The Matter of How Only a Political Rival Duke, Not My Own Family, Recognized My Worth After I Was Disowned ~When I Turned a Remote Frontier Territory Into the World’s Greatest City, the Noble Lady Assigned to Supervise Me Became the Best Fiancée~ - Episode 5: An Unexpected Attack and an Improvised Fortress

Episode 5: An Unexpected Attack and an Improvised Fortress

The skill gave off a [Warning].

The red light blinking at the edge of my vision unmistakably signaled clear hostility directed toward us.

(At this timing, huh…)

I immediately switched my thoughts.

Just like I did countless times in my previous life whenever trouble struck — calm situation analysis, followed by rapid strategy formulation.

I focused my awareness on the skill [Territory Design] to probe the nature of the light dots.

[Target: Goblin subspecies and Hobgoblin mixed unit]

[Number of individuals: 53]

[Objective: Raid and plunder of Grindel Village]

[Estimated arrival time: About two hours]

Not just ordinary Goblins.

A coordinated unit — as if moving under someone’s orders.

I clicked my tongue and rushed out of the tent.

“Duncan! Call the dwarf foreman! And inform Lady Isabella to gather immediately! This is an emergency!”

Sensing the tension in my voice, everyone around stiffened in unease.

Before long, the main members assembled inside my tent.

“Lord Noah, what in the world—”

“A Goblin unit is heading toward this village. Over fifty of them. They’ll be here in two hours.”

“What—!?”

Duncan and the dwarf foreman gasped.

Isabella maintained her composure. But her amethyst eyes pierced sharply through me.

“The source of your information? How do you know this?”

“There’s no time to explain. You’ll just have to trust me.”

Before she could speak again, I spread out the parchment I had prepared on the table — a rough map depicting the terrain around the village.

“Calling for reinforcements won’t make it in time. We’ll have to deal with it here. Fortunately, we have weapons.”

“Weapons…? In this village? Surely there’s nothing like that—”

“There is.”

I pointed toward the construction site outside.

“In these past weeks, we’ve been building a gigantic fortress — we just didn’t realize it yet.”

I drew lines across the map one after another.

“The ditches we dug for irrigation will serve as perfect moats. We’ll use the quarried stone and timber to make barricades here. The dwarves will set up a catapult position on that hill. Thankfully, the terrain favors us.”

In that instant, what was once a civil engineering blueprint transformed into a flawless defensive plan.

While the others stared in disbelief, Isabella spoke.

“…Are you insane? The enemy is over fifty monsters! We only have old soldiers, craftsmen, and untrained villagers! It’s suicidal! I’ll send a messenger to my father at once—”

“I already told you, there’s no time!”

I cut her off.

“Besides, Lady Isabella — if we can’t defend our own land with our own hands, what then? Every time something happens, will we go crying to Duke Valenstein for help? A land like that has no future.”

Isabella bit her lip.

“…Very well. I’ll follow your madness to the end.”

Then, with a graceful yet resolute motion, she drew the slender rapier at her waist.

“However, I am still a daughter of House Valenstein. I won’t just sit here to be protected.”

That sight — she was truly a flower on the battlefield.

◇

“They’re here…”

From atop the hill, I muttered as I looked down upon the battlefield cloaked in darkness.

At the village entrance, illuminated by torchlight. 

There appeared a swarm of Goblins with sickly green skin.

In just two hours, the village had turned into an improvised fortress.

Traps dug as instructed, barricades piled high, and villagers clutching weapons. They stood at their posts despite their fear.

“Gyaaaah!”

The leading Goblins fell one after another into the trenches we had prepared as pitfalls.

The larger Hobgoblin that seemed to be their commander roared furiously and ordered a full assault.

I surveyed the battlefield from above.

The skill displayed the positions, movements, and even morale levels of both allies and enemies as glowing dots.

Perfect battlefield awareness — this was my way of fighting.

“Duncan! Three Goblins flanking from three o’clock! Intercept them!”

I shouted toward Duncan at the base of the hill.

“With pleasure!” 

He replied powerfully. He cut down the Goblins with brilliant swordsmanship.

“Dwarf unit, ready to throw! Target the enemy’s rear archers! Launch in five seconds!”

From the hill, the dwarves hurled construction stones one after another. They were crushing the enemy’s ranged attackers.

“Villagers, hold the spear wall! The enemy’s momentum is dying! Just one more minute—hold the line!”

My voice spurred on the terrified villagers.

Under my command, that group of amateurs fought as if they were seasoned soldiers. They were pushing back the enemy tide.

The tide of battle had clearly turned in our favor.

And that was when it happened.

The cornered Hobgoblin pulled something from its pouch.

It wasn’t a crude Goblin tool — it was a finely crafted human-made magical device: a flash grenade.

(So there really is someone pulling the strings!)

The moment I realized it, the device activated. And the night battlefield was bathed in a blinding white light like broad daylight.

Our side froze for a split second under the intense glare.

“Damn it!”

Taking advantage of the confusion, the Hobgoblin bolted into the darkness to escape.

Do I give chase? No — if I push too far, it could be a trap.

But if I let it escape now, I’ll lose the lead to the mastermind behind this…!

As commander of the battlefield, I was forced to make an instant decision.