"Reshape: Enlarge," Bandalf chanted.
As he uttered those words, a small house materialized out of thin air.
"Old man, what kind of sorcery is this?" I asked, wide-eyed with surprise as I stared at the house that had appeared out of nowhere.
"This? It's just one of the Grey Magic spells called 'Reshape.' It allows the user to change the size of any nonliving objects. But that's enough about that. Let's go inside for now," Bandalf explained before entering the house.
As for me, I was admiring this magnificent house that had seemingly appeared out of thin air.
Bandalf's mobile house, when fully extended, is a quaint and enchanting abode that seems to have been plucked from the pages of a magical storybook. Balanced on intricately carved wooden wheels, it stands as a testament to the ancient wisdom it houses.
The exterior is a harmonious blend of enchanted wood and glistening crystal panels that refract the light in mesmerizing patterns. The roof, adorned with iridescent tiles, shimmers like the feathers of a mythical phoenix.
In front of the house, a delightful miniature garden thrived, complete with Lilliputian trees, tiny glowing mushrooms, and charming miniature statues that suddenly came to life when beckoned by the old man. A winding cobblestone path led to the front door, adorned with a brass knocker fashioned in the likeness of a sagacious owl.
Stepping inside, I found myself transported into a seemingly boundless realm of wonder and magic. There were many rooms, each with its own little theme and names.
The Sage's Sanctum: The central chamber is the Bandalf's own living quarters. It unfolds into a cozy haven adorned with ornate tapestries depicting ancient spells and constellations. The ceiling is a masterpiece of enchanted glass, revealing the ever-changing sky.
The Forest Retreat: The first guest bedroom is a verdant oasis. The walls are a living tapestry of ivy and delicate blossoms, and a large, circular window affords guests a view of an evergreen forest. A cozy, four-poster bed made from woven branches beckons you to rest and dream amid the natural splendor.
The Aquatic Oasis: The second guest bedroom had an aquatic theme. The walls are adorned with iridescent sea glass, and soft, dappled lighting creates an underwater ambiance. An oval window offers views of an enchanted underwater world. The guest bed resembles a pearl-lined shell, adorned with seafoam-green bedding. Seashell decor and a bubbling fountain complete the tranquil atmosphere.
The Alchemical Kitchen: The kitchen area is a captivating space where the sage conducts experiments and prepares magical feasts. Countertops shimmer with the colors of the rainbow, and a miniature cauldron bubbles away, brewing potions and elixirs with a hint of otherworldly aroma.
The Meditation Nook: A tranquil corner dedicated to meditation and reflection. A large, glowing crystal hovers above a plush cushion, radiating serenity. Soft, ethereal music fills the air, inviting guests to find solace in this enchanting nook.
The house also had a separate room for Bandalf's bedroom, but I didn't take a look at it. While I was admiring this magical house, Bandalf suddenly started talking to me.
"So, young man, are you hungry? Do you want me to make something for you?" he asked, showing hospitality to his guest.
"Thank you for your offer, old man. I am indeed hungry, so I will accept your offer," I replied with a small smile.
"Alright then, what about your SumMon?" he asked curiously.
"Well, he doesn't usually eat, so I guess that's fine. Now that I think about it, I should un-summon him," I told old man Bandalf and un-summoned Truck-Kun.
"Alright, then let us begin," he said and waved his wand.
As he did that, the small miniature statues came inside the house and started preparing dinner for us. Witnessing this made me realize that I was not on Earth but in a real fantasy world.
We engaged in some small talk, and soon, dinner was ready. We enjoyed a hot meal prepared by the statues, which was surprisingly delicious. I ate as much as my stomach could handle.
Afterward, Bandalf guided me to one of the guest rooms called "The Forest Retreat." I was so tired that I fell asleep as soon as I hit the bed.
…..
The sun began to rise, and its morning light sneaked through my room's window, landing on my face.
*Agggh.*
I groaned as I woke up, initially feeling confused by the forest-like surroundings. Then, I remembered what had happened the day before.
"I guess I'm still half asleep," I muttered to myself and left the room, heading to the central chamber.
There, I found Bandalf already awake and engrossed in a book. I walked over and greeted him.
"Good morning, old man," I greeted him, curious about what he was reading. Given that he was a sage, it was likely some kind of magic book.
"Good morning, young man. Before we leave for the capital city, why don't we have something to eat? Since it will take a few more days to reach the capital," he suggested, but I was a little confused.
"Sure, we can have breakfast, but why will it take a few days to reach the capital? Can't you just teleport us there directly?" I asked him, my curiosity piqued.
"We can do that, but since the Human Capital city NeoPolis is one of the most important and heavily guarded cities in the world, magics like teleportation are banned there. Even as a sage, I'm not allowed to teleport to the capital city unless there's some kind of emergency," he explained regarding the capital city's restrictions.
"Well, we can still use the teleportation gates, but they are all managed by the kingdom, so those usually don't have any restrictions. Besides, even though I used to be human, I'm now considered one of the Immortal sages. So, I usually avoid any kind of trouble with the Human territory. They tend to find ways to accuse me of something because most of them fear that if I sided with any noble faction, others would lose their position and power. Because of that, many factions keep accusing me of something," he continued with a tired voice.
*Sigh.*
He sighed and went on, "To be honest, even now I don't want to go there. The only reason I'm heading to the Human Capital is because of the heroes. If I'm not present when they arrive at the Capital, others will pull all kinds of strings to recruit any one of the heroes to their faction," he explained, sounding weary of humans.
"Really? Is it really that bad? I feel very sorry for you, old man, to think you have to deal with such problems. Let's just hope that this time, the heroes are smart and don't cause you any trouble," I empathized with him.
"As for the travel time, if we're lucky, we can reach the Capital city tonight with the help of Truck-Kun," I added, returning to the topic of our journey.
"Is that so? Now that I think about it, your SumMon does resemble a cart, but how can it move without anything pulling it? Well, I guess because it's a unique SumMon, it doesn't have any animals pulling it," Bandalf made his own assumption, and I decided not to correct him. Revealing Truck-Kun's true nature would also mean revealing my own identity as a hero, so I left it for now.
"Yes, something like that," I replied with a shrug. While we were talking, I noticed those small miniature statues preparing breakfast for us, just like yesterday. How did those things move, anyway? Well, I supposed they were somewhat similar to Truck-Kun in some sense.
After a few minutes, they finished preparing breakfast. Bandalf and I both had our meals and then we left the magical house. Bandalf took a step back, raised his wand high in the air, and chanted something.
"Reshape: Shrink," he incanted.
As he spoke those words, the magical house suddenly shrank. Within a few minutes, it had become so small that it resembled a tiny snow globe, encased in a glass dome. I wasn't sure why it had a dome, but I pondered it as Bandalf spoke to me.
"Shall we leave then, young man?" he asked curiously.
I stopped him and asked, "What about the weird house where I found the 'Single Ring'?"
"Oh, right, I forgot about it," he replied. He raised his wooden wand once again and chanted something.
"Inferno."
As he uttered the incantation, a massive spiraling flame erupted from nowhere and swiftly consumed the entire house within a few seconds. I watched in amazement as it burned down. Bandalf's words brought me back to reality.
"So, shall we leave now, young man?" he asked. I nodded in approval and summoned Truck-Kun. We both got inside Truck-Kun and started driving.
.....
After a few hours of driving, we finally reached the outskirts of the Capital city NeoPolos. It was around four or five in the evening, and the sun was still up as we arrived at the outskirts. While I was driving, Bandalf suddenly spoke up.
"Young man, you can just leave me here. I have a few things to do before meeting the king," he said to me.
"Are you sure? I guess that's fine," I replied and stopped Truck-Kun so that Bandalf could exit.
Bandalf left Truck-Kun, turned around, and said, "Young man, if fate allows it, let's meet again," with a gentle smile.
"All right, old man. Let's see what the future holds," I bid him farewell and un-summoned Truck-Kun.
Then I looked at the massive city in front of me and said, "So, this is the Human Capital City NeoPolis."