Extraordinary Voyage-Chapter 788 - 678 Coronation and Proposal

September 22.

Phaletis Royal Capital Bekele, the newly adorned St. James’s Palace.

Though there were scattered showers the day before, when the city’s forty thousand citizens were still in their dreams last night, the clouds and rain over the royal capital were already dispelled by Aiven and Princeton, the two Great Wizards, even sweeping away the factory emissions’ haze.

Now, various flags flutter in the clear blue sky like it’s been washed by spring water, with participants from within and outside the kingdom gathered at the square in front of St. James’s Palace for the ceremony.

The atmosphere is solemn and dignified.

Including Aiven himself, the elegantly dressed fifty-nine Upper House members, all at least Counts and above among the Great Nobles, stand closest to Queen Isabella and Crown Prince Liweina.

Following them are the key ministers: the Navy Marshal, the Marshal of the Army, the Speaker of the Lower House, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Defense, the Chief Justice....

Kingdom nobles and administrative representatives from various levels...including the elder Duke Marquis father-in-law and mother-in-law Nymph who came together, with Nymph’s original [Lifebound Gem: Emerald Dream Tour], they crossed the Black Sea effortlessly, like a lighthearted overseas trip.

Only Olivia at home bears the burden alone, diligently managing the overall situation of their three territories.

Aiven, dressed in a crisp Major General uniform adorned with numerous medals, stands with his gilded Command Saber beside Liweina, looking down, he can’t help but sigh quietly.

Even though his territorial area now covers two-thirds of the kingdom mainland plus Ugor Island’s 720,000 square kilometers, with a population nearing a million, seemingly prosperous like boiling oil.

Yet compared to a thriving kingdom set to challenge the world, continuing for a millennium, it still seems like a makeshift group. For now, it’s far from the time to go solo, prudently holding tight to the kingdom’s legs is best.

If the kingdom’s collective ambition to seize Hilus is realized, perhaps a mere wave of side profits would suffice to fill oneself, achieving decades of struggle.

Thinking so, Aiven couldn’t help but glance at the Hilus envoy.

The information is public; the true envoy is a Great Knight with the empire’s prince title, though older than Uncle Beagle yet not fifty, considered average among great knights.

Yet the simply dressed Great Knight beside him holding a Swift Sword made Aiven squint slightly. This is a master! A swordsman whose skills are at least master-level!

Toot! Toot—!

With the charge horn as prelude, the royal band played the coronation anthem "Hope and Glorious Land", and the new queen’s coronation ceremony reached its climax.

Aiven walks beside Liweina, dressed in a lake-blue opulent court gown with golden high heels, to the middle of the coronation ritual platform.

The two Kingdom Guardians, Titled Knight "Glory of Splendor" Lion Heart Duke and "Rose Sword Saint" Ilvendi, stand like guardian Gods at either end of the coronation platform.

Meticulously groomed Liweina displayed less of her usual charm, more majesty and grace, in harmony with the Tier 3 Great Knight’s dynamic aura, now resembling a few aspects of a queen.

On her, the blue gown symbolizes the kingdom’s ambition and pioneering spirit towards the ocean, the diamond-studded brooch represents the kingdom’s core community of interest, the sword at her waist signifies her own military achievements...

At this moment.

Liweina’s coronation is presided by a High-Level Holy Professional from the "Black Iron Cross Church", representing the legitimacy of royal authority—"Divine Right of Kings"!

But instead of the prestigious and powerful Pope, it was a retired archbishop from the church’s Cardinal Court appearing frail.

At this moment, the man named Archbishop Reims merely represents the divine, with no worldly identity or church ties, nor worldly influence—a pure state closely aligned with God.

Considered a compromise in the years-long balance and struggles between secular power and church authority, minimizing the church’s penetration into secular power.

Seemingly frail, with health barely supported by holy power, he surprisingly had bright, starlight-like light blue eyes.

Nodding gently, he holds a Holy Scripture from the Goddess, inviting Liweina to place her hand upon the holy emblem-engraved cover, solemnly inquiring on behalf of the Goddess:

"Do you solemnly swear to govern the Phaletis Kingdom, Ugor Island, Southern Continent Nigeria, New Continent regions and the people of your domains, administer their lands, and respect their laws and traditions in your reign?"

Liweina solemnly replied, "I solemnly swear."

Archbishop: "Do you pledge to exercise royal authority with compassion and dutifully entrust law and justice matters to decent judges?"

Liweina: "I pledge."

Archbishop: "....."

Liweina: "....."

The succession oath gradually nears its end, as holy professionals, clad in black priest robes, escort the supreme royal crown representing Phaletis’s authority forward.

The crown is placed on a tray cushioned with red velvet, held by Diocesan Bishop Benedict of Phaletis, flanked by two other bishop-level holy professionals.

The three approached Archbishop Reims and Liweina, kneeling on one knee and raising the crown high in their hands.

This is the blessed "Saint Edward Crown," one among many crowns of the Queen, yet the coronation crown representing Phaletis royal authority has always been only this one.

Under the bright sunlight, the crown that appears only during coronation was seen by everyone present.

Clearly, at that time, the Kingdom was not wealthy; the crown’s framework was mere ordinary silver, but after being blessed by the God, it has been resplendent for a millennium.

The exterior of the crown is adorned with purple velvet, above the velvet-exposed golden framework, a circle of white natural diamonds is embedded, with the silver framework stretched into a cross shape at the front.

At the top of the crown, a massive sapphire is embedded.

This gem-star level treasure sapphire, weighing 330 carats, has a history of over a thousand years, originally belonging to Saint Edward, the titled knight founder of the Kingdom.

"Child of God, the Goddess blesses you!"

When Archbishop Reims finally chanted the blessing for the Queen, he then gently lifted the crown from the tray beside him with both hands and slowly placed it atop Liweina’s head.

Beside him, Isabella’s eyes were slightly moist.

"Long live Her Majesty the Queen!"

"Long live Her Majesty the Queen!"

Gathered around the platform, nobles, generals, and prominent figures of the Kingdom all knelt on one knee, pledging allegiance to the new Queen of the Kingdom. Although there was a change of dynasty, the transition was smooth with no internal strife.

Meanwhile.

Aiven, relieved by the successful completion of the ceremony, dared not fully relax his vigilance, constantly multitasking through the [Mind Network] to monitor the situation outside via the city’s defense forces.

"Report, Sir, after the previous three purges, outside the Royal Palace remains stable, with only minor disturbances.

However, many citizens have reported hearing strange goat and cow noises from the sewers today; Grand Knight Ambrose of the Church has already led a team into the sewers..."

Hearing this, Aiven couldn’t help but slightly frown.

Yet, before he could think further, he saw the Deputy of the Hilus Empire already striding out from the delegate seats, causing him to tense up:

"It’s coming!"

Having officially completed the coronation ceremony, the process came to Liweina’s reception of the delegates in her identity as Queen.

According to Tulip’s tradition, the new King usually receives gifts and returns the favor at this stage, marking the King’s first foreign activity.

The Hilus People wanting to do something today came as no surprise to them.

The "Eternal Flame" religious reform is nearing completion, almost eliminating most of the old church’s influence from the Hilus Empire’s territory; Philip II is already content, seeing himself as the most supreme Emperor of the world.

The next step is to subdue the seas and establish the Empire’s unwavering glorious achievements!

After finding some time, the first thing to do was to confront Tulip, especially the most powerful Phaletis.

As the official of the world’s strongest nation Hilus, it wouldn’t resort to poisoning, assassination... low-level tricks.

However, this method was completely unexpected for everyone.

The Deputy presented a handwritten letter from Philip II, gently touched his chest, and smiled:

"Besides congratulating Your Majesty on the coronation, there’s another matter to congratulate you; the great Emperor Hilus heard of your unmarried status... blah blah..."

Aiven was dumbfounded, only wanting to say: "What a guy, seriously, what a guy!"

Philip II wasn’t proposing for himself, but the suitor was the Prince still seated.

The identity seemed to be Philip II’s cousin.

In the eyes of normal people, although he was over forty, he was a genuine Great Knight, looking no different than a young man in his twenties; for royal family members with luxurious lives and particularly indecisive wills, he was undoubtedly a rare talent.

Moreover, it legally held the succession rights to Hilus’s throne, although ranked far back, in Philip II’s view, it was not too humiliating for Liweina.

Even in Philip II’s eyes, which saw only interests and advocated for political marriages, Phaletis boarding Hilus’s ship was a bargain, deserving of joy.

If Phaletis and Hilus could unite mightily, not to mention dominating the Old Continent, ruling the seas would be a smooth venture.

But in the eyes of Phaletis’s rulers, this was sheer provocation!