Returning Home in Glory

After packing his luggage—mostly gifts—Derek set out for home with a squad of soldiers and a squad of cavalry.

His cousin Adrian, however, volunteered to stay behind and hold down the camp.

He knew this was Derek's foundation and could not be left uncontrolled for too long.

Derek tried to persuade him twice, but seeing how firm he was, gave up.

This trip home was not only for a family reunion, but also an opportunity to give back with some gifts.

Everyone had lent him a hand when he was just starting out. Now, he naturally had to repay them.

Of course, he remembered that his uncles and aunts had plenty of sons, both cousins and maternal cousins, and they had all received a basic education. If he could lure a few over—better yet, have them bring along a group of young men like Adrian had—that would be wonderful.

They were family, after all. If he did not fleece them himself, who knew which bastard would benefit instead?

Rather than let the young members of the family go out and serve those great nobles, they might as well hang around with him.

Because he was bringing several carts of gifts, it took Derek more than ten days to make it home.

Only half a month remained until the New Year.

Lady Ferrera had already been talking about Derek constantly. All the children in the family had returned.

This included Second Brother Sergei Ferrera, who served in the Iron Lion Legion; Eldest Brother Marco Ferrera, who had remained home to help manage the family; and Fourth Brother Sheriff Ferrera, who was a Knight Apprentice under a viscount.

As for their eldest sister, who had married a knight, she would not be returning this year.

Their younger sister, who had joined a monastery, would not be returning either.

The Ferrera Family's business had done well that year, and their two estates had also enjoyed a bountiful harvest.

Taxes had been collected steadily, with hardly any setbacks.

The family's steadily rising fortunes had kept Baron Ferrera in a good mood.

The only thing troubling him somewhat was his third son, Derek.

The boy had run off to wander about, leaving Lady Ferrera to nag about him every day lately. His ears were practically growing calluses.

The last time Derek had sent someone back, he had even lured away a group of farmers, earning Second Brother Andrew a severe scolding from Baron Ferrera.

Though his words had been harsh, Baron Ferrera still worried quite a bit about his son.

Children drifting outside always received more concern from their parents.

No matter how fiercely he scolded him, he still hoped Derek would return safely.

Until...

"Young Master Derek has returned."

When the Old Steward brought Baron Ferrera the news, the baron nearly rose from his chair before forcing himself to sit back down.

"Hmph! He's been gone for a year and only sent back one letter. I thought he'd died somewhere. So he still knows to come home?"

"My lord, Young Master Derek has brought you some gifts. You should go take a look," the Old Steward said at just the right moment, offering him a way out.

"It's good enough if he can feed himself. He even prepared gifts for me? I just hope he hasn't come back broke to ask me for money."

Only then did Baron Ferrera slowly rise, preparing to see what gifts his disobedient son had brought.

In truth, he had made some inquiries about Derek, including through letters exchanged with Knight Cloya, and knew the boy was doing quite well.

Of course, smuggling was a business that meant licking blood off a blade.

Did people really think there were no checkpoints, robbers, or other dangers along the road?

One only had to look at the unlucky fools Loyd had killed to know that the enormous profits in this line of work were not so easily earned.

When Baron Ferrera finally wandered into the Training Ground within the castle, he found that he was the last to arrive.

His sons and Lady Ferrera were already there.

Fourth Brother Sheriff was shouting excitedly as he circled a black warhorse.

"Third Brother, you're the best! I finally have my own warhorse!"

Like Derek had once been, Sheriff was a miserable Knight Squire riding an ordinary riding horse assigned by his knight instructor, and it did not even belong to him.

The Ferrera Family had some surplus every year, but they were not extravagant enough to provide every son with a warhorse, especially when such things could not be bought even with money.

In fact, Baron Ferrera would only have prepared a warhorse and weapons and equipment for Derek if he had decided to remain at home.

Second Brother Sergei had always served in the Iron Lion Legion as a low-ranking officer of the kingdom, and the kingdom issued all his weapons and equipment.

Fourth Brother had not yet completed his training as a Knight Squire, so naturally they would not outfit him with such a set.

Thus, aside from the children of great nobles, only the south had the custom of owning a full set of equipment and a warhorse ahead of time.

The rough and impoverished nobles of the north often chose to be stingy.

Even though there had been no wars for many years and everyone had saved up some Gold Coins.

Ferreira Castle, for example, was filled with a martial style left over from the era of opening up the Northern Lands. It resembled a military fortress more than a place fit for living.

That was also a characteristic of the Northland Nobles. Even if the Central Nobles looked down on them and the Southern Nobles despised them, they remained unchanged.

Compared to Sheriff's cheering, Second Brother Sergei and Eldest Brother Marco were more interested in the soldiers and Knight Squires Derek had brought back.

These swordsmen, better suited for street fighting and more versatile overall, carried the air of elites. They looked fiercer than the Ferrera Family's soldiers.

And those uniformly equipped Knight Squires—though called squires—looked more like knights than actual knights.

Iron-Studded Leather Armor, Fine Iron Longswords, Hand Gauntlets, warhorses, helmets.

They were armed from head to toe. Simon even wore Half Plate Armor, while his warhorse was covered in a layer of Leather Armor. His sharp gaze made people afraid to meet his eyes.

Following Derek had not been all training.

Every now and then, they followed Loyd and played the part of bandits or Horse Bandits, taking down petty thieves who failed to know their place.

After a year, whose hands had not been stained with blood?

Good heavens, what kind of Wandering Knights were these? Even some poorer barons would not dare put on such a display.

"What exactly did Third Brother go out to do?"

Sergei swiftly searched his memory, trying to recall where in the Northern Province a new gang of Horse Bandits might have appeared.

Other than through robbery, how else could one accumulate such a fortune?

Baron Ferrera naturally saw it as well. Surprise flashed through his eyes, though not enough to make him lose his composure.

"What are you shouting for? Can you even afford to keep a warhorse?"

Baron Ferrera slapped Sheriff on the head, successfully drawing everyone's attention.

"Where are the gifts?"

He was speaking to Derek.

Derek knew what kind of personality his father had and did not take offense.

He gestured for Simon to step forward, and Simon had his men carry over a chest.

Open it!

A complete set of knightly equipment.

From the helmet, arm guards, Hand Gauntlets, Half Plate Armor, skirt plates, knee guards, and Iron Boots.

To the Tenfold-Forged Knight's Sword, Lance Head, and a Hand Shield.

And finally, an Iron Mask and Chainmail for the warhorse.

Though it did not count as true heavy armor, it was still a low-grade knight's set.

It was an item most knights dreamed of possessing, something worthy of being passed down through the family.

The entire set would be a bargain even at one hundred Gold Coins.

That was the equivalent of a tiny estate's yearly output.

Maintained properly, it could be passed down for several generations.

Most of the body was protected, and every piece provided above-standard defense.

The key was that even with money, one could not buy it.

From the materials to the craftsmanship, it all required a certain level of expertise.

Derek himself did not even have a full set. Little Tru and his men had worked overtime for a month to produce this one, all to present it to Baron Ferrera.

Of course, Derek was already planning to fleece back even more.