In the name of the true god

coming!

Jude quickly went to the door and waited.

Why is my heart beating so fast...?

Is he more nervous about meeting Steele Fernando than about meeting Priest Rodney?

No, there's nothing to be nervous about...

It's just another powerful asset...

Quickly adjusting his mindset, Jude waited for the knock on the door, then calmly opened it, greeting his brother Connor and Steele Fernando with a smile: "Good evening, Mr. Fernando."

"What a polite young man." Steele Fernando, who looked to be around thirty-five years old, was thin, fair-skinned, and had a slightly high-pitched voice, praised with a smile, "Hello, Jude."

"Let's go inside and talk," Connor gestured from the side.

"Please come in." Jude quickly stepped aside to make way for them and invited them to sit on the sofa in the living room.

"Let me formally introduce you," Connor began. "This is Steele Fernando, the deputy warden of the Royal Capital Heavy Prison. This is my brother, Jude Viera."

Steele Fernando removed his hat, adopting a kind and benevolent expression: "You know about our relationship, don't you?"

Jude sat up straight: "I know."

"Since you're Connor's brother, you're also my brother. If you ever need any help, just come to me." With that, Steele Fernando pulled a check from his inside jacket pocket. "Your brother told me you've been in the capital for three years, but you've been working as a stevedore at the docks. That's really unfair to you… Here's ten thousand gold coins, consider it a small gift."

I go……

Brother and sister-in-law, you're too particular...

Jude was secretly thrilled as he watched the thick sheet of paper being pushed in front of him.

Fortunately, he remembered his brother's instructions, so he first glanced at Connor, who shook his head slightly without showing any emotion. He had no choice but to politely push the check back: "Mr. Fernando, I am already extremely grateful that you and my brother are willing to arrange accommodation and work for me. I cannot accept this money under any circumstances..."

"Why are you being so polite with me?" Steele Fernando said dismissively. "To live decently in the capital, you'll need to buy a car, hire at least one maid to take care of your daily needs, and buy a few decent clothes... and that might not even be enough."

Connor stepped in and gently suggested, "Give him some time to adjust first, we can talk about the rest later."

“…Okay.” Steele Fernando seemed to agree with Connor’s suggestion and immediately changed the subject, “Then let’s talk about Jude’s job.”

Jude watched helplessly as the check was taken back, feeling as if his heart was bleeding.

"I actually don't recommend Jude go to a heavy prison." Steele Fernando's smile faded, and he gave his opinion seriously. "You are still very young, and your life has endless possibilities. I can help you with the procedures for enrolling in a top university, and I can also personally choose other well-paying and promising jobs for you."

This time, I don't need to worry about Connor's opinion.

Jude politely declined the other party's offer: "Mr. Fernando, I don't think I have much talent in academics, and I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to keep up with other jobs either. It would be one thing if I ended up feeling awkward, but if I also embarrassed you..."

"Heh, don't worry about so much, and don't underestimate yourself." Steele Fernando's eyes showed no contempt. "But if you insist on staying in the heavy prison, there is actually another way you can go."

"What road?"

"Like your brother Connor, in terms of background and ability alone, he wouldn't have been able to rise to the rank of First-Class Warden in just a few years. The reason he was able to climb so fast is because he had a more solid foundation, namely his identity as a priest of the Church of the Wind," Steele Fernando revealed.

Is Connor also a priest of the Church of the Wind?

Jude hadn't heard him mention this before.

I initially thought that Priest Rodney and Connor seemed quite familiar with each other because Connor, as a First-Class Warden, would interact frequently. Now it seems the logic is that Connor only rose to the rank of First-Class Warden after becoming a priest. And as colleagues, they naturally wouldn't be strangers.

"So... if you want to develop long-term in this heavy prison and go further, besides the support of me and your brother, you'll need some hard conditions, such as arranging for you to join the Church of the Wind and become a priest." Steele Fernando planned a reasonable career path for Jude.

With the deputy warden and the chief guard protecting him, and being a priest himself possessing extraordinary abilities, it would be difficult for him not to rise rapidly in rank...

Unfortunately, Jude, possessing the dual identities of "Involvement Wizard" and "Resonance Sorcerer," was already opposed to the Holy Church; becoming a priest would be tantamount to suicide...

Just as he was pondering how to refuse Steele Fernando's offer again, his brother Connor interjected once more: "Becoming a priest isn't necessarily a good thing."

Ok?

Jude looked at Connor.

Connor frowned slightly: "In heavy prisons, the royalists and the clergy often argue fiercely over the issue of what constitutes heresy. Being caught in the middle, I end up pleasing neither side."

"Are there factional struggles in prison?" Jude asked.

"Hmm..." Steele Fernando nodded thoughtfully. "The Church of the Wind wants to transfer all heretics to the church for unified handling, but His Majesty Leonard insists on leaving the heretics behind."

Leonard?

Isn't he the one who personally arrested and executed Edmund, and is now the King of the Kingdom of Florence?

Jude pressed on, "Why?"

"Ever since His Majesty Leonard personally executed the heretical leader Edmund more than twenty years ago, the heretics have launched hundreds of retaliatory assassination attempts against him. Although the heretics failed, His Majesty Leonard still lost an eye in the process," Steele sighed. "From then on, His Majesty Leonard's hatred for the heretics grew ever stronger, and he vowed to keep them all in his prisons and torture them in every way possible."

"So, His Majesty Leonard has a disagreement with the Church, which is why the Heavy Prison had to be jointly managed by the Kingdom of Florence and the Church of Wind?"

"Yes."

Connor then added, "Steel belonged to the royalists, and I was promoted by him, but I was also a priest, so I couldn't get too close to either side."

“I understand what you mean. Making Jude a priest now will only get him into trouble…” Steele pondered for a moment. “Being a regular prison guard with such a clear stance is the easiest thing for him. However, he won’t climb very high in prison like that, so it’s better for him to develop his career outside.”

"There's nothing wrong with being an ordinary person, especially since we'll take care of him everywhere. If he changes his mind later, we can arrange another place for him." Connor didn't think it was a difficult problem.

"And you? What do you think?" Steele asked Jude.

After gaining a deeper understanding of the situation inside the heavy prison, Jude became even more determined to start as an ordinary prison guard.

After all, his primary purpose in working at the heavy prison was to learn the laws of contact and similarity.

"Let's give it a try," he said.

"Okay." Steele didn't insist. "Then let's start as prison guards, and we'll see how things go."