"Wait a minute, Archbishop."
When I heard the knock, I had already finished all things with Beatrice and cleaned everything with <Purification>.
Thankfully, this room was also equipped with a shower room, as it was meant to welcome important guests, so I was also able to refresh myself. Well, while having fun with Beatrice twice inside…
Anyway, we had already worn our clothes back, and Beatrice, acting like a nun who served me, opened the door for Cameron. There was still a lingering sex smell here, but I believed Cameron already knew what I did because he apologized for interrupting me before.
'All church members knew from the holy book that sleeping with the Paladin and getting his child is a Virtue and is a blessing.'
So he wouldn't mind or even question it.
The middle-aged Archbishop appeared from outside with an amicable smile and his hands in front of him.
When he saw me, he bowed his head respectfully.
"It's time, Your Holiness. Her Majesty, Queen Eve, has arrived at the entrance."
I nodded at him and stood up from the couch, "Alright. Show me the way, Archbishop Cameron."
"As you wish." He answered and raised his head.
I followed him out of the room with Beatrice behind me. She had a satisfied smile on her face, and her skin was glowing from all the activity. Even so, her pupil stayed heart-shaped, a sign that she was still aroused.
That would be enough to affect the citizens and give a strange sense of relief with her skill.
From what I could see from my <Presence Detection>, it seemed like Queen Eve was accompanied by Grand Marshal Garland and five Kingdom Knights, probably the Royal Guard.
I glanced at Beatrice and gestured for her not to follow me and used her skill from another place instead.
The primordial Succubus nodded and parted away from us when we reached the church's main hall.
"Your Holiness…" Archbishop Cameron called out to me before we reached the exit. "May the Goddess' blessing be with you." He continued with a smile as he stopped.
"Thank you, Archbishop. May the Goddess' blessing be with you too."
I nodded at him and walked out alone. My hair was slicked back nicely, and my paladin uniform was unblemished. [Caliburn] was strapped on my waist, readying for any kind of assassination or attack if there was any.
When I stepped out of the church, a loud cheer erupted from the crowd in the front. Various lights were lit and illuminated the area, causing me to narrow my eyes slightly. It was too bright compared to the dimly lit church.
The lights were even hovering in the sky. Some citizens seemed to use magic to create this spectacle.
'They are so excited.' I thought. The corner of my lips curled up into a smile.
Two throne-like chairs were prepared at the end of the chair. The backrest was high, and I could see Queen Eve dressed in a beautiful strapless white dress with a long skirt with a slit sat on one of them. On her head was a beautiful crystal tiara with blue gems, different from the silver one she usually wore.
Grand Marshal Garland and the other kingdom knights stood on the side, a bit far from the chair. The giant nodded at me and saluted politely, and so did the other Kingdom Knights and church knights.
When she noticed me, she looked back and smiled beautifully, standing up to greet me.
"Good day to you, Your Holiness." A soft, sweet voice, like a honey, escaped her mouth. I was captivated by her beauty once again, especially her smile.
"Good day to you too, Queen Eve," I replied and stopped before her. "It seems like the citizens are already excited. What do you think of giving a speech right now, Your Majesty?" I grinned, deliberately calling her with an honor title.
This was the first time I called her 'Your Majesty,' and I did it today because I was already certain of her coronation.
Queen Eve only giggled at how I called her, "Please, just call me as usual. I won't be able to do this without your help. Of course, place and time matters."
"If that's the case, please also just call me by name unless we are in an official event and in front of many people. I am also the Princes' instructor, after all."
The Queen looked surprised at my request and raised her voice slightly, "How could I?"
"I insist, Queen Eve." I pressed with a smile, making her stop. "At least this will show that we truly have a real alliance instead of a political one."
"That's…"
Somehow, Queen Eve's face had a tint of red after she heard my words. Why? Did she misunderstand something?
'What a surprise.' I thought, maintaining my expression. 'Beatrice influenced her this far already?'
She had begun to look at me not purely as her ally but also as the opposite gender. Her calmness was just the result of fooling herself.
When I confronted her directly like this, she was unable to reply immediately.
"Queen Eve?" I called out to her, pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Ah, my apologies." She said. Her expression had turned normal already.
She recovered quickly and got a hold of herself. That was impressive.
"If you insist, then I will call you Sir Vainglory from now on."
'Sir Vainglory, huh?'
That was enough for now. Slowly… No need to rush this.
I nodded at Queen Eve and smiled at her, "Thank you for granting my selfish request, Queen Eve. Shall we sit and deliver a speech now? The citizens have been waiting for us."
"You're right."
Agreeing to my suggestion, Queen Eve nodded. We sat on the extravagant chair, with me on the right and she on the left, and greeted the citizens of Capital City.
If someone looked at us without knowing our position, they might misunderstand us as King and Queen due to the seating arrangement.
I didn't know whether the church and Cameron, who probably planned this, did this intentionally or not. But this arrangement managed to show off my good relationship with the Queen.
After greeting the citizens, it was time for a speech. Because I was the one who proposed the charity event, I gave out my words first, and they listened quietly.
The atmosphere turned silent as my voice rang loudly. I was confident it reached them even without me using a magic item or a skill.
My speech was simple, just a gratitude toward the Goddess and my wish for peace in the future. It didn't last for 5 minutes, and then I sat back down again, accompanied by loud clapping from the crowd.
"That was a wonderful speech, Sir Vainglory." Queen Eve praised with a giggle.
"Thank you for the compliment, Queen Eve." I replied, "Now, please deliver your speech freely. Convey everything you want to without holding back. I, your ally, and Castitas Church will always have your back and support you."
"Fufufu, thank you very much. Praise Goddess Teri for her blessing."
"Praise the Goddess."
Afterward, Queen Eve stood from her seat and walked to a small platform prepared for her speech. There was a magic item to amplify her voice sitting on it, which was already activated when she touched the platform with her hand.
"My lovely citizens." Queen Eve started by greeting them with an authoritative voice. Her face was serious, making the citizens quiet at once. "I am happy to be able to stand here, together with His Holiness the Paladin, to celebrate this charity event.
"In a mere three days' time, I shall have the honor of being crowned as your Queen, the ruler of this land! This is a responsibility that I do not take lightly, for I recognize the trust you have placed in me, and I am deeply humbled by it.
"Rest assured, my dear citizens, that I shall lead our kingdom with the same unwavering dedication and love that you have shown me throughout my life."
Her words came strong, and I watched it unfold in front of my eyes. She raised her hand upward, showing off her dedication and her promise.
I believed she didn't need to do all that. Everyone had accepted her in their heart. No, she was the only one who could rule this kingdom, as the other Nobles had already submitted their loyalty to her.
But this showed her sincerity. I hated to say that I focused on her butt for a while as I had a perfect view, but I kept my gaze on her determined expression afterward.
"I eagerly anticipate the forthcoming celebration of my coronation, where I shall stand as your queen and your fellow citizen, united by our shared values and aspirations. It is your unwavering support and unity that fortify the foundations of our kingdom.
"I extend my heartfelt gratitude to you, my cherished citizens, for your steadfast trust and unwavering commitment. Our future shines with promise, and together, there is no challenge we cannot pass, no dream too grand to achieve.
"Thank you, and may our kingdom's future be as bright as the hearts of its citizens and is always blessed by Goddess Teri."
I stood up at the end of her speech, approached Queen Eve, and took her hand by surprise. She didn't expect me to do this, especially since there was no talk between us.
But I raised it, showing off our unity, and shouted, "May the Goddess bless Queen Eve!"
"May the Goddess bless Queen Eve!"
At that moment, when the citizens all united and shouted the same thing, a half-transparent pink mist passed through like a gust of wind.
The citizens repeated the same chants, and loud rattles came from them.
Queen Eve watched her citizens and almost cried. She looked happy, but she kept up her strict expression all the time.
A Ruler shouldn't show her weakness or any expression that could make them look weak in front of the public.
So I released her hand and suggested, "Queen Eve, let's retreat inside the church."
She turned to me and nodded, unable to say anything. And so we turned around and left the venue with the citizens' cheers.
