Kingdom Building Game: Starting Out With A Million Upgrade Points! - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: A Sword Against The Past
The barracks were filled with the sounds of early morning activity. Sunlight filtered through narrow windows, casting thin beams of light onto the rough stone walls.

The air was filled with the scent of metal and leather, mixing with the faint smokes of a distant forge. Boots clattered against the stone floor, followed by the occasional clang of swords being drawn and sheathed.

Seraphine strode through the halls, her white and gold armor gleaming faintly in the dim light. Her blue cape fluttered behind her, embroidered with the crest of the empire.

Her long golden hair, tied into a neat braid, swayed with each step. Her expression was calm, yet focused, as she was heading to go inform the other knights to gather up for the day’s training with the emperor.

As she turned a corner, her path was suddenly blocked by a knight. He was tall, standing just over six feet, with a lean muscular build. His iron armor was simple, a bit roughed up from use.

Strands of dark brown hair fell over his forehead, contrasting sharply with his sharp, hazel eyes. A jagged scar ran across his left cheek, giving him an intimidating look.

He smirked, leaning casually against the stone wall. “Well, if it isn’t the emperor’s favorite pet and sole commander of his entire army,” he said mockingly.

“Already up and about, with that irritatingly calm look as always, and I see your armor still doesn’t even have a scratch on it. How enviable. Must be nice, being fawned over like this.” His smirk widened as he then said, “Really makes the rest of us wonder if we are even needed around here.”

Seraphine halted mid-step, her entire body going still. The calmness on her face disappeared, her expression becoming intense as she turned to look at him with an icy glare.

Her eyes already began to glow faintly as mana surged through her, the light intensifying with her growing anger. She then said his name, “Darian.”

Her voice dropped further as she then said. “What do you want?”

Seraphine grip the hilt of her sword, her glowing blue eyes locked onto Darian with intensity. The mana emanating from her seemed to make the air around her vibrate.

She then said…

“Do you know… ”

“…that delaying me from carrying out the emperor’s orders is a crime punishable by death under imperial law?”

Her words caused a loom of unease to cross Darian’s face. He quickly raised both hands in a placating gesture, stepping back slightly.

“Woah, woah! Take it easy,” he said, his smirk fading just a bit. “Since when did you become so hot-blooded? Seems trailing after the emperor all day like a lost child has really done a number on you.”

Seraphine’s expression darkened further. Her hand remained steady on her sword’s hilt as she took a single step toward him, her voice dangerously low. “If you don’t state your business here now, Darian, I won’t hesitate to cut you down.”

Darian swallowed hard but quickly hid his discomfort with a forced chuckle. “Alright, alright. Calm down, Lady General. I come in peace.”

“Then out with it,” Seraphine snapped, her tone sharp enough to make the other knights in the distance pause and glance toward then.

Darian took another step back, trying to put more space between himself and her piercing gaze. He forced a disarming grin. “Relax, would you? Let me speak. You’re wound tighter than a crossbow string, Seraphine.”

Seraphine remained silent, her glowing eyes locked onto Darian. The tension in the air was intense, like a string pulled taut, ready to snap at any moment.

Darian sighed, lowering his hands slightly. “Alright, alright,” he said, his tone losing some of its mockery. “I wanted to tell you a little rumor… something a little birdie told me.”

He paused, watching her for a reaction, but Seraphine’s face remained unreadable. He hesitated for a moment, then said, “It’s about the previous generals.”

At those words, Seraphine’s stance shifted. The mana around her began to calm slightly, and the glow in her eyes dimmed, though her grip on her sword’s hilt didn’t relax entirely.

“What about them?” she asked, her voice was still sharp but controlled.

Darian took a cautious step back before continuing. “According to what I heard, they’re planning to throw their lot in with some of the nobles… you know, the ones who are planning a rebellion.”

The previous generals, once the great pillars of the empire, had been stripped of their duties after Arkanos ascended the throne, which was also what caused the military to shrink, now merely a shadow of what it once was. This was because they had pledged their loyalty to the now-deceased first prince, Dekminer.

His death occurred during a succession duel he himself had instigated, following the death of their father in the war that devastated the continent, now known as the Shadow of Eden.

A war raged solely over a rumor of a tree whose fruit was believed to grant divinity.

These generals had been key contributors to the empire’s efforts in that war. Although the empire never found the said tree, they had done well to protect their lands against other nations that saw the chaos as an opportunity to expand their territories.

Their actions were instrumental in maintaining the empire’s integrity during its darkest hours.

Initially, Arkanos had demoted the generals or reassigned them to distant posts, likely to consolidate his power and avoid outright rebellion.

However, as time passed, he fully dismissed them and stripped their families of titles and lands, reducing them to commoners.

This gradual removal allowed him to tighten his grip on the empire without provoking immediate unrest, but the resentment only grew over time.

Never would the generals have imagined that their loyalty to the empire would be taken for granted simply because they had chosen to stand by the crown prince.

While their sense of duty and love for the land kept them from acting against Arkanos at first, the injustice of their treatment grew within them.

It was easy to see why they would rebel against Arkanos. In fact, the reason they hadn’t done so until now was their belief that the empire’s survival came first and their hope that Arkanos might eventually prove himself a worthy ruler.