Wizard Farming Guide

Chapter 3 Team Framework

Rhodes walked out of the award hall with his sword and pioneering order.

Two men dressed in equestrian attire stood ramrod straight and waiting beneath the marble pillars outside the door.

One of them had a youthful face, brown hair and brown eyes, and looked about the same age as Rod.

Upon seeing Rod approach, he couldn't contain his excitement.

"We're going to the North to expand our territory and build our own army," Rhodes said to him.

"I will obey your will!" He clenched his fist and pounded his left chest to show his loyalty.

Noah Herbert, the youngest son of Viscount Herbert, a vassal of the Duke of Swordhill, was the same age as Rhodes and a family knight who grew up with him.

Now he will serve as his retainer and go with him to conquer the North.

In this era, noble lords may have strained relationships with their wives and children, and numerous conflicts with neighboring powerful nobles, but they must learn to maintain good relations with their retainers.

Because the other party is the key to your rule over your various fiefdoms, and at the same time, to ensure that you can enjoy your old age in peace and not be harmed by your descendants.

Rhodes and Noah have a very good relationship.

We grew up together and know each other inside and out. Noah has a straightforward personality and, apart from being prone to getting carried away when emotional, he doesn't have any major flaws.

With Rhodes's help, he had recently advanced to the rank of knight, but he did not make it public. He is an important force for Rhodes's future expansion into the North.

Rhodes looked at the other man, a middle-aged man with a weathered face and an expression that was somewhat indifferent and dejected.

This is his mentor knight, Holmes Ban, who was responsible for teaching him knightly skills.

Given this relationship, under normal circumstances, when Rhodes leaves the family castle, the other party will most likely choose to follow and leave together.

However, due to Rhodes' neglect of knight training, his relationship with this instructor knight was not very good.

Upon learning that he was to be sent to the North, Sir Holmes seemed rather reluctant.

"This is not a mandatory requirement; the Sword Tomb still retains the position of Holmes Knight," Rhodes told him.

Although the strength of knights is extremely important in pioneering, it is not indispensable to Rhodes.

If the other party is unwilling, there is no need to force them. In the desolate and boundless northern border, trustworthiness is more important than strength among subordinates.

Sir Holmes gazed at the sword in Rhodes' hand, his eyes filled with complex emotions as he bowed his head.

"Please allow me to follow you to the North; I am willing to be the sharp blade in your hand that paves the way."

His words were firm, but he was sighing inwardly.

If he could, Holmes would certainly not want to follow this gardener knight.

Five years of knight training, except for the first year when he was relatively serious, I hardly ever saw him in the following years. I bet he can't even hold a sword properly.

The northern barbarians' arms were thicker than his thighs; going there would be no different than sending himself to his death.

However, precisely because of Rhodes's poor reputation, he is unlikely to be able to recruit other knights.

Holmes knew in his heart that if he chose to follow, even if he died, the Duke would treat his son well and raise him to be a knight.

If he refuses, he will probably be relegated to a small village in the suburbs, and then he will not be able to gather the resources to help his son become a knight.

Since my life is coming to an end anyway, I might as well use the last bit of my ability to pave the way for my child.

Rhodes didn't know what Sir Holmes was thinking, but knowing his family, he could roughly guess why he agreed.

Whatever the reason, since the other party was willing to follow him, Rhodes would naturally keep it in mind.

"Then let's head to the North together and carve out our own land." Rhodes smiled and hugged him, welcoming him to join them.

One day later, halfway up Jianling Mountain.

Directly below the side gate of the castle is a large, open area used as a training ground for knights and their squires.

This site is currently being temporarily occupied.

On the high platform, Rhodes stood in the center, with Noah and Holmes standing behind him.

Below Rhodes, a group of people, numbering in their early sixties, had already gathered.

"Twelve knights as squires, and fifty-two city militiamen." Rhodes pondered as he looked at the crowd.

These were the initial core members he recruited, and the knights and squires were recruited from the castle using his own status.

Gardener Knights are still knights, and with the story of their grandfather, William the King, these young men were so excited about going to the North that they immediately chose to follow him.

The knight's squire systematically learned swordsmanship, archery, horseback riding, arithmetic, and literacy.

Furthermore, they are able to understand and quickly relay military tactical commands, making them the core backbone of military organization.

As for the militia, Rhodes originally intended to recruit professional soldiers from the Sword Tomb standing army.

But the soldiers could only obey their officers, and the officers only obeyed the Duke himself, completely ignoring him, the second son.

With no other option, Rhodes had to settle for second best and choose these so-called militiamen, who were actually ordinary residents who hadn't touched a weapon more than a few times a year.

At least they are young and healthy enough, which alone is enough to defeat more than 90% of the civilians.

After briefly meeting with them and letting these uneasy young men know that he was the boss, Rod called Holmes forward.

"Holmes, you go and explain to them the important things to be aware of on the road to the North."

Rhodes then headed down the mountain and entered the port city below.

The pioneering team members already had a framework in place, and now he needed to address the most important issue.

All the equipment for everyone, and the food and drink for the journey.

Rhodes walked along Platinum Avenue, his steps finally stopping outside a large wooden house.

Two signs hung above the wooden house, one of which read "Equipment Merchants Guild," indicating the house's identity.

Another sign features a golden ear of wheat laden with fruit, with the Sword Ridge Fortress faintly visible in the background.

That was the sign of the city's business guild. Hanging this sign meant that the owner of the wooden house was a member of the guild and was qualified to do business in the city.

In addition to the commercial guilds, the city also has blacksmith guilds, textile guilds, and so on.

These guilds are all certified by the lord, and only by joining a guild and becoming a member can a resident of the city be qualified to engage in a specific profession.

To become a blacksmith, one needs to be an apprentice for more than ten years under a master blacksmith, obtain his recommendation, and become a member of the blacksmith guild; otherwise, the blacksmith shop will be shut down.

Foreign merchants have no right to do business in the city unless they are accepted by the merchant members of the trade guild.

The closed loop of guilds ultimately leads to the solidification of various industries.

Ordinary residents can manage to do small businesses, but once their businesses grow, they need to rack their brains to gain the guild's approval.

The result is often financial ruin, family breakdown, and death.

Over the years, standing in the castle overlooking the city, Rhodes has witnessed countless rises and falls of fortunes.

Today's self-made millionaire, the center of attention at banquets, may rot in a street corner garbage heap tomorrow, his wife and daughters reduced to prostitution.

The city has many rules, some good and some bad, but no one, including Rhodes, has the right to break them; they can only remain silent spectators.

Rhodes looked north, his heart filled with anticipation for this long journey.

(End of this chapter)