As dawn was just breaking, quite a few members of the crew were already up, although everyone was quietly taking turns washing up.
However, the sound of a car engine coming from outside piqued some people's curiosity—who could be arriving this early?
Outside the villa, Regulus Black was directing a truck to the back of the estate. The truck's cab, black with red skull decorations, stood out prominently. Behind it was a refrigerated trailer with a cowhide pattern, and behind that, a slightly smaller trailer resembling a mobile home. Together, the two compartments added up to the size of a full-length shipping container.
"Forward! A little more... Yes! Stop right there. This spot is perfect."
As the truck came to a stop, many of the crew had already come over to take a look.
"Wow! These color choices are just... so mismatched."
Robert Downey Jr. yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes while complaining about the truck's paint job.
"It is mismatched, but it's practical—that's what matters."
Regulus Black didn't seem the least bit fazed by the criticism.
"What's the purpose of this truck?"Director Guillermo del Toro asked while drying his hands with a towel.
"To solve our crew's dining problem. Let me give you the rundown—this cab, I bought it earlier this year. Cool, isn't it? It's got one of the best and most powerful engines out there."
Regulus Black pointed proudly at the skull-patterned black-and-red truck cab.
"The middle trailer is a refrigerated truck from my dairy farm. I borrowed it for this. It's already fully stocked with food."
He gestured toward the cow-patterned trailer, clearly labeled [Outer Hebrides · Black Farm].
"And this last trailer—I bought it for our cook. It's a mobile home equipped with a full kitchen. It's her compensation for cooking for us this time. Please give a round of applause for our cook. Anyone who offends her can go eat in town."
Regulus Black began clapping, and although the crew didn't fully understand, they joined in anyway. Go eat in town? Surely he doesn't mean all three meals a day? Best not to offend the cook then.
Amid the applause, Mrs. Cook stepped out of the truck cab, accompanied by her two daughters.
"Let's give a warm welcome to Mrs. Cook and the two Miss Cooks!"
Regulus Black had already discussed today's plan with Mrs. Cook back in Sleepy Hollow. The two of them were to arrive at Crimson Manor ahead of time. She would drive the truck around to the back of the manor. Not knowing how to drive was not an issue—Regulus Black had long prepared a memory spell with all the necessary experience of a truck driver, allowing Mrs. Cook to handle the vehicle like a pro.
So at the crack of dawn, Regulus Black brought the Cook family to Crimson Manor. After using magic to confirm that the crew was starting to wake up, the four of them went to the front of the manor, used an Engorgio spell to enlarge the truck, and then circled it around to the back for show.
To the crew, though, this just meant three new beauties had arrived—who also happened to be cooks.
"I say... are you guys, you know... hmm!"
With a sly grin, Robert Downey Jr. nudged Regulus Black in the ribs. Such a pretty cook, and gifting her a clearly expensive trailer as payment? That definitely screamed an improper relationship!
"Be respectful, Downey! You're a married man. I'm single—I can do whatever I want."
At that moment, Robert Downey Jr. just felt like vomiting blood. He suddenly felt worse off than a single man—was this a single guy mocking him?
Fine then! Curse Black to stay single for life. Curse him.
"You've met my personal legal advisor before, right? She's actually one of my lovers too. Life is so good—why would I want to get married?"
Regulus Black had no idea what Robert Downey Jr. was thinking, but seeing the bitterness on his face, he couldn't resist twisting the knife a little more. Downey looked utterly defeated.
"Go freshen up. Mrs. Cook will be serving breakfast shortly. Oh, and by the way—if you want anything specific, you'll need to place an order."
Regulus Black pointed to a sign already posted by the last trailer, listing three different breakfast sets.
The A, B, and C options were impressively diverse, and the crew quickly formed a line to order. Mrs. Cook and her daughters moved swiftly and skillfully, their well-honed techniques and beautifully prepared dishes earning them a wave of thumbs-up from the entire crew.
"Blake, where did you find such an incredible chef?"
Director Guillermo del Toro approached Regulus Black, carrying a hearty plate of food.
"Don't be too quick to envy me, Toro! First, have the props team open a door at the back of the villa—otherwise, we have to take a detour every time we eat."
Regulus Black pointed to the rear of the villa as he spoke.
The director relayed the request to the props team, and after breakfast, David Robinson brought a few burly men who took turns swinging sledgehammers. Soon, a large hole was made in the back wall, covered with double-layered curtains. It was a simple and effective solution.
Filming officially began. However, the director, the four lead actors, and special effects artists Connolly and White held a brief meeting. Just the night before, they had come up with very specific ideas for the film, which aligned perfectly—everything clicked into place.
Director Guillermo del Toro immediately took out the storyboard he had worked on with Regulus Black and began to explain.
"Since Mr. Black is only available during summer vacation, we'll film Alan McMichael's scenes first," the director said with a mischievous smile. "Originally, I wanted to start with the scene where the doctor gets stabbed, but the effects team still needs time to prepare the materials—so let's start with the dialogue-heavy scenes instead!"
Under the director's guidance, Regulus Black began filming Alan McMichael's scenes. One has to admit, acting is a fascinating craft—it's not just about deceiving others, but about assuming another identity to deceive oneself, diving deep into another personality's psyche to express their thoughts and actions.
With the advantage of magic, Regulus Black could easily pull off almost any performance. Still, both he and the director insisted on shooting multiple takes to achieve perfection.
His focused performance put pressure on the other three actors, but also ignited their own motivation.
Robert Downey Jr., a true child of acting royalty, often complained about the pressures that came with his family name, but once the camera rolled, he dove into his role with ease. Perhaps at this stage in his life, he hadn't yet developed those harmful habits, so he was in a very healthy state—mentally and physically.
If Regulus Black successfully brought to life the character of Alan, a shy and honest doctor…
Then Robert Downey Jr. fully embodied the charismatic baronet-to-be, Thomas Sharpe.
"Who do you think is more charming between these two men?"
As always happens when women gather, gossip began. Mrs. Cook and the two lead actresses were chatting about Regulus Black and Robert Downey Jr.
Charlize Theron set down her teacup and gave a wry smile. This was the very teacup her character uses to drink poison—a tragic prop set that matched the fate of her character. At least she survived in the end.
"It's hard to say. At least in the story, I'm in love with Thomas, while Alan is in love with me."
That was a fair point, but Jennifer Connelly couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"In that case, I only love my brother in the story. I barely interact with Alan the doctor, let alone fall in love with him."
Jennifer Connelly set down her cup and spread her hands in mock innocence.
But soon, the two actresses exchanged knowing smiles—it was clear that reality was quite the opposite of what they were saying.
Although Robert Downey Jr. came from a prominent acting family, he still missed some details in portraying the noble air of a baronet.
Meanwhile, Regulus Black, though only playing a doctor—at most a wealthy man—radiated aristocratic elegance. That innate nobility was etched into his soul and blood, thanks to his gear, which came with a +7 Noble Bloodline attribute. It elevated his aristocratic aura to an entirely new level.
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