The Distorted Coronation Ceremony

"Artoria, you..."

Ian never expected Artoria to say such a thing at this time.

He and Morgan did have the idea of secretly controlling the entire knight order.

But this doesn't mean that Ian has the idea of joining the knight order himself—this is not something that would have been in the original plan.

"Mr. Ian, please don't be so surprised."

Artoria stood up.

The petite her took the parchment filled with names and walked to Ian.

"To be honest, I only know Gawain and my brother among the knight names on this."

"But—"

Artoria looked at Ian.

"One thing I can confirm is that Mr. Ian's strength is definitely above my brother's."

"If he can become a member of the knight order, then Mr. Ian, who is higher than him, should also have this treatment."

"..."

Ian never expected that the trick he did to cover up the fact that all his children joined the knight order would make Artoria quickly think of the strength issue.

Damn it.

If Kay were stronger than himself, there wouldn't be such an association.

But then again, this seems a bit difficult for him.

After all, if you remove the disguise of the "King Lot" identity, your actual combat experience is much more than double that of all your children combined.

If Kay had that kind of strength, he could probably go to Vortigern to settle the score by himself now.

However, this does not change the problem that this kind of joining is not within the plan.

Ian hesitated.

Seeing that the man in front of him did not answer immediately, Artoria moved a little closer, and finally buried her face in his chest.

"Although it may be a bit sorry to Mr. Ian to say this, forming a knight order is indeed a very important thing for me."

"So even if you may not be so willing, I still want to stick to my idea."

"Please help me, Mr. Ian."

[You realize that Artoria has to do this this time.]

[You don't know what will happen if you don't follow her wishes.]

[But instinct tells you that this is not a good choice.]

[After hesitating again and again, you choose to agree to her for the time being.]

"I see, Artoria."

"If you have to add my name to that parchment, then as you wish."

"Sure enough!"

Artoria raised her head, and tears welled up in her green eyes.

"I knew Mr. Ian would not refuse me!"

Ian can no longer tell the reason for Artoria's tears.

But the more he looked at her like this, the more he wanted to kill the magician named Merlin.

How could this be something a young girl in her prime should bear?

[You comforted Artoria with a hug.]

[The calmed her completely recognized the knight list you drafted.]

[She promised to give the people on it the status they deserve—of course, the number of knights will be further expanded.]

[You left Artoria's room.]

[After returning, you told Morgan about this.]

"What did you say?"

Morgan, standing by the window, turned her head and stared at Ian in front of her.

"That woman wants you to join the knight order too?!"

"Yes, Princess."

"No!" Morgan refused almost without hesitation.

"Gawain and the others have already become members of the knight order, why do you have to join too?!"

Ian was not surprised by Morgan's reaction at all.

Or rather, if she didn't have such a reaction, he would feel a little uncomfortable.

"Princess, although this request is a bit excessive, if we don't agree to her, our entire plan may stagnate at this step."

"However—"

"If you really don't want to, then I'll go and refuse her now."

"..."

Morgan was silent.

Ian knew she was considering what he had just said.

After a long time, the proud princess whispered a sentence.

"Ian, do you still love me?"

"Of course I love you, Princess."

"That—"

Morgan's expression seemed to make some kind of reluctant decision.

"Do as you said."

"However, you better remember that you said you love me."

"Of course, Princess."

"My love for you will never change."

[Morgan finally agreed to all of this.]

[You know that it comes from the obsession with the throne.]

[Now that things have come to this, she can't give up anyway.]

[You find that you are actually looking forward to her refusing you to join the knight order, but the result is the opposite.]

[But this is not bad—at least you can strive for the throne for Morgan at all costs, as promised.]

[Time gradually smoothed out the tangle in your heart.]

[This day is the day Artoria is officially granted the title of king.]

[And Morgan asked you to get up early in the morning to provide her with pleasure until she felt satisfied, and then chose to stop.]

"Princess."

Ian asked while serving the naked Morgan to put on her clothes.

"Although I know I shouldn't question your choice, but it's the coronation ceremony later."

"Like this... is it a bit inappropriate?"

"It's precisely because it's the coronation ceremony that I want to do this."

Morgan put on her clothes and combed her hair in front of the mirror.

"Not directly publicly opposing her is already my biggest limit of patience."

"Why not let me attend the ceremony like this?"

"..."

Ian knew that Morgan was having an emotional outburst, so he didn't say anything more.

He hugged Morgan and whispered.

"Princess, please be patient for a while, you will sit there."

"Ian, I'm so painful."

"Princess, I know."

While the two were lingering in front of the mirror, a knock on the door came.

"Who?"

Ian shouted to the untimely interruption outside the door.

"It's me..."

A weak voice came, it was a little maid in the royal court.

"Lord Lot, the Knight King wants to talk to you about something."

"..."

Ian looked at Morgan's graceful body in the mirror, his eyes a little tangled.

"...Princess."

"Go." Morgan was quite calm.

"But Ian, take care of your spear."

"As it should be, Princess."

[You temporarily left Morgan.]

[Led by the little maid, you came to the door of Artoria's room.]

[You can feel that something is a little wrong.]

"Lord Ian, I'll take my leave first."

"Well, go."

After watching the little maid walk away, Ian hesitated for a while, and finally knocked on the door.

He didn't know what was waiting for him behind the door.

But he knew he had to do it.

"Who is it?"

Artoria's cold voice came.

In front of outsiders, she has always been this unapproachable tone.

"It's me."

As soon as she heard it was Ian, Artoria immediately changed her personality.

"Please wait for me!"

Several minutes passed before the door slowly opened a crack.

But even a crack was enough for Ian to see her behind the door—Artoria in a white dress.

After confirming that there was no one else, she said happily:

"Mr. Ian, please come in!"

[Artoria took you into the room.]

[And the moment you saw the decoration in the room, you once again felt surprised from the bottom of your heart.]

[Because this is really too wrong.]

"Artoria, why has the room become like this again?"

As Ian sighed, Artoria's room had undergone earth-shaking changes again compared to the last time he came.

If the previous one was a clumsy imitation of Morgan's room, then this one really came out of her own style—or should be said to be closer to King Uther's style.

"Because you said it looked strange, so I changed it."

Artoria, standing in front of Ian, blushed.

"Mr. Ian, will this still make you feel uncomfortable?"

"...It's okay." Ian told the truth.

"At least I think this style is more suitable for you."

"Really?!" Artoria looked very happy.

"That's great!"

But she soon seemed to remember something, lowered her head, and grabbed Ian's hand.

"Mr. Ian, do you know what day it is today?"

"..."

Hearing this, Ian's heart skipped a beat, but he still put on a hypocritical smile on his face.

"It's the moment when you pulled the sword and became real."

"Congratulations, Artoria."

"Hmm..." Artoria blushed.

"But Mr. Ian, I'm actually a little nervous."

"So—"

"Can you do me a favor?"

"That, Artoria, you should know that some things are not suitable for me to do."

"Of course I know." Artoria answered quickly.

"So this matter will definitely not cause any trouble to Mr. Ian!"

Ian became a little puzzled.

"Then since that's the case—what exactly is it?"

"Mr. Ian, the wine tasting method you let me try last time was really interesting."

"So..."

Artoria, blushing slightly, reached out and lifted the white cloth on the table next to her.

Underneath were several bottles of wine with corks.

The girl slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, shyly twisting the hem of her dress.

"Mr. Ian, I want to complete this ceremony with the Camelot wine you mixed."

"..."

Ian was forced to become a bartender—he had no reason to refuse.

Fortunately, he knew some of this knowledge because of Morgan, and the wine provided by Artoria was also a top-quality vintage.

Several kinds of wine were mixed in the most perfect container, and the clear liquid rippled with small whirlpools, triggering a rich aroma.

Ian finally understood why winemakers were always so obsessed with wine vessels.

This kind of container that can completely blend the wine is not so easy to obtain.

However—

The girl's capacity seemed a little full, and it might spill out with the swaying of her body later.

But Ian also had a countermeasure.

In Artoria's tacit and warm gaze, he picked up the cork that had been washed clean by the wine.

"Artoria, if you feel uncomfortable, tell me."

"Hmm..."

The girl's legs were trembling slightly.

The cork that isolated the inside and outside of the wine vessel also slowly reached its position.

The clear spring in the garden was tightly sealed, and there was no need to worry about the appearance of a small stream of fine silk.

"Are you okay?"

Ian helped the girl up.

"Or should we just forget about it?"

"No." Artoria leaned against Ian's side.

"It's fine like this."

"Thank you, Mr. Ian."

"I'm not nervous at all now."

[Your meeting with Artoria ended in the aroma of wine and the girl's kiss.]

[After a while, the coronation ceremony began.]

[You and Morgan stood in the crowd, appearing not so conspicuous.]

[After all, at this moment, you are destined to be just supporting roles.]

"..."

Seeing Artoria on the throne, Morgan's expression was almost completely out of control.

If Ian hadn't let her vent on his arm, the situation probably wouldn't be as calm as it is now.

"That woman..." Morgan's voice trembled.

"Dares to sit in that position!"

"It's okay, Princess, that throne is not what we need." Ian comforted Morgan beside him.

"You said you would have a more perfect and flawless throne."

"But seeing her like this—"

Morgan's cheeks showed a bit of twisted spasm.

"Ian, I'm so unwilling! Why can't it be me?!"

"..."

Ian fully understood Morgan's feelings at this moment.

She had always been unable to accept this innate destiny.

Artoria was Morgan's absolute enemy at this moment.

Ian's mood was a bit complicated.

"Princess, you think all of this is unfair, right?"

"That's right!"

"I understand."

Ian touched Morgan's bulge, which was filled with unwillingness and determined to be irrigated to express protest, but his eyes never left Artoria in front.

He knew that the cold Knight King at this moment was actually desecrating this coronation ceremony like the abandoned princess.

It's just that she is happy, while Morgan is painful.

This is indeed unfair.

As an extremely despicable knight, he knew who he should be loyal to.

"Princess, to this day, am I still your best pawn?"

"..."

Morgan didn't know what Ian meant by saying this at this time.

But this was what she always said, so it was naturally impossible for her to deny it.

"Yes, Ian, you are my best pawn."

"I'm relieved to hear you say that."

Ian stood up.

If it's a pawn, it's reasonable to be discarded, right?

If it's a pawn, there's no psychological burden to do despicable things, right?

If it's a pawn, no one will criticize you for using any means to achieve your goal, right?

Then—

Exchange a pawn for a king.

Ian looked at the girl on the throne.

It's not something that shouldn't be done to use her sincere feelings to completely corrupt and degenerate her.

Let's start by making her feel ashamed on the empty throne.