The Legendary Method Actor

Ray blinked, pulling himself out of the memory. Standing in the bustling center of the compound, Vailes Vance's words finally echoed with tangible weight.

Benefitted greatly.

From everything Ray could see, the Croft family and the people of Greywood Domain were the ones reaping all the benefits. The Vances were pouring money, infrastructure, and elite security into his territory. Vailes Vance was a master merchant; men like him did not operate charities. They were playing a massive, long-term economic game, one that Ray couldn't fully map out with the information he currently had.

If he wanted to understand the full scope of the board, he needed to speak with the people moving the pieces on his side.

"Come along, Rina. It is time to go home."

Ray said, turning back toward the compound gates.

They walked back to the carriage, where Svane stood like a tireless sentinel beneath the mountain of luggage. Ray and Rina climbed into the cabin, and Ray knocked twice on the wooden roof.

The driver cracked the reins. The carriage rolled smoothly through the lively streets of Whisper Town, leaving the boomtown behind as it began the steep, winding ascent into the Whispering Hills. Nestled deeper up in the mountain ridge, waiting to finally provide answers, was Greywood Keep.

The carriage left the bustling, crowded streets of Whisper Town behind, its wheels transitioning onto a newly paved cobblestone road that began the winding ascent into the deeper Whispering Hills. Ray noted the smooth ride with a quiet sense of satisfaction, though a few ways up, they passed a crew of laborers actively laying the stone. The carriage rolled past them, and the smooth cobblestone gave way to the familiar, rough dirt paths of his memory, a clear sign that the domain’s grand transformation was still a work in progress.

As the carriage jostled over the uneven terrain, Ray leaned his head against the window, watching the dense evergreen woods pass by. A wave of nostalgia washed over him. He remembered the countless days he had spent in these very woods, slowly walking beneath the canopy with Rina by his side. Back then, his body had still been afflicted by the ‘Wasting Sickness.’ Every step had been a battle, every breath a labor. He hadn't been able to explore far without his body entirely giving out on him. Yet, despite the physical agony and the constant shadow of his own mortality, those days remained some of his most cherished memories. Rina’s unwavering care and the quiet peace of the Greywood Domain had kept him grounded when he first arrived in this world.

The carriage rounded a steep, final bend in the mountain road, and Ray sat up straight.

Greywood Keep came into view, and for a moment, Ray simply stared. The dilapidated, crumbling fortress of his memories was entirely gone. It was like looking at a classic, rusted-out carriage that had been painstakingly restored to its former glory. The shattered masonry of the outer walls had been completely repaired, the overgrown courtyard had been cleared and paved, and pristine banners bearing the Croft family crest snapped proudly in the mountain wind. It wasn't entirely finished, a network of wooden scaffolding still clung to the western watchtower, but it looked to be at least eighty percent complete. It finally looked like the ancestral seat of a true Lord of domain.

As the carriage approached the open iron gates, a masonry worker on the scaffolding spotted them. He immediately dropped his trowel and sprinted toward the main doors of the keep, shouting for the Lord and Lady.

By the time the carriage pulled into the expansive courtyard and rolled to a halt, Alistair and Eileen Croft had already stepped out onto the front steps.

Ray smiled softly at the sight of them. Neither of them wore the fine, restrictive silks typical of the nobility. Instead, they wore practical, durable work clothes, the sleeves rolled up and dusted with a faint layer of stone powder. They were clearly managing the restoration of their home by actively working alongside their people.

Alistair looked at the carriage, his brow furrowing as he evaluated the unmarked carriage. From his vantage point, the vehicle looked utterly ridiculous. It was a sturdy travel carriage, but the roof was piled three tiers high with lockboxes, silk bags, and random parcels.

Alistair mentally sighed, assuming an eccentric, wealthy merchant had bypassed Whisper Town hoping to strike a backroom deal directly with the Lord. He squared his shoulders, preparing to politely but firmly reject them. He had signed an exclusive, highly lucrative contract with the Vance Merchant Group, and Alistair Croft was not a man who broke his word.

The carriage door swung open.

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Svane stepped out first. The towering warrior hit the cobblestone with a heavy, metallic thud. He was clad in pristine, Gold Aegis armor, his massive shield strapped to his broad back.

Alistair instantly tensed, his veteran eyes quickly assessed the man. This was no ordinary merchant guard. The man moved with the terrifying, coiled grace of a high-tier elite warrior.

Then, Rina stepped out of the cabin.

Alistair and Eileen both blinked, their defensive postures melting into absolute confusion. They knew exactly what time of year it was, the Academy semester was still in full swing. Why was Rina back in the Greywood Domain? Did Ray send her home? Did something happen to him?

Did something happen to my boy?

Eileen thought as she took a panicked step forward.

Finally, Ray stepped out of the carriage.

For a split second, neither Alistair nor Eileen recognized the young man standing in their courtyard. The sickly, pale boy they had sent away was gone. Ray was drastically taller, his frame lean and buzzing with a dense, hidden vitality. The dullness of his hair had been replaced by vibrant golden hues, and his eyes held a sharp, piercing clarity they had never seen before.

He looked entirely different. Yet, as Ray offered a warm, familiar smile, Eileen saw the unmistakable gaze of her son.

"Ray?"

Eileen said as she gasped.

She didn't wait for an answer. She sprinted across the courtyard and practically tackled him, pulling Ray into a desperate, crushing hug. Ray let out a soft laugh, wrapping his arms around his mother.

After a long moment, Eileen pushed him back just enough to keep her hands firmly on his shoulders. Her eyes darted all over his face, taking in his healthy complexion and broad shoulders.

"Look at you. You look so handsome. And so healthy! By the Founders, Rina must have been working miracles taking care of you."

She said as tears welling in her eyes.

Alistair walked up behind his wife, his stoic face betraying the profound relief and pride swelling in his chest.

"Give the boy a chance to respond, Eileen, but she is right. You look like a completely different person, son. You look strong."

He chuckled gently. He reached out and clamped a heavy, warm hand onto Ray's shoulder, giving it an approving squeeze.

"I am perfectly fine, Father, Mother. Rina has indeed been a massive help. She took excellent care of me."

Ray promised, finding a chance to finally speak.

"But before we get into that, allow me to introduce my new companion. This is my friend, Svane."

Ray said as he stepped back, gesturing to his towering vanguard.

Hearing his Lord refer to him so casually as a friend brought a sudden, surprising warmth to the giant’s chest. Svane immediately stepped forward, planting his fist over his heart and executing a flawless, rigid military bow.

"Svane Orben, Gold Aegis of the Solhaven Academy. I am currently serving Lord Ray Croft, to repay a life-debt."

The giant introduced himself, his voice rumbling across the courtyard.

The courtyard fell dead silent.

Alistair’s jaw practically hit the cobblestone. As a Lord of the kingdom, he knew exactly what the title of Aegis meant. They were Eldoria’s elite spellswords, the absolute pinnacle of the military hierarchy. And a Gold Aegis? They were walking natural disasters. Alistair’s mind completely short-circuited trying to fathom how his thirteen-year-old son had managed to acquire a kingdom elite as a sworn servant.

Ray merely smiled, ignoring his father’s stunned expression.

Eileen quickly recovered, rushing over to Rina and pulling the young attendant into a warm hug.

"Thank you, Rina! Thank you for looking after my son."

Eileen said earnestly.

"It is my absolute honor, my Lady."

Rina replied, bowing deeply.

"You must be exhausted, and I am sure your family would be happy to see you."

Eileen noted, stepping back. She shot Ray a pointed look, silently ordering her son to give the poor girl a break.

Ray nodded in agreement.

"You are off duty, Rina. Take the next few days off to spend time with your family."

Ray then turned to his towering, lethal vanguard.

"Svane, be a good friend and help Rina unload her bags."

Alistair flinched visibly. Panic gripped his heart.

You do not treat a Gold Aegis like a common porter!

Alistair thought as he opened his mouth, fully intending to call for the manor’s workers before his son accidentally insulted the elite warrior into drawing his sword.

But before Alistair could utter a single word, Svane gave a polite nod.

With masterful, terrifying efficiency, the Gold Aegis systematically stripped the carriage roof. He stacked heavy wooden lockboxes, frost-silk garment bags, and awkwardly shaped parcels onto his broad shoulders, balancing them with flawless precision until he was practically buried beneath a mountain of luggage.

While Svane handled the bags, Ray casually reached into the back of the carriage. With one hand, he grabbed his travel bag. With the other, he gripped the thick iron handle of the massive, reinforced chest containing the one hundred thousand gold crowns.

Without a single grunt of exertion, Ray hoisted the immense weight of the iron chest and stepped away from the carriage.

Alistair and Eileen stood frozen, their mouths slightly open as two distinct realizations hit them simultaneously.

First, the comical mountain of luggage currently burying the elite Gold Aegis was not merchant wares, it was all Rina’s personal belongings.

Second, the iron chest Ray was casually carrying with one arm was the size of a small boulder. A chest that size, heavily reinforced with iron bands, should have required two grown, heavily muscled laborers to lift. Their formerly bedridden, sickly son was carrying it as if it were stuffed with dry leaves.

"Farewell, Lord Croft, Lady Croft. Follow me, big guy!"

Rina bowed cheerfully. She then turned and began walking toward the road leading back to town.

"Right behind you."

The muffled voice of the Gold Aegis rumbled from beneath the pile of bags as he dutifully followed the young woman out of the gates.

Alistair and Eileen watched them leave in utter, baffled silence.

"Shall we go inside?"

Ray offered, casually adjusting his grip on the massive iron chest.

Still in a state of shock, his parents numbly nodded, turning to lead him through the heavy wooden doors of the Keep.

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