Kingdom Building Game: Starting Out With A Million Upgrade Points! - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Strength Forged In Mud
Cedric hesitated, his curiosity bubbling to the surface. “This item you’ve spoken of… what is it, exactly? What could the Akerians possibly desire so greatly?”

Eryndor’s face darkened instantly, and his tone became sharp. “You overstep, Cedric. Your task is to follow orders, not question them. Do not presume that our generosity in working with you permits you to forget your place.”

The Grand Vizier’s arrogance crumbled in an instant. He bowed deeply, his voice trembling. “My apologies, Advisor. I spoke out of turn. Please, forgive my indiscretion.”

Eryndor’s expression softened, though the edge in his voice remained. “You are forgiven. But heed my warning… do not speak of this again.”

“Of course,” Cedric murmured, his head still bowed.

“Good,” Eryndor said, his voice final. “Do not fail us, Cedric. Our ambitions align, but only for as long as you prove useful.”

As the orb dimmed and the advisor’s presence vanished, Ivan remained motionless in the shadows, his mind racing. The implications of what he had just witnessed were staggering. Cedric’s treachery was deeper than he had imagined.

“Rebellion, assassination, alliances with foreign powers…” Ivan said calmly. Cedric couldn’t hear him due to his Veil of Oblivion skill.

Ivan watched Cedric intently, his eyes narrowing, a small touch of respect and disdain in his tone.

“So, this is how he communicates with the enemy. Ingenious, really. By using this approach, no physical documents can implicate him. And that orb… its activation tied exclusively to his unique magical signature. Even if I decided to steal it, it couldn’t be used as evidence against him.”

Ivan’s expression hardened. “Still, no matter how clever he is, his arrogance will be his downfall. One way or another, I will be the one to bring his crimes to my lord. For now, I need to ensure what I’ve witnessed reaches the emperor’s ears.”

Moving silently, Ivan waited as Cedric began ascending the spiral staircase. Ivan saw his chance and approached without a sound, his Veil of Oblivion still masking his presence.

Leaning in close, Ivan whispered into Cedric’s ear, his voice barely audible but brimming with menace.

“The emperor is always watching.”

Cedric froze mid-step, his body stiffening as if ice had gone down the back of his shirt. His head whipped around, his eyes wide and frantic as he shouted into the emptiness.

“Who’s there? Show yourself!”

The only response was the eerie silence of the dimly lit passageway. Cedric’s breathing quickened, his eyes darting around in search of the voice, but he found nothing.

The unease clawed at him, his composure unraveling as the silence seemed to press in on him.

Cedric hurriedly turned and dashed up the stairs, his footsteps echoing loudly as he disappeared from sight.

—

The midmorning sun blazed overhead, casting its relentless glare over the swampy outskirts of Castrellon, the royal capital.

This was Day Three of their intense training with the emperor. Like the mornings before, Arkanos led the knights through the knee-deep mud, dragging massive boulders behind them with ropes attached to their shoulders. The swampy terrain was treacherous, and it was all too easy to lose footing and fall.

On the first day, many of the knights had assumed this grueling task would be the extent of their morning training. But they were wrong. After this hellish crawl through the mud, Arkanos would begin their actual training session.

“This is just the ‘warm-up,'” he had said.

The so-called warm-up was so intense that some knights found themselves too exhausted to continue.

Those who dared to ask for a break quickly learned the consequences of their words. Arkanos had no tolerance for weakness.

He removed them from the knight order, ensuring that only the strongest and most determined remained by his side.

SPLAT! A knight staggered, losing his footing momentarily as his boulder jerked in the muck. He groaned, gripping the thick rope strapped to his shoulder tighter and straining against the weight.

“Keep moving!” yelled Seraphine, her authoritative voice echoing through the air.

Her own boulder, a hulking mass of stone almost rivaling a house in size, dragged behind her. Her shoulders strained under the effort, but her steps were controlled, and her focus was razor-sharp.

The knights exchanged glances, awe written across their mud-streaked faces as they glanced ahead.

Leading the charge was Emperor Arkanos himself, his boulder dwarfing all others. It carved a massive furrow in the swamp, displacing mud and water with a thunderous BAM! with every powerful tug.

“Damn… is he even human?” one knight gasped.

“Built different,” another muttered, shaking his head in awe as he adjusted his grip on his own rope. “The emperor isn’t just strong. He’s something else entirely.”

A grunt came from a younger knight struggling beside them. “And Lady Seraphine… She’s not far behind him!”

“Of course not,” someone else spoke up, his voice dripping with admiration. “She’s the Knight Captain. She’s gotta set an example!”

“Yeah, but this…” A knight pointed toward Arkanos with his chin. His black iron armor glinted faintly in the sunlight, mud splattered across his legs as he dug his boots into the swamp for traction.

“This is insane. You see the size of that thing he’s pulling? The emperor makes it look easy.”

SQUELCH! SPLAT! A rope strained audibly, and a knight stumbled again before steadying himself. “Ugh, I don’t know if I can keep this up,” he groaned, sweat streaming down his temple.

“Don’t you dare give up!” a voice snapped. The source was a wiry young knight with a determined expression despite the mud clinging to his armor.

His arms trembled as he hauled his boulder forward, his boots sliding slightly in the muck. “I worked my ass off to graduate from the Magic Academy and earn my place here. I’m not about to get tossed aside because I couldn’t pull a rock!”

“That’s the spirit!” Seraphine called over her shoulder, her tone sharp but laced with encouragement. “You’re knights of Castrellon. Act like it!”

Another knight wheezed a laugh, his chest heaving as he adjusted his stance. “Easier said than done, Captain. My arms feel like they’re about to fall off!”