so be mentally prepared."

Celebrimbor did not get angry. Romemus's decision was selfish and cruel, but it was beyond reproach. Her every word was calm and rational, taking all the worst-case scenarios into account, except that Celebrimbor's mood, but let's not talk about why Romemus should take into account the feelings of the elves. Even if she is willing to take this risk, can Celebrimbor really put her in danger with peace of mind? in?

Romimos was indeed not a good person to the elves, and Celebrimbor had mixed feelings about his savior being such a person, but he did because of her—in Romimos' words— —I survived with my brain flooded. If there was no Romemus, Celebrimbor would have been squatting in Mandos by now, so there is no need to worry about what I can't help Gilgalad busy question.

"If I had known it would be like this, I might as well have been killed by Sauron in Irejan." Celebrimbor murmured to himself in a low voice as if mocking himself.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Romimos looked at him in surprise, "You are not human, even if your body is destroyed, your soul will not die, and you are not Glorfindel and Felagund. It’s hard to say when your relatives have criminal records once they enter Mandos. You didn’t participate in the kin killing, did you?”

"...how many times do you mean?"

"No matter how many times you have to stay there until the end of time." Romemos complained, "This is worse than human beings, at most they can't feel anything after death, you can't, you just Being able to be in a dark place, knowing everything, and changing nothing."

"Aren't I doing nothing now knowing what's going to happen?" Celebrimbor said.

"Why? Did you listen to me carefully? Didn't I just say that you can leave as long as you meet two conditions." Romimos said, "then just find a way to make these two conditions It can be done.”

"It's so easy to say." Celebrimbor couldn't help but shook his head, but in fact, at this moment, the boulder pressing on his heart disappeared inexplicably. The effect of Moss's strange self-confidence came out of nowhere.

"Turning fantasy into reality is the greatest charm of creation." Romimos said, "Cheer up, the greatest craftsman in Middle-earth after Fiannaro, you should be grateful that you are still alive, and you can change this world." Every chance."

On how to avoid the eyes and ears of Mordor and return to Lindon—

"The easiest thing to think about is to choose a path that is hidden enough that no one will take it." With the wave of Romemos's arm, golden light spots flew from her fingertips into the air, and slowly gathered to form a Mountains, rivers, forests and roads finally present a complete map of Central Continent.

"We are here." Romemos pointed to the middle of the triangle area surrounded by the North-South Road, the Granduin River and the Misty Mountains in the Ened area. There was a little girl with wings and a Little boy sign with hammer.

"Linton and Grayhaven are in the far northwest of Middle-earth, and Gilgalad and Cirdan are here." Romemos said, and an elf holding a star and a long beard appeared on the western coast. little old man.

"According to the news that came back a few days ago, the army of Mordor was divided into two groups, and they marched westward from Mordor in the south and Irejan in the north respectively. Obstacle." Following the words of Romimos, hundreds of small Orc heads with fangs appeared densely on the map of Eriador, with a Sauron wearing a full body armor sandwiched between them.

Conclusion: At this time, there is no safe road on land at all, and Sauron may catch him wherever he goes.

"The waterway should be relatively safe, although it will take a little more detour. You can first enter the sea from Longddale along the Graywater River, then drive north along the coastline, and land at Grayhaven." Romemos twisted his chin. Looking at the map, he said, "If the weather continues to be fine and Ouxi doesn't act like a demon, he will be able to arrive in Harrington in about a year and a half... Wait, I suddenly remembered, is your family not on good terms with Uni? ?”

"It's not a 'slight' detour," Celebrimbor said. "And you haven't counted the time for building the ship. I don't know what the situation in Eriador will be when the ship is built. Maybe the waterway It's not safe anymore."

"I really don't know how long it will take to build a boat. I fly directly across the river." Romimos frowned, "Then how long does it take you to build a boat?"

"I don't know how to build a ship." If he could build a ship, would he still have to compete with the Teleri?

The two stared at each other for a long time.

"If we learn from scratch, with our two smart minds, maybe we can build a boat that can go to sea in five to ten years...?"

"I have another idea," interrupted Celebrimbor. "Let's put the temporary learning of shipbuilding to the end. I'm thinking, if I don't go back to Linton..."

"You've finally figured it out." Romimos was very happy, "Let me just say, Linton won't win if he has more of you, and he won't lose if he loses you. Whether you can go back or not..."

"Listen to me first. I don't mean I won't go," said Celebrimbor. "I mean, I can go to Imratri and find Elrond."

Romimos blinked and looked back at the map. Judging from the distance alone, the Land of Dusk is indeed much closer to Rivendell than to Linton.

"Imla Cui is not safe." She said, "Sauron left an army to besiege there. Although the number of people is not as large as the one that is going to attack Linton, it should not be underestimated. It is already surrounded."

"But the good news is that Sauron himself will definitely focus on attacking Linton, and will not choose to command from Imratri's side." Celebrimbor said, speaking faster, "that is to say , even if I am discovered by Orcs, they may not necessarily know who I am."

"But you don't want to be discovered and die, do you?" said Romemus. "It's important not to be identified, but getting home safely is your real goal. Don't put the cart before the horse, Celebrimbor. Lord."

"As long as Sauron doesn't find out that you saved me secretly, then I have nothing to do with you." Celebrimbor said, seeing Romimos's face change, he realized something, guilty. He added the second half of the sentence, "...that's what you said originally."

"Are you dumb or stupid? Can you use your mind as the greatest craftsman in Middle-earth to think about it, did I save you so that you would die for nothing?!" Romimos said angrily, "Why can't you think of a way to go back alive without being identified?"

"I'm just pointing out the inconsistency in your words, not because I don't want to..." Celebrimbor bowed his head and shut up under Romimos' eyes.

"Actually, I have another idea." Romimos said angrily with a little temper, "There is more than [-]% success rate for you to return to Imlatri without anyone noticing."

Celebrimbor pretended to be listening, and begged her to go on.

"You may have heard that I once had a cloak, which was made of Angorian's silk. Once I put it on, I could hide myself completely. Even Lord Manwe could hardly find it."

"What does 'was before' mean?" asked Celebrimer.

"Oh, I have given away that cloak now, otherwise this matter would be much simpler." Romimos explained lightly.

"Can't I borrow it for a while?"

"I'm afraid not, that person is very possessive, and basically don't want to get back what you give away." Romemos said, "But there is no need to use that cloak, like me, even if I don't use that cloak You can also be invisible. Although you can’t hide sound, smell, and temperature at the same time, Orcs are not sensitive to these. As long as you can make them invisible to you, you will be more than half successful. The problem now is that I can indeed help you hide stature, but without a carrier, my magic can't last long without me."

"what do you mean……?"

"We need a Lord of the Rings, or something like that," said Romimus, "that will allow me to imbue my power into it."

"I have no Rings," said Celebrimbor, with a stiff face. "If they were on me, you and Sauron would have discovered them long ago."

"But it's not too difficult for you to forge another one. You have already had three successful experiences." Romemos said, "I have all the things for forging here, and you can start working anytime."

Romimos enthusiastically led Celebrimbor to the forge under the Tower of Twilight, which she would occasionally use, but compared to other methods, forging was not her favorite way of creation.

Having said that, the various facilities and materials here are indeed very complete.

"So, let's start with the casting mold?" Romimos had already begun to choose tools excitedly, "I can help you, I'm very curious about it."

"You said before that you were not interested in the Three Rings," said Celebrimbor impassively.

"Huh? Oh, I mean I'm not interested in the finished product." Romemos explained, "But I really want to learn the process, if you are willing to teach..."

When a loud bang interrupted her self-talk, Romemos stared blankly at Celebrimbor. A small forging hammer fell at his feet, and Celebrimbor's hand Maintaining a virtual grip in mid-air.

"What's the matter?" Romemos walked over to pick up the hammer, and teased him, "I'm so excited that I can't even hold the hammer steadily?"

"I won't make it again," Celebrimbor said suddenly.

"Why?" Romimos asked, "Is it because it's been too long and I can't remember some procedures? It's okay, I do this sometimes, but I remember it as soon as I get started. If you haven't touched these hands for a long time It’s fine to do some other exercises first.”

"I mean I don't want to make these things anymore," said Celebrimbor through gritted teeth.

"But this is the best solution we have come up with now..." Luo Mimo was very puzzled, but she still didn't continue, because she was surprised to find that there was a cloud on Celebrimbor's forehead. A thin layer of sweat.

"Psychological problem?" she asked.

Celebrimbor didn't answer her, and looked very badly.

"Why don't you rest for a few days... a few weeks?" Romemos was a little at a loss, "Okay, okay, you can rest for as long as you want, right?"

"I'll never make a new Ring again," said Celebrimbor stubbornly. "You'd better stop thinking about it before it's too late."

"Are you kidding me?" Romimos got a little angry, "Okay, you don't want to make rings, you can make anything, bracelets, necklaces, tiaras, whatever you want! You can't stop forging for the rest of your life, right? "

"That's none of your business!" Celebrimbor's voice rose too.

"Are you a three-hundred-year-old child? You stopped eating once you choked on a grain of rice? How can you look like a great craftsman?" Romemos said unceremoniously, "If I had known that you would become like this, I'm not going to save you."

"That's right, if I don't wear the ring, of course it will be of no value to Mordor." Celebrimbor retorted, "You and Sauron are really of the same breed. You can't find the three rings of the elves, so you want to trick me into making a new one? "

Romemos was stunned for a moment, and did not speak for a long time.

"I'm sorry, I'm not..." Celebrimbor also felt that his words were too serious, and he hesitated to apologize.

"It's okay, you're right. I won't ask about your affairs from now on. If you want to leave, you can leave now." Romimos said coldly, and slammed the door away.