Homeward bound!

Derek's first stop after retiring was to return to his family. Although he didn't plan to develop a career there, as a member of the Ferreira family, he could still receive some support.

For example… money.

Derek stood in the study, facing the current Baron Ferreira, his father Leandro. From a young age, he had received the family’s education and training in martial skills, then spent three years as a knight apprentice under Count Perez. The formal training for knights typically lasts twelve years, which is no small investment.

“Derek, as the head of the Ferreira family, I do not support your choice. It will waste the family's investments. As your father… I also do not support your decision. The outside world is more dangerous and difficult than you imagine. I’ll confirm with you one last time: Are you ready to be a wandering knight?”

Derek's gaze was resolute; this answer required no further consideration. “Of course, I have already made my decision.”

“Good!” Baron Ferreira stood up and tossed a bag of coins to Derek. “This is my support for you. If you can’t make it, come back and work off your debt.”

Derek smiled; this was precisely one of the reasons for his return. Without money, one cannot move forward, even in this world. He opened the bag without hesitation, and the glimmering coins inside seemed to make his eyes shine.

Counting them, he found fifty gold coins.

Was this amount a lot?

Yes, a professional soldier earned only one gold coin per year.

Was it little? The Ferreira family collected about seven to eight hundred gold coins in head taxes each year, and with other estates and businesses, it could reach two thousand gold coins at times, and at least a thousand in lean years. However, after deducting the costs of maintaining a guard and family expenses, what remained was definitely not much.

Fifty gold coins were quite substantial; the average commoner would never accumulate that much in a lifetime. He couldn’t afford a full suit of knightly armor, but a set of ordinary half-armor would suffice. If he lowered his standards, he could get a piece of reinforced leather armor for just one or two gold coins.

This amount was enough to support a fully equipped band of professional soldiers for a year. If he did well, he could continue; if not, he would just go back home to pay off his debt. “Thank you for your generosity. I will make something of myself and strive to expand the Ferreira family's noble lineage.”

“I hope so.” Baron Ferreira’s tone didn’t convey much confidence in him. Perhaps he thought that his third son would either die outside or come back in disgrace.

Being a wandering knight wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

Derek understood this, and if it weren’t for the data panel, he would likely have been content to find a stable job at home, like his uncles.

“By the way, Father, I need to recruit a few soldiers on the family territory.” Derek made another request.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Sure, I’ll have the sheriff assist you. You can stay a little longer to train them before setting off.”

Recruiting from his family’s territory meant he could find relatively reliable personnel, as he knew them well enough to assess their intentions. Moreover, there would be a greater selection, at least allowing him to choose some trained militia.

After enjoying a few meals at home, Derek couldn’t wait to leave the castle. Speaking of the Ferreira family, their territory included two villages and one castle.

Because it is located in the heart of the kingdom, the area surrounding the castle has gathered a significant number of residents, making its military function less important than its political role. In addition, with two small estates and a few industries in the nearby city, it can be said to be quite powerful.

Maidao Village, which is considered the northernmost point of the Ferreira territory, is quite far from the Ferreira castle. Derek entered the sheriff’s office directly, holding Baron Ferreira’s official order.

The village has a population of over a thousand, and the sheriff’s office always maintains a regular troop of infantry, along with twenty temporary militia members recruited on rotation, forming the basic security force.

Derek had been there many times before; in fact, he didn’t even need the official order, as no one would make things difficult for him. This was because the sheriff was his uncle Andrew, a middle-aged man who had barely passed knight training and had become somewhat of a slacker.

Seeing his uncle again, Derek couldn’t help but envy that he could still have a little belly in this day and age. Observing his uncle’s somewhat sluggish gait, it was clear that his youthful agility had faded considerably.

Although he was a slacker, Andrew still carried the bloodline of the Ferreira family and had received a complete education, making him a rare talent.

As soon as they met, Andrew gave him a warm hug. “Feng, my dear nephew, I heard you completed your knight training with excellent results. You should have stayed there.”

Andrew understood well what “excellent results” meant; it indicated competitiveness. Derek wasn’t surprised that word of his performance spread quickly at home; if your family is influential in the area, such information travels fast.

He didn’t elaborate further, casually explaining, “You understand the relationship between Knight Kloya and my father.”

Andrew wasn’t easily fooled; having undergone knight training himself, he knew that if one merely got by, no one would deliberately hinder them, but excellent results were not something that could be obtained casually.

A smart person wouldn’t press for details, so he wisely skipped that topic.

After all, the current Baron Ferreira was named Leandro. Andrew, holding Derek’s arm, called him “nephew” repeatedly, showcasing his status to others.

It was quite snobbish, but necessary. The family’s legacy was nearly complete by his generation.

Derek had many brothers, and important positions were surely reserved for them. Andrew had to consider his own son as well.

“Derek, I hope your choice is the right one. How many people do you need? I can introduce you to the best young men.” Andrew hesitated for a moment but ultimately suppressed the idea of placing his son under Derek’s command, though he still generously offered, “I’ve prepared some gifts for you; I hope you like them.”

Money wouldn’t be presented so directly, as he was Derek’s uncle.

So Andrew prepared a fine iron longsword.

“This is from my collection, but unfortunately, I can no longer wield a sword. How about it? Are you satisfied?”

Andrew regretfully patted his little belly. This fine iron sword would require at least ten days of work from a blacksmith, valued between five to six gold coins.

Derek, as the third son of the baron and choosing to venture out, found this gift leaned more towards familial affection. Otherwise, giving him a few iron spearheads would be considered generous.

Seeing the sword, Derek drew it out with one hand. The intricate patterns from the forging were densely packed, making it look exquisite.

The glimmering sharp blade indicated that it was not just for show. Derek performed a few flourishes, showcasing his superb swordsmanship.

Andrew’s eyes lit up: “This level… is stronger than most knights in the family.”

After playing around a bit, Derek was very satisfied and smoothly sheathed the sword, demonstrating his proficiency with it once again.

“This is an excellent gift. Thank you.”