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Thinking back to the days of fear and even the dissatisfaction with Count Perez's slow actions, all of that faded away. The old count had always been cautious. If he didn’t act immediately, once he did, he would settle the situation. The governor leaned forward to get a better look, and all he saw was the silhouette of a knight standing tall under the torchlight.

"Knight below the city, is Count Perez here?"

"The legion commander will be here in three days," Derek replied honestly. The governor was taken aback. "Then who is in charge of this? How many people have come?"

"I am in command. There are 800 soldiers from the 10,000-man team of the Second Legion and 1,000 soldiers from the 8,000-man team of the First Legion."

"Only 1,800?" The governor’s voice cracked. He had expected the entire northern army to be here, thinking it would take a large force to defeat the barbarians. He didn’t realize there were so few troops. Could he be deceiving me? The governor looked around, wondering if everyone else was acting on his behalf. Are northern knights really this fierce? Derek’s voice rang out clearly from below the city walls. "These barbarians are no match for us. After a day’s raid, I’m a little tired. After a good rest tomorrow, I’ll come back and break their camp again." Derek was showing off once more. From his assessment, the barbarians had taken heavy losses and would likely retreat. If he waited for the larger force to arrive, the barbarians would be more vigilant, and the opportunity for a decisive victory might slip away. It was better to act now while morale was still low among the enemy. Even though it might not result in as many deaths among the barbarians, it would be the most beneficial for him. The kingdom’s interests? That wasn’t his concern. Besides, the result was good, and no one would care about the details.

The governor, stunned by this information, was speechless. Having spent the first half of his life traveling through the central provinces, he had never experienced such a large-scale battle. Derek had completely fooled him. In his mind, he kept thinking, What a powerful knight. If he had more men, he might have defeated the barbarians today. The governor lowered his voice in admiration. "May I ask your name?"

"Feng Derek," Derek replied. The governor committed the name to memory. He then said politely, "Knight Derek, it’s not convenient for you to enter the city today, but once the barbarians retreat, I will hold a banquet in your honor." Derek nodded, knowing that if the governor didn’t take such precautions, he might have been executed. He took his leave, unaware that Sergei, his second brother, had heard the name and was so shocked that he dropped his weapon.

"My younger brother? Is he really that fierce?"

"Could this be a dream?" Before he could confirm it, the governor began asking about Derek’s family name. Though Derek had been a little-known figure until now, there were some nobles who studied genealogies carefully.

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"Derek is a direct descendant of the Ferreira family. He currently has no fief, but his full name is Feng Ferreira Derek. The Ferreira family is an old military family in our northern region. They were knighted during the pioneering war a century ago and also repelled the barbarians in the north during the civil war 30 years ago. By the way, I believe there are also descendants of the Ferreira family serving in the Iron Lion Legion."

Sergei was called before the governor in a daze. Fortunately, his appearance was favorable. After answering several questions, the governor complimented him, calling him a true son of a military family. Sergei went back still in a daze. The Ferreira family, a military noble house, was now in the spotlight. Sergei’s only thought was: "My third brother is going to be famous."

It wasn’t just Sergei who thought this. After everyone had calmed down, it became clear that Derek was going to rise to prominence. His victory against overwhelming odds, his daring raid on the enemy camp, and his bold display of military prowess in front of the army—all of these were worthy of praise. Such events, like a barbarian invasion, happened only once every ten years. Both sides often sent tens of thousands of troops, and even the beheading of a count shook the kingdom. In such a highly publicized situation, any impressive feat would draw attention. Derek’s performance was flawless and undeniable.

When Baron Palmer saw Derek, he could no longer maintain his composure. "I have three daughters. Whichever one you choose, I will send her to you right away. If one of them is already married, I’ll have her divorced. If you prefer, I can send all three, along with three manors as dowries." Derek briefly imagined Baron Palmer’s three daughters. The thought was somewhat tempting, especially the married one. But he let the Baron chatter on. One had to understand his excitement. More importantly, one officer after another came forward to show their loyalty. After seeing Derek’s ability, even those who had joined later were in awe. In the army, while politics existed, strength was still the most important thing. A powerful superior meant military rewards and personal safety. Even the subordinates of Baron Palmer were eager to get close to Derek; after all, it could be useful in the future.

Although he was still young and energetic, Derek remained careful and cautious. He retreated ten miles to set up camp. At this point, being careless and allowing the barbarians to wipe him out would have made all his previous efforts meaningless. His caution proved to be well-placed. Despite the barbarian commander’s carefulness, he wasn’t idle. He sent out scouts and soon discovered many secrets. It became clear that only a small part of Locke’s army had attacked his southern camp, and even the heavy defeat of Enrique’s forces was the result of this smaller force.

The commander’s anger was overwhelming. His face turned pale as he realized his plans had been ruined. "Damn it! All plans are ruined by this Locke army. Send someone to find out who is leading them!" He wasn’t ready to give up yet, and though reluctant, he ordered his officers, "Get me information on who commands this army."

But deep down, the barbarian commander knew that there was no chance for a counterattack. Derek had already set up camp far away and taken early precautions. The barbarians no longer had the strength or confidence to fight a decisive battle. As much as it pained him, he knew it was time to withdraw.

"Withdraw. The Locke's plan has been disrupted by us. Let their fanatics fight with them. Only then will our barbarians have a chance to regroup," the commander decided, realizing that defeat on the strategic level would be far more damaging than losing a battle.