Success Achieved

All the fear and anxiety of the past few days, even his dissatisfaction with Count Perez's slowness, vanished into thin air.

The Old Count was still the steady one. If he did not act, so be it—but once he did, he settled the entire situation.

The Governor craned his neck to look and saw only the upright figure of a knight beneath the torchlight.

"Knight below the city walls, is Count Perella present?"

"The Legion Commander is still three days away."

Derek answered honestly.

The Governor's face changed slightly. "Then who is commanding this force? How many men did you bring?"

"I am commanding it. We brought eight hundred men from the Tenth Chiliarch Unit of the Second Legion and one thousand from the Eighth Chiliarch Unit of the First Legion."

"Only eighteen hundred men?"

The Governor's voice cracked. He had thought the entire Northern Lands army had arrived to rout the Barbarians so thoroughly.

Who would have thought there were so few men?

Are you trying to fool me?

Looking around again, he wondered, Or are all of you putting on an act for me?

Are Northland Knights really this fierce?

Derek's voice still carried clearly to the city walls. "Mere Barbarians are not worth mentioning. We are somewhat tired after rushing a hundred li today. Once I have rested properly for a day, I will return and break the Barbarian main camp."

Derek put on another impressive show.

By his judgment, the Barbarians had suffered heavy losses and would certainly retreat.

If they did not take advantage of the main force's absence, it would be difficult for them to leave later.

In truth, delaying them for another two days would have been even more effective.

But as the main force drew closer, the Barbarians would become more vigilant. He might not get such a good opportunity or achieve such great results again.

Though he might kill fewer Barbarians, it was the most advantageous course for him.

The Kingdom's interests?

What did they have to do with a mere knight like him?

Besides, the outcome was good. No one would care.

The Governor knew none of this. He was too stunned for words. He had spent the first half of his life going back and forth among several central provinces and had never experienced a war on such a scale. Derek had completely fooled him.

He even muttered inwardly, What an incredible knight. If he had been given more men, he might have crushed the Barbarians today.

As a result, his voice unconsciously lowered. "May I ask your name?"

"Von Derek."

The Governor firmly committed the name to memory, then said politely, "Knight Derek, it is inconvenient for you to enter the city today. Once the Barbarians retreat, I will host a banquet in your honor."

Derek nodded. He knew that without such caution, this man would probably have been beheaded long ago. He immediately took his leave.

What he did not know was that his second brother, Sergei, had just found the voice familiar. When he heard Derek announce his name, he was so shocked that his weapon slipped from his grasp.

"The one who came is my younger brother?"

"He's this fierce?"

"Am I dreaming?"

Before he could confirm it, he heard the Governor asking what family name Derek belonged to.

Although Derek had previously been an insignificant little figure, the nobility truly did have specialists who studied genealogies.

"Derek is a direct descendant from a branch of the Ferrera Family. He currently has no Fief. His full name should be Von Ferreira Derek.

"The Ferrera Family is an old military noble house of our Northern Lands. They were granted titles during the War of Expansion a century ago. During the War of Secession thirty years ago, they struck north against the Barbarians and held back the Holy Cross Kingdom's army in the east.

"Oh, I recall that the Ferrera Family also has descendants serving in the Iron Lion Legion."

Then Sergei was dazedly summoned before the Governor.

Fortunately, he cut a fine figure. After answering several of the Governor's questions, he even received the Governor's praise: "As expected of a tiger cub from a family of generals."

Then he returned in a daze.

The Ferrera Family, this military noble house, became famous overnight.

Only one thought remained in his mind: Third Brother is going to make it big.

It was not Sergei's thought alone. Once they calmed down, everyone knew that Derek was about to rise to prominence.

Defeating many with few, trampling through the enemy camp on horseback, displaying his might before the armies—every one of these deeds was worth singing about.

Such a figure could only be found in legendary tales.

After all, a Barbarian invasion was, at the least, a major event that happened once every decade. Both sides dispatched tens of thousands of troops, and even the beheading of a Count would shake an entire kingdom.

On such a grand stage, watched by countless eyes, any outstanding performance would draw attention, promising a bright future.

And Derek had been so dazzling that he was virtually beyond reproach.

When Baron Palmer saw Derek, he could no longer maintain any reserve. He chattered endlessly, "I have three daughters. Whichever one you like, I'll send her to your home immediately. If it's the married one, I'll have her divorce her husband.

"I can send all three of them if you like. I'll even provide three Estates as dowry."

Derek imagined Baron Palmer's three daughters. It did seem rather tempting, especially... married women.

Well, he could let the Baron ramble on. He had to understand the man's excitement.

More importantly, officers came forward one after another to pledge their loyalty.

Having witnessed Derek's abilities, even the officers who had joined later admired him wholeheartedly.

There might be politics in the army, but strength was still indispensable.

A powerful superior was undoubtedly a guarantee of military merit and safety.

Even Baron Palmer's subordinates were willing to come up and build a connection. Perhaps they might need it someday.

Though he was at the height of his glory, Derek remained cautious and retreated more than ten li before setting up camp.

If he grew careless now and was wiped out by the Barbarians, that would truly mean all his earlier efforts had gone to waste.

In fact, his caution was not wrong.

Though the Barbarian commander was cautious, that did not mean he would do nothing.

Once a small number of scouts were sent out, many secrets ceased to be secrets.

He learned that the force which had attacked his southern camp was merely a small Locke army, and even Lone Wolf Enrique's crushing defeat had been inflicted by this tiny Locke force.

He was first so furious that his vision went black, then immediately considered whether he could strike back.

However, after learning that Derek had camped far away and had even set up warning measures, he knew he had no opportunity.

"Damn it. Every plan was ruined by this Locke force. Send someone to find out who is commanding it."

No matter how difficult it was to accept, the facts were there. They had to determine how they had failed.

Some Barbarian generals could not swallow the insult and shouted angrily, "Great Chieftain, let me lead men to kill him! Give me one day, and I will definitely bring back the Locke people's heads."

"Idiot! You muscle-brained idiots! Do you think the enemy is as stupid as you are?" the Barbarian commander rebuked them, roaring in fury. "As long as he delays us for two days, the Locke army will arrive. By then, it will be us who cannot leave!"

Whether they were willing to accept it or not, they had to admit that an army which had lost more than a third of its strength and suffered a severe blow to its morale no longer had the confidence to fight a decisive battle against the Locke people.

Stopping while they were ahead at this point meant that, at the very least, it could not be called a defeat.

"We retreat. We have already disrupted the Locke people's plans. Let those shamans continue tearing at them. Only then can we Barbarians gain a foothold."

The Barbarian commander's mind was very clear. A tactical defeat was merely painful; a strategic defeat was fatal.

The Barbarians naturally knew of the Locke people's plans. That was why they had launched this lightning attack.

No matter whether they won or lost next, they had to leave.