Chapter 510: Ceremony
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
In the Ratacia Palace in Aalto in the City of Psalm…
Hearing the news forwarded by Philibell, the new Grand Cardinal of the Violet parish, Natasha said with apparent grief, “I didn’t expect that my grandfather and my uncle would be summoned by the Lord so quickly.”
Although she knew that King Feltis was unwell due to old age and Prince Patrick had always been weak, and she was braced for bad news, Natasha still couldn’t stop sorrow from surging in her heart. As she grew up, she had fewer and fewer blood family members who cared for her selflessly. That was the most heartbreaking experience in life.
“Patrick didn’t succeed the throne after all…” Grand Duke of Orvarit, who knew the Hoffenberg family even better than Natasha, sighed. But he did not say anything more and simply looked at Natasha, “Are you willing to go to Rentato to inherit the throne of Holm?”
Natasha thought of Holm and Lucien. She then looked at her weary father, whose violet hair had now been mixed by grey. She shook her head firmly, “Holm has many heirs, but you only have me.”
“I’ve been taught to shoulder the responsibility of the Violet family and Duchy of Orvarit. How can I leave?”
Grand Duke of Orvarit patted Natasha’s shoulder comfortingly. He smiled at his daughter, “What if I want you to go?”
Huh? Natasha was stunned.
Philibell, who had a beard, echoed peacefully, “You can still come back after you go there. While the Church forbids the Kingdom of Holm from merging with the Duchy of Orvarit, you can be the sovereign of both countries and ask different offspring to inherit them. Therefore, you can stay in Holm for one year and Orvarit for another. The transmission circle will be open to you. This is the Church’s reward for your family’s years of devotion.”
In doing so, it would be easy to both control Natasha and direct the n.o.bles to be used to ‘autonomy.’ The conflict between the royal power and the regular n.o.bles would be greater.
“Also, I’m still in good shape, and I can be the Grand Duke for at least another twenty years,” said Grand Duke of Orvarit half-jokingly, “Your mother was married far away from her family. She felt guilty when she saw her father growing old and her brother haunted by diseases. She failed to meet your grandmother for the last time when she pa.s.sed away. She felt that she owed a lot to the Hoffenberg family. Therefore, I hope that you can go to Holm when it needs you the most to make up for your mother’s regrets.”
Natasha fell silent. Her hands were clenched in fists, and she nodded slowly, “Okay.”
Philibell said half-seriously and half-jokingly, “Your Highness, the Church is aware that your favorite type is different from that of regular girls. Therefore, we have helped you remove the demand that you must be married. However, you still have to have offspring, which I believe is also the hope of the Grand Duke and the n.o.bles of the two countries. You may consider asking the angels to arrive inside your body as your children. That’s a glory only for the devout believers.”
Sard blamed what happened in Aalto on Lucien, claiming that Lucien manipulated Princess Natasha when she wanted to comfort the Grand Duke. So, the Church knew that Natasha’s s.e.xual orientation was never changed. The Grand Duke learned a thing or two about it later, too.
Natasha lowered her eyes and said, “I’ll try.”
What she was thinking to herself, however, was something else. “Is the s.e.xless conception that Lucien mentioned real? Can I borrow his… thing?”
Since he made up his mind, Lucien had made up various plans. In case Natasha couldn’t handle the pressure and got married to a random n.o.ble for a child before he won her over, he regularly introduced the knowledge, including artificial insemination and test-tube baby to her.
Having received Natasha’s confirmation, Philibell said kindly, “I will not disrupt your farewell anymore. For your safety and convenience, it would be best if a minor legion of knights comes with you. Their family may use the transmission circle with them.”
The regular knight legions, due to different functions, were made of a hundred to five hundred knights of various levels, their squires were ten times more, and soldiers were even more than that. A minor knight legion was the guards for the heirs to a throne, usually made of one radiant knight, three grand knights, six knights, a hundred squires, and five hundred soldiers. However, what Philibell mentioned obviously only included the official knights and their families.
He left after that. The Grand Duke said to Natasha with a smile, “Just now, I said that I could be the Grand Duke for another twenty years, but you’d better not keep me waiting for that long. I want to see my grandchild and the future of the Violet family sooner.”
“I’ll try.” Natasha prayed that Lucien’s ‘technology’ wouldn’t go wrong.
The Grand Duke looked at Natasha and said, “I want you to go to Holm, not only because I want you to make up for your mother’s regrets, but also because he is there. You won’t be separated anymore. So, you need to hurry up on the grandchild thing.”
“Father, what are you talking about? Who is he?” Embarra.s.sed, Natasha pretended to be ignorant. Where was her father’s misunderstanding from?
The Grand Duke said in a smile, “Who else? Lucien Evans, of course. While you were a pretend couple years ago, my intuitions tell me that you are not a fake one now. I’m very happy about it.”
Father, you are overthinking… Natasha thought to herself. However, she hated to hurt the Grand Duke’s feelings when they were about to depart and therefore did not explain. In the meantime, she made up her mind to conceive with Lucien’s bloodline.
“Don’t think I know nothing. To whom have you been talking to for more than one hour every day over the past years?” Grand Duke of Orvarit suddenly felt that his daughter was not as emotionally keen as she claimed.
Natasha tried not to laugh. “That’s because we are good friends. I never intended to hide it from you, or you wouldn’t have known it at all.”
“Alright, go pick your knights. Camil will go to Holm with you.” Grand Duke of Orvarit decided to ask Camil to find an opportunity to ‘remind’ Natasha.
Natasha nodded his head. “Alright, I’ll talk to you regularly after I reach Holm.”
She began to make plans. “I’ll bring John’s family and give Lucien a surprise…”
……
The transmission magic circle was opened in the Radiance Church and glowing.
It was one of the largest magic circles to provide reinforcements when the Congress of Magic attacked. Fifty knights could be teleported at once. Despite the fortune of the South Church, such magic circles were only deployed in Lance, Antiffler, Aalto, Rentato, and Hem.
In ivory light, Natasha, Camil, nine knights and their family, about forty people in total, appeared in the transmission magic circle. The ordinary people such as Joel were dizzy and gagging.
Of the nine knights, only John, a level-three grand knight, brought his whole family. The other knights thought that such trouble was unnecessary since they would return to Aalto in one year, and they only brought their wives and children.
“John, you can’t go anywhere without your parents? Are you not grown yet?” Fenge, another grand knight, joked with him. He was John’s friend and knew that John wouldn’t be p.i.s.sed by a few teasing words.
After weathering through the dizziness, John was in a hurry to take care of Joel, Elsa, and Elvin. He replied with a smile, “It’s a rare opportunity to go abroad. Shouldn’t we bring our parents and brothers to appreciate a different view? Also, wasn’t it, Her Highness’ notice that we must bring all family members?”
“I don’t think so. Did you hear it right?” Fenge looked at Natasha in confusion.
At this moment, the maids from the Nekso Palace came over. They cleansed Natasha’s hair, eyebrows, and other facial parts and donned a cape with the emblem of the Hoffenberg family outside of her ivory armor. That was a purple sigil enshrouded in clouds, with a sacred crown at the center that was next to a gold scepter and a blue longsword on two sides.
“Your Highness, please go to the Nekso Palace with your knights and return to the Radiance Church according to the marked route, where you will be crowned.” Rex, president of the Parliament of n.o.bles, bowed respectfully.
Natasha said solemnly, “Please lead the way, Duke of Frenburg.”
John and the other knights hurried to settle their families and leave the Radiance Church with Natasha, arriving at Nekso Palace.
It was late at night after a storm, damp and dark.
“Start!” Rex, who was leading the way, waved his arms.
A knight raised his horn and blew it hard.
Wu!
With the horns, four knights including John rushed out on their horses, followed by Natasha who rode on her horse majestically.
Wu!
The magic crystal lights in the manors were turned on, embracing the new sovereign like the stars in the sky.
“This is…” None of the knights had ever seen such splendor. They were rather shocked.
Wu!
Candles were lit by the houses next to the street. Countless people peeped at their new lord through their windows and door gaps.
Natasha suddenly grew nervous, because crowning required the illumination of the holy light. Could her faith pa.s.s the test?
She suddenly felt something. Tilting her head, she saw a black-haired man standing behind a window. His face and his unique monocle were so familiar.
She couldn’t help but smile when she saw Lucien. What was there to be scared of if she had weathered through the hunting of legendary experts?
Did she not have sympathy, loyalty or bravery in her heart?
Therefore, Natasha pressed forward with her head held high, leaving a deep impression on the n.o.bles and citizens of Holm.
As they pa.s.sed through the streets, it was dawn when Natasha and her knights reached the Radiance Church. She was bathed by the first light of morning.
Getting off the horse and stepping into the Church, Natasha walked into the hall unhurriedly to the front of Grand Cardinal Sard, kneeling before the saint cross.
After questions and answers, she laid her left hand on the Cannon and raised her right hand, pointing at the sky with three fingers: “I, Natasha Violet, swear solemnly before the Lord.
“I am a devout believer of the Saint Truth, I will abide by the Cannon and the law of Holm and defend them with my life, and I shall always be ready to fight for the glory of the Lord and the interests of Holm until I die!”
Sard examined her faith with the book of Cannon in front of her.
With a peaceful mind, Natasha was interrogated by the holy light if she had ever broken her knight vow. When given a negative answer, the holy light glowed as if an angel had arrived.
Sard said gently, “You are a devout and determined believer; you are a brave and stubborn knight; you are qualified to be the sovereign of Holm.”
While he talked, he took up the gold crown on the red velvet cus.h.i.+on nearby and put it on Natasha’s head.
“I hereby announced that under the grace of the Lord, Natasha Violet is to become the Queen of the Kingdom of Holm and all the lands affiliated to it, the Protector of Faith, the Violet Countess, the Lord of Billbis Islands, the Lord of Soloho and Baltimore, the d.u.c.h.ess of Emden, the Lord of the Most Glorious Sword of Truth’s Knights, the Most Magnificent Verdict Knights, and the Most Ancient and Honorable Saint Cross Knights.”
Natasha raised her head with the crown and took over the symbolic ‘Sword of Truth’ that was glittering sacredly, allowing it to emit sharp brilliance.
Duke Rex, Duke Solefen, Duke James, Duke Russel, and all the other n.o.bles fell to one of their knees: “Greetings, Your Majesty!”