My Children’s Gifts Give Me 1000x Returns!

(ARC 2: THE IMPERIAL JUBILEE & LEGACY OF THE STERLING EMPIRE)

The Central Capital had never burned with such transcendent, breathtaking splendor.

To commemorate nine years of total unification, absolute peace, and the prosperity brought by the Pentagon Association, House Sterling hosted the Imperial Jubilee. Millions of citizens from all four continents, reclaimed wilderness territories, and floating island sanctuaries flooded the wide, white-marble avenues of the capital.

Luminous spirit lamps, forged by the Metal Spire, floated gently in the evening air, casting a warm, golden glow over street markets, festival pavilions, and grand food halls. Music played from spatial sound arrays on every corner, and laughter echoed across a city that had once known only noble curfews and fear.

High above the bustling metropolis, the Sterling Central Palace sat bathed in the divine light of the Sterling Celestial Canopy.

Inside the grand imperial dressing chambers, Evelyn stood before a tall, floor-to-ceiling mirror made of pristine spatial crystal.

She wore a breathtaking, ice-blue and silver gown woven from thousand-year cloud-silk, embedded with subtle spatial star-gems that shimmered softly with every breath she took. Her dark hair was pinned up in an intricate, regal style held by a delicate white-gold hairpin shaped like a soaring dragon.

A soft knock sounded at the door before Gabriel stepped smoothly inside.

Dressed in a majestic, obsidian dragon-silk coat embroidered with golden spatial runes that perfectly matched her silver motif, Gabriel looked like an immortal emperor descended from the heavens. Yet, the moment his dark golden dragon pupils met Evelyn’s reflection in the mirror, his regal posture melted into pure, unconditional warmth.

He walked up behind her, gently placing his broad hands on her shoulders.

"You take my breath away, Evelyn," Gabriel whispered softly near her ear, his deep voice carrying a rich, romantic resonance. "Even after all these years, every time I look at you, my world stands still."

Evelyn turned in his arms, her cheeks flushing a soft, youthful crimson. She reached up, gently adjusting the silver collar of his coat with a tender smile.

"You always say the sweetest things when we are about to address millions of people, my Lord," she teased softly, her dark eyes shining with deep affection.

"I say what is true," Gabriel smiled, leaning down to press a warm, lingering kiss to her lips. He took her hand, lacing his fingers tightly with hers. "Tonight is a celebration of our empire's strength... but to me, it is a celebration of you."

Out on the high balcony of the Hall of the Sovereign Monarch, Ethan and Elena stood waiting, dressed in matching navy-and-silver imperial formal coats.

"Look at the crowd down there," Ethan laughed softly, leaning against the marble balustrade as he watched the sea of millions of cheering citizens below. "Remember when we used to hide under the slum bridge during the Solari festival so the guards wouldn't throw rocks at us?"

Elena smiled gently, adjusting her azure sword sash. "Now those same people are singing Dad and Mom's names. It feels like a lifetime ago, Ethan."

"Because Dad made it a lifetime ago," Ethan replied, his posture straightening with fierce, quiet pride.

The heavy mahogany doors behind them swung open, and Gabriel stepped out onto the high balcony, holding Evelyn’s hand.

The moment the four figures appeared on the high balcony, a thunderous, world-shaking roar erupted from millions of citizens standing in the plazas below!

"LONG LIVE THE SOVEREIGN CLAN!"

"LONG LIVE HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY GERALD STERLING!"

"LONG LIVE EMPRESS EVELYN!"

The cheers echoed across the mountain peaks surrounding the capital like rolling thunder!

Gabriel raised his right hand, and the roaring voices of millions quieted down in a matter of seconds, hanging on his every breath.

"Nine years ago, we brought down the corrupt noble dynasties and promised you a world where no human would ever be forced to beg for dignity," Gabriel declared, his voice amplified across the entire planet by the Water Spire's spatial array network. "Today, you stand as a unified, invincible empire."

Gabriel turned slightly, taking Evelyn’s hands into his own, his voice softening into a deeply personal, romantic tone that resonated across every speaker and display screen on the planet.

"Many have called me the Sovereign Monarch, the conqueror of realms, and the protector of this world," Gabriel said, looking directly into Evelyn’s tear-filled, radiant eyes. "But my greatest achievement... my greatest honor... was never a throne or a empire. It was earning the right to stand beside this woman, who held my hand when I was broken, and gave me the strength to rebuild our world."

Gabriel raised his hand toward the night sky.

SPATIAL SOVEREIGN CREATION — STARLIGHT REALM!

BZ—ZZZ-T!

With a gentle flick of Gabriel’s fingers, his Late-Stage Void Sovereign cosmic Qi surged directly into the planet's atmospheric shield!

The dark night sky above the Central Capital—and across all four continents simultaneously—transformed into a breathtaking, planetary-scale aurora!

Billions of shimmering, silver-and-ice-blue spatial star-flowers bloomed across the sky, cascading down like a soft, divine rain of glowing light that didn't burn, but instead bathed every citizen in a warm, gentle wave of pure, vitality-restoring spiritual energy!

At the center of the celestial sky, the glowing star-flowers converged to form a colossal, glowing constellation depicting a soaring golden dragon gently wrapping its wings around a radiant, ice-blue phoenix—a permanent planetary tribute of Gabriel’s eternal love for Evelyn!

"W-WHAT A MIRACLE!"

"HE CREATED A PLANETARY STARLIGHT AURORA FOR THE EMPRESS!"

"LONG LIVE THE SOVEREIGN KING AND QUEEN!"

Millions of citizens wept and cheered at the breathtaking, divine display of power and love, while Evelyn buried her face into Gabriel’s chest, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck as she sobbed with pure, overwhelming joy.

"Gabriel..." Evelyn whispered against his neck, holding him as if she would never let go. "I love you... I love you so much..."

Gabriel wrapped his dark coat around her, pulling her close, resting his forehead against hers as the silver starlight rained down upon the empire they had built together.

"Forever, my Queen," Gabriel whispered softly. "To the end of time."

Standing behind their parents, Ethan and Elena watched the glowing celestial sky and their parents' tight embrace, their eyes shining with absolute, emotional devotion.

The empire was strong, the family was whole, and as the 10-year countdown ticked toward its final year, House Sterling stood ready to conquer the cosmos.