Chapter 21 – Shocking Announcement

A few seconds later, the footsteps rang loudly, coming closer and closer. The other students finally noticed it as they looked around, confused. Why were there knights in this Academy? Some of them asked.

But their question would be answered soon.

The door was opened again, this time by Emilia. She had a rather confused but happy look as she entered the classroom. Her strict attitude was still there, but it was on the verge of breaking due to nervousness.

Emilia was followed by a girl I knew rather well. It was the Archbishop, Sana.

Seeing two women who I slept with on the same day entering the lecture hall together made my grin wider. I raised my head to look around. First, I found Rania outside the lecture hall from the opened door. She stood baffled behind the church knights who wore pure white full armor.

Then, I looked at my classmate's reaction. Some of them seemed to recognize Sana. The ones who recognized them were noble kids who often read and followed the news.

"Arthur! T-That's the Archbishop! What is she doing here?!"

Eliza also recognized Sana. She pulled my sleeve and pointed to the front of the lecture hall.

Sana just stood beside Emilia while waving her hand. Unlike the erotic white dress, which only covered the essential part of her body when she met me, she unexpectedly wore clothes that covered more skin.

Her clothes looked like a combination of a white bikini added with a black corset. She had knee-high white socks and wore black cropped clothes, like a coat, covering only her shoulders and extending to her hands.

Her hair was let loose, reaching her butt and covering them. There was a small hair decoration that held them in place.

When I looked at her again, she was a beautiful and cute girl, even when her breasts were on the smaller side of the scale. She was two heads shorter than Emilia, who was around my height.

Still, no one looked at her lecherously as they understood her position. If they even touched or looked at Sana with a perverted gaze, the knight outside was ready to behead them and put them in jail for a few weeks.

Even the troublemaker protagonist, Adam, averted his gaze from Sana.

"Alright, class, calm down!" Emilia raised her voice and leaned against the podium's side as she glared at the student, immediately shutting up even the rowdiest one. "The Archbishop has an important announcement." She said as she glanced at me.

That gaze seemed to ask me what had happened. She already knew about the announcement.

'Ah, that's why Rania is also here. Sana stopped by the teacher's room first.'

"I'd like all of you to listen closely, as this is really important." Emphasizing the importance, Emilia took a few steps back and gestured for Sana to announce what she had to say. "Archbishop…"

"Thank you, teacher." Sana smiled sweetly at Emilia and took a few steps, standing right behind the podium. Her voice rang clearly in this lecture hall, even without needing a microphone or magic to amplify her voice.

Sana looked over at the student with a warm smile on her face, which looked really cute and captivating.

"First of all, I thank you for your time. You're all here to witness something important. Something that only happened once in this world." She said with a proud tone, taking out the parchment that she hid behind her.

She rolled it open, holding it with both hands. "I, as the Archbishop of Castitas Church in Academy City, announced that we, Castitas Church, have found the person who passed the test to become a Paladin in Academy City!"

Clamor spread almost immediately. The students' eyes lit up in excitement.

"Paladin?! Isn't that, like, the highest position in Castitas Church? I heard our instructor was closest to being a Paladin due to her mastery of <Swordsmanship> and <Holy Magic>, but someone else beat her before she could take the test. Who is that?"

Eliza was over-excited. She had always loved rumors and news, so this news was something she welcomed with open arms. That was also why her knowledge about people's relationships was vast, although she could never be honest with her own feelings.

Anyway, everyone clamored loudly, so Emilia took a step forward and shouted. "Keep silent! The Archbishop has yet to finish her announcement!"

They went silent immediately. As expected of her. In just two days, she managed to cement her reputation as a strict teacher.

Sana laughed bitterly as she hid her face behind the parchment. Then she coughed a little and continued.

"As of yesterday, an individual has passed the Paladin test and has completed the ritual." Her face blushed slightly, probably remembering yesterday's ritual.

We had done it once, and she got more into it that it even made her cum a few times. A great memory.

"The Castitas Church has recognized this person as an official Paladin, and right now, I will announce his name. Please show us your Paladin symbol to prove to the others in this place. As for the others, please become the witness of this historic moment!"

From that sentence, they understood something. The Paladin was someone in this class. The students looked around curiously. Some were dumbfounded, and some were boasting to their friends that they were the Paladin.

Well, no one was serious except for one person. Adam just smiled silently for some reason. Did he not hear that the Paladin needed to pass a test and follow a ritual? I guess he didn't hear it.

But crest?

'Is it related to my new [Paladin] title? Let's check it.'

---

Title:

[Paladin] – A proof of being Castitas Church's Paladin.

Bonus Skill: Paladin Crest – Show Paladin's crest above your head

---

Reading the explanation of my new title, I knew what Sana meant by showing off the crest. I was so busy having sex with Emilia last night that I forgot to check it.

Well, only the person themselves could see their own status screen unless they wanted to show it to someone else, so it was safe opening it in public like this.

'I got a useless bonus skill. I am sure this had never happened in the game. So this world is indeed a bit different, huh?' I thought.

'Well, that's not a big problem. I just need to show this crest when she calls for my name, right?

Sana rolled the parchment into a scroll and put it on the podium. She didn't need that anymore as she had known my name, the new Paladin. Then with a graceful smile, she raised her arms. Her long sleeves fluttered in the air.

Tension began to build in the lecture room. Emilia smiled proudly behind Sana while crossing her arms as she may already know who the new Paladin was.

"The new Paladin is–" Sana began to announce it. Many students gulped in anticipation. And then she announced it. "Arthur Vainglory!"

There was something added after my name, but I stood up and used my bonus skill.

<Paladin Crest>

A big symbol of Castitas Church's Paladin appeared above me in a golden color. This skill seemed to be a part of Holy Magic, hence the golden color.

Eliza was so surprised that her jaw dropped. And Adam… the look on his face was really priceless. He paled, understanding that he had messed with a really big person.

Then Rania and Emilia both had proud looks. My big sister from the orphanage clapped her hands happily. And then the announcement came to me.

[Ding! You have been recognized by many as Castitas Church's Paladin! You have gained 50 Virtues!]

[Ding! Vainglory has been added as your surname. Due to the Archbishop's blessing, you have gained 10 Virtues!]

[Quest <I am Famous!> has been completed!]

[Player Arthur Vainglory gained 1 Sins as a reward!]

[A new Quest has appeared.]

Many announcements rang in my head at once. Combined with the claps that came later from my classmates, my head was dizzy from all the noise. I couldn't even process the fact that I just gained 60 Virtues at once!

I looked at Eliza with a serious expression. She was clapping the loudest, ignorant of my dizziness.

Even the strongest player could get confused by a lot of noises, especially when I still didn't lower my senses.

'Stop it, please!'