Aftermath of the Rebellion 2

Translator: Cinder Translations

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The prison in Alden is different from others. In recent years, with a reported increase in financial revenue, Lord Paul Grayman, the Earl, directed the Public Safety Department to carry out a series of renovations on the prison.

Other lords' prisons are often dark, damp, and devoid of sunlight for years. When you walk inside, a rotten, murky, nauseating stench assaults your nostrils, stimulating your brain as if you've been hit on the head. These terrible smells often stem from decaying objects, prisoners' excrement, or rotting wounds, and could even come from corpses not promptly dealt with. Even if you can endure the smell itself, the poor ventilation gives you a constant feeling of suffocation. Moreover, prisons are typically infested with rats, cockroaches, and lice—unpleasant creatures that make their homes and breed here. You might occasionally see a rat scurrying in front of you, and if you don't leave quickly, you'll likely unknowingly contribute to expanding the living space for cockroaches and lice—often in your own quarters.

After being personally overseen by Paul, the renovations have turned Alden's prison into what appears to be a paradise in the eyes of ordinary prisoners serving time in traditional prisons—if they are lucky enough to see it. Each room has a small iron window for ventilation, ensuring that natural light can stream in for part of the day. The prison floor is paved with flat bricks, and the walls—whether in the corridors or the prisoners' rooms—are coated with a layer of chalk paint. Even in the shadow of the windows, the light reflecting off the white walls prevents the daytime from becoming too dim.

The prison has stringent hygiene requirements, with fixed toilets installed. Prisoners are required to keep their rooms clean, and monthly deep cleanings are organized. Upon entering, each prisoner is issued three uniform prison uniforms and is required to change their clothes at least once a week and bathe twice. Rats, cockroaches, and lice are treated as formidable enemies, and any signs of them are swiftly dealt with.

Every day, prisoners wake up at 6:30 a.m. for roll call and then run in the courtyard. Breakfast is at 7:30 a.m., followed by labor starting at 8:30 a.m. Lunch is at noon, labor resumes at 1:00 p.m., and dinner is at 6:00 p.m. After dinner, they do handicrafts, and work ends at 9:00 p.m., allowing time to rest and apply for a shower. By 10:30 p.m., they must go to bed.

To outsiders, Alden's prison seems like a lower-tier version of the Alden military camp. In fact, many prisoners, after years of incarceration, have developed better physiques and temperaments due to regular physical training and a structured routine.

Tennyson Fedotov was hammering nails into a pre-assembled high stool, his task today being to assemble fifty such stools.

"Hey! Student! Need any help?" someone nearby teased him. Physical bullying among prisoners is strictly prohibited in Alden's prison, and violators face severe punishment, but that doesn't stop some from taking verbal jabs.

Tennyson ignored them, wiping the sweat from his forehead and planning to take a short break when he heard someone calling his name.

"Tennyson!"

The prison guard he had only seen a few times—seemingly the warden—was approaching him with a guard accompanying him.

His fellow inmates instinctively distanced themselves from Tennyson, not wanting to be implicated if this guy was in trouble.

"Tennyson Fedotov?" The warden stood in front of him, scrutinizing his face.

"Yes, sir, I am Tennyson." He felt a pang of fear; he was already unlucky enough. Could there be worse misfortune waiting for him?

Bad memories resurfaced in Tennyson's mind. That day, he had just completed the acid solution required by his teacher in the laboratory when a group of fearsome police burst in, handcuffed him, and claimed he was involved in a rebellion. Bewildered, Tennyson was brought to this hellish place, where officials from the Public Safety and Intelligence Departments repeatedly interrogated him. He learned that his family had participated in a rebellion against the lord and that members of his family were detained in a labor camp that previously held captured mercenaries. Being utterly unaware, Tennyson had not divulged any useful information during the interrogations. Yet, innocent as he was, he was not released but instead forced to work here daily, and his hands, once often burned by experimental agents, had developed calluses.

The warden patted him on the shoulder and said expressionlessly, "Congratulations, Mr. Tennyson Fedotov. You are about to gain your freedom."

"I... I can leave?" The sudden good news left Tennyson somewhat bewildered.

"Yes, your teacher has come to pick you up. Follow me."

"My teacher? Master Wells?"

"Yes, hurry up and come with me!" The warden turned and walked away.

Upon hearing that Tennyson was to be released, the surrounding prisoners cast envious and even jealous glances at this guy they dubbed "Student." What a lucky fellow! How did he end up with such a considerate and powerful teacher?

Excited, Tennyson quickly followed the warden's lead and met his teacher Wells in the prison's reception room, whom he hadn't seen for over ten days.

"Tennyson, you've suffered!" Wells greeted him immediately.

"Master Wells, what brings you here?"

Tennyson quickly learned from his teacher the circumstances surrounding his release, including the conditions attached.

"But... what about my family?"

Hearing the news about the discussions regarding prison terms, Tennyson was initially thrilled, but before he could express his gratitude to Wells, he thought of his relatives in the same clan.

Wells sighed and patted Tennyson's shoulder. "The lord has already stated that if we can find a method for large-scale steel production within six months, everyone in your family who did not directly participate in the rebellion will be pardoned."

"Six months? But... but... we are almost facing a completely new field!" Tennyson's tone revealed serious skepticism.

Wells encouraged him, "Oh, Tennyson, you must have confidence in yourself, and in your colleagues. I will participate too. Let's return to the laboratory immediately and start our research. We can't afford to waste a single second."

Wells felt a bit excited now. In fact, during the journey to the prison, after receiving the lord's promise, he had momentarily set aside his worries about his student and gradually began to contemplate the task assigned by the lord. The more he thought about it, the more potential he saw in it. While it wasn't about finding a way to turn other substances into gold, transforming ordinary iron into stronger steel was a significant achievement that could leave a remarkable mark in history.

(End of the Chapter)

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