Kingdom Building Game: Starting Out With A Million Upgrade Points!-Chapter 123: In The Emperor’s Absence

The Grand Strategy Room – Royal Capital’s Palace

A tense air filled the grand strategy room.

The massive table at the center was covered in maps, reports, and scattered pieces of parchment.

Standing around the table were the summoned heroes, some of the knights, the head priestess, and the royal advisor.

Abaddon, his jet-black wings folded behind him, leaned lazily against a seat.

Arc Mage Sylvana had her arms crossed, with her staff hovering beside her.

Knight Captain Seraphine stood at the head of the table, her armored hands resting firmly on the table as she leaned on it, her blue eyes fixed on a map.

Utilia, the Berserk Knight Captain, leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her muscles tensed like a predator waiting to pounce.

Ivan was barely noticeable in the dim lighting, standing in the corner of the room, twirling his dagger—his dark attire allowing him to blend into the shadows.

Arval, the Royal Advisor, stood calmly at Seraphine’s right, adjusting his monocle. And finally, High Priestess Isode, robed in white and gold, listened quietly, her hands folded in her lap.

The Discussion Begins

Seraphine’s voice cut through the silence.

"We need to act now."

She slammed her hand on the table, making some of the papers flutter.

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"The Emperor’s sudden absence is not a coincidence. This was planned. The moment he was drawn away, those noble rats responsible for this siege will use this as their window to escape. If we do not move immediately, they will slip past our borders, and we will never be able to root them out."

Abaddon chuckled, his wings rustling slightly.

"Ah, such fire, such determination… truly a marvel to witness."

He leaned forward, resting his chin on his palm. "And yet, while your argument is as charming as it is passionate, I only take orders from the Emperor. If he has not given a command, I see no reason to waste my time chasing after vermin."

Seraphine scoffed. "Oh, get over yourself, fallen. You think those nobles will wait for Arkanos to return before they move? Do you think they will sit politely and wait for his judgment? No. They will flee. And when they do, they will walk away unpunished for their crimes, take everything they’ve stolen—gold, artifacts, and perhaps military assets."

Sylvana hummed, tapping a finger against the table. "The knight captain is correct. If this is truly their move, then our response must be swift. However, the imperial army isn’t exactly large enough to capture multiple noble territories, so we lack the numbers to launch an immediate full-scale operation."

Utilia cracked her knuckles. "Numbers don’t matter. If we know where they are, we can storm their manors and cut them down before they even think about running. And since it has barely been half a day since the siege ended, they must still be in the middle of planning their escape."

Ivan finally spoke. "I have a list."

The room turned toward him.

He reached into his cloak and pulled out a parchment, tossing it onto the table. Arval swiftly picked it up, his sharp eyes scanning the names.

Seraphine leaned closer. "I knew it. These bastards were waiting for this moment. Look at them—House Calder, House Morwen, House Velmont, and the traitors that allied with them… I knew they were plotting something. This proves it."

Arval adjusted his monocle, his mind already working through the possibilities. "Assassin, how recent is this information?"

"Up to date."

Arval nodded. "Then this means we know who they are, but not where they will go once they flee. We must anticipate their escape routes."

He turned to Seraphine. "We should send word to the nobles that aren’t on the list. They would likely still be loyal to the Emperor. We can have them set up blockades on the roads leading out of the empire and station forces at every known safe house in those regions. If we fail to contain them now, our next move will be much more complicated."

Seraphine exhaled sharply, her fingers drumming against the table as she pondered Arval’s suggestion.

"We cannot just rely on blockades alone," she countered. "These nobles are no strangers to backroom deals. If we move too slowly, they will bribe their way through checkpoints or vanish into hidden escape routes."

She turned her gaze to Ivan. "You’re an assassin. You know how people disappear. Where would they go?"

Ivan smirked, flipping his dagger between his fingers.

"If I were in their place, I’d have at least three options prepared: One, fleeing through merchant caravans—gold has a way of making people look the other way. Two, securing passage on hidden ships along the coast, House Morwen’s territory, likely through private docks owned by their families. Three, disguising themselves as pilgrims or refugees and slipping into neutral territory."

Arval adjusted his monocle. "Then we must counter each route. The merchant roads require immediate inspection—Seraphine, station knights there. The eastern coast… Mage, can you deploy scouts or magic surveillance?"

Sylvana gave a thoughtful nod. "I can do better. If we identify the docks most likely to be used, I can summon my familiars to block access. No ship will leave without my say-so."

Seraphine smiled. "Perfect. That leaves the refugee angle. High Priestess Isode, is it possible to use the church’s network to track and intercept suspicious groups?"

Isode, who had remained quiet thus far, finally spoke. "It will take time, but yes. Our temples are visited by travelers, and our priests often record their backgrounds. I can issue orders for our branches across the empire to report any nobles attempting to pass as commoners."

Seraphine nodded. "Good. We will lock down their escape routes. But we also need to strike first."

Abaddon chuckled. "So bloodthirsty. And how exactly do you propose we do that?"

Seraphine’s eyes gleamed. "By removing the ones who still think they are safe. We don’t just let them run—we go to them first."

She jabbed a finger at the map. "House Calder, House Morwen, House Velmont—these major houses should be targeted first. We will not give them any time to organize. We launch preemptive strikes on their manors before word of this meeting even spreads."