Reborn as the Genius Son of the Richest Family

Chapter 305: Sleazy’s monologue

Michael descended into his shadows and teleported directly back to the Nation of Reborn in a split second. He headed straight for the Reborn Prison, located right next to the Centaur Police Department in the NorthWest side of the Nation.

He entered the building and saw the Rebornian police, mostly made up of Centaurs and demi-humans, working in their desks and typing up paperwork.

They all saluted at Michael once he entered the doors, greeting him with a smile on their faces.

”Morning, boss!”

”Good to see you, boss Michael!”

Even one of the prisoners being handcuffed greeted Michael with a great big ʼole smile on his face.

”Woah! Nice to finally meet you, sir Michael!”

This confused Michael. ”Huh? Whatʼs up with him?”

”Heʼs a voluntary prisoner, boss. Itʼs an epidemic. But thereʼs nothing we can do. They just love going inside our prisons,” one of the Centaur guards said.

They all looked back at the prisoner, who just shrugged his shoulders. ”What can I say? Iʼm living much better here compared to my old town.”

”This is normal??”

The guards began to tell Michael about how normal civilians purposefully incarcerated themselves. They were usually people who couldnʼt afford the high prices of the Nation of Reborn but wanted to stay here for a long time.

Michael was shocked, to be honest.

It wasnʼt like he didnʼt understand their motives. After all, he did design the Reborn Prison to be a comfortable and relaxing way for criminals to repent for their sins. But, he didnʼt expect that people would commit petty crimes just to get inside the prison.

Iʼll have to design some kind of affordable housing in the future…if only our resource budget is high enough, I could build all the housing for everyone.

It was a shame that ores and minerals were an extremely limited resource.

Michael decided to put off the problem for now and focus on other things.

”Is the Police Chief inside?” he asked the Centaur.

”Yep. He just finished his patrol boss. Youʼll find him at his office.”

Michael followed the precinct map and found a large corner office on the second floor of the Prison. He knocked on the door and went inside.

There, he saw a normal office with desks and shelves filled with paperwork. However, the wall behind the office was not made out of wood or concrete, but glass instead.

These large glass panes overlooked the Prison Courtyard, where they could see the entirety of the prison dorms as well as the large open area where prisoners were playing outdoor activities. Right now, most of them were playing a miniature version of baseball using their hands as the hitting bats.

”Boss Michael. Welcome to the prison.”

The Chief Police Centaur shook hands with Michael. ”Is there anything I can do for you? Shall I send in more police Centaurs in Neo Orcus?”

Michael shook his head. ”Not this time. I just wanted to have a little chat with one of your prisoners. His name is Sleazy.”

The Centaur raised his head in understanding. ”Ahh, yes. The one that you delivered right to our doorstep. You can find him right over there, sitting in the corner by himself.”

He pointed at the corner of the glass, where there was a lone man sitting by himself and hugging his knees.

”Thanks,” Michael said before using his shadows to get through the small gaps in the window panes and teleport him inside the Prison Courtyard.

…

…

…

Michael appeared in the middle of the Prison Courtyard. The prisoners were busy doing some kind of group activities, which most of them were participating in.

A violet slime suddenly popped up out of his shadow and landed on top of his head.

”Donʼt worry, Master! Iʼll be here to protect you from that Sleazy meanie!”

Michael appreciated Fudgeʼs help. It was like seeing a dog bark at a stranger. Although it was unneeded, it was a bit nice to see them so protective.

They both approached Sleazy, who immediately whipped his head up upon noticing his presence.

”Youʼre…Michael. The owner of Reborn,” Sleazy muttered, recognizing Michael from all the posters of his face plastered all over the Nation. That was the first thing he saw when he was allowed to tour outside the prison.

”I am. And youʼre Sleazy from the Bastard Bandits,” Michael replied.

Just then, Fudge jumped out of Michaelʼs head and landed in front of Sleazy.

”Listen, you! You better tell us what you know about the Bastard Bandits—”

”Okay, Iʼll tell you everything you need to know.”

Fudge wasnʼt even finished threatening Sleazy, but the man had already folded like a lawn chair. It didnʼt even take a few threatening illusions to make him talk.

Even Michael was surprised. He was expecting a lot of hostility from Sleazy, especially since he was the one who put him here in the first place. And he certainly wasnʼt expecting the man to be ready to tell the truth about his own group so fast.

According to Barcus, Sleazy had a reputation for being hard-headed about the Bastard Bandits. In all the prisons that had taken him in, no one was able to make him squeal about the true location of their hideout.

But after just a second of talking to him, Sleazy was already ready to tell the whole truth.

What gives?

”Iʼll tell you everything you need to know to dismantle the Bastard Bandits,” Sleazy said to Michael.

This was even more surprising. He just wanted some information about the Fairies, but he ended up getting the fuse to a bomb instead.

”Why would you do that?” Michael asked, genuinely curious.

Sleazy then pointed to the courtyard behind Michael. There, some of the Bastard Bandits were playing baseball with the other prisoners, having the time of their lives.

”I never knew that there was such a paradise like this,” Sleazy muttered. ”When I heard about the Reborn company, I thought you were just one of those groups that only cares about money and profits.

With how fast you achieved that 450th spot, I thought that was the only way you could have achieved it.

But what I see here in the prison, what Iʼm given here as a prisoner, I see now that my world view has been skewed this whole time.

People here donʼt commit crimes. They donʼt steal, they donʼt rob. They donʼt have to because this place gives them everything they would ever want in their lives.

The things that people have here for free, are things that we would have killed to get.

This place made me realize that there was a better place for even the most despicable of criminals. That there was a place where we could live like normal humans despite who or what we were.

If I had been born here…perhaps…I wouldnʼt have done what I did.”

Sleazy then looked up at Michael, his face full of desperation. ”So, please. Destroy the Bastard Bandits. My only wish is that you spare them too and let them come here to this prison. I know that they will live better lives here than in that cave. I canʼt be the only one that lives in such luxuries.”