“Wow, look at that…”
“It’s really joined together… like it’s always been one!”
“Can we actually step onto that side now?”
People stood at the edge of the Empire, staring in awe and curiosity at the sight before them. Ever since their Empires had merged, they had been observing the borders with fascinated expressions, unable to believe what had happened.
This was something entirely new to them. In the past, if someone wished to visit another Empire, they had no choice but to use Teleportation, a costly and often inconvenient method. But now? Now they could simply walk across as if the border never existed in the first place!
It felt surreal—almost as if they had become next-door neighbours overnight.
Some people, driven by excitement and curiosity, dared to take a step into the Pyra Empire, only to be met with immediate resistance… Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire
“You need to leave—now!” Soldiers from the Pyra Empire rushed forward, their authoritative voices echoing through the awe people.
In response, soldiers from the Naiadae Empire also arrived, swiftly blocking the border to prevent any further movement.
Of course, there was no way they could allow people to freely cross between Empires just yet. It wasn’t as simple as opening a door and letting everyone in. Before anything else, they needed to stabilize the situation. There were countless matters to handle—both diplomatic and practical—to ensure that neither Empire suffered any unintended consequences.
This was not a simple merger; it was the beginning of an entirely new reality.
Meanwhile…
Back in Pyra Empire’s grand palace, inside a chamber,
“It’s not what we expected, is it?” Emberlyn spoke with a deep frown, her sharp gaze shifting to her daughter, Raven.
Raven, however, was completely unbothered, clinging onto Aether like a koala, her arms wrapped tightly around him. Beside them, Thalia was using large, ornate feathers to fan the two with an utterly exasperated expression.
How greatly the mighty Ex-Chosen One had fallen!!
“Honestly, if someone told me our Empires were once a single entity, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Isadora said, seated elegantly before the group. Though her face remained calm and composed, there was a subtle trace of irritation in her expression.
Everyone had been utterly shocked when they learned the truth about the Empires.
“Wait… does this mean the worlds are just merging back together?” Thalia asked, tilting her head in confusion.
“It certainly seems that way,” Dora said with a thoughtful nod. She turned her attention to Aether and asked, “When you were in space, you said you saw a mix of white and black spheres, right? Was that all you saw?”
Aether, who was gently stroking Raven’s hair to keep her calm, nodded. “Yes. I’m still not entirely sure how it works, but from what I observed, there were strange roots emerging from that sphere… one half of it was pure black, while the other half was pure white. It felt like something was trying to bind everything back together.”
“Hmmm…” Thalia frowned, her arms crossed. “So this whole ‘beginning’ thing is just about reconnecting what was once whole?”
If that was the case, why was this process so complicated? Why make them go through a brutal trial? Why force them to endure suffering, destruction, and death, when they could have just pulled everything together in an instant?
It didn’t make sense!
“I don’t think that’s the full picture,” Aether interrupted, “This isn’t just about healing broken wounds… something else” he wasn’t sure why but he was sure merging empires was not the beginning… it’s the kind of feeling he got ever since he saw that mysterious origin white-black sphere!
Thalia scoffed. “Oh yeah? Then what exactly is it?”
Aether shook his head, “I wish I knew.”
The room fell into a heavy silence…
Then, Aether turned his gaze toward Raven and asked, “Since you all received the trial, that means this isn’t just limited to our Empire. It’s only a matter of time before the other Empires go through the same thing…”
At those words, the atmosphere grew tense.
One collision had already wreaked havoc, causing unimaginable destruction. But if this was only the beginning… and four more Empires were about to undergo the same fate…
The consequences would be catastrophic!!
“We can’t just sit around. We have to do something—!” Thalia said, her voice laced with urgency.
However…
Dora’s expression darkened, and she muttered under her breath, “…Raven, Leon, Aqualina, and Kai all failed this trial.”
“Huh?!” Everyone turned to her in shock.
Aether, too, was momentarily stunned, but then something clicked in his mind. He blinked in realization before speaking. “Wait… is it because Sandra and I interfered?”
Dora nodded, her expression grim. “Yes. The moment a trial begins, it becomes the Chosen Ones’ responsibility to complete it. If anyone else interferes—whether by accident or on purpose—the Chosen Ones automatically fail.”
Raven, who had been comfortably clinging to Aether, gasped in mild surprise before shrugging.
Honestly, she didn’t care.
She had already achieved her goal—reviving the Phoenix.
That was the only thing she had ever truly wanted. As for the war and the wish that came with the trial? She had lost interest in all of that long ago.
She was a simple woman with simple desires!!… and simple words!!!
Aether, however, processed the information differently.
‘That means… Aria, Helena, and Nyx are the only ones left who can finish the trial.’
He didn’t even spare a single thought for the male Chosen Ones. In his mind, they weren’t even worth considering anymore.
However…
“How the hell are they supposed to finish this? It’s not like you can just plop an Empire down wherever you want! Hell, even I had a hard time fixing this damn mess,” Aether said, his frustration evident.
No matter how one looked at it, the remaining Chosen Ones weren’t strong enough, nor did they have the capability to leave their Empire and resolve this issue like he did.
Expecting them to do it alone was absurd.
Dora simply shrugged, “Even I cannot intervene in this matter, Aether. As a Sovereign, it’s my duty to observe, not to interfere. When it’s a trial, I can only watch—whether thousands perish or… thousands survive… I have no right to change the outcome, just as I had no right to intervene when I watched over you all.”
Aether clicked his tongue in irritation. He fully understood the situation, but knowing didn’t make it any less frustrating. This wasn’t something that could be solved without the aid of a strong external force…. And among the remaining Chosen Ones, Aria and Kaelen didn’t stand a chance of handling this on their own. If Aether stepped in again, they would fail the trial just like Raven, Leon, and the others had.
The situation was far more complex and problematic than they had initially thought.
Suddenly, Emberlyn, who had been quietly observing everyone, raised her hand in a composed yet deliberate manner. “May I?” she asked, her tone serious, as if she had already formulated a solution.
Aether sighed inwardly. His mother-in-law was still as rigid and formal as ever, never deviating from her proper etiquette. Nevertheless, he gave her a nod, gesturing for her to speak.
“We can be certain that our Thrusters did their job successfully. So why not provide the same technology to the other Empires?”
Dora immediately shook her head. “That would count as direct interference—” But before she could even finish her sentence…
Raven, who had been comfortably snuggling into Aether’s embrace, suddenly turned her head and interjected with a casual tone, “What if we sell it to them instead?”
“Huh?”
Raven continued, her voice calm yet decisive, “Since we’re not allowed to interfere with the trial… why don’t we just sell the Thrusters to them and let the other Chosen Ones do their jobs? That way, we’re not technically helping them—we’re just engaging in a trade, a fair exchange.”
Aether nodded slowly, considering the idea. It was an interesting loophole, but he still had his doubts. “Will that actually work, though? Wouldn’t that still be seen as indirect interference?”
Dora frowned, deep in thought. This was the first time she had encountered such a strategy, and it certainly hadn’t been done before. “I… I’m not entirely sure. Selling it to them means it’s an exchange of goods, not direct assistance, so technically… it might be allowed. But… there’s still a chance it could be perceived as aiding them in an unfair way. I really don’t know how the trial will interpret it.”
Aether let out a low chuckle, a mischievous glint flickering in his eyes. “Well, if even you aren’t certain, that means there’s a real possibility we can pull this off…”
Suddenly—
Knock, knock…
Aether, now donning his cracked mask as Victor, sighed inwardly. He really needed to get a new one soon; this one was barely holding together. Straightening his posture, he called out, “Come in.”
The door creaked open, and Lyirrs entered hastily, her expression tense and impatient. The moment her gaze landed on Victor’s masked face, her sharp eyes scanned for any visible signs of injury, but the mask concealed most of his features, making it hard to tell if he was truly unharmed.
“Your Majesty, are you alright?” she asked, her tone betraying a mixture of worry and urgency.
Victor smiled reassuringly. “I’m fine, Lady Lyirrs. There’s no need to worry.”
She let out a deep sigh of relief, but her posture remained rigid as if she still wasn’t entirely convinced.
Just then, Drakhairs followed behind her, a smugly amused expression on his face.
“You should’ve seen her, sir. She was pacing outside like a lost chick, unable to stand still for even a second. Hahaha… it was like watching a mother hen who lost her baby! She couldn’t hold back her worries, and that’s why she knocked on the door in the middle of your meeting with the Sovereign. Please forgive her, sir,” he said, bowing slightly, though his teasing tone was unmistakable.
Lyirrs’ face instantly turned beet red, and she quickly lowered her head in embarrassment.
Victor chuckled, shaking his head. “Haha… there’s no need to apologize for that. I’m just surprised that Lyirrs was so worried about me. Honestly… I’m happy to hear that.” He smiled warmly at her, his voice gentle.
Lyirrs stiffened at his words, her face growing even redder. “T-That’s… of course… I-I…!” she stammered, completely flustered, her eyes darting away as she struggled to compose herself.
Then—
Chomp!
Victor flinched, a sharp yet warm sensation spreading through his neck.
He turned his head slightly and—
There was Raven.
Her lips latched onto his skin, her cheeks puffed up like a squirrel’s as she bit him—well, more like nibbled on him—with an utterly blank expression, as if she were casually snacking on his flesh.
“What the—?” Before Victor could even react—
Laughter exploded throughout the room.
“Pfft—Hahahaha!!”
“What was that?!” Victor asked, utterly bewildered.
Still struggling to catch her breath from laughing so hard, Thalia smirked and wheezed, “Hahaha… oh gods… S-She’s jealous!”
Emberlyn chuckled softly at her daughter’s ridiculous possessiveness, clearly amused by the unexpected display.
Dora, despite trying to maintain her composure, let out a quiet chuckle as well.
Meanwhile, Lyirrs felt like she was about to die from sheer embarrassment. If there were a hole nearby, she would have gladly thrown herself into it and never come out!
‘This is too much! I didn’t mean to steal him from you, Empress!’ she screamed internally.
Victor, on the other hand, could only let out a weak, helpless smile.
Deciding to steer the conversation back to the actual issue at hand, he cleared his throat and changed the subject. “Alright, let’s focus on the current situation with the other Empires.”
However, as he spoke, his eyes suddenly gleamed with something dangerous… and in his pupils appeared a distinct “ˀ”—the symbol of Zenith Money.
It was just like those classic dollar signs that pop up in cartoons whenever a character smells profit!
He was already plotting something… something potentially very lucrative.
‘Hehehe…’