Page 26

Page 26

The shoot might take a week, and daily commuting across town is impossible.

Next to the swimming pool, Sakura and Ling also came out of the water. After swimming in the water for a while, their skin became wrinkled. They came under the parasol and gulped down a few gulps of their respective juices.

"Swimming in the summer is so comfortable, but my skin gets sunburned." Sakura said, looking enviously at Tomoyo who had been hiding on a lounge chair under a parasol, "It's great that Tomoyo's skin is always so white."

Tomoyo came ashore earlier than the other two. She was not very good at sports, and among all sports, swimming was her weakest. Diving a few meters in the water was already her limit, and she was not willing to hold a swimming ring and play in the water with Reiya and Sakura.

"It's okay, Sakura's skin is very good too, and it will become white again in winter anyway. Speaking of which, I think I saw Director Asaka coming just now."

"Director Asaka?" Sakura's attention was diverted and she was no longer paying attention to the previous topic.

The filming of the TV series has been suspended for more than a week. Although it can be said that it is a rare holiday to relax and have Tomoyo and Reiya to play with, they are the friends that Sakura has long dreamed of. But sometimes she feels a little bored.

So when Sakura heard Director Asaka's name, she felt a little concerned.

Maybe she was used to working non-stop, and she was not used to taking a break. Occasionally, she would feel panicked that she had wasted her time. If Ling knew what she was thinking, she would definitely say that this was Stockholm syndrome, that she had become accustomed to being oppressed, and that she needed treatment!

Being a salted fish and lying down are the true meaning and instinct of life.

But since Sakura cared, the three of them went back to their room, took off their swimsuits, changed back into their daily home clothes, and ran to the living room.

Asaka was about to say goodbye and leave. Even Director Daidoji had no solution. The only thing he could consider was to change the plot and cancel the filming of "Sakura and the Rainbow of Memories".

Actually, this episode was not in the original author's story. It was an original story created by him and the TV series' screenwriters. It might just be a sudden inspiration to add a non-existent "great-grandfather" to Sakura, who grew up without parental care, but Asaka thought it was a good idea. A memory and bond from the great wizard who lived away from the world, even if it was insignificant, at least proved that there was still someone in the world who cared about her.

To Asaka, Sakura in that fictional story is already his daughter.

If possible, he really didn't want to let that 'Sakura' be flawed for reasons other than the plot. But now, he was helpless.

"If it's a villa in the forest, there are some in Tokyo."

When the voices were heard, Asaka realized that there were a few more people in the living room.

"Yakura, Reiya, Tomoyo? When did you get here?"

"Just when I said I couldn't find a villa in Tokyo."

Of course, what Asaka wanted to ask was not this, but the "villa in Tokyo" that Reiya mentioned. For him, nothing was more important than this at the moment.

If someone else said that he would just treat it as a joke, he would have used all his connections to find no evidence, and even President Daidoji had clearly denied it. But the person who said that was Oshima Reiya, the daughter of the Oshima family, a chaebol with a longer history than the Daidoji family.

"Reiya, the villa you are talking about is..." Yuan Mei was a little surprised, but soon she thought of something and showed a shocked expression, "Could it be the one that belongs to the Oshima family--"

"Well, it's just sitting there anyway. If someone really needs it, it doesn't matter if I borrow it temporarily."

"But is this really okay?"

Yuan Mei knew that after the accident, Ling had moved to the holiday villa in Chiba because the main house was a sad place for her. Can such a place sealed in the heart really be taken out and exposed to the sun?

"I don't know either." Ling admitted at this moment that she was a little weak. Even with the Light of Gaia, the soft part of her heart would not be strengthened by wearing armor. She knew she was not ready, but if she didn't take a step forward, she would not be ready for months, years, or even longer.

Time will not make the past fade away. Under the dust of time, what exists will always exist.

"If I were alone, I wouldn't know when I would dare to go back. But if you guys were with me, it should be okay, right?"

Yuan Mei didn't know what to say. Ling was always so strong, but her strength made others want to cry for her. But she knew that comforting people was never her strong point.

Asaka was a little confused, he didn't know where the villa was that Lingye mentioned, nor did he understand what it meant. But as long as there was a filming location, it was the best news for him.

"Well, when is it convenient for you to go and see it in person?" His requirements were not high. As long as there was a forest around - even a small woods, it didn't matter. The villa in the forest was the setting of the story. Even if there were fewer trees, he could find a way to improve it by using borrowed angles and later repairs.

As for the villa itself, it would be better if it were mysterious and luxurious, but one cannot force it. The legendary great magician might prefer a simple and frugal life.

Qianxiang kept lowering his expectations, just to avoid being disappointed when he saw the real thing. But when he really stood in front of the villa, he couldn't help but be stunned.

"You...you call this a villa?"

It was in the forest of western suburbs of Tokyo, and Mount Fuji could be seen in the distance. A majestic manor castle with a Nordic style! The Daidoji family that had surprised him before would probably only occupy an inconspicuous corner here.

Sell ​​him, no, even if you sell the entire crew, it will definitely not be enough for a day's rent!

Chapter 34: Cabin in the Woods

Daidoji is a chaebol that has risen in the past hundred years.

But Oshima is not, to be more precise, Reiya's mother's family is far from comparable to Daidoji.

Reiya is always called a "doll". When director Asaka was arranging the role for her, she subconsciously gave her the identity of a British transfer student. That's because Reiya does have Nordic ancestry.

Her mother's great-grandfather was a hereditary marquis, but her mother's branch did not inherit the title. Now the relatives of the hereditary title are no longer related, and have not been in contact for nearly a hundred years. But from the perspective of blood, Ling can indeed call herself a princess.

Not having a title doesn't mean she has nothing. On the contrary, that is definitely not a barrier that can be broken by a chaebol with money. If she is willing to marry, any chaebol will flock to her.

But to Lingye, none of this is important. Even this manor is just a simple "home" to her. What is heavy is not the value, but the memories it carries.

Asaka had never seen this manor before, because the surrounding area was private territory and was not accessible. He had never even thought that there was such a place in Tokyo.

"Miss." In front of the manor gate, Jianye confirmed with Lingye again.

After opening the car door and getting out, Ling also stroked the bronze door with its historical mottled pattern. The black Mercedes-Benz sedan looked a bit shabby in front of the manor.

"Open the door and meet Grandpa Ye."

"I understand."

Jianye took out the key he always carried with him, and the bronze door slowly opened. A wide two-way cement road stretched straight inside, with forests on both sides, and the road extended beyond the sight.

From the main gate, it takes about ten minutes to drive to the castle.

The view gradually widens as you walk along the winding lake and flower gardens. When the castle appears at the end of your view, you feel as if you have stepped into medieval history.

This is the main residence of the Oshima family, or more precisely, an estate of her mother's family in Japan.

The manor was huge, even bigger than a village, like a small town. But along the way, there was no one in sight.

"Miss, please forgive me for acting on my own initiative and dismissing a group of servants." said Jianye who was driving.

"Is anyone else home?"

"Yes, the chefs Mr. Saiba and Mr. Shinomiya, the winemaker Mr. Bart, the head maid Ms. Maria, and the gardener Mr. Ueki have all been here. We usually ask them to manage the affairs of the manor. Among those who left, the forest ranger Mr. Hachiken returned to Hokkaido after the funeral of the master and mistress. I heard that he went to inherit the farm in his hometown."

These are also relatively important positions in the manor.

In fact, the funeral he mentioned should be the funeral of the master, the lady and Miss Lingye, but since the eldest lady is still alive, it is naturally not mentioned.

"After learning that the young lady had returned, Mr. Baxuan contacted me a month ago. He will come back at any time as long as the young lady needs him."

Of course, Jianye himself hoped that Hachiken would come back, but at that time Miss Lingye was still in grief, so he did not take the initiative to mention this matter. Now that Miss Lingye asked, he of course told the truth.

"It's Uncle Hachiken. Of course I welcome him back. Without him taking care of the forest farm, the animals in the forest won't be at peace."

Ling also remembered that Hachiken had once personally caught a poacher with real weapons, and he was the most legendary servant in the Oshima family manor. In her childhood memories, Hachiken had always been a hero.

"I see. I'll contact Hachiken later."

"What about Grandpa Emiya?"

Ling also remembered the old man in her memory. Emiya was the water and electricity maintenance safety officer of the manor, responsible for the inspection of safety circuits, water pipes and gas.

"Mr. Emiya has reached retirement age a long time ago. He doesn't have enough energy to manage the affairs of the estate. He has been thinking about leaving for the past few years, so he probably won't come back after leaving this time. However, there is a Mr. Okazaki who is willing to join the company. Although he is young, he has good skills and is careful in his work."

The most important thing for a safety officer is to be careful. Since Jianye said so, Ling would certainly not object.

The people named by Butler Jianye were all important positions in the manor, and there were still about 20 to 30 ordinary staff left in the manor.

Of course, these 20 or 30 people alone could not manage such a large manor. In the past, they could only clean the main castle and could not do the daily maintenance of the entire manor, so most of the manor was unattended. After a few months, it was already somewhat deserted. The originally clean and tidy roads were covered with fallen leaves and dead branches, and large areas of flower beds were covered with knee-high weeds. Even the fountain in front of the large lawn at the gate had dried up and no water flowed anymore.

The entire castle lost its breath of life and became desolate and dilapidated in just a few months.

Of course, if there is a will to repair it, as long as more people take care of it and restore its former vitality, the castle will soon be brand new. However, Jianye was not sure whether the eldest lady really planned to return to the main house, so he did not ask more questions and did not make any arrangements privately.

And this is the scene presented to Director Asaka.

The car stopped in front of the large lawn of the main castle.

Ling also got off the bus, and in the crew minibus that followed behind, Director Qianxiang and some crew members also got off. They had been surprised too many times along the way, and this place was far beyond their imagination.

"Can this estate be used for filming? Many places have not been taken care of for a long time. It will take a lot of effort to film it."

This was not a matter of taking care of it or not, and Qianxiang did not dare to answer for a moment. He stood in front of the castle for a long time, just to calm himself down.

"Ms. Oshima, would it be convenient for you to come and take a look inside the castle?" Completely subconsciously, Asaka didn't dare to call Reiya's name directly, and changed to calling her 'Miss'.

"Please, Director Asaka, just call me by my first name."

After hearing Ling's emphasis, Qianxiang could only respond reluctantly. In front of this castle, anyone would feel a huge psychological pressure. That was beyond the point where financial resources could distinguish. Not calling her Princess directly was the result of his restraint.

"Welcome back, Miss." Miss Maria, who had received the news, had been waiting in front of the main castle's gate.

Compared to other parts of the manor, the main castle, which was still maintained by someone every day, was still clean and tidy. The marble floor with classical patterns was so shiny that one could see through it. Looking up, there were luxurious and exaggerated hanging lamps decorated with countless crystal ornaments, which clearly reflected the magnificent reliefs on the dome supported by two rows of more than ten columns.

The interior of the castle is very large, with the hall within sight alone covering nearly a thousand square meters. There are also some plaster statues standing by the walls, most of which are unknown mythological figures.

"These are sculptures from Norse mythology, a custom from my mother's hometown."

Ling also explained a few words casually. Her eyes swept across the wall at the staircase landing and she was slightly startled.

Since entering the door, Jianye has been paying attention to Lingye's expression, worried that she would be moved by the scene, but the girl remained calm. At this time, Lingye's sudden abnormality made him look at the white wall at the same time, and when he saw the photo hanging on the wall, his expression changed.

That was a family photo of the Oshima couple and Reiya.

Jianye glared at Miss Maria fiercely, and although he didn't say a word, Maria immediately knew that she had been reprimanded by the housekeeper. At the same time, she also realized her own negligence.

"Sorry, I'll take it down now."

"No, it's okay, just leave it like this." Ling also walked up the steps and stopped under the photo on the middle platform. In the photo, her father was holding her and holding her mother's hand. The photo was taken in front of the fountain outside the castle.

I still remember that it was a photo taken three years ago when she was six years old and went to primary school on her first day. The girl in the photo was leaving her parents for the first time, and she smiled reluctantly, looking unhappy. Three years is not a long time, but the person in the photo has gone to a place that is out of reach.

"However, if Director Asaka wants to use this place for filming, it's really inconvenient to put the photos here. If necessary, it's okay to move away."

"No, we won't shoot here." Asaka smiled sadly, "This place is too luxurious."

"luxurious?"

Asaka had never thought before that she would not be able to be used because the style of the filming location was too high.

In this episode "Rainbow of Memories", Sakura's great-grandfather is set to be a great magician who lives in seclusion. The residence of a great magician should be mysterious, and it doesn't matter if it is a little gorgeous, but it should not be a castle like this.

This is not the great magician's mansion, it is clearly the king's palace.

"Excuse me, is there a place here that is a little, uh, a little more humble?"

Ling thought about this question for a while. There are many villas in the manor castle. In addition to the main building where the master and servants live, there are also libraries, archives, greenhouses, observatories, etc. Unlike the modern villa of the Daidoji family, there are few high-tech facilities such as cinemas, and most of them still retain the ancient style.

"Miss, how about the ranger's hut?" Jianye reminded from the side.

"Oh, yes!" Ling also clapped her hands and remembered the little house next to the forest.