On this day, with the sun high in the sky, there was no training taking place in the training ground. Even the estate's few militiamen and stewards had come over. Although they were right under the nose of the manor, to be honest, no one really paid attention to Derek's training.
Training the militiamen sounded significant, but in reality, it was merely a minor assessment. No one had ever been stuck at a checkpoint. Whether due to lack of strength or other reasons, one could always find a few decent farmers to pass through. No one would deliberately create difficulties at this point; after all, the graduation was just about earning a knight's title. The assessment was for young nobles who would carry the honorary title of knight upon reaching adulthood.
Derek understood this and remained calm. By mid-day, the sound of horse hooves finally arrived, and the stewards who had been sitting in the corner of the training ground all stood up. Sir Cloria, the flag captain, was also the examiner for this assessment.
As the flag captain of the knight squad, Sir Cloria nominally commanded fifty to a hundred knights, which made him a minor official. In practice, the knight squad was a major combat force under Count Perez, making the flag captain's position higher than a typical sergeant. This role was quite suitable for the job of examining knight graduations.
Derek smiled. Although he expected no trouble, encountering a familiar face during the graduation exam was certainly preferable. Indeed, this person was an old acquaintance of his father, Leandro Ferreira.
To be precise, his full name in this context was Feng Derek Ferreira. Feng was his given name, Derek was his knightly surname, and Ferreira was his original surname. Adopting the name Derek indicated his lack of interest in competing for family inheritance; otherwise, he wouldn't have used Feng Derek so early.
Although they were very familiar, it was impossible to tell from the surface. Sir Cloria declined the steward's pleasantries and began the assessment in a formal manner. From the militiamen's skills and physical fitness to their formations, the orders for retreat and maneuver, everything was basic. The militia squad performed quite well.
Had Derek had any reason to cheat, Sir Cloria might have suspected foul play. However, he quickly dismissed this possibility, considering that Derek, who had already submitted his retirement application, had no need to go through such an act.
"So… you really have a good talent," Sir Cloria said after scoring the assessment, announcing on the spot, "Congratulations, Derek, your performance is… excellent."
Derek smiled, dismissed the militiamen, and approached Sir Cloria, finally relaxing his posture. "Uncle Cloria, I didn't expect you to be the examiner."
"Since I had to make the trip anyway, I might as well come see you," Sir Cloria explained, then suddenly asked, "Planning to return home after retiring from the knight squad?"
This was a common choice among noble knights. Leaving the competitive knight squad and returning to manage family affairs was also a promising path.
To Sir Cloria's surprise, Derek shook his head and said, "No, you know my family situation; there are too many brothers, so they don't need me. I plan to become a wandering knight."
A wandering knight, officially known as a free knight, seeks noble patronage and grants. In the meantime, they travel the world. It sounds impressive, but in reality, it is just a mercenary role. No noble is likely to recruit an outsider wandering knight. Even a grand noble like Count Perez has enough knights from his own family and knight squad. Even if land were granted, it wouldn't be given to outsiders.
Baronial families like the Ferreira family, with their limited lands and numerous brothers, could organize a flag squad themselves; there was no chance for outsiders to get ahead. Except for a few lucky individuals, opportunities were rare. As a wandering knight, one would typically organize a small band of mercenaries to perform tasks like armed escorts or bandit suppression, wandering from place to place. When war comes, they might take a chance, hoping for land grants.
It was an unstable, dangerous, and disadvantageous path. Sir Cloria was surprised. Derek was a relatively outstanding young man. Considering his skill in training the militia witnessed today, it was unusual for him to choose the life of a wandering knight.
After some thought, Sir Cloria extended an offer, "Perhaps you could come help out on my territory. If you ever wish to pursue a noble title, I can sponsor you a squad of soldiers."
This offer was quite generous, especially the sponsorship of a squad of soldiers, which was a significant expense. Frankly, Derek was tempted. But after glancing at his data panel, he quickly regained his composure. "Thank you for your favor, but I already have plans."
Sir Cloria was not put off by this. It was normal for young people to have their own ideas. "If you change your mind, feel free to come to me."
After handing over the knight's badge, Derek had already acquired the knightly title, surname, and emblem. The only thing the Count could grant was a knight's badge, symbolizing his status as a knight. However, it was more for appearances; in reality, he served as a knight apprentice. This approach looked better and made it easier for knights who were not selected to find a good place.
If he had joined the knight squad, the handover would have been more formal, with an opportunity to meet the Count at the knighting ceremony. Of course, Derek had his reasons for not wanting to join the knight squad. The ceremony would involve pledging loyalty to Count Perez. The relationship between a lord and vassal was very solid, and betrayal or seeking an alternative path was almost impossible; otherwise, survival would be difficult.
Without absolute power, Derek didn't want to take that route. It was better to remain independent and unbound.
After sending off Sir Cloria, Derek packed his belongings and bid farewell to the manor steward and the militiamen he had trained.
"Goodbye… my knight apprentice life."
In the sunlight, Derek felt no regret. He knew he was heading towards a very promising future.