Raphael looked around and continued, “I’m here today for only three things: benefits, benefits, and fucking benefits!”
“I know you might not want to believe it, but today, I—Raphael Lancaster,” Raphael laughed, since the House of Lancaster had nothing to do with him anymore, “swear on the honor of the House of Lancaster that your benefits will become one of the development goals of Tulip Prison. Starting next month, everyone gets a raise of 20 crowns!”
At first, everyone was skeptical.
Until a guard belatedly exclaimed, “Lancaster… that’s the Lancaster family from the Imperial Capital!”
“The Lancasters?”
“You idiot! The Duke of the House of Lancaster is the current Emperor’s Minister of Finance!”
Hearing this, their expressions shifted from shock to joy.
With a noble of that caliber vouching for it, it couldn’t be wrong!
In an instant, their attitudes toward the young man before them completely changed.
[Ding!]
[Detected collective increase in prison staff loyalty!]
Raphael looked at the loyalty panel, a barely perceptible sneer flickering at the corner of his mouth.
[Name: Sean]
[Position: Prison Doctor]
[Loyalty: 21 (Initial Trust)]
[Loyalty Change: 17 → 21]
[Name: Hannibal]
[Position: Head Chef]
[Loyalty: 22]
[Loyalty Change: 18 → 22]
[Name: Sophia]
[Position: Chief Guard]
[Loyalty: 14 (Mediocre)]
[Loyalty Change: 9 → 14]
…
And that wasn’t all. Raphael still had a bombshell.
“Time to let these slaves taste the sugar-coated bullets of 21st-century capitalism,” he muttered to himself.
At that moment, Estina arrived with two prisoners.
“Don’t get too excited just yet.”
Raphael waved his hand, and everyone immediately settled down, their eyes full of eagerness and admiration.
This scene left Estina baffled, as if she had time-traveled into Louis XVI.
But then, Raphael’s next words plunged her into the same frenzy as the others.
“To commend everyone’s efforts during the warden’s absence and to recognize the hard work you’ve put in during this period, I’ve decided to reward you out of my own pocket—20 crowns each!”
That night, the staff felt incredibly fortunate to work in this prison.
A raise and a bonus—such unfamiliar words!
So unfamiliar that just imagining them made them drool.
Now, their dreams had come true, and morale soared!
[Ding!]
[Detected collective increase in prison staff loyalty!]
…
Raphael distributed the 1,000 crowns he had brought with his luggage. With 35 staff members, 20 crowns each came to 700 crowns total.
This 20-crown bonus was one-fifth of their monthly salary, enough to feed them well for a month!
[Ding!]
[Prison staff cohesion increased. Prison riot index decreased!]
[Prison Riot Index: 98 → 97]
“Only dropped by one point… but it’s better than nothing. Enough to keep things stable for now,” Raphael muttered to himself.
“This tactic can only be used occasionally. As a manager, one must balance favor with authority.”
“If you only give, you’ll just raise a bunch of lazy, greedy scum.”
He nodded, then addressed the crowd, “The rest of you, return to your posts. The three chief guards, escort the prisoners to the warden’s office.”
Estina, Sophia, and the other chief guard, Rena, chimed in unison, “Yes, sir!”
…
In the warden’s office.
The decor was sparse—just two bookshelves and a potted plant to spruce up the place. Due to neglect, the wooden desk had accumulated a layer of dust.
Estina couldn’t stand it. She immediately began wiping the desk furiously with her sleeve, “Sir, our oversight, our oversight!”
Sophia and Rena saw this and couldn’t just stand by.
“Sir, the bookshelves look a bit dusty too, but no worries—my uniform is clean.”
“Sir, this tree looks like it hasn’t been watered in a while. Coincidentally, I still have some piss left…”
“Stop it!”
Raphael barked, activating the warden’s authority. The five people in the room froze instantly.
“Did I call you here to suck up? Stand at attention!”
“Yes, sir!”
The three women snapped to attention, and even the two prisoners behind them straightened up involuntarily.
“Step forward.”
Raphael said.
Driven by an immense pressure, the prisoners shuffled forward trembling.
[Name: Neil]
[Sin Points: 80]
[Special Note: Maximum sin points is 100, directly determined by individual actions]
[Execution Reward: Advanced Technical Craftsman x5 (excellent craftsmen who have mastered the most cutting-edge industrial technology of this era; salary automatically matches the prison’s average wage; initial loyalty: 80)]
Seeing the panel, Raphael’s heart leaped with joy.
“Just when I needed a pillow, someone brought a pillow. The prison’s industrial revolution might actually have hope!”
Raphael then asked, “What crime did this man commit?”
“Sir,” Estina said. This death row inmate belonged to her ward, so she took the lead in explaining, leaving Sophia and Rena no room to interrupt. “This man’s name is Neil. He was originally the foster son of a farm family on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital. Coveting the beauty of his sister—the farmer’s biological daughter—he raped and murdered her. Fearing exposure, he then took an axe that same night and hacked his foster parents to death.”
Raphael frowned, his eyes fixed on the small man before him.
The man kept his head lowered. With his frail, pitiful appearance, he didn’t look like a murderer at all.
But the system’s detection couldn’t be faked. 80 sin points was already the mark of a heinous criminal.
“I’m asking you: is what the chief guard just said true?”
Raphael addressed the man.
The latter suddenly lifted his head, revealing a face hidden by long hair: sunken cheeks, red-rimmed eyes, and a mad grin stretching across his lips. He looked no older than thirteen or fourteen, and his voice was hoarse.
“Yeah, it’s true. I killed her. I killed Martha. Who told her to be so cute and disobedient? I also killed George and Nasha. Those two old farts were always bossing me around—served them right! And I’m going to kill you too, all of you, then cut up your flesh and eat it! Especially that bitch!”
Bam!
Estina punched Neil, sending him flying.
“Sorry, sir.”
“It’s fine.”
Raphael’s face was cold, a blazing fire in his eyes.
This was the first time since he had transmigrated that he felt genuine anger.
Neil stumbled and rolled onto the floor, his frail body crumpling into a heap on the ground.
His tattered shirt shifted, revealing several round, festering sores spreading wildly across his back.
Raphael couldn’t identify the wounds, but the two chief guards recognized them instantly.
“Estina, you used corporal punishment on a prisoner!”
“That’s a brand mark! How dare you!”
Yes, in the Empire, using private punishment on prisoners was a serious dereliction of duty. Severe cases not only incurred hefty fines but also prison time.
Though it was impossible to completely ban such punishments in this era, if brought into the open, it became a big issue.
Hearing this, Neil latched onto it like a lifeline and shouted, “Yes, sir! You have to do justice for me! That bitch not only branded me with red-hot iron, she also whipped me and poured brine on my wounds! Arrest her! Execute her! Execute her!”
At that moment, everyone’s eyes turned to the silent Raphael.
Everything awaited his decision.