After hearing Donomo’s tattletale, I discreetly observed the elf named Pulppua.
In prison, the inmates formed groups based on their races and vied for influence, but he always occupied the center of the Elf group.
Though he had recently been imprisoned, he already seemed to hold a leadership position within the group.
With a slender figure and few words, his piercing gaze alone was enough to overwhelm people.
Dark blue tattoos were etched from his neck to his back on his pale, bluish skin.
Upon investigating the files, it became apparent to me that Pulppua was imprisoned for murder.
This man was a drug dealer involved in territorial disputes, and he had burned the members of a rival group to death.
Yes, Pulppua was skilled in the use of fire magic.
His wrists were fitted with magic-seal cuffs.
However, upon closer inspection, they seemed a bit different from those that Fuyu had been restrained with.
Fuyu’s seemed to be custom-made.
Pulppua’s restraints appeared to be sturdier in craftsmanship.
Regardless, one thing was certain: Pulppua was a dangerous prisoner.
Ketch, who was killed, was a big shot in the underworld.
It seems he was involved in drug dealing in the suburbs. There’s a possibility he was killed due to some dispute in that line of work.
As for Pulppua, his sentence was ten years, and he was scheduled to be transferred to the northern frontier settlement in two months.
There, days of forced labor awaited him.
Generally, those who can use magic are often treated as valuable assets and given preferential treatment.
He could have found a more favorable place to excel without becoming involved with the criminal underworld.
However, for some reason, Pulppua chose to live as a criminal gang member.
I also took a look around the laundry room where Ketch was killed, but I didn’t find anything particularly unusual.
The laundry room had five washing stations with drainage facilities, and the walls were filled with large basins and buckets.
In the corner, there were piles of dirty laundry and bags of detergent. It was dim and damp, not a comfortable place to be.
During the summer, it becomes a somewhat popular place for labor, but now it was winter, and the freezing cold seeped into me.
Today’s laundry work was done, so the place was quiet and deserted, with not a soul in sight.
I searched for any signs of an escape attempt, even checking the drainage outlet’s latch, but there was no indication of such a thing.
I couldn’t help but smile wryly at myself.
Here I was, trying to break Ms. Fuyu out of prison, and yet I was investigating traces of someone else’s escape. It seemed ironic, to say the least.
In the end, I found nothing useful, so I headed to the guards’ break room to have lunch.
While prisoners only got two meals a day, the guards had lunch provided for them.
As I entered the cafeteria, Matthew, who had already finished his meal, was smoking a cigarette.
“Good work for today, Wolf. The potato today was not too bad.”
On the tray was a large serving of baked potatoes, and the smell of butter was tempting my appetite.
In the afternoon, I would be supervising the cleaning duties. Working outdoors had become tough this season. I needed to eat well now, or I might freeze in the cold later.
I wasted no time and eagerly devoured the still steaming potatoes.
After finishing the hearty lunch and taking a break with a cup of tea, I noticed the unusual sight of Warden Blackberry coming into the dining area.
Of course, he wasn’t here just to have lunch. There was no way he would settle for such a meager meal. Usually, he would dine lavishly at an upscale restaurant outside.
The prison guards watched with curiosity, wondering what was going on.
“Listen, everyone, just hear me out.”
Warden Blackberry said, raising his thick hand to capture everyone’s attention.
He had a stern expression on his face, but there was also a hint of excitement in his demeanor.
“We have received an extremely honorable opportunity. I was notified earlier, and I’m thrilled about it. His Highness, the Third Prince Akeem, will be visiting our Alban Prison for an inspection!”
The director seemed happy, but the guards weren’t feeling the same way.
While no one openly displayed displeasure, internally they were far from thrilled.
Everyone could easily anticipate that extra work was on the horizon.
“In preparation for His Highness’s inspection, we cannot afford any mishaps. I want the prisoners to be subjected to even more thorough cleaning. Additionally, recheck their belongings. Crack down on weapons like knives and nails, and also confiscate any drugs or pornography. Let’s maintain order within the prison. Allow the prisoners to use the baths and ensure they are somewhat presentable. Do the laundering of their clothes too!”
Warden Blackberry issued orders one after another, but it was up to us to actually enforce them, and that was no easy task.
Everyone wore a weary expression, but Warden Blackberry paid no attention to it and concluded his speech.
“His Highness will be arriving in five days. Until then, you can suspend regular duties, so focus on making Alban as clean as possible. Understood?”
With just these words, the warden left, as if he had no time to linger in this place.
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