Professor Clover did not kneel.
After all, his relationship with Robin was very close. Robin had always called him Grandpa, so he did have the position of an elder.
But starting today, that could no longer continue.
Otherwise, Saint Saturn might really kill someone.
Who do you think you are? What status do you have? You dare let the noble girl of the Jaygarcia family call you Grandpa?
Do you not want to live?
"Professor…" Olvia looked at Professor Clover with a very complicated gaze.
Robin, meanwhile, looked around in confusion. Although she had been intelligent since childhood, even she could not understand what was happening today.
"There is no need to say more, Olvia." Professor Clover smiled. "From now on, you will have to protect Ohara's flame."
At the same time, Admiral Sengoku spoke.
"Gathering people to research Poneglyphs and ancient texts is, according to the laws of the World Government, a crime punishable by death. Many scholars of Ohara should all be sentenced to death!"
After a slight pause, Admiral Sengoku continued.
"However, in consideration of Ohara having raised Princess Jaygarcia Nico Robin for many years and protected her safely, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn of the Five Elders has graciously pardoned the scholars of Ohara from the death penalty!"
Once Sengoku said this, the result of this incident was completely confirmed.
Professor Clover let out a heavy breath of relief. "Then what comes next?"
"Although the death penalty is pardoned, punishment cannot be avoided. By order of the Five Elders, all Ohara scholars will be arrested and transferred to a secret Marine base. From this day forward, you are not allowed to take even half a step outside that base. All of you will be placed under the Science Unit and serve the World Government!" Sengoku said.
Then he looked at Professor Clover.
"This is Mary Geoise's mercy toward you. Of course, Professor, you also have the right to refuse."
Sengoku did not say what the consequences would be.
But Professor Clover was not stupid. Of course he understood what this so-called right to refuse meant.
It meant that even now, they still had a choice.
Either follow the arrangement and leave with the Marines…
Or die.
Although Professor Clover and many of the scholars were not afraid of death, if they had a choice, why would they choose to die?
After a moment of silence, under Olvia's worried gaze, Professor Clover asked, "Then what about Ohara? And our work…"
"Ohara will face a Buster Call. That cannot be changed. You will also be erased from history. As for your work, once you arrive at the Science Unit, arrangements will naturally be made," Admiral Sengoku explained.
"A Buster Call…" Professor Clover murmured. Then he asked, "What about the Tree of Knowledge? And everything we collected…"
"All of it will be transferred to the Science Unit," Sengoku said frankly.
The Marines had brought so many people this time. Even if the Tree of Knowledge was enormous, they could still uproot it and take it away. The same went for those books.
Although Sengoku had said that the Science Unit would make arrangements, these words were actually meant to reassure Professor Clover.
The Tree of Knowledge, as well as those precious books and documents, would all be taken away.
In that case, did he still need to think about what work the scholars would do?
It was just that from now on, everything would continue under the World Government's surveillance.
Fortunately, regarding the Void Century, they had already gained a rough understanding when they met the Roger Pirates for the second time. So even if they could no longer study the Poneglyphs in the future, it would not be a major problem.
"Then Olvia and Robin…" Professor Clover asked again.
Spandine immediately stepped forward.
"Professor, I deeply respect the bond between you and Princess Robin. But forgive me for speaking directly. From this moment on, I hope you recognize your own status and position. You must not speak rudely again. Please refer to the noble girl as Princess Jaygarcia Nico Robin! This is for your own protection!"
From the moment the Jaygarcia family recorded Robin's name in its family register, Robin had already been elevated within the entire World Government system as a true Celestial Dragon.
At this stage, her relationships in the outside world could no longer remain as casual as before.
In private, it might still be fine. As long as the Celestial Dragons themselves did not care, then it did not matter.
But in public, if anyone still dared casually call her Robin, that would be disrespect toward the dignity of a Celestial Dragon.
That too was a capital crime.
"By Saint Saturn's order, Lady Olvia and Princess Robin must return to Mary Geoise with us afterward," Spandine added after giving his warning, explaining the situation.
Precisely because Professor Clover knew Valthior well, he deeply understood that Mary Geoise was not some good place.
It was a hell that devoured people.
As for Olvia, that was one thing. She had a mature worldview and a strong will.
But Robin was still very young.
At her age, if she went to Mary Geoise and grew up in that kind of environment, who knew what she might become in the future?
A trace of hesitation flashed in Professor Clover's eyes, but it quickly turned into helplessness.
Even if he refused Sengoku's arrangement, it would only mean seeking death. It could not change the result of Robin being taken to Mary Geoise.
Just then, Olvia spoke.
"Professor, I will take good care of Robin."
But before Professor Clover could answer, another announcement suddenly rang out.
"Saint Jaygarcia Valthior has arrived!"
"Saint Figarland Shanks has arrived!"
That was right. Ever since Garling personally confirmed through Valthior that his son was still alive and following Valthior, he had immediately entered Shanks's name into the Figarland family register.
So from a legal perspective, although Shanks had never once returned to Mary Geoise, he was indeed a proper Celestial Dragon recognized by the World Government.
Sengoku frowned slightly and quickly looked into the distance, feeling that things were getting troublesome.
Spandine, on the other hand, had no such concerns. The moment he heard Valthior's name, it was as if he had heard that his dead father had come back to life. With a face full of pleasant surprise, he quickly ran in that direction. Before even seeing Valthior, he was already shouting.
"Young Master, I am here! Young Master!"
However, before Spandine could see Valthior, an excited shout suddenly came from a huge World Government warship at the harbor.
"I knew you would definitely come, Valthior!"
Immediately afterward, names were also announced from the warship.
"Saint Figarland Garling has arrived!"
"Saint Manmayer Gunko has arrived!"
"Saint Shepherd Sommers has arrived!"
"Saint Satchels Maffy has arrived!"
A figure shot down from the warship at incredible speed and landed directly in front of Valthior's group.
The person who came was Figarland Garling. His eyes were fixed tightly on Shanks, and he said excitedly, "As expected, you look exactly like your brother Shamrock…"
Shanks's body instantly tensed.
But after he felt Valthior's hand press down on his shoulder, his original surge of emotion immediately calmed down.
This was Shanks's self-control.
He looked at Roger's straw hat with innocent eyes, then turned curiously toward Garling.
"Are you my father? Uncle Valthior often mentions you to me. He said you two are close brothers. Is that true?"
Garling did not think too much about it at all. He even felt secretly touched.
He had misunderstood Valthior!
He had thought Valthior had something against him. But now it seemed that was not the case at all. In front of his own son, Valthior had even said they were close brothers.
How could Valthior possibly have an issue with him?
"That is right, that is right. I am your father. Valthior and I are good brothers. Back then, we often ran together under the setting sun of Mary Geoise. Those were the days of our youth…" Garling said with a smile.
As he spoke, Garling finally looked toward Valthior and said cheerfully, "You really are something, Valthior. You quietly had a daughter without saying a word. If Saint Saturn had not sent us to bring them back to Mary Geoise, we would not have known about this at all…"
"Hahahaha, Valthior, your official wife Gunko is going to get jealous!" Sommers stood on the deck of the warship and teased the harbor with a smile.
Gunko froze at first. Then she kicked Sommers hard in the shin. Even though half of her face was covered with bandages, her embarrassment and anger were still clear.
"Shut your mouth!"
Maffy bit a cigar and said irritably, "Garling, are you stupid? Did you forget that he cut you into minced meat on Cake Island last time? And you are still calling him a good brother?"
Garling immediately stiffened his neck and said, "That was different! That was a mission! You all misunderstood Valthior!"
Valthior raised a hand and scratched his head helplessly.
"I really run into you people everywhere…"
But hearing Garling say that the old man wanted to bring Robin and Olvia back to Mary Geoise left Valthior uncertain about the situation.
Could that old man be going senile?
Earlier, he told me not to return to Mary Geoise unless absolutely necessary.
Now he says he wants to bring my wife and child back?
What does that mean? Does he want them as hostages?
But considering the old man's usual style, he was always the kind to act quietly and subtly. There was no reason for his methods to be this crude.
After all, using hostages was crude no matter the situation.
It was no different from a threat.
The relationship between grandfather and grandson had not worsened to that point, right?
The old man's methods were not usually that blunt.
Could he really be going senile?
Clearly, Valthior had not thought about how much Old Saturn valued his daughter.
It had nothing to do with hostages or anything like that.
He simply wanted to be close to her very much.
But precisely because this was such a simple emotional desire, Valthior never considered that possibility at all.
After all, in his impression, the old man was the embodiment of coldness and ruthlessness. His mind was deep, and his methods were cruel.
Talking about family affection with someone like that?
Was that not a joke?
Last time, the old man had personally said that if necessary, he would not hesitate to sacrifice Valthior to protect himself.
So how could he suddenly develop some emotional attachment to Valthior's child?
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