Only a few hours ago, we received confirmation that the Slave King's army had been decimated. The outcome exceeded my expectations, as he had even eliminated the surviving ranged units infected with the undead virus.

In reality, out of a hundred people, only about five would have turned, according to Khris. His mastery over his class and abilities to control the undead has grown immensely, and I'm grateful for his support. With him on our side, the undead will likely never pose a threat, except in battles we orchestrate ourselves.

Back in the village, I found myself in my office, buried in a pile of long-overdue paperwork. David and the owlbear had finally finished devising our economic strategy and its implementation. Despite their best efforts to explain it to me, my mind was preoccupied with the ongoing war, and I couldn't give it the time it needed for me to understand what they came up with.

The Slave King's army seemed to be accelerating their advance after the undead battle, and I needed to monitor their approach closely. If they were indeed determined to reach us swiftly, I would have to notify the goblins as soon as possible.

In warfare, timing is crucial, and I refuse to engage in battle without my skirmishers. I have successfully eliminated a significant number of the enemy's scouts and assassins, which should limit their knowledge of the terrain. This advantage will aid us in executing the perfect ambush.

As I glanced at the papers scattered across the table, I noticed a wealth of information about newcomers. It was heartening to see the growth of our village population, which now neared a thousand, thanks to the influx of refugee caravans and groups seeking shelter.

While there have been numerous issues arising from interpersonal conflicts and politics, I have not yet needed to intervene directly. One common resolution has been to offer former leaders among the refugees a chance to swear an oath and join the ranks of our clan administrators.

However, there was one individual who seemed to have misunderstood the gravity of these vows. As soon as the first drop of blood touched the ground, he met a gruesome end. He must have believed the oaths were mere words, without any real obligation to uphold them.

When that incident occurred, I felt a sense of relief. I had taken a risk by allowing the fool to take the oath, despite knowing he was untrustworthy and likely harbored malicious intentions. His fate served as a stark reminder that the oath was not to be taken lightly, and anyone seeking a leadership position within the United Freeholds must treat it with utmost respect.

At present, the additional population was mostly residing in tents, as we hadn't yet been able to allocate the manpower for proper housing. Our military, however, had grown significantly, now boasting nearly 300 Legionnaires prepared to face the Slave King's army of over 700 melee fighters. When it came to elite troops, we held the advantage, as many who had made the perilous journey to our village were exceptional fighters. These individuals were eager to take revenge on the Slave King, who had driven them from their homes.

The rest of the population was hard at work, crafting armor for our Legionnaires. Shields and spears were at the ready, and many had helmets, but there was a concerning lack of body armor. My hope was that the people proficient in making any form of armour among us could equip our soldiers with sufficient protection, at least to cover their vital areas.

Our most significant challenge lay at the high end of power. I was currently the only first-rank fighter on our side, while the enemy had three. This would make for a more evenly matched battle, but the Slave King's forces also included a few additional fighters close to the first-rank level, ready to lend their support to the Slave King.

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I was no longer afraid of dying in the upcoming battle, but I knew that they outnumbered me. If just one of their high-ranking fighters made a move toward our Legionnaires or goblins to decimate their ranks, I might not be able to stop them. This was a risk I couldn't afford to take. Thankfully, there was a chance that this issue might be resolved within the next few hours.

The most recent group of refugees was unlike the others. While previous groups had struggled through the forest, this one seemed to have had an almost leisurely journey. It appeared they had been safeguarded by someone who could potentially tip the scales in our favor—a first-rank assassin. I suspected that the refugees themselves were unaware of this individual's presence, but the assassin had undoubtedly kept them safe.

I only knew of the assassin's existence because of the blue dot that indicated their location. At first, I thought they might be one of the Slave King's assassins who had managed to conceal their true intentions. However, that didn't add up. If they were indeed working for the Slave King, the refugees would have arrived in a much worse state to avoid arousing suspicion. The journey would have been too safe otherwise.

This assassin possessed remarkable stealth skills and abilities, even rendering themselves invisible to my sight. Occasionally, I would catch a glimpse of a false reflection, hinting at their presence. But the most reliable method of tracking them was through my land authority and the blue dot that represented the mysterious figure, whose gender and species still eluded me.

I had been waiting for this enigmatic assassin to approach me for several days, but they had yet to reveal themselves. At the moment, they were the closest they had ever been—still completely invisible, but standing in a corner of the room near the window.

"I finished my paperwork some time ago. I don't have the luxury of time to play games, so either attack me now or stop messing around and show yourself." There was a brief silence before a figure gradually materialized right where the blue dot indicated.

"I know you can't see me, and you can barely sense my presence. Yet you still know precisely where I am. I'd like to learn how you manage that someday," the person spoke in a nonchalant tone.

I examined the individual, who appeared to be an ordinary man, save for a small scar on his chin. However, something about his facial features seemed familiar. Suddenly, it clicked. Many people who arrived with the last refugee group bore a striking resemblance to him. They were either his family or relatives, which explained his protection.

"I see you've already figured it out. I expected nothing less. Your act of playing a naive noble is convincing enough, but anyone with a shred of common sense would see through it quickly. Still, it's good enough to deceive most long-range reconnaissance abilities." He nodded respectfully, then approached and sat on the opposite side of the table. He sat upright, exuding the demeanor of a refined gentleman, which piqued my curiosity even more.

"I assume you're willing to fight against the approaching army," I said, studying him intently. "I am, yes, but I must inform you, I'm not particularly effective in direct combat. While I can hold my own, my strength lies in striking from the shadows, catching my enemies off-guard."

I pondered for a few minutes, the silence enveloping us. "This can work. When I engage the Slave King and his strongest fighters, you will remain hidden and strike only when someone attempts to flee from me towards our troops." After a brief pause, he gave a dignified nod, so I continued. "You will also have a second objective, and that is to rescue a person named Mirhit from the Slave King and ensure his safety."

For the first time, I saw a flicker of confusion on the assassin's face. "You would rather have me help this boy than assist our other fighters?" he inquired with a hint of disdain in his voice. I didn't mind it. "I thought you might appreciate the recognition of saving your future commander, assuming he chooses to join us, of course." That statement finally made him break his proper demeanor.

"My commander? Are you insane? If this isn't a joke, I have no idea why you would think that a boy would become my superior," he said, his voice filled with irritation. I tried to suppress a smile. "You'll understand in time, but the night is drawing to a close, and it's time for me to start the Legionnaires' next training exercise. It's going to be fun; you should come and watch."

The assassin vanished as soon as I looked away. The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, slowly illuminating the world. I was in the training grounds, setting up. The last thing I did was bring Francis to the area. Some Legionnaires were already present, looking puzzled by the equipment prepared. As I went and stood at attention, waiting for everyone to arrive, I heard a voice from my left, where I saw nothing. "You are absolutely insane, and I love it."