Chapter 185: Sibling Rivalry and the Empire's End [Two-in-One]

Chapter 185: Sibling Rivalry and the Empire's End [Two-in-One]

"If the Keville Imperial Palace is the jewel crowning Willis City, then Morton Garden is the gem of the palace. Yet when you arrive, all else pales in comparison—you are the brightest, most dazzling pearl upon Keville's crown!"

Kexian, the eleventh monarch of the Keville Empire, stepped into the pavilion of Morton Garden with a smile.

There, his sister Clairement sat in the most elegant duchess-like posture, one leg gracefully crossed over the other. Before her floated a Virtual Curved Screen that spanned the full 188 degrees of her peripheral vision.

Though the contents of the screen were invisible from behind, the flickering streams of data reflected in Clairement's eyes told Kexian she was working.

The sight stirred a complicated mix of emotions in him—happiness, envy, even a tinge of jealousy.

With the announcement of the Binding, the Internet God's status had practically overnight ascended to the ranks of the most powerful gods in the multiverse.

Though the spread of the internet had already made many aware of the Internet God's extraordinary nature, the limitations of information dissemination and differing perspectives had led to wildly varying assessments of his true strength.

It wasn’t until the Internet God formed an offensive and defensive alliance with the Five Great Righteous Gods, officially joining them as the Six Great Righteous Gods, that the world finally grasped the full extent of his power.

The Internet God’s strength must be on par with the Five Great Righteous Gods—otherwise, why would they have agreed to such a pact?

One could say that with the emergence of the Binding, the multiverse’s power structure was poised for another upheaval. What the future held? No one knew.

The gods themselves were scrambling, preparing for the unprecedented changes to come in the next few millennia.

Among the terms of the treaty, the Interconnected Bank sent shockwaves through the multiverse.

Kexian couldn’t fathom why the Internet God would bind the very foundation of divinity—Source Essence—to currency. But he knew the Interconnected Bank would soon spread across the multiverse, becoming one of the most critical institutions under the Internet God’s banner.

In the multiverse, no organization or institution could span the preaching zones of multiple gods.

If one had to name an exception, it would be the gods’ covert intelligence networks—operating in the shadows.

Yet the Interconnected Bank had achieved this openly, boldly.

Regardless of its functional purpose, merely existing across the preaching zones of the gods and throughout the multiverse was nothing short of earth-shattering.

And the one entrusted by the gods to oversee this colossal institution? None other than his own sister, Clairement.

How could Kexian not feel envy?

In a daze, he even recalled the argument a year ago when he had opposed her joining the training program.

Had she listened to his advice back then, none of this would have come to pass.

The thought deepened his inner turmoil, even stirring a hint of self-doubt.

For he realized now that his vision had never matched his sister’s.

"Those were Father’s words," Clairement said, dismissing the Virtual Screen as she stood.

"Indeed. For you, he spared no expense to renovate this garden. He never treated me half as well," Kexian replied with a chuckle.

"Is that so? Yet you inherited the empire the moment you were born—isn’t that the greatest gift of all? Compared to that, what’s a mere garden?"

Clairement’s pointed comfort left Kexian stunned, speechless for a long while.

"Humans always fixate on what they lack, while taking what they already have for granted."

Clairement sighed, her tone tinged with melancholy, almost like a sentimental bard.

"Now you sound like a girl your age."

Kexian chuckled.

Clairement smiled faintly in response, her gaze lingering wistfully over Morton Garden before her.

This garden was her favorite place!

Not only was it enchanted with intricate formations to keep it eternally spring-like, blooming with flowers, but it also preserved so much of her youth and memories.

"You must be swamped right now. Why the sudden return? And without even telling me." Sensing his sister’s disinterest in the topic, Kexian tactfully shifted the conversation.

"Busy? I haven’t slept in four days. Every second is packed—shutting down the Metal Mint, inspecting the Paper Money Factory, outmaneuvering schemers, establishing new institutions, recruiting personnel..."

Clairement couldn’t help but vent.

Once Keville Currency—no, Interconnected Coins—were pegged to Source Essence, the multiverse descended into utter frenzy.

Interconnected Coins became overnight sensations, their value skyrocketing!

Where the Interconnected Grand E-commerce once relied mostly on barter, now the majority of clients demanded transactions in Interconnected Coins.

The problem? While Keville Empire Merchants were wealthy, their reserves were a drop in the bucket compared to the multiverse’s demand.

With supply falling far short, the purchasing power of Interconnected Coins surged violently.

On the Black Market, some even traded gold directly for Interconnected Coins!

Amid this chaos, one loophole drew countless eyes.

To stabilize Keville’s monetary market, the Internet God still recognized Keville Currency as legal tender, labeling it "legacy currency."

But while the right to mint Keville Currency appeared to rest with the royal family, in reality, nobles—even commoners—could mint it freely.

After all, Keville Currency was metal-based, essentially just general equivalents.

Gold, silver, copper—whether stamped into coins or wiped on one’s backside, they’d still hold value.

Now, with Interconnected Coins’ explosive worth, everyone scrambled for wealth by any means necessary.

Underhanded tactics proliferated wildly, especially Counterfeit Currency!

No one could replicate Interconnected Coins’ paper money.

These bills had unique anti-counterfeiting features.

Though they looked ordinary, scanning them with the Internet’s Virtual Screen would instantly verify their authenticity.

This relied on the Divine Spark Authority’s exclusivity, making replication impossible.

Even perfect surface copies would be exposed under the Internet’s scrutiny.

Interconnected paper money was secure—but Keville’s metal currency? Easy to fake.

Overnight, floods of Keville Currency poured into banks.

Clairement, caught off guard by this sudden onslaught, acted decisively after reporting to the Internet God.

1. Bank branches outside the Keville Empire refuse to accept Keville metal currency.

2. Within the empire, adult citizens are only allowed to exchange up to one gold coin—equivalent to ten thousand copper coins—per person, with a time limit of three days.

3. Once Interconnected Bank branches collect metal currency, they will no longer allow it to be exchanged back; withdrawals are only supported in paper money.

4. Those who report private minting of Keville Currency will, upon verification, receive Interconnected Coins as a reward proportional to the confiscated amount. Anonymous reporting is supported.

5. …

This series of high-pressure measures could not completely eliminate the appearance of Counterfeit Currency.

However, it at least managed to curb the situation.

Under the three-day deadline, even if the gods frantically produced counterfeit money, the limited population of Keville could not support their frenzied exchange for Interconnected Coins.

This was one of the costs the Internet God had to bear in promoting Interconnected Coins as the standard currency of the multiverse.

But this cost was entirely within Yu Sheng'an's tolerance!

After all, the reclaimed metal currency wasn’t unusable—it was, by nature, a general equivalent. Sending it to factories as raw industrial material even saved transportation costs.

Back to the main topic.

At this moment, Kexian looked at his sister, only to find that despite her seemingly complaining tone, her eyes were bright—exceptionally bright!

He still remembered the ambition she had revealed during her last debriefing—to become the Internet God’s pontiff, shepherding the Azeia Main Domain in His name!

Who could have imagined that the Internet God would grant her power far beyond the limits of her ambition?

Shepherding the multiverse.

At this thought, Kexian felt a pang of bitterness and even greater envy.

Though he had always doted on his sister, seeing the girl who once idolized him develop independent thoughts under the influence of the internet—and even, by a single step, become someone he now had to look up to—How could such a staggering reversal not shake him to the core?

"If you're tired, come back and rest. You can delegate work to your subordinates!" Kexian comforted.

As soon as he spoke, Clairement suddenly narrowed her eyes at her brother.

"What’s wrong?"

"Brother, that mindset of yours is dangerous. There’s a saying on the internet: 'A commoner’s only crime is possessing a treasure.' Do you know how many people are eyeing my position right now?"

Kexian was stunned.

"Have you reached the Archmage realm yet?"

"Almost!"

Kexian puffed out his chest, feeling a hint of pride.

Ever since Source Essence became exchangeable, he had managed to acquire large quantities of it through various means, enhancing his soul and improving his cultivation aptitude.

However, while Kexian was feeling pleased, Clairement’s eyes flashed with disappointment.

Her brother wasn’t an ordinary person—he was the monarch of the Keville Empire!

Though he held nominal rather than actual power, he still enjoyed certain tax tributes, the scale of which was unimaginable to most.

That wasn’t even mentioning the wealth accumulated by their family.

Logically speaking, with such vast resources at his disposal and the aid of the internet, her brother should have long since stepped into the Archmage realm.

Why was he still only "almost" there?

There was only one explanation—he wasn’t working hard enough.

His position didn’t allow him any excuses!

Tired? Just hand work to subordinates? Did he think he was a god?

From what she knew, even the great Internet God never rested—He would send her messages at any hour, adjusting the Interconnected Bank.

Even regularly updating the bank's rules.

You must understand, the Interconnected Bank is just a small part of the Internet.

Now think about the Conquest of Subdomains, the Dragon Factory, the struggles and negotiations among the gods—the sheer intrigue involved is enough to make one's scalp tingle.

"Brother, abdicate," Clairement suddenly said.

"What did you say?"

The faint trace of smugness on Kexian's face froze instantly.

He stared at his sister in disbelief—shocked, horrified, pained, incredulous, utterly unable to comprehend.

"You want to become queen?" Kexian's lips moved slightly.

This was hardly an earth-shattering notion in the Keville Empire.

Over the Keville royal family's thousand-year lineage, there had been one or two instances where the succession faltered, forcing them to elevate a female member to the throne as queen to preserve the Royal Bloodline.

"I have no interest in the throne," Clairement shook her head.

"Then... you mean for me to focus solely on Magic cultivation?" Kexian exhaled slightly in relief.

"No. I mean the Keville royal family should permanently relinquish the throne. The Empire will reform into a Republic, with the will of the Internet God as its supreme authority." Clairement's voice carried an unnatural edge.

"You—" Kexian stumbled back a step, eyes bulging, his face a mask of horror. "Do you even realize what you're saying?"

"I do," Clairement paused. "Brother, if you abdicate now, you can still inherit all the royal family's assets, including this palace. Otherwise, you'll lose everything."

"Don't call me brother! This belongs to the Keville royal family by right!" Kexian finally snapped, erupting in furious rage.

Several guards rushed in at the commotion, but a single glance from Clairement sent them fleeing in terror.

"By right? 'By right' belongs only to absolute violence! If not for the Bloodline Formation Keville the Great established here, the Keville Empire would have changed hands long ago."

Clairement's expression remained cold, though a flicker of sorrow passed deep in her eyes.

She didn’t want to do this, but she had no choice.

"Clairement! You bear the Royal Bloodline of Keville! The Internet God dangles a hollow future before you, and you’d sell your soul to become his lackey? Use your head! Without the royal family, you’re nothing! The Internet God could toss you from your high position at any moment!"

Clairement said nothing, merely tilting her head slightly to observe her brother—his veins bulging, eyes bloodshot.

For the first time, she realized he was just an ordinary man.

No, stripped of his status, he might fare worse than one.

"The tide has turned, brother. Dandell, Qimoer, Beixi—they won’t help you. Even if they did, even if you became a Saint Magus now, it would mean nothing."

"You’re betraying the family! Betraying the royal house! Betraying the great Keville the Great! You’re unworthy of the Royal Bloodline!"

Kexian roared, glaring at his sister with pure loathing.

Clairement fell silent.

Arguing with her brother was like talking to a brick wall.

She analyzed the situation with logic, while he ranted about glory and betrayal, utterly refusing to face reality.

Clairement took a deep breath and shattered his last shred of dignity:

"What I’ve achieved now far surpasses our ancestor Keville the Great! If he still lived, he would take pride in me—not the other way around!"

Upon hearing these words, Kexian trembled violently, as if his soul had been instantly drained from his body.

Gasping for breath, his eyes bloodshot, he resembled a walking corpse.

After a long silence, he seemed to finally regain his senses. His voice quivered as he hunched over, pleading, "Clairement, you are the right hand of the Internet God... I... I can forgo the tax tributes. Please beg him not to revoke the royal title, alright? I cannot let the Keville royal family end in my hands."

Clairement replied, "Fine."

Before Kexian could show any sign of relief, his sister's next words plunged him into the abyss!

"From now on, the Dragon Factory, Felix, the Interconnected Bank... everything in the city will be relocated. The Internet God will build a new city right beside it. If you believe your governed city-state can compete with the Internet God, then I bless you!"

With that, Clairement turned and walked toward Morton Garden.

This would be her final stroll through Morton Garden—a farewell to her mortal life and a moment for her brother to consider his decision.

Truth be told, she understood the Internet God's approach.

The Keville royal family was nothing but a group of parasites to the Keville Empire.

They had shackled the entire empire with the Bloodline Formation, indulging in tax tributes.

In the past, the Keville Empire was founded on Magic, where every ounce of strength was crucial. Under the balance of power, even if the Keville royals were stripped of authority, they could still endure.

As long as a Saint Magus was born, they could immediately regain control of the empire.

But now, the Bloodline Formation was no longer a source of strength for the Internet God—it had become a hindrance.

In truth, even if Kexian abdicated, the Internet God intended to construct a new capital, one entirely under his control.

Willis City would not decline. Under the Internet God's leadership, it would flourish like all other cities in Keville.

But it would lose its status as the core.

Though Clairement understood the Internet God's reasoning, the Keville royal family was still her kin.

Her heart ached with reluctance.

Yet, in the end, she convinced herself.

First, it was an irresistible trend—there was no turning back.

Second, she had become a subordinate god of the Internet God, now blessed with eternal life. The so-called thousand-year legacy of the Keville royals was but a fleeting moment compared to the endless years of the gods.

Most importantly, under the Internet God's influence, her concept of rule had expanded beyond mere territorial control.

Look at the multiverse today—a mere Interconnected Coin had driven the entire cosmos into a frenzy.

Given time, through the Interconnected Bank, she would wield power capable of influencing the entire multiverse!

This was a power not even the Five Great Righteous Gods—no, not even the gods themselves—possessed.

The blueprint the Internet God had painted for her was enough to make her willing to stake an empire's sovereignty as a gamble!

After all, the Internet God wasn’t planning to slaughter her family.

And when her power grew strong enough, she could always create another empire—or even an entire domain—to gift to her family, settling this grudge.

After her walk through Morton Garden, Clairement returned to the pavilion.

Her resolve had hardened once more.

She looked at her despondent brother and asked, "Have you made your decision?"