Before setting off, Derek personally outfitted Simon with new equipment in front of all the soldiers. For these young men who came from farming backgrounds, this was a significant social leap. Therefore, their eyes were filled with envy.
"In the name of Sir Derek, I bestow upon you the status of knight's squire and the name Simon. I hope that one day, you will have your own honorable surname."
Simon knelt on one knee, imitating the posture of a knight being knighted. However, he was clearly nervous and awkward, making the scene somewhat awkward. But the others didn't focus on his clumsiness; instead, they felt envious.
"I pledge my service… Sir Derek, I… Simon, swear to offer my life and loyalty to you."
The honest country boy, excitedly accepted the longsword. Derek pulled him up so that he could hang the sword on his waist. With just a slight change, he already looked different from the spear soldiers. His subsequent treatment would also be different.
Seizing the opportunity, Derek turned to face the three rows of spear soldiers and inspired them: "I hope that Simon's today can become your tomorrow. Train hard, fight bravely, and I will bestow upon you money, status, and honor."
"Serve Sir Derek!"
The morale was high.
Promising grand futures is an art, and it was clear that Derek was more skilled at it than many in this world. Derek then led his newly invigorated soldiers to meet up with the Goat Trading Company.
The Goat Trading Company also had its own guards and staff. Hiring a squad of soldiers was only a temporary measure. After all, maintaining a squad of soldiers each year was not a small expense, and the trading company aimed to maximize profits. Instead of saving on minor costs, it was better to run more trade routes.
However, to Derek, these guards were inadequate. They looked somewhat spirited but were far from robust. Their weapons were a mixed assortment of swords, spears, and even a bow, though it was unclear how skilled they were.
The disorganized caravan of thirty or forty people had over twenty carriages. Before Derek could inspect the goods, the company's steward, Vincent, approached him.
"Sir Derek, are these your family's private soldiers?"
It was understandable why he thought so. After three months of training, ample food, and most importantly, the support of the data panel, the soldiers were in good shape.
These soldiers bulked up like inflated balloons. High-level soldiers couldn't possibly be skinny and weak. Their equipment was somewhat lacking; even Derek himself was riding an ordinary horse and wearing leather armor with iron plates. However, with complete equipment and their strong physiques, they formed a stark contrast to the Goat Trading Company's own guards. No wonder Derek dared to ask for a high price; he was indeed making a profit. The smile on Vincent the steward's face became more genuine; after all, respect was earned through strength.
Derek didn't answer the question directly. If he could leverage his position, he naturally wouldn't miss the opportunity. "Steward Vincent, I told you I'm worth a higher price. Next time, the fee needs to go up."
"No problem, no problem," Vincent replied repeatedly. However, next time, he would hire someone else. A gold coin was still money, and a passable squad of mercenaries would do the job just fine since the chances of trouble were low. With the caravan guards and hired soldiers numbering around thirty, and an additional thirty or so porters and servants in critical moments, they could handle most bandits. Expecting a merchant to pay more was unlikely unless there was a knife at their throat.
After the caravan finished packing, they quickly set off. Although it was Derek's first time handling this job independently, he wasn't unfamiliar with it. During his time as a knight's apprentice, he had frequently undertaken similar tasks, from escorting caravans to armed combat, long-distance raids, and combat command. These were all part of a knight's complete curriculum, which is why training a knight was so costly. Knights were never intended to be used as cannon fodder.
In a knight's order, unless they were purely heavy cavalry used for charging, most knights served as mid-to-low-level officers. Noble knights, especially, led their banners and squads in battle during wartime. In peacetime, they were enough for armed conflicts between nobles. When it came to critical moments, raising a temporary army could still ensure basic combat effectiveness. Therefore, Derek, relying on both his current life's training and his previous life's memories, wasn't too flustered. He organized the march and patrolled from time to time, appearing quite competent.
The only drawback was the poor quality of their equipment. Even his horse was quite ordinary. While in service, he had used the count's warhorse.
If he returned home, the family would provide the equipment. But on his own, he had to make do. Simon, his squire, was even riding a nag, looking rather shabby. As they traveled, Derek trained his squire, and even the spearmen were trained along the way. From the interface, he could see that the stats of many had been stagnant for a long time, with occasional fluctuations. But more importantly, it was the accumulation of the experience pool.
For the past few days, being close to Sentinel City, it hadn't been the business target for the caravan. But as they entered the territory of Count Perez, the Goat Trading Company had a planned route. Though it was a detour, it passed through more estates and villages. Derek was familiar with these places, having served there before. Although he hadn't encountered the Goat Trading Company before, he figured they weren't significant enough to attract the Count's attention. The major trading companies would have military escorts upon entering the Count's territory, and Derek's experience came from such situations.
As they spent more time together, Derek and Vincent, the steward, became better acquainted. Through their conversations, Derek learned a lot. The Goat Trading Company dealt mostly in commoner goods, seemingly connected to someone in the Count's household. The caravan carried coarse cloth, farming tools, and a few miscellaneous items, all of which fetched a good price. The now-empty wagons would then purchase furs and grain to sell on their return journey. The profit from such trips was substantial, although Vincent naturally didn't divulge the exact figures to Derek.
The journey was smooth, and at one point, they even encountered a patrolling order of knights. Derek exchanged greetings with some familiar squires. The noble knights were mostly surprised by his choice to become a wandering knight.
Once they left Count Perez's territory, the atmosphere in the caravan grew slightly tense. "We're nearing the mountains, where there might be the occasional barbarian crossing the range, but the biggest threat remains the notorious bandits," Vincent warned Derek ahead of time.
But Derek knew the area better than Vincent, having participated in battles against bandits here. Recalling the surroundings, Derek curiously asked, "There should only be a few scattered villages and mountain strongholds here, not belonging to any noble's territory. Why is the caravan coming this way?"