There were some questions that Derek didn't ask.

If he had, the old earl would truly have rebelled. Should he follow, or not?

However, business continued as usual. In addition to the full suits of heavy armor, there were also a large number of weapons and equipment. Clearly, this was a business deal worth tens of thousands of gold coins.

The task for this trip to Pran City was already more than halfway completed. The remaining part was to inspect several estates and meet with the northern nobles one by one.

The northern noble circle was relatively small, with only about fifty or so families, including those who inherited knight titles. It was a very tight-knit circle, and connections between them were very easy to establish.

Unlike last time, Derek’s status was different now, and the treatment he received was different too.

When he was about to leave, he had another fifty to sixty attendants behind him. These were young men sent by various families, a political investment from the northern nobles in the Augusta family.

Even though the year was drawing to a close, under the immense stimulus of profit, the sons and heirs of these minor northern noble families were sent to Derek’s side. Just like the Ferrera family back in the day, the oldest son would inherit the family business, the second would serve in the local kingdom's military, the third would work for a great noble, and the fourth would train in a friendly allied family.

Had Derek not risen to power, this would have been the Ferrera family's political path.

Being of noble birth allowed these young men to easily serve as junior officers in the military, and after a decade or so, either fail and return to assist the eldest son or become mid-level officers helping their family grow.

Now, these young northern nobles were in the same position. Whether they would join the kingdom's officer system through Derek or simply stay and follow him, it would still be beneficial for their families.

Derek was happy to accept these young men. It both strengthened his ties with the northern nobles and provided an opportunity to see how these new knights would fare.

Virut Crono Occupation: Knight (Level 6)

Experience Pool: 20/100

An excellent knight from a baron family, future Baron Crono.

He was the highest-ranking among the young men following Derek this time.

And to be honest, becoming a Level 6 knight at this age was remarkable. He was far stronger than Derek had been at his age.

Had it not been for the support of the panel, Virut should have been considered a model for the new generation of northern knights.

It surprised Derek that Virut had chosen to follow him. After brief interaction, Derek understood his reasoning.

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Not every noble followed the teachings of "thick black theory." Virut was the embodiment of a hot-blooded young knight, drawn to Derek by his achievements and reputation.

Virut had followed the glory of a new generation of northern knights, hoping to serve under a true northern knight, even at the expense of some political considerations.

If it had been a matter of politics, Virut’s younger brother should have followed Derek instead.

But Derek liked this kind of young man. A passionate youth was far easier to deal with than a politician full of lies.

And Derek needed some figureheads to showcase his own influence, to show others that even a future baron would willingly follow him—Derek, the northern knight. What reason did they have to refuse?

In fact, Virut’s presence had made Derek's reputation even louder. Most of the knight attendants in this batch were full of energy, seeing this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

These passionate followers with natural influence were very important to Derek. And since Virut had appeared on the panel, it showed his enthusiasm wasn’t faked.

Back at the territory, Derek immediately arranged housing for the knights and attendants. In reality, not all of them were true attendants. Some, like Virut, had nearly completed their knight training and were more experienced than the average knight.

However, in Derek’s camp, elite knights were common, so they could continue their training here.

As for the knights now, perhaps due to the lack of large wars in recent years, the average level of knights had declined. Thirty years ago, during the Great Split War, there had still been plenty of elite knights clad in heavy armor. But now, they were rare.

Still, with the escalating tensions, elite knights would soon emerge again.

Derek had already decided: his knight order must make an impact from the very beginning.

Young men like Virut, full of enthusiasm, would be trained as elite knights before they could graduate.

As for those with ulterior motives, if they didn’t even appear on the panel, their talent would be the deciding factor.

Derek had kept track of all the ones who hadn't made it onto the panel. He had marked them down carefully in his little book, with their families under close watch.

This was a very quick way of distinguishing friends from enemies.

From a certain perspective, these people had succeeded, standing out from the group of attendants and earning Derek’s attention.

Derek shifted his gaze away from some of the uneasy ones and back to his fervent followers. Since he had decided to exert his influence, he was going to do so with force.

Nothing resonated more than a military camp.

Strength was something Derek had never taken lightly.

Even now, he still practiced diligently every day, honing his martial skills. With the support of the panel, even though his natural talent had reached its peak, there was still room for slight progress.

So, wherever there was training, Derek would join in. He decided to train alongside his knights and attendants, spending every day with them, and slowly winning their hearts.

For example, now that Derek had chosen Virut as his sparring partner, the young knight was almost bursting with excitement.

Virut was the kind of passionate northern knight who worshipped strength, cruelty, and the honor of knighthood. To him, Derek was the living embodiment of his beliefs.

Being chosen as a sparring partner was beyond thrilling. Virut’s hands were shaking in excitement.

“How strong are northern knights? Will I lose in one move? Do I have a chance to defeat you, Sir Derek?”

His mind was in chaos, filled with conflicting thoughts.

He sometimes believed he had a chance and other times felt certain he couldn’t win. He was torn between his fear of shattered fantasies and the possibility of embarrassment.

Noticing Virut’s odd behavior, Derek frowned and reminded him, “Virut, how can a knight’s hands not grip the sword? Get your mind right, or you’ll never become a northern knight.”

Luckily, Virut hadn’t faced any major battles yet. His training was solid, and he had never slacked off.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at Derek with a determined gaze. “I understand. I will become a northern knight just like you. Come… show me just how far apart our strengths are.”