Chapter 60

"Whoa there, look all you have to do is listen. Back at the Maroon Auction House four days ago, you caused a scene. My master noticed and headed over, he was the one who saved you. He brought you here to our Holy Sword Institute, because even George's father wanted to eliminate you for some odd reason. You really worried us, so please just put the weapon down, you still trust me, right?" Jack asked Timothy as he continued taking small steps towards him.

"If even George's father wanted to eliminate me, why would your master decide on a whim to take me here, where I would still be not only in danger, but surrounded?" Timothy asked Jack as he took several steps backwards. None of this was making sense, and because it was not making any sense, Timothy could not help but to feel at least a little flustered. Especially since Jack had given him a believable update.

"Young man, you should be more careful with that, if you are not careful, you will accidentally poke your eye out with it." a voice sounded behind Timothy. Since the voice sounded peaceful yet stern, Timothy felt that whoever that voice belonged to was a bigger threat compared to Jack. And so he immediately turned around and the person he saw in front of him, actually made him feel the need to actually drop his sword while kneeling down!

"At least you have some sense in you. I will let the fact that you pointed a sharp object at me go. Remember this, it is good that you chose to keep your guard up even in front of someone who considers you a dear friend, but the world does not forgive such things in the face of true power." the figure told Timothy as he withdrew the energy he used to suppress Timothy.

"Cardinal Paul, please show the child some mercy. It was my mistake for allowing him to not be watched for a time so that my disciple could take a quick bathroom break." appearing behind the Cardinal was Jack's master with a worried look on his face. Earlier his master made the Master stage cultivators feel a sense of fear, yet in front of this Cardinal, he seemed like a little child, asking his parents to calm down!

"Very well, all of you follow me, we are going back to that room. Duchess Hannah, please increase the number of guards in this hall." Cardinal Paul called out before casually walking towards the room that Timothy exited just a minute earlier. He was moving as if the entire space was in his complete and utter control as light radiated from his figure.

As he stood up, Timothy understood that he was not necessarily in immediate danger, but if he were to still choose to test his luck by fleeing, it would make the current situation he was in much worse. Therefore, he placed his weapon and equipment back into his storage ring as he recomposed himself and followed this so-called Cardinal Paul.

The four were now sitting down in the room and Timothy felt slightly awkward because it was clear that his friend Jack was most likely responsible for taking care of him until he had awoken. He did not know how to approach him now because he was rather embarrassed that he was unable to read the situation and trust his friend who had never shown any ill intent towards him, even if they had just met.

"This here is the dean of the Holy Sword Institute, who you know is Jack's master. As for me, you could call me Cardinal Paul, I am a Cardinal of the Relic Church. My position is only second to the Holy Pope, so I would suggest really thinking deeply if you decide to act against me ever again." Cardinal Paul told Timothy to at least give context to those who were in the room with him.

"The reason that you are currently wanted by almost all of the powers in not just Mist City, but within Bark Kingdom, is because your aura is the same aura of an expert who had taken the last Emperor's life. However, your Relic Church understands that one's aura does not necessarily mean that they are connected to others who share the same aura. Therefore, these past four days, we have been working hard on your behalf to remove the death penalty."

"As it turns out, the Highlands Kingdom has a very influential and powerful clan who rivals our entire kingdom's strength whose members all have the Aura of Slaughter as well. After receiving verification that they themselves were obviously not connected to the killer, it gave enough room to allow you the ability to live. However, that may be good news, but there is also bad news with this."

"You see, part of keeping you alive, is that you must either directly join our Relic Church, or you must join the royal family. Since you have no real background or strength, this would mean that you would be treated as a laborer for them and would receive no title to protect you from being harmed by others. You have shown to be a rather average cultivator thus far in your life, but I can at the very least offer you a better position compared to laboring the rest of your life in the mines."

Hearing the Cardinal's words, Timothy began to have quite a few questions, but the main one was if those two were his only choices. Ideally, he would rather not serve others and to remain independent which is why he felt joining a school would give him an additional boost to his background to prevent others from making things openly too difficult for him.

"Is there really not another choice besides those two?" Timothy could not help but to ask. Instead of yelling or having a sour face from his response, Cardinal Paul instead only smiled very peacefully as if he was indeed dealing with a small child that has not lived for very long.