The next day, the Northern Province's Second Army Corps held its review.
Many merchants and lesser noble youths, unaware of the deeper implications, eagerly awaited the Earl's arrival. Although the Northern Province's Second Army Corps was a temporary formation, given the current situation, it seemed unlikely to be disbanded anytime soon. Securing an officer's position here meant at least a temporary tenure, with the possibility of permanent appointment if lucky. For lower-ranking nobles and merchant children without connections, this was a golden opportunity.
However, a select few military aristocrats' sons already knew that the competition had begun the moment they entered the camp. Military noble families like the Ferrera Barony, numbering perhaps only seven or eight, controlled one-fifth to one-third of the corps' strength. The rest consisted of other nobles of varying ranks and some middle-class sons.
Ordinary knightly nobles and small baronial families were generally unaware of these inner workings. When Derek found himself positioned near the front, he knew his plans had succeeded. At the center was Earl Pérez's personal army. To the left were military nobles like the Ferrera family. On the right, Derek was placed first, followed by one or two other military aristocrats. Everyone else had to stand further back.
Derek knew he couldn't bask in the Ferrera family's glory—that was reserved for his elder brother Marco, the family's heir. But he wasn't worried; his own plans would surely yield results comparable to his brother's.
As expected, Earl Pérez delivered a speech to boost morale and promised noble titles as rewards for valor after the campaign. He then began to inspect the troops. The inspection was brief—a simple walk around to get a general impression.
The military families of the northern region had well-equipped forces. Families like the Ferrera family, despite only maintaining a small force of one or two hundred at a time, had many rotating militia members who were also well-trained. They could muster a passable army when needed, and if they were forced to, they could field over a thousand troops. The troops Marco brought, having undergone two months of intensive training, looked noticeably superior to those of their peers. Earl Pérez took note of this.
As he passed his own personal army, the Earl slowed his pace. Although he was well-acquainted with his troops, he needed to show respect—this was his core force.
Then came Derek's turn. The difference was immediately apparent. Derek's troops appeared even more elite than the Earl's own, with top-notch equipment. It wasn't just about the gear—fielding such a large number of elite troops was no small feat. In contrast, the forces of many merchant children and lesser nobles struggled even to maintain basic formations.
Earl Pérez now believed the records he had reviewed, even thinking they might have undersold Derek's capabilities. He turned to his aides, asking, "Is Derek from my knight order?"
His subconscious question was: how did such a capable person slip away? One of his aides quickly provided a brief summary of Derek's background. These bureaucrats had done their homework in advance, knowing Derek's position in the formation.
"What a pity!" Earl Pérez felt a twinge of regret. If given the chance, he would certainly try to recruit Derek again. But for now, having such a capable soldier under his command was a boon. Moreover, Derek's origins in the Pérez Knight Order added a touch of sentimental value.
The Earl approached Derek and suddenly asked, "Sir Derek, I hear you completed your knight training with top honors. Would you care to demonstrate?"
Derek was momentarily stunned, then elated. Being singled out by Earl Pérez was a golden opportunity. He quickly grasped the underlying message: a strong performance could lead to a significant position.
"Yes, as you command, Legion Commander," Derek promptly stepped forward, fist over heart, bowing in salute.
"Armor up!"
The knights were already fully equipped for the inspection, but Derek's elite knights were exceptional—true physical powerhouses capable of wearing medium armor all day without issue. Based on his experience, soldiers at the elite level were rare, perhaps one in a hundred or even a thousand. In the entire northern province, knights of level five or six were considered good, level seven or eight were excellent, and elite-level knights were likely only found among well-known titled knights. And Derek had a whole squad of them.
The command to armor up was a signal, and under the astonished gazes of the onlookers, the knights swiftly mounted their horses. What was thought to be merely for show—a bit of posturing for the review—was quickly proven otherwise. Their movements were as swift and precise as if they hadn't expended any energy at all.
Earl Pérez hadn't anticipated Derek summoning his knights. Seeing his guards tense up, the Earl waved them aside, "Stand down. Sir Derek is from our knight order; there's no need to worry."
These words struck a chord, revealing Earl Pérez's knack for winning hearts.
Derek also mounted his horse, moving swiftly to the front of his knights. The brown warhorse beneath him stomped the ground, its powerful muscles a testament to its strength. This was a warhorse of exceptional grade.
"Charge!"
From stillness to motion, the horse's explosive power and the knight's control were on full display.
"Throw spears!"
As Derek's short spear struck the ground, a flurry of spears followed, landing within a half-meter radius. Even after three rounds, with the horses galloping back and forth, not a single spear missed its mark.
As the stunned onlookers regained their composure, the knights reformed their ranks.
"Raise spears! Advance!"
The knights then showcased a series of advanced maneuvers—skirmishing, pursuit, and various formation changes. The two squads of knights exhibited an exceptional level of skill, setting a standard few could hope to match.
Some onlookers, once confident, were now disheartened.
"So this is what a true military noble is like? How are we supposed to compete?"
For the Earl, the demonstration was equally eye-opening. He knew his own knights couldn't achieve this level of performance. Each of Derek's knights could be considered a titled knight in their own right.
"How did you train them? Can any of you do this?" the Earl asked, but his knights could only shake their heads awkwardly. A few might be capable individually, but leading their own knights to do the same? That was a different matter.
When Derek returned to his original position and the knights dismounted in unison, each one still appeared full of energy.
"Excellent! Simply excellent! I thought I was watching the royal guard perform," the Earl praised, before suddenly asking, "Sir Derek, are you married?"
"Uh?"
Derek was taken aback. He expected praise, not a matchmaking proposal.
Earl Pérez had spoken on impulse but quickly realized his mistake. He swiftly changed the subject, "With such a display, you're more than qualified to be a chiliarch."