Talk:Send your report to certain bandaged gentlemen/@comment-5271581-20151206182912/@comment-31785736-20180506192735

I am confused as to how you possibly came to the conclusion that it would take 28 cycles, as the only option that doesn't increase Empire's Kingmaker by 10 CP is A Salon of a Sort. By choosing A Strong Box instead, you get 130 CP of Empire's Kingmaker per cycle, regardless of which side you choose. 40 levels is 820 CP, so you can start claiming the candles by your seventh Reward of Intrigue.

It is impossible to go more than nine cycles without reaching level 40, no matter what choices you make. 28 cycles would get Kingmaker up to level 97 (80 if choosing poorly).