Oh gods, she's right. He's somehow gotten himself entrenched in perhaps the most difficult to explain aspect of humanity.

"Nay, it's more that... seven hells. It's more complicated. The leader of my nation was not the Goddess herself, but instead the Archbishop, the head of the church meant to honor her. As the gods do not speak with us directly, it was expected that the Archbishop would convey her will."

"Thus what I said about ruling with the blessing of the gods. As they do not speak to their people directly, a mortal stands in their place."