Chapter 69: Pipe-weed
Chapter 69: Pipe-weed
The black carriage bearing the silver wolf crest of House Darkmoor rolled through the massive iron gates of the ducal estate.
Morning sunlight bathed the fortress-like mansion in a warm golden glow, reflecting off the silver banners fluttering proudly above the walls.
The moment the carriage came to a halt, the estate servants and knights standing at the entrance bowed respectfully.
"Welcome home, Your Grace."
"Welcome home, Young Master."
Evelyne stepped down first with her usual elegance.
Andras followed behind her, taking a slow look around the familiar estate.
Compared to the bustling Imperial Capital...
Darkmoor Manor was quiet.
Peaceful.
It felt like home.
Evelyne smiled gently.
"It feels good to be back."
"It does."
The two exchanged a brief farewell before returning to their respective wings of the mansion.
After a quick bath, Andras changed into a simple set of training clothes.
Without wasting time, he made his way toward the training grounds.
The sharp rhythm of swords colliding echoed across the estate.
Several knights immediately saluted upon seeing him.
"Young Master."
He acknowledged them with a nod before walking toward the center of the field.
There...
Selene Vaelthorn was already waiting.
The tall woman stood with her practice sword resting against one shoulder.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"So."
"You returned from the Imperial Capital only this morning..."
"And yet you’ve already come here."
She nodded with approval.
"I expected nothing less."
Andras smiled.
"Strength doesn’t wait for convenience."
Selene chuckled.
"A good answer."
"Come."
"Let’s begin."
The morning passed beneath the sound of clashing steel.
Selene corrected every flaw in his stance.
Every unnecessary movement.
Every wasted ounce of strength.
Again.
And again.
Each exchange became sharper than the last.
Sweat gradually soaked through Andras’s training clothes.
Yet his concentration never wavered.
Eventually...
Selene lowered her practice sword.
"I think that’s enough."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Let’s spar."
Without another word...
The two stepped onto the center of the training ground.
The surrounding knights instinctively backed away.
Everyone wanted to watch.
"Begin."
Clang!
Their wooden swords collided.
Unlike their previous sparring sessions...
Andras wasn’t immediately pushed onto the defensive.
His movements had become noticeably smoother.
His footwork was more refined.
His reactions were faster.
Although Selene still maintained complete control of the battle...
She could clearly feel the difference.
Interesting...
He isn’t merely growing stronger.
He’s improving every single day.
The exchange continued.
Each strike displayed greater precision than before.
Several minutes later...
Selene finally disarmed him with a clean strike.
The wooden sword spun through the air before landing upon the ground.
Silence followed.
Then...
Selene smiled.
"A significant improvement."
She crossed her arms.
"If you continue progressing at this pace..."
"I’ll have to take you seriously much sooner than expected."
Even the surrounding knights exchanged surprised looks.
They trained under Captain Jack every day.
They understood exactly how terrifying Selene truly was.
The fact that she had praised someone so openly was almost unbelievable.
Selene watched Andras retrieve his sword.
His breathing was heavy.
Yet his eyes remained calm.
I’ve trained countless talented warriors...
But never someone who improves this quickly.
His growth is almost frightening.
After thanking Selene for the lesson, Andras returned to the mansion.
Lunch had already been prepared.
He enjoyed a quiet meal before returning to his room.
The afternoon passed peacefully.
Seated cross-legged upon his bed, Andras slowly circulated mana throughout his body.
The flow of mana became increasingly smooth as he immersed himself in meditation.
Hours passed unnoticed.
Only when evening arrived did a gentle knock sound upon his door.
"Young Master."
Lyra entered while pushing a small serving cart.
Dinner had been prepared exactly according to his preferences.
She carefully arranged each dish before stepping back respectfully.
Andras quietly finished eating.
Once the servants removed the empty plates, he looked toward Lyra.
"Bring me a bottle of rum."
"At once, Young Master."
She returned several minutes later carrying an elegant crystal bottle together with a single glass.
After pouring the amber liquor, she placed everything upon the nearby table.
Andras took a slow sip.
The familiar warmth spread through his body.
A nostalgic smile appeared on his lips.
As he leaned back in his chair, another thought crossed his mind.
I haven’t smoked since transmigrating.
Back on Earth...
A cigarette occasionally helped him organize his thoughts.
This world had something similar.
According to Rise of the Sword Hero...
It was known as Pipe-Weed.
He remembered the author mentioning it several times.
A faint chuckle escaped him.
Looks like the author borrowed that idea from a famous fantasy writer back on Earth.
He glanced toward Lyra.
"Do we have any Pipe-Weed in the estate?"
Lyra blinked.
"...Pipe-Weed?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"I’m afraid I’ve never heard of such a thing, Young Master."
Andras wasn’t surprised.
She had spent most of her life inside Darkmoor Manor.
If the estate didn’t stock it...
She had little reason to know its name.
A mischievous thought crossed his mind.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"So."
"I ask for something..."
"And you’ve never even heard of it?"
Lyra immediately lowered her head.
"My deepest apologies, Young Master."
"I truly don’t know what Pipe-Weed is."
Her voice became quieter.
"If I’ve disappointed you..."
"I accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate."
She hesitated before continuing.
"My duty is to serve you in whatever way I can."
Andras studied her for a moment.
Then...
A small smile appeared.
She’s changed.
When they had first met, she would have panicked.
Now...
She accepted responsibility without hesitation.
"Relax."
His tone returned to normal.
"I was teasing you."
Lyra blinked.
Then let out a quiet sigh of relief.
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
"You really frightened me, Young Master."
He laughed softly.
"Tomorrow."
"We’ll go into town."
"I’ll show you what Pipe-Weed is."
Her eyes brightened.
"As you wish."
She nodded without hesitation.
The evening gradually grew quieter.
Outside the windows, darkness settled over Darkmoor Manor.
The sounds of the estate slowly faded as servants retired for the night and patrols quietly took their positions along the walls.
After speaking for a while longer, Andras dismissed Lyra.
She bowed respectfully before leaving the room.
Left alone, he walked toward the window.
Moonlight illuminated the vast lands belonging to House Darkmoor.
The banquet in the Imperial Capital was over.
Princess Aurelia had received his gift.
Seris had accepted the truth about herself.
And another piece had quietly fallen into place.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
The game had only just begun.
With that thought, he extinguished the lamp and retired for the night.