“That’s right, the machines in the prison are already outdated. Keeping them won’t produce much value. The revenue is only 600 crowns. It’s better to sell them to tide us over for a while.”
Lafeier said after a moment of contemplation.
However, as soon as he finished speaking, Liliya rejected it.
“No, young master, that’s not what I meant.”
“As far as I know, the looms in the prison are at least 20-year-old models. If we were to sell them now, how much could we get, and who would buy them?”
Upon hearing this, Lafeier thought for a moment.
“Indeed, so what are you suggesting?”
“Half-breeds.”
Liliya said with a smile.
“A half-breed in good condition can sell for thirty to fifty crowns, a poor one for a few crowns. On average, let’s say around twenty crowns… We only need to sell 150 half-breeds to solve this month’s financial problem.”
After hearing this, Lafeier felt a chill down his spine.
‘Good grief, here comes the triangular trade.’
‘Who’s the slave owner between us?’
“No, let’s find other methods for now. This plan is no different from cutting off the tail to survive.”
“Besides…”
Lafeier paused for a moment.
‘You yourself are a half-breed, Liliya!’
“I do not approve of treating half-breeds as slaves to be trampled upon at will. I also hope that the two of you will not have such tendencies.”
“Yes, young master.”
Liliya smiled, a flash of satisfaction appearing in the corners of her eyes, then fading to calm.
“Understood, my lord.”
Xiugu was completely indifferent to such matters. His only mission was to obey the young man before him, and that was enough.
Soon, the carriage arrived at the prison.
Lafeier, with Liliya and Xiugu, made a tour of the prison.
Entering through the main gate, there was a three-story administrative building. To the left of the administrative building was Dormitory Building No. 1 for the military, pressed against the gate and wall. To the right was Dormitory Building No. 2, with the second and third floors for the guards and the first floor for the chef and prison doctor. The huge workshop beside Dormitory Building No. 2 was the prison’s weaving factory, now completely shut down.
Heading west from the weaving factory was the area where half-breeds were held. Sanitary conditions there were passable. On average, six inmates shared a cell, sleeping on rag mattresses stuffed with dry hay.
There were two floors, 200 cells, four corridors, nearly 200 meters long. At the end of each corridor was a large washroom where prisoners could shower, wash, and use the toilet during designated times. Sewage and waste were drained through pipes and dumped outside the prison walls. Fortunately, the walls were high enough to keep most of the smell from flooding back in. But on windy days, it always made people wrinkle their noses.
At the end of the first-floor corridor was a long, dim hallway with a sturdy iron door. This was where the death row riot had occurred the previous night. Inside the iron door were about a hundred death row inmates, isolated in separate cells, filled with the stench of rot and blood.
Prisoners executed in secret, or half-breeds beaten to death by guards for disobedience, were all tossed in there. The food the death row inmates received while awaiting execution was no different from pig slop, suspected to be a clever little touch by the 30-year veteran head chef, Hannibal. Only on the day before execution did they get a normal meal, which was also the prison’s way of informing them their time was near.
Typically, death row inmates were held for three weeks, or 21 days. During those 21 days, a dedicated clergyman would come to preach, hear their confessions, and pray for them. Due to the prison’s poor management, the resident priest had long since fled, but this “tradition” was still maintained.
Leaving the death row area and heading several hundred meters to the barbed wire fence in front of the administrative building was the exercise yard for the half-breeds. Death row inmates naturally had no such privilege.
Next to the barbed wire, close to the prison wall, was the cafeteria.
The kitchen in the middle served as the dividing line. The smaller section near the administrative building was the staff cafeteria. The section embedded in the exercise yard was the prisoners’ cafeteria.
Breakfast was usually a bowl of vegetable soup with oil and salt, mixed with leftover rotten vegetable leaves from the staff cafeteria, and a piece of dry black bread. Lunch was a thin soup made by watering down the leftover thick soup from the staff’s breakfast, eaten with the same dry black bread. For dinner, the soup might be replaced with a thin wheat porridge, served with a small plate of pickles and a piece of dry black bread. The bread was usually only half the size of a palm, just enough to stave off hunger. Still, some prisoners were bloated, while others were skin and bones.
Occasionally on holidays, or the prison’s so-called “Anniversary Day,” a bit of offal and minced meat would appear in the prisoners’ watery soup.
Over the past few decades, half-breed prisoners in this prison rarely lived past the age of 30.
First, sanitary and medical conditions were deplorable. Second, the work intensity was high. They woke up at six in the morning and worked until six in the evening. After dinner, they had to pray and repent, then clean the public areas. At night, they were often woken by the guards, either for corporal punishment, spot checks on prison regulations, or simply for some guard’s perverse amusement. To maintain productivity, the factory ran non-stop 24 hours a day, with prisoners working twelve-hour shifts in two teams, switching floors every half month.
Additionally, the half-breeds’ own traits contributed to their short lifespans. For example, half-demons born from human and demon-man unions—while sunlight wasn’t lethal to them, it could easily burn their skin. In forced labor environments, they frequently died from skin infections. Half-orcs born from human and orc unions, due to their rapid growth and great strength, were usually assigned to heavy physical labor. The excessive workload and severe malnutrition caused them to accumulate fatigue and injuries from a young age.
This situation had only improved in recent years.
Not because of any newfound mercy or the establishment of half-breed protection organizations, but simply because the prison’s management was rigid, the advantage of human resources could no longer mask the backwardness, and their goods just couldn’t compete in the market.
The half-breeds who survived were almost all female. The prison only housed female half-breeds. Male half-breeds were killed at birth because they were too difficult to control. Female half-breeds were relatively docile, but even so, they still had to wear metal anklets. Because even a female half-breed’s physical condition far exceeded that of a human once she reached adulthood.
After understanding the general situation of the prison, Xiugu and the others immediately began studying the factory, while Lafeier had other things to do.
“Chief Guard Sophia hasn’t woken up yet?”
Estina had joined their touring group midway.
“Not yet, my lord.”
“And what about Rena?”
Estina shook her head awkwardly.
“Still hasn’t been found either. I doubt she will be…”
“Heh, it’s fine. Keep an eye on that half-demon, but don’t interfere unless her life is in danger.”
“Yes.”
Estina knew that the half-demon Lafeier was referring to was Kelisidina.
Even if Lafeier hadn’t said so, she’d already been paying attention to that girl.
“A half-breed who received a robe from Lord Lafeier…”
Estina murmured.
“Can’t afford to offend. I’ll decide whether to suck up depending on the situation.”