Was Tina genuinely trying to die?
No—it was just that living hurt more than death.
She vaguely sensed that truth.
Because of the man before her.
Even though he was a noble, he allowed her to meet his gaze, allowed himself to touch her filthy body, and gave her expensive clothes. Even when she overstepped, not a hint of reproach appeared on his face.
“Rafael… my lord.” She murmured. The syllables “Rafael” felt so gentle.
His warm smile made her heart flutter for a moment, but she quickly shook her head. ‘How could someone like me have feelings for Lord Rafael…’
“My lord, all the documents are prepared. I’ve placed them in the Warden’s Office.”
Estina had arrived at the cafeteria at some point. She looked at the half-demon girl in the luxurious robe across from Rafael, frowned slightly, then quickly averted her gaze.
“Good. Have you eaten?”
“Yes, I have.”
Estina replied in a firm voice.
Then Rafael turned to Tina and asked, “Are you full?”
Tina blushed and nodded.
“Estina,” Rafael called, “escort Tina back to her cell block.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Before leaving, Rafael caught the reluctant expression on Tina’s face.
‘Can’t be helped. Right now, you’re only grateful for my generosity. What I need is genuine loyalty.’ Rafael murmured, a trace of loneliness flickering across his expression. ‘Now I just have to wait for time to brew her true feelings…’
When he returned to the Warden’s Office, it was already late at night.
Estina had sorted the prison-related documents into several neat piles.
“As expected of a loyal retainer with 40 loyalty—efficient work.”
Rafael began flipping through the materials.
Tulip Prison was built fifty years ago, in the year 1150 of the Sacred Calendar, during the early stages of the Empire’s industrialization.
At first, it had been an ordinary prison. But as the mixed-blood population surged, a former warden stripped it of its conventional functions, retaining only the execution of death row inmates, and then flooded the facility with mixed-bloods.
Thus, the prison effectively became a factory.
However, in the past decade or so, industrial goods had gradually saturated the market, and technology was being updated at a rapid pace. Mixed-bloods began appearing in ordinary factories, and the prison’s competitive edge of ultra-low labor costs vanished. On the contrary, due to institutional rigidity, Tulip Prison nearly went bankrupt. It only survived thanks to a government bailout.
But this year—the year 1200 of the Sacred Calendar—Tulip Prison was acquired by the House of Lancaster. Ownership transferred to Rafael, while the debt was shifted to the House of Lancaster—specifically, to Rafael’s father, the Duke of Lancaster.
Though in the end it was still the same family, Rafael didn’t think his father would grant him much leeway.
If he couldn’t change the prison’s current state, the old man would definitely say something like, “See? You really are useless,” then force the prison into bankruptcy, drag him back, and put him under house arrest.
Rafael certainly couldn’t allow that to happen.
Right now, most of the prison’s production lines were still using outdated equipment from twenty or thirty years ago. Their output was far behind.
The monthly revenue was only 600 crowns—might as well scrap it all!
Changing the prison’s production direction was necessary, but he wasn’t a professional. He’d wait until the five senior artisans arrived tomorrow.
Beyond that, he had to find a way to get his hands on some money to tide over the coming riot crisis.
Knock knock knock—
Just as he was thinking, a knock interrupted his thoughts.
“My lord, it’s me, Estina.”
From behind the door, Estina’s voice rang out.
“Come in.”
Click—
Estina pushed open the door, her expression slightly flustered. “My lord, a riot has broken out in the death row block. Chief Guard Sophia can barely keep the situation under control. Please come and take command!”
A riot?
Wasn’t the riot index supposed to reach 100… No.
“Damn it,” Rafael cursed under his breath. “Reaching 100 guarantees a riot—it doesn’t mean no riot happens before 100.”
“What about the guards? Have they been mobilized?”
“The guards…” Estina faltered, but still replied, “The guards need to hold the prison’s perimeter to prevent a Blood Race incursion. They can’t be diverted for support…”
“Blood Race incursion?”
This was the southern part of the Imperial Capital. How many Blood Race could there be?
With a 7-meter wall, how many Blood Race could climb over?
From the lazy guards Rafael had seen when he first arrived at the prison—hold the perimeter? Hold their asses!
“Let’s go. Take me there.”
“Warden”—Rafael could only hope this authority would work.
No, wait. A riot?
“Estina, you said a riot in the death row block?”
“Yes, my lord.”
The two jogged along.
A riot in the death row block?
Rafael suddenly understood.
This wasn’t a riot at all—it was clearly a chance to make money!
In the death row block, even if not every inmate was guilty of heinous crimes, they were all bearing sentences. If you didn’t riot, I could only execute you slowly. But you dare riot? Anyone with a crime level above 50 gets slaughtered!
Rafael had been worried about money, but now—this was perfect. He could both open up new revenue streams and cut down on food expenses!
He might even end up buying death row prisoners from other prisons.
Filthy criminals were about to turn into shiny crowns.
At that thought, Rafael couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“Heh… heh heh heh!”
“My lord…” Estina didn’t know what Rafael was laughing about.
Suddenly, she read a hint of confidence and ease in his wise eyes.
“Could it be…?”
The doubt in her heart instantly transformed into incredulous joy.
As expected of Lord Rafael—facing a riot with such composure, he must have thought of a solution!
Yes, that had to be it. Lord Rafael truly saw through everything. He was nothing short of a god among men!
They crossed the factory floor and passed through the long, narrow corridor of the mixed-blood block. A foul stench gradually spread.
“The sanitary conditions are terrible, no wonder the prisoners are rioting…”
Along with the stench came the clamor of fighting.
The iron gate of the death row block had been opened at some point. Sophia and Rena, along with about twenty guards, were desperately blocking the only passage leading to the mixed-blood block.
Though the guards held weapons, the death row inmates charged like they had nothing to lose. Moreover, the guards were all women, while they faced hardened criminals guilty of every evil imaginable. For a moment, they couldn’t hold the line—the prisoners were nearly breaking through!
If the passage was breached, the destruction these death row inmates would cause was unimaginable!
“There! They’re about to lose it, damn it!”
Estina raised her baton and was about to charge in.
Firelight flickered in the long, narrow corridor. Brutality and violence danced with the flames. The roars of men and the screams of women mingled into a chaotic song.
“Brothers! They dare to execute us early today—tomorrow they’ll kill us all! Charge!”
“We’re dead either way—might as well fight for a chance to live!”
“Fuck their mothers! I’ll ram every last one of those bitches!”
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