I'm back

It is a heartwarming thing to see family members standing at the door of your home in the first snow and saying, "I'm home." Even if we are in different worlds, the way to express love is still the same.

Mason couldn't help but recall the time when he was a child in his previous life, carrying his schoolbag home. As a junior high school student, he looked up after evening self-study and saw the lights in the building quietly lit up, casting soft shadows in the night.

It has been half a year since he came here. Crises have come one after another, making the things of his previous life seem even more distant. When he dies, he gets a second chance to live in the new world. When he occasionally looks back in the busy life, he will be surprised to find that he has come so far.

Faile held his face in her hands, a trace of heartache in her eyes. Mothers are always the first to notice changes in their children.

"You've lost weight and become darker."

“Because I had a good workout in New Town, I learned a lot from everyone.”

The chestnut-haired boy placed his face in her palm and answered vaguely. The man standing behind him could sense the polluted aura on his son and couldn't help but sigh in his heart. As Ronald said, his son became a bloodline.

This is a blessing, but also a curse. Controlling power comes at a price. Abner stepped forward, soothed his wife who was about to cry, and then looked at Mason. The chestnut-haired boy was a little nervous under his gaze, and the man showed a faint smile on his face.

"Don't be nervous, Ronald told me everything. You did a great job."

He took a complete gray wolf fur cape from the servant and put it on the boy's shoulders: "Go home, your mother made soup and it's still warm in the kitchen."

Faile gave him an annoyed look, as if blaming her husband for saying this directly. The latter said honestly, "Sorry, dear, did I ruin your surprise?"

The female bloodline snorted and turned her attention to her son. Mason stood between them, feeling that he was redundant but also that both of them were looking at him.

He still didn't know how to get along with the two of them, but there was no doubt that they cared about him. Mason threw away his distracting thoughts and nodded under the expectant gazes of the two: "Let's go home."

Faile smiled brightly. She was already dignified, and this made her look even more attractive. Abner accompanied the two of them on the carriage back to the castle, where the servants were already ready to welcome the young master back.

"Have you laid all the carpets? Put a soft mat at the door to wipe the snow off the soles of boots. Replace the carpet in the hall. I want the one with the gold rattan pattern."

"I can't believe you changed the curtains to black and white! Take them off! They don't match the decor today at all. Match the colors of the young master's room!"

“We need to ensure that the guests can enjoy the best snacks when they return, so that the chefs can grasp the timing well and redo the snacks if they are not crispy enough!”

All the servants walked through the castle. The snow at the door had been swept away. The black plum trees, which are unique to winter, were blooming on the branches. These ornamental plants with dark and strong branches and pure white and delicate flowers are very popular among the nobles. The gardeners carefully cultivated them into elegant shapes, and the white clusters bloomed on the branches, echoing the flying snowflakes in the distance.

The entire castle is bathed in fine snow, its windows are as clean as new, and its vermilion spires sparkle in the sunlight. From a distance, it looks like a fairy tale place located in the mountains.

When the carriage stopped, a servant immediately opened the door. The maids and servants were divided into two teams and bowed at the same time when the door opened.

"Welcome back, Lord Viscount, Master Mason."

Mason was deeply shocked by this scene of luxury and wealth. Unlike the unimaginable splendor of Partington City, Cross Castle was more in line with the ordinary people's fantasy of medieval nobles.

An ordinary person would be shocked when he arrived at the Lingxiao Palace, but when he returned to the ground and found that he was designated as the successor by the emperor, the grounded surprise made him feel even more dizzy. This castle currently belongs to him... his parents' property!

The maid Martha stood in the front, wearing a badge of status on her chest. Due to her meritorious service in taking care of the young master, she has now been promoted to head maid.

She was stunned when she saw the chestnut-haired boy. He was no longer the thin, pale, sickly boy in her memory. Whenever the name Mason Cross was mentioned, the maid's mind was always filled with endless coughs, the strong smell of herbs, and the gloomy and damp bedroom.

But now, a very unfamiliar boy appeared in front of her. He was young and gentle, with chestnut hair softly pasted to his cheeks and a faint smile on his face.

"Welcome back, Master Mason. It's too cold outside. Please go back to your room and change your clothes first."

"Thank you, Martha."

Mason recalled the maid's name and accepted her kindness. There were a few familiar faces among the servants, and the boy took a quick look and didn't pay much attention.

The maid led him back to the room. The room was cleaned very well, and all the furniture inside had been replaced, leaving only the soft and comfortable big bed. Mason changed into a comfortable cotton shirt and was led downstairs to eat.

The meal we had today was very exquisite and obviously carefully arranged.

Silver plates and cutlery sparkled. The large piece of roast meat was juicy, with a thick layer of honey on the outside, carefully baked to a crispy honey crust.

The fried dough tastes great. The chef wraps the whole egg in dough, fries it, sprinkles it with salt and puts it on the plate. The cheese goes perfectly with the sliced ​​white bread. If you feel it is too greasy, there is also fresh pea soup to relieve the greasiness.

The carefully prepared meal was quite delicious, and Mason ate with a big appetite. Abner cut the large piece of beast meat on the plate and suddenly said casually, "Let me see your bloodline ability."

The chestnut-haired boy held a piece of white bread with honey and cheese in his mouth, and flicked his fingers lightly, and a beam of green light shot out from behind the tablecloth. Both his timing and technique were exceptional.

He used the vest to fight more, even if the original body's physical fitness was not good enough. When Mason launched this attack, he had already conceived a variety of attack methods: Abner poked casually, and the fork stuck steadily under the table to catch the flying leaf, and flicked his wrist to send it back.

The small leaves made a sharp sound, and the translucent green film expanded, forming a protective shield against Mason's skin. The leaves, like hidden weapons, fell with a clang, and the dining table became a battlefield. The two fought back and forth several times in a few seconds. The beautiful lady put down her knife and fork, and stared at her husband with a dangerous look.

"Mason is still eating. If you keep hitting me, I'll be kicked out."

The two of them immediately calmed down and ate their meals obediently. The fallen leaves on the ground grew a layer of dense white hairs, which were quickly digested by the spores and turned into energy. Faile picked up the tableware again and enjoyed this long-awaited dinner with his family.

"Don't work too hard at home. Take a good rest these few days."

Mason said good night, went back to his room which he had not been away from for a long time, and had the most peaceful sleep he had had in some time.

When he woke up in the morning, the room was not cold. Mason looked around subconsciously, without a trace of sleepiness in his eyes. After using various vests for a long time, he had developed the habit of staying alert.

His eyes fell on the hand warmer that suddenly appeared at the bedside. He was stunned for a moment before he put his hand on it. The heat surged up his palm, and there was still enough heat inside.

It was impossible for an ordinary person to escape the eyes and ears of the Bloodline. Mason could picture the scene in his mind: Phailer or Abner gently opening his door, with the morning light outside the window.

She/he gently placed the hot hand warmer next to the chestnut-haired boy's pillow, tucked in the quilt for him, and then walked out quietly with the advantage of being a high-level bloodline.

The hand warmer was exquisitely designed, with fine patterns carved on the surface. It was warm in the palm of the hand thanks to the built-in energy liquid. Mason's heart was warmed, and he changed his clothes and went out with the hand warmer. When he went downstairs, he saw Faile talking to the head maid.

"I'll replace today's soup with pumpkin porridge, steam the white bread until it's softer, and add cheese and butter. I hope my child will enjoy his first breakfast."

Martha carefully recorded her master's needs. Seeing her beloved son coming downstairs, Faile stopped giving instructions, walked over and took the initiative to kiss the boy on the forehead. In the morning light, his expression was gentle, kind and loving.

"Good morning, Mason, how did you sleep last night?"

"I slept well, Mom. Did you give me the hand warmer?"

"Yes, we came back too late this year and didn't have time to buy enough wood and energy. Abner asked a friend to replace this little gadget. It only takes a few changes of the energy liquid to support heating for a whole winter."

The hand warmer suddenly became a little hot, and Mason didn't know what expression he should show: "...Thank you."

"Silly child, why should you thank your parents? Breakfast will be ready soon. Abner is out to take care of some things, so he won't have breakfast with us."

"Is there a problem in the territory?"

"No, you should have more faith in your parents. Let's eat first, and we can talk while we eat."

Faile made a gesture, and Martha bowed to the two of them and went to the kitchen to pass on the message. Not long after, the servants had set up the dining room. Faile took Mason to a seat, and while drinking the fragrant pumpkin porridge, they talked about things in the territory.

"Our town often trades with Ya'an City. Recently, a kind of wine has been introduced from there. It is said that it can bring a strong sense of happiness to drinkers and can also reduce pollution, so it is all the rage. The team that went to Ya'an City last time got some. Some greedy guys tried it and got out of control. They often caused trouble. Among them were militiamen. Abner went to deal with this matter."

"Did you and Dad drink that?"

"No, we don't need it." Fayrel stirred the pumpkin porridge. "Don't worry, it's just a bunch of drunks. Abner will take care of it."

Faile is a senior lord, at least for now, he seems very reliable. Hearing her say this, Mason felt relieved for the time being. He scooped a large spoonful of cheese and spread it on the bread, and talked to her about other things.

After breakfast, Mason took Fayrel for a walk to digest the food. Abner came back at ten o'clock in the morning. He handed his hat and coat to the maid and stood at the door to warm himself up.

This was the third happiest moment in Abner's life in the past ten years: the first was when he learned that his wife was pregnant; the second was when he saw his son open his eyes from the hospital bed; the third was when snow was falling outside the castle and he returned home cold. He shook off the light snow on his coat and went upstairs quietly. He saw his wife and son sitting in the study on the second floor looking at the snowy garden.

There were candles in the room, and the soft yellow light reflected on the spines of the books, gathering into a stream of shimmering light. His beloved was sitting in a rocking chair, with a blue blanket covering his knees.

His son was talking to his mother with his head tilted to one side, and his laughter occasionally flowed out through the crack of the door and into Abner's chest, ironing his rock-hard heart until it became soft and tender. He walked lightly, as if he had walked into the most beautiful dream of his life.

Faile had known he was coming, and they exchanged a light kiss. Abner noticed the chestnut-haired boy's gaze and kissed his forehead helplessly and amusedly.

"What are you doing? Haven't you ever seen your parents being affectionate?"

"...Nothing." I just felt redundant again.

Mason wanted to bark at the unexpected dog food, but that would be too dog-like. He asked instead, "Have you dealt with the territory?"

"It was just a common fight. If Ronald was here, there would be no need for me to intervene."

Abner regained his usual composure and jokingly said, "When are you going to return Ronald to me? He is my most trusted deputy."

Mason said confidently: "Ronald should have had his own territory long ago. A baron can't stay in the same town with a viscount forever."

Abner snorted and laughed: "If I say I can, I can. I am his lord."

The chestnut-haired boy frowned, looking like he wanted to refute but couldn't find a reason. Seeing this, the Bloodline Man smiled. He ruffled the boy's hair: "Do you want to know how to refute me?"

The boy hesitated and nodded honestly. Abner said, "Then you should say to me, 'Dad, I want Ronald to stay with me.'"

Hearing him say this, the boy couldn't help but widen his eyes. Brown is a color that is neither prominent nor glaring. It reminds people of the shadows under palm trees, the caramel color of coffee, and warm and comfortable things. Abner stared at those eyes and thought that they were exactly the same as his mother's eyes.

Mason didn't notice the other person's thoughts at all. He just thought that this guy looked like a good dog! A good dog!

Physiologically, there was nothing wrong with what the other person said, but psychologically, he always felt that this guy was taking advantage of him. Men, they just close their eyes and open their mouths and move on! What is the point of sacrificing this little dignity just so that Ronald can get his own town!

He shouted righteously, "Dad! I want Ronald to stay in Newtown!"

"Okay." Abner curled his lips. "Okay, I allow it."

Faile, who was watching from the sidelines, looked helpless: "Are you kids? Stop teasing him. How was the job this time?"

"I'm just strengthening my relationship with my son."

Abner looked at his wife with a smile. "Nothing special, it's still about the secret brew. I'm going to go to Ya'an before the road is closed and talk to the count about it."

They spoke of the Earl in a familiar manner, and Mason was sure that they must have known each other before. No wonder he was able to keep his territory after being absent for so long, so they were friends?

Seeing the boy's face full of curiosity, the man suddenly changed the subject and looked down at him.

"Mason, do you want me to take you around the territory and then go to Ya'an together?"