"I'm here." Lionel quickly answered as he fixed the way he looked.
The sound of footsteps drew nearer until a woman appeared from the entrance of the garden. She was dressed in a neat maid uniform.
"Ah, there you are, my Lord!" The woman said, slightly panting. Her name was Diana, a woman who had served in the Duke's household even before Lionel was born.
No words came out of Lionel's mouth as he stared at her.
In his past life, Diana had stayed by his side until the very end. She became his second mother after his own mother died. However, Diana died too on the day he was killed.
"…"
He had been seeing the woman for days, but he was still happy every time he saw her. She looked younger now. With his memory, she should be in her late 30s. A pang of guilt tightened in Lionel's chest.
I failed to protect her, he thought silently. But this time… things will be different.
"My Lord, are you alright?" Diana worriedly asked when she noticed his worn-out look. "You seem pale."
Lionel shook his head and forced a small smile. "I'm fine, Diana. I was just lost in thought for a moment."
"If you say so, My Lord," Diana's expression softened a little. "Anyway, I came here to tell you that your swordsmanship class is about to start. Captain Reinhardt is already waiting for you in the training grounds."
"Captain Reinhardt?" Lionel's lips curved slightly upward. "The strict captain?"
"That he is," Diana answered, followed by a chuckle. "If we don't hurry, he'll start lecturing me too for letting you be late."
"Alright then, let's not make him wait." Lionel let out a sigh.
"As you wish, my Lord." Diana bowed slightly before straightening up with a fond smile.
As they began walking back toward the mansion, Lionel glanced at her from the corner of his eye. There was something warm and familiar about her presence.
Diana, on the other hand, also stole a curious glance at him
In the past few days, there was something different about the young master.
Diana thought. It was as if he wasn't the boy she'd raised since he was little. Lionel seemed older somehow. As if in the span of days, he became more mature and wiser.
Still, she smiled to herself.
Perhaps he's just growing up, she thought again. She knew that boys that age do change fast because they're growing up.
"Hurry up, Diana," Lionel said quietly as they walked along the stone path.
"Yes, my Lord," Diana replied with a soft smile, before the two of them hastened their steps.
The sound of their footsteps echoed softly as Lionel and Diana walked down the long hallway that led to the training grounds.
When the large wooden doors opened, Lionel was greeted by the scent of steel and the loud sound of swords clashing together.
The training ground was huge. It was wide enough that it could accommodate hundreds of men at once.
On one side of the training ground, there were rows of practice dummies that the soldiers used in their training. Some were already cut and worn from countless drills. Beside it stood a rack full of swords and spears in steel and wood.
While on the opposite side of the training ground lie a row of straw targets used for training archery. At the far corner back, there was also a small enclosure to learn horseback riding.
Their training ground was no ordinary training area. It was a place worthy of a duke's household. It was the same ground that produced countless knights who stayed loyal to their house.
As soon as Lionel stepped inside, the room went silent.
The soldiers, most of whom were grown men, froze mid-swing. The sound of their swords clashing stopped, and one by one, they turned toward him.
"Greetings, young master!" they said together, bowing respectfully.
Lionel smiled at it. How he missed being called that way, instead of duke.
"You may return to training," He nodded slightly.
The men went back to their drills immediately afterward. Some remained staring at Lionel. However, that wasn't his focus now.
It was on the man who was standing at the center of the ground.
Captain Reinhardt.
Reindhardt looked to be in his early forties. He had broad shoulders and was standing tall like a rock. He has short dark hair, while his face was average. The man had a scar on his face that ran down from his temple to his jaw, a mark from his old battles.
But what stood out most was his expression. He had a stern look on his face, and his emotions were almost unreadable.
"You're late today," Reinhardt said in a low, commanding tone. Even without shouting, his voice carried a heavy authority that made even seasoned soldiers straighten their backs.
In the training ground, there were no rankings of nobility. In here, he was the captain, and Lionel was his student.
"I apologize, Sir. It won't happen again." Lionel met his gaze calmly, hiding the nervousness his younger self would've probably felt.
For a moment, Lionel just looked at the man in front of him. Captain Reinhardt…
He used to hate him.
In his past life, Reinhardt was the strictest person he'd ever met. Every training session with him felt like torture. He remembered how the captain made him swing a sword a thousand times until his arms went numb, or run laps around the field until his legs gave out.
He even remembered cursing the man in his sleep almost every day until he became an adult.
But now, standing here again, Lionel couldn't help but actually appreciate the man just a little. Back then, he never understood him. He thought Reinhardt was just a cruel, heartless soldier who enjoyed making him suffer.
Now he knew better.
All those harsh lessons, all those exhausting drills, were what made him strong enough to survive as long as he did. And even when everything fell apart, Reinhardt never betrayed their family.
He stayed with sword in hand, defending the estate until his last breath.
He deserved nothing but respect. Well, that was for the future.
"Since you're late," Reinhardt said, crossing his arms. "You know what to do, young man."
Lionel let out a quiet sigh. "Of course, Captain." A faint smile tugged at his lips. "I guess I have no choice."
One of the nearby soldiers quickly brought a training sword and handed it to him. The blade was dull and worn, but it felt familiar in Lionel's grip. He turned it slightly, the metal catching the light.
"I know I'll already lose," Lionel whispered to himself before tightening his hold on the sword. "Just like before…" He took a step forward with a firm stance.
"But this time, I won't lose without a fight." His eyes remained staring at the captain, who was also preparing to duel at the side.
"I'll show you, Sir," he said softly. "The results of your hard work in the future you never get to see yet."