Derek calculated the timing and set out with all his knightly attendants and the five well-bred warhorses he had prepared. The process of raising horses from high-quality to excellent quality typically took at least a year. Derek couldn't afford to wait that long, especially since excellent-quality warhorses were already a mainstream configuration on the market, even among the king's elite knights.
For instance, his own mount, a warhorse he had been using, was of the following stats:
• Warhorse (unnamed)
• Quality: Excellent (45/100)
• Experience Pool: 0/100
This was the best horse he had on hand. The remaining 55 experience points would take three to four days to accumulate a bit more in the experience pool. The horse itself gained one or two points of experience over the course of one or two months. It could be considered middle-tier among excellent-quality horses, yet it surpassed over 80% of the market's warhorses. The horse was equipped with leather armor, had a well-toned muscular build, and smooth brown fur. Its appearance was quite impressive and matched the dream of most knights.
However, truly top-notch warhorses were beyond most people's reach. Most of the warhorses ridden by others were just entering the excellent-quality range and appeared slightly inferior. Since all of them were cavalry, they traveled at great speed.
After resting for a night, they arrived at their destination the next day. The area was very close to the core region of the Pereiras Count's territory and was one of the few densely populated and cultivated areas in the North. This was the domain of Knight Cloyd.
Kloya's estate, inherited from ancestors, was one of the earliest knightly holdings in the North. Spanning a full 2,000 acres, it could support seventy to eighty households working the land for the Kloya family across generations. Kloya had the ability to form his own army, set up checkpoints to collect taxes, and wield a range of administrative powers. This small knightly title came with considerable authority that merchants buying estates couldn't exercise.
Of course, Knight Kloya seldom used these powers, given his proximity to the Count's castle. Raising soldiers was redundant, and setting up tax collection checkpoints would be self-destructive, as most businesses operating near the Count's castle were under his control.
However, the land business alone was enough for Kloya to earn two to three hundred gold coins annually. Coupled with his salary and additional income, he lived better than 99% of people in this world.
It's worth noting that Knight Kloya's middle name included "Pereira." Due to the close distance, Knight Kloya would return to his family estate frequently, without missing a single rest day.
Since leaving the knightly order, it had been almost ten months. Sir Kloya was initially surprised to hear that Derek was visiting, assuming he was coming to seek connections. It was normal for young nobles who had experienced hardship to return and look for opportunities, especially with the earl considering expanding the knightly order.
However, the steward whispered to Sir Kloya before Derek arrived, giving him a heads-up: "Sir Derek has arrived with seven knights and a dozen warhorses, all fully equipped and looking quite impressive."
"Impressive" was the bare minimum praise for a noble, but it indicated that Derek was not just any ordinary visitor. Sir Kloya began to reconsider his initial assumptions. When he saw Derek approaching with confidence, he was even more convinced that his guess was wrong.
"Uncle Kloya, I've come to ask for your help," Derek said with a playful tone upon meeting. The two families had a longstanding relationship, and the current earl of the Ferrera family had fought alongside Sir Kloya in the past. Therefore, Derek's informal approach was appropriate and showed familiarity.
Sir Kloya smiled warmly and replied, "If it's something I can help with, just let me know. By the way, Derek, you seem to have become quite a bit more relaxed after your travels."
In the past, Derek had always been formal and serious, but a year away had changed him. This change was understandable given his experiences. Derek smiled and appreciated the personal touch, as it made the interaction feel more genuine.
Some people believe in keeping things strictly professional, but such rigidity can be a barrier if not everyone adheres to it. Derek's approach, which included a bit of personal warmth, was refreshing.
Derek then laughed and guided Sir Kloya outside, where a line of brown warhorses was lined up. Even the slightly inferior horses were hard to distinguish from the excellent ones, and the remaining horses were clearly high-quality.
"Good horses!" Sir Kloya remarked casually. While the horses were indeed nice, they did not surprise him. As someone who commanded a troop, Sir Kloya was accustomed to dealing with both people and horses. However, the fact that Derek had so many fine horses was an indicator of his success.
"Derek, are you here to show off? Should I take you back to the knightly order to remind you of the hard work involved in horse grooming?" Sir Kloya said with a teasing tone.
Derek quickly walked down and stood before the warhorses. "Uncle Kloya, since you asked what I've been up to, here it is. This is a gift for you. Are you satisfied?"
Sir Kloya was truly surprised this time. He stepped down the stairs and examined the warhorses carefully. He checked their teeth, hooves, limbs, and coat. They were indeed excellent horses, and they stood calmly, only occasionally shaking their heads, indicating that they had been well-trained and were ready for battle.
"A gift for me? Then I'll gladly accept it."
"Yes, this one is a gift. The other four are available for you to purchase at the original price."
Even though Sir Kloya himself didn't need more horses, there was a market demand, and even Earl Pires was in need. Scarce resources were always in high demand.
"How much?"
"For these four, they are considered low-tier among warhorses, priced at 20 gold coins each. How does that sound?"
"Not expensive!"
The price was fair and close to the market rate. Such items were often used to trade for other resources, and a fair price was appreciated. Sir Kloya decided on the spot: "I'll buy all of them. If you have more like these, you can come to me."
"80 gold coins for four, and I'll throw in one for free. If you need more, I can bring another batch next month."
Derek handed the reins to Simon.
"Ah! That's quite a bargain. This gift is so generous, I'm almost embarrassed to accept it," Sir Kloya responded. The discounted price was notably lower than the market rate.
The offer was too good to be true, and Sir Kloya was tempted but also wary of accepting too great a deal.
"Tell me what you need, and I'll see if I can help you."