After the banquet ended, Garrett didn’t forget to go check on Frodo. But the little fellow was far too small at that moment.

A newborn infant… He didn’t want to hold him, afraid that if he touched him even a little, he might cause some mishap.

So, this matter was put aside for now. At least he would wait a few months before trying again.

The kids didn’t want him to leave. He just smiled, handed out candy to each of them, and left

Of course, he didn’t actually carry that many treats with him. He had simply used the stockpile from Drogo’s household.

“I don’t mind,” Drogo had said.

Happy times always pass quickly.

When dawn broke, Garrett escorted Bilbo back to Bag End, and then he took his leave.

And just like that, staying at Wayfort, a whole year slipped by without him noticing.

When another autumn arrived, Bilbo, for the first time in ages, took the initiative to visit. He stayed a night at Wayfort, and the next morning, he and Garrett set out on the Great East Road, hitching a ride on a carriage that leisurely rolled eastward.

They passed through several settlements before finally reaching Dale.

It had been decades since Bilbo last set foot on that land. The now-aged hobbit looked left and right with nostalgia, wandering for quite some time before continuing toward Dale and the Lonely Mountain.

That night, the Lonely Mountain was lively with celebration, as Thorin greeted Bilbo with a great big hug.

More than twenty years had passed since they last saw one another.

Among Dwarves, the longest-lived had lifespans similar to the Dúnedain, able to reach over three centuries.

For them, twenty-some years might count as a long time, but it wasn’t unbearably so.

Partings always followed reunions and merriment.

After some time, the two made their way back. Passing through Buckland, they stopped by Drogo’s home.

This time, Garrett picked Frodo up. The one-year-old was lively, with a beautiful smile that made him utterly endearing.

And so, another year slipped by unnoticed.

That year, the residents of Wayfort noticed their lord spending more time at home. He no longer disappeared without warning, off to who-knows-where on adventures that kept him away for months, or even years, at a stretch.

But even while staying home, Garrett wasn’t idle.

Sometimes he went to Dale, especially wandering back and forth across the three plots of land forming the delta, as if inspecting something.

At times, a few Architects would join him for walks, chatting as they surveyed the area.

The position of Architect required a high reputation score, at least 1,000 points. Reaching that level usually meant at minimum the rank of a construction unit captain, with mastery over all building blocks, tools, and machinery. They carried significant authority.

The following year, perhaps after completing enough surveys, he initiated a new construction project. Using stone, he enclosed the three tracts of land divided by the great river, completely encircling the confluence where the waters met and merged.

Around this massive circle, the next phase of Dale’s expansion began.

The construction units quickly mobilized, supporting him and building wherever he directed.

These were skilled builders, trained and educated professionals. Their work was highly efficient, with a strong sense of aesthetics, often producing designs so impressive that even Garrett was pleasantly surprised.

And one important quality, a strength even Garrett couldn’t match, was that this group never abandoned a building project. Once construction began, they always saw it through. There was never such a thing as an unfinished ruin.

As days passed, Dale grew larger and larger, doubling its size within only a few months.

The original Dale became known as the “West District,” while the newly established city on the river delta was called the “North District.” The two districts faced one another across the confluence of the three rivers.

Of course, this was not the end of the expansion.

With the North District successfully completed, work on the East and South Districts advanced rapidly as well.

But this time, some people began to raise objections, mainly from those at Wayfort.

The construction battalion from Wayfort rushed over and collectively rebuked the Dale construction team:

“You lot sure can keep a secret, huh? Months have gone by and not a single word leaked out. Such an interesting project, and you didn’t even invite us?”

“You’ve been having a great time building, and what about us? Just leaving us out for months, doesn’t your conscience feel the slightest bit guilty?”

“Tell us, do you not consider us your own people?”

The captain of Dale’s construction team quickly explained, saying they only worried that the workload was too heavy and too complicated, afraid of tiring them out. Besides, the lord never said to include them, and his team alone was more than enough.

“We’re not worried about being tired! Fine, then, you go rest. Leave the rest to us.”

“We already sent someone to ask. Lord Garrett said he has no objections.”

“Alright then, go on, hurry up and rest!”

“Well, if that’s how it is, there’s nothing we can do.”

The Dale team stopped pretending.

“Let’s settle this with skill.”

And so, the two construction battalions opened their ledgers and began work, each taking charge of one of the yet-unbuilt new districts: East and South.

But then another person ended up unhappy.

Garrett, wearing a troubled face, was forced into frantic overtime.

The two battalions built at incredible speed, working day and night without pause. No amount of persuasion could slow them down.

His original plans were completed far ahead of schedule, and once done, the two battalions had nothing left to do but wait for Garrett’s new designs and building plans.

Though they voiced no complaints, Garrett couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling whenever he passed by them.

It wasn’t that anyone was pressuring or forcing him, but still his heart couldn’t rest easy. The feeling was subtle yet very real.

To shake it off, he had no choice but to accelerate his planning somewhat. And since manpower was now abundant, he grew bold enough to propose some more ambitious designs.

For instance, the Hanging Gardens in the East District, built along the river.

From above, waterfall-like streams cascaded down, flowing across meadows filled with flowers and trees.

Towering structures rose on the riverbank, their many terraced layers narrowing as they ascended, with arched buildings lining each tier.

At the very base lay a vast, bright hall, filled with plants and trees gathered from across Middle-earth. Water curtains sealed off the interior, and only by stepping through them could one enter to admire the gardens within.

Seen from outside, the massive garden looked as if it were supported entirely by waterfalls and water veils. The design did not defy physics, yet appeared wondrous and novel, utterly breathtaking.

Once completed, the Hanging Gardens instantly became the city’s most spectacular landmark.

Its conception and inspiration left even the Architects in awe.

From then on, no matter how much Garrett slacked off or occasionally procrastinated, he never again felt that old, nagging unease.

A few months later, the East District, with its Hanging Gardens, was declared complete. Only the final gap remained: the South District. Once filled in, the massive ring-shaped city could be declared fully finished.

As for that last district, the architects each proposed their ideas.

With the precedent set by the East District, none wanted to settle for ordinary designs.

Some suggested building a colossal lighthouse to replace the original smaller one. Others proposed instead erecting a giant statue of the lord himself, an idea inspired by the Argonath at the Falls of Rauros.

Was it to be one or the other…?

After a vote among the residents, and a headache-inducing decision by Garrett, the result was: both.

Thus, a towering lighthouse was built near the river in the old West District, while the statue was erected in the South District, the two facing each other across the city.

The statue stood, sword in hand, unimaginably tall. From its summit, one could not only overlook the entire shipyards but even gaze all the way toward distant Wayfort.

Its meaning was “Guardianship.”

The statue’s expression was indistinct, its features complicated, holding traces of gentleness, tinged with sorrow.

When asked why he carved it that way, the sculptor replied, “Because that’s the expression the lord often wears. I don’t know why, but it’s always there.”

Chirping birds folded their wings to rest at the statue’s base.

A butterfly landed briefly on Garrett’s shoulder, only to flit away when he moved.

Looking at the newly built, majestic city, and gazing up at his own statue, Garrett let out a sigh.

Another year had passed.

When the new city plan was officially announced as complete, people gave it a new name:

“The City of Waters.”

Garrett later adopted this name as well.

From then on, “Dale” referred to the greater realm and the original settlement in the West District.

The expanded city itself was formally renamed The City of Waters.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep