Under the orders of Warden Blackberry, the afternoon was devoted to a surprise inspection of the prisoners’ belongings. However, there weren’t enough guards to conduct a simultaneous inspection of all the prisoners’ possessions.
As a result, the inspection had to be carried out cell by cell.
The first few prisoners were caught red-handed with illegal items, but as time went on, the concealment of contraband became more successful.
A large quantity of opium, tobacco, and nails had been discarded in the toilet.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t a significant issue.
What mattered was that, in preparation for Prince Akeem’s inspection, Alban prison had to be peaceful and tidy.
The goal of the surprise inspection was to ensure that there would be no incidents of violence or intoxicated individuals in front of the prince.
Even those prisoners found with illegal items received only minor punishment.
It seemed that some prisoners were even happy about the surprise inspection this time.
These were the members of underground organizations dealing with opium and tobacco.
They believed that the inspection would boost the demand for their products significantly, especially after a large amount of opium had now been covered with shit.
It appeared that they had managed to bring in a considerable supply of opium into the prison through some route, although the details were not clear.
“There’s no denying that the warden is acting too hastily. What will he do if some prisoners start experiencing withdrawal symptoms?”
Pr. Mephisto muttered while inspecting the confiscated opium. These seized items were supposed to be taken to the infirmary for medical purposes. Perhaps Pr. Mephisto was considering keeping a little for himself.
This guy sometimes takes in something called laughing gas, which he developed himself.
I had been invited to join a few times, but I always declined.
“You see, your senses become sharpened. It also helps sustain concentration if you take it before conducting experiments.”
Pr. Mephisto had a chilling look in his eyes when he said that.
I didn’t want to get too involved with him, but it seemed like he had taken a liking to me. Whenever he had something to discuss, he would call me instead of the other guards.
I wondered if using opium while crafting magic scrolls would enhance my focus. It piqued my curiosity for a moment, but I quickly decided it would be best to refrain from such an idea. Professor Mephisto seemed too suspicious.
Sure, improved concentration sounded good, but he appeared completely oblivious to everything around him.
In the following days, all the prisoners worked together to clean the prison thoroughly.
The putrid smell seemed to have improved significantly, and the atmosphere in Alban was undergoing a transformation.
The decrepit state of the building couldn’t be hidden, but it was unquestionably much cleaner than before.
The commotion made it impossible for the guards to take a break from their duties, and my scheduled day off had to be postponed. Consequently, I had to delay my visit to Baron Foster.
Instead, I pushed through the fatigue and diligently worked on crafting magic scrolls during the night. I believed it would be better to have several samples to show the Baron.
However, during my discussion with Ms. Fuyu, we decided not to provide any offensive magic. The three types of magic I prepared were healing magic, water magic, and light magic that emitted light. Among them, healing magic was likely to be in high demand.
Yet, I also hoped the water magic, which could produce 10 liters of water, and the light magic, which glowed for six hours continuously, would sell well as they were relatively easier to create.
◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇
Prince Akeem’s inspection ended surprisingly quickly.
Despite all the fuss made about the thorough cleaning, the prince spent no more than thirty minutes walking through the facility where the prisoners were kept.
Following Warden Blackberry’s ecstatic guidance, Prince Akeem leisurely strolled along, swirling a luxurious cigar in his hand. He briefly paused once in front of the female prisoners’ cells, looking intrigued as he glanced inside.
“He was staring at my chest with such a lecherous gaze.”
Afterward, the leader of the female prisoners, Casey Sue, recounted to me with a mischievous look.
Casey Sue was tall and had an outstanding figure. Perhaps it was the allure of an untamed nature unknown to the prince.
“Even the prince couldn’t resist Casey’s charm, huh?”
I teased, and Casey furrowed her brows in response.
“Hah, I wouldn’t want a prince with such a creepy mustache! Those types love perverted sex. I can see right through them.”
Casey’s words were filled with prejudice, but I couldn’t dismiss her keen intuition. It made me consider that there might be some truth to what she was saying.
“Hey, hey, don’t say things like that so loudly. You could get arrested for disrespecting royalty.”
“Hmph, I prefer a wolf over a prince, you know.”
“Well, even if you say that…”
“You can only have sex with love? Don’t worry, I’ll love you plenty. Or do you already have someone in your heart?” she inquired.
I couldn’t reveal that my beloved was the hero.
“That’s, uh… excuse me!”
I had no choice but to escape the scene.
I worried that Prince Akeem’s intention might be toward Ms. Fuyu, but my concern turned out to be needless. After surveying the prison, the prince had a quick drink in the warden’s office before returning to the palace.
It seemed like he had come for a mere inspection to pass the time.
Every year, messengers from the palace would visit Ms. Fuyu. They were emissaries trying to encourage a marriage proposal between her and the current crown prince.
I wondered if this year Prince Akeem was assigned to be the messenger, but it seemed I was overthinking things.
“The messengers come every spring. It’s a bit early this season,” Ms. Fuyu informed me.
“Ms. Fuyu, why don’t you consider their proposal this year?” I proposed something I had been contemplating for a while.
Ms. Fuyu appeared slightly surprised by my words but encouraged me to continue, knowing that I had something on my mind.
“What do you mean?”
“When it comes to helping Ms. Fuyu escape, the main issues are the magic seal restraints and this special confinement cell. If you pretend to accept the proposal from the royal family, at the very least, you should be able to break free from the special confinement cell.”
“I see…”
Ms. Fuyu wore a troubled expression.
“Is there a problem?”
“In practical terms, the plan can’t be executed unless we find a way to deal with the magic seal restraints. As long as they remain active, I won’t be able to regain my powers, and even if Mr. Wolf is strong, facing over twenty royal guards will be a tough challenge, won’t it?”
“Indeed.”
“And even if it’s just a pretense, I hesitate to utter words about going to someone other than Mr. Wolf. I can’t imagine myself with anyone else…”
“Ms. Fuyu.”
I involuntarily reached my hand through the iron bars and tightly held Ms. Fuyu’s hand. It was the first time I had touched her, and we both seemed to be immobilized as if under a spell.
Warmth flowed through our connected fingers, filling our hearts.
“We’ll definitely get out of here. I’ll find a way to deal with the magic seal restraints.”
“Mr. Wolf…”
We held each other’s hands as long as time allowed.
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