After a brief welcome, Derek outlined his objectives: "I need to recruit ten new soldiers, one squire, and one blacksmith."
Andrew was a bit surprised. The first two requests were straightforward, but why a blacksmith? He couldn't help but point out, "Derek, the blacksmith in the village mainly repairs farm tools and makes a few spearheads. The quality of a simple iron sword can't be guaranteed. If you only need weapon repairs, you don't need to recruit a blacksmith specifically."
"Uncle, don't worry. I have other uses for him."
"Well then, no problem. I have a batch of militia who have just completed their training—young and strong. I've checked, and we can recruit twenty of them, so we have enough. As for the blacksmith, the old blacksmith's son is about your age and should have some skills."
Andrew was indeed thoughtful and had even made preparations in advance. "I also need to buy a house and ideally use a training ground."
"Buy a house? The constabulary already has a fully equipped training ground on the outskirts of the farmland. You can stay there and save me the trouble."
Andrew waved his hand dismissively; it was just a small matter from his father's estate. Derek realized that every bit saved was advantageous, and since he couldn't sever ties with his family, he might as well take full advantage.
With the local support, Derek's preparations went very smoothly, and everything was arranged within a day. Bedding, furniture, and daily supplies were all covered by Andrew. They even moved a few sacks of wheat, saving on food expenses.
Other relatives also pitched in with gifts. They were all practical items:
• His third uncle sent thirty spearheads.
• His fourth uncle sent three sets of simple leather armor.
• His eldest aunt sent five iron swords.
In no time, Derek had all the equipment he needed without spending a penny. Looking at the twelve strong young men, he was almost ready to sing with joy.
"In the past, when my squad was just starting, we only had… well, never mind, that would be too boastful."
This was the joy of nobility—something a common-born knight could hardly understand. The gifts from relatives ranged from one or two gold coins to three to five gold coins each. If Derek hadn't chosen to venture out, the gifts might have been even fewer.
With the basic setup in place, Derek's first task with his new recruits was to set up a blacksmith's forge. That's right, a blacksmith's forge.
The blacksmith's son, young Tru, officially joined and was added to the army roster.
Tru
Occupation: Army Blacksmith, Level 1 (22/100)
Experience Pool: 0/100
Indeed, the scope of the panel's coverage is even broader than expected.
Exploring the new features, Derek found that he had more options than he had imagined. Compared to the dangerous life of a mercenary, running a weapons business was far more profitable, especially with high-value weaponry and equipment, which had significant profit margins. A full set of heavy armor could cost between sixty to seventy gold coins—how long would it take for an average person to earn that much?
While the other eleven new recruits began their training, the blacksmith, young Tru, started his forging journey. Although being a blacksmith could sustain a family, Tru's appearance in the camp was due to 'voluntary' reasons. When the young noble of the baron's family picks you, refusal isn't really an option—unless you want to risk your family's safety.
Tru, prepared to switch careers to a soldier, first set up a makeshift forge and workbench in the training grounds. Derek, being exceptionally kind, handed him a hammer and said, "Tru, your family has been blacksmiths for generations. If you need anything, just ask. I'll pay for it."
"I… I only know how to repair farming tools and damaged weapons," Tru replied, almost in tears, fearing that Derek expected him to forge weapons and armor, which might lead to disastrous results if he produced poor-quality items.
"I understand. Just start with making some spearheads for training. I won't hold you responsible for quality issues," Derek reassured him.
Tru remained skeptical of the noble's promises, but Derek's reputation for honor within the Ferreiras eased his doubts. That same day, Tru went home and explained the situation to his father, who then packed up his equipment and sent it over. If Derek hadn't refused, the old blacksmith would have been ready to take on the task himself.
Indeed, it seemed like a form of torture for the old blacksmith to rely on Tru for tasks he himself couldn't handle. Derek didn't explain further; he simply displayed the noble's authority, which subdued Tru's family.
Before leaving, the old blacksmith tearfully said, "Son, you must persevere. I only have you. I'm counting on you to support me in my old age."
Tru, also in tears, felt uncertain about his future. Afterward, his father returned home, closed the shop, and said to his wife, "Let's hurry and have another child."
It was said that for the next few days, the old blacksmith's shop was closed for business.
Young Tru began his forging career by setting up his furnace. The next day, training for the new recruits commenced.
"Thrust!"
"Recover!"
"Thrust!"
Crack!!!
The spearhead broke. The quality of the spearheads made by Tru was severely lacking. Derek maintained a neutral expression and continued directing, "What are you looking at? The spearhead broke, and you think you can relax? The enemies on the battlefield won't wait for you. Continue… thrust!"
Training went on!
During the training days, Andrew occasionally stopped by to observe. While Derek's methods were standard and beyond reproach, the results were not immediately evident. Andrew had some concerns about Tru's performance. Despite several attempts to offer advice, he eventually gave up. Letting his nephew endure a few setbacks and learn from them was not a huge loss.
A month flew by in the blink of an eye. Checking the panel again, due to the increased training intensity and Derek's stricter demands, all eleven recruits had reached level five or above as militia. However, Tru's progress was slower; he had only reached level three.
After level three, the rate of gaining experience slowed significantly. At the current pace, it would take at least another month for him to level up again.
Tru
Occupation: Military Blacksmith Level 3 (22/100)
Experience Pool: 0/100
Forging weapons and armor had daily limits, and it paled in comparison to training. The difficulty of gaining experience increased over time.
By level three, the spearheads Tru made were adequate. The cost was around twenty to thirty copper coins, and they could easily be sold for seventy to eighty copper coins each. Tru managed to forge three to five spearheads a day, generating a profit of around two hundred copper coins.
The official exchange rate was 1 gold coin to 10 silver coins, and 1 silver coin to 100 copper coins. However, the official rates were often impractical due to fluctuating market rates. In practice, 1 gold coin could be exchanged for about 15 to 17 silver coins, and 1 silver coin for 120 to 130 copper coins.
In other words, a skilled blacksmith could earn more than one and a half silver coins a day, which translates to two to three gold coins a year—three times the income of an average soldier. Further improvement in skills would lead to even greater earnings.
However, Tru was bound by a contract, so escaping was not an option.