The Warden of The Witches

Surprise Inspection

"Noooooo!" In the core area of the prison, Cell 13, Fei cried out in despair.

"Well, well, well. I never would've known if we hadn't checked. You've been hiding so many good things," Aiden said, standing with his arms crossed, eagerly inspecting the contraband from Cell 13, laid out in front of him by the other guards.

cards and dice for gambling, cosmetics, hairpins, large banknotes, small particles of precious metals, forbidden books, vibrating crystals... The items found in Fei personal belongings actually accounted for a third of the list.

(Tn: Vibrating crystals (⁠ ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°⁠) )

If it weren't for Veronica's reaction when she saw the list earlier, Aiden wouldn't have thought to conduct a surprise inspection today.

When Veronica asked him with a surprised look on her face, he guessed that Fei must have taken out the contraband cards and played with her before.

"Traitor! I took such good care of you when we shared a room before! Now, as soon as you get promoted, you sell me out! I misjudged you!!" Fei stared at Veronica behind Aiden, loudly accusing with a face full of grievance.

"I... didn't mean to, I'm sorry," Veronica looked apologetic, watching Fei pitiful appearance as if wanting to write the word "tragic" with blood. She couldn't help but feel sympathy.

"Don't apologize to prisoners casually, this one brought it on herself," Aiden turned to Veronica and educated her with a stern expression.

Then he turned to Fei, as he was about to speak, Fei suddenly lunged towards his thigh, and said "Lord Aiden!"

Fortunately, Aiden had anticipated that she might try this, so he swiftly stepped back, then grabbed Veronica's shoulder and pushed her in front of him as a shield.

"Ehhh?" Before Veronica can react, Fei was already hugged her thigh, nearly tripping her.

"Tsk." Realizing she'd grabbed the wrong target, Fei quickly let go of Veronica and turned her gaze back to Aiden.

"If you come at me again, I'll leave a shoe print on your face." Aiden, was prepared this time, and lifted one foot as a warning.

If Fei managed to grab his thigh, this stubborn troublemaker would definitely not let go easily.

Fei immediately wore a pitiful expression and pleaded with Aiden, "I didn't know these were contraband, please show mercy this time, I—"

"You're willing to do anything, right?" Aiden interrupted her, pretending to clean his ear, "My ears are about to callus from hearing that. If you're willing to do anything, just behave and follow the rules, don't give me trouble. This is your fifth time in here, are you trying to fool me by saying you didn't know these were contraband?"

"It's true..."

"Confiscate the items, handle them properly. Put the money and precious metals in the personal storage, you'll get them back when you're released. Also You'll be in solitary confinement for a day, and your treatment level will be adjusted back. That's it," Aiden announced the plan in a calm tone.

"Nooo, please, I don't want this! Why are you treating me like this!!" Fei started throwing a tantrum on the ground.

Aiden was unfazed by this and turned to the riot squad, saying, "Take her away."

The two members of the riot squad seemed accustomed to this scene, lifting the struggling Fei from both sides and dragging her towards the solitary confinement room.

Then, Aiden turned to another inmate in Cell 13—prisoner 3340, a newcomer who had recently been assigned to this room. She looked to be in her thirties, tall and graceful.

Veronica recognized her as the friendly-looking female inmate who had greeted Aiden in the courtyard yesterday.

"Warden." As soon as she made eye contact with Aiden, she put on a pleasing smile.

"You too, Inmate 3340. I thought you were a rule-abiding person," Aiden said, picking up a small glass bottle containing some pills.

"I'm very sorry, I have rhinitis, and I also have trouble sleeping, so I brought in a little bit of the medicine I usually take..." Inmate 3340 obediently lowered her head.

"You're sick? Then go to the prison doctor. There are so many people here who want to fake illness just to get out of work, but you seem quite proactive about treating yourself," Aiden turned his head and stared hard at her lowered face, "Getting something like this in here shouldn't be easy. Who helped you bring it in?"

"This, I had my family secretly hide it in my personal belongings and bring it in... I'm truly sorry, I would never do it again," Inmate 3340 lowered her face even further.

Aiden glanced around, noticing that many female inmates who had been pushed into the corridor due to the surprise inspection were now concentrating their gaze in this direction.

Lowering his voice, Aiden issued a warning to Inmate 3340 in her ear, "Your sentence seems to be only a few months, there's no need to cause such a fuss in this prison. Don't even think about causing trouble for me, understand?"

Inmate 3340 glanced at Aiden, and for a moment, her eyes sharpened.

But in the end, she nodded in agreement, "I don't quite understand what Warden is saying, but since I've done something wrong, no matter the punishment, I will definitely comply."

"Very well." Aiden stood up straight, casually giving out the consequences, "Dispose the medicine, then five days in solitary confinement."

Inmate 3340 lifted her face, with a hint of surprise in her eyes.

Even Veronica looked at Aiden with surprise—this punishment was clearly much harsher than the one given to Fei.

"Do you have any objections?" Aiden looked at Inmate 3340 expressionlessly.

"None." Inmate 3340 obediently lowered her head again, then followed a guard and left, heading towards the main gate.

As they passed Cell 11, she glanced at Evangeline standing in front of the cell.

Evangeline stared at the inmate in confusion, feeling that the other person looked somewhat familiar, but couldn't quite remember.

Since last night, her mind had been fuzzy, constantly forgetting things... It was strange.

Yesterday evening, in the small courtyard.

"Mom?" Evangeline widened her eyes, looking at the female prisoner who suddenly spoke to her—this woman's appearance and voice, were all clearly her "mother" Meiliu Jienu who had raised her. She had been standing beside her for quite some time, but Evangeline had just remembered.

"Why are you here?" Evangeline looked at her "mother" in astonishment, looking at her prison uniform and number—3340, it seemed she had just arrived not long ago.

"Of course, I'm here to rescue you, my dear Vanny," Meiliu Jienu said affectionately, "You're the child I cherish the most, how could I bear to see you imprisoned?"

Rescue me...?

Suddenly, Evangeline had a question in her mind.

Why? When her previous brothers and sisters were caught, her mother had always been indifferent.

"Although I really want to take you away from here right away, i still need some time to prepare. Until then, please be patient," Meiliu Jienu reached out and patted Evangeline's head, "Being able to see you like this now already makes me very happy."

Evangeline felt the warmth through her hair — exactly the same as before.

Then, her memory went blank.

When she came to her sense, there was no one in front of her.

"I'm..., what was I doing?" She stood there in a daze.

Was I daydreaming while watching ants...

She lowered her head again and saw the butterfly dissected by the ants, as well as the ants returning to the anthill in formation, carrying their spoils.