Wizard Farming Guide

Chapter 6 Identity Gap

Three days later, in the square at the foot of Jianlingbao Mountain.

Rhodes, mounted on his warhorse, gazed at his own troops behind him.

Jianling was a major commercial city with ample stock of goods in its guild, including a considerable quantity of plate armor that needed size and lining adjustments.

Once the money was in place, the ordered supplies were prepared quickly.

At this moment, Noah and Knight Holmes stood guard on either side of him.

Following behind were twelve fully armed knights, who sat upright on their horses and were being inspected.

Finally, fifty-two soldiers, armed with shields and spears, stood in neat rows, ready for battle.

Apart from Sir Holmes remaining silent, everyone else's eyes were filled with intense emotions.

There was a slight unease, but as they held their weapons and lined up, looking at the others, the sense of security in the group gradually transformed that unease into a longing for the future.

Knight Holmes looked at the armed troops behind him, then glanced at his own armor, and his impression of Rhodes improved considerably.

He hadn't expected Rhodes to be so generous, not letting his men provide their own weapons, but instead paying for them himself.

Unfortunately, this didn't change anything, Sir Holmes thought to himself, shaking his head.

He was the only knight in the group, and the soldiers in front of him were rookies who had never experienced actual combat.

Of course, it's fine to bully bandits who roam the wilderness.

But if they were to move to the northern border, the casualties from even a small-scale conflict would likely cause their morale to collapse and them to back down.

Rod was unaware of his disapproval, but even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared.

In some things, facts carry more weight than words.

After everyone had gathered, Rhodes wondered if there was anything he had forgotten. He had already said goodbye to all the family matters.

The high-grade lavender planted five years ago has already been harvested, and the one in the castle now is a new season he planted, which can last for another five years even if he is not around.

Alice and her mother had already said goodbye. Her eldest brother, Anthony, did not return home after coming back from the capital. After becoming a knight, he spent most of his time outside interacting with other nobles.

As for his father, he need not worry about him; going to the North is the best way to say goodbye.

The research records and crop seeds in the room were brought along, and everything was confirmed to be ready.

Rod took the lead and shouted:

"Set off!"

Sword Mausoleum is located in the central part of the kingdom, in the Golden Sword Territory, sandwiched between the Northern Frost Duchy and the Central Territory.

The lands and fiefs of the Golden Sword Territory are ruled by several dukes of royal lineage and were once an important bulwark against northern invasions for the capital.

With the annexation of the Duchy of Northern Frost into the Kingdom, the Dragonbreaker Fortress was established within the Duchy's territory, and the Northern Kings no longer posed a threat to the Kingdom's interior.

The Golden Sword Territory's role also shifted from defending the northern border to becoming a vital shipping hub connecting various parts of the kingdom.

Rhodes, sitting on the cargo ship, opened the map.

According to the itinerary, they would first take a boat upstream from the Agate River, spending a week to reach the port city closest to the Northern Frost Duchy.

Then they switched to walking, spending a month and a half crossing the Dragon's Lair of the Northern Frost Duchy to enter the northern territory and begin land reclamation.

The boat ride was a bit boring, so Rod leaned against the deck railing and chatted casually with the man next to him.

"I heard that you were knighted by the Duke. It's a pity I couldn't attend the investiture ceremony."

The man, dressed in merchant's attire and appearing to be in his early twenties, spoke with an exaggerated expression of regret on his face.

This is Morton Colley, the younger brother of Baron Colley, a merchant who runs a small trading company in Sword Tomb.

Preparing to take advantage of the pioneering wave and head north by ship to do business, he approached Rod after seeing him on the deck.

"There's nothing to regret, it's just an internal family award," Rhodes replied, his attention focused on the approaching port.

"You are too modest. Five years ago, when your brother Anthony, the 'White Knight of the Sword Tomb,' received his medal, the Duke invited nobles from all over the country, and even His Majesty the King sent people to watch."

The businessman Morton's face showed a proud and excited expression.

"I was fortunate enough to attend, and the grand spectacle is unforgettable. The glory of the White Knight was even acknowledged by the gods, who dispelled the diseases from the guests!"

"It was that magical investiture ceremony that made the name of the White Knight spread throughout the kingdom."

The merchant Morton changed the subject, looking at Rhodes with a smile, "As the second son of the Duke, I believe you are no less capable than your elder brother, are you?"

Rod knew that Morton, as a merchant from Sword Hill, wouldn't be unaware of the fact that his father hadn't invited anyone when he was awarded the medal.

"If you want to know my name, you can go to the capital to find out. It's quite interesting." Seeing the ship dock, Rhodes smiled and shook his head, walking past him towards the bottom of the ship.

Noah and the others followed closely behind.

"Why does this merchant talk so strangely? It's really uncomfortable to listen to him," Noah said, following behind Rhodes, feeling bewildered.

"Because he was using Anthony to mock me." Rhodes hadn't expected that as soon as he left the castle, the people around him would start telling him about the disparity in their social status.

Staying in Sword Mausoleum, regardless of his reputation, he will always be the noble son of a duke.

But after leaving his family, he was nothing more than a dying nobleman in the eyes of outsiders.

The merchants he encountered on the road all dared to subtly mock him.

There's no need to be angry. This is a result of my past inaction, and things will change naturally in the future once I take action.

Hearing his explanation, Noah looked displeased. "I'll go teach him a lesson."

The merchant Morton was of noble birth, so killing him outright was definitely not an option.

But Noah didn't mind covering his face and keeping him in bed for months.

"Do you remember what I told you before we left?" Rhodes looked at him seriously.

After a moment of stunned silence, Noah realized what was happening and lowered his head in shame. "We need to change our mindset. We're not alone anymore, but a team. We need to lead by example, calm and collected. I'm sorry, sir, I shouldn't have handled the problem according to my old ideas."

"It's okay, we'll adjust slowly. Our time is precious, so we don't need to care about meaningless comments."

After drawing the next route on the map, Rhodes looked at the well-behaved team and left the port to set off.

It's still a month and a half until we reach our destination.

Despite Alice's valuable financial support, the journey still required expenses for food supplies and equipment repairs.

In terms of food, people in this era loved bread. White bread was made from refined flour that had been ground and sifted from wheat, and it was expensive.

Bread made from oats, barley, and rye, paired with beans and nuts, is a normal staple food for most people.

In fact, if you don't add sawdust, pebbles, or other materials to increase the weight, these whole grains, rich in protein and dietary fiber, are more valuable than refined white bread in terms of nutrition alone.

In the villages of Golden Sword Territory, a pound of ordinary bread costs 4 copper coins.

A soldier needs at least two pounds of food a day to be full.

Including the three knights, the team's food expenses for a month are 1.4 gold coins.

Meat can be obtained by hunting in the woods along the way, as the lord forbids commoners from logging and hunting, and the prey resources are quite abundant.

Of the 20 gold coins Rhodes currently has, 15 are reserved for two months' salary, and only 5 are for emergencies. He may encounter a shortage of funds at any time.

To solve the money problem, we need to go back to the original topic.

Aside from borrowing, the only other option is to rob!

(End of this chapter)