Fairy Tale Survival with Ability Copying

Princess Milissa's carriage slowly approached the city gates.

On both sides of the cement road stretched vast fields of cultivated Bittervine. Farmers worked among the crops, and the vines appeared to be growing exceptionally well. Smiles could be seen on the farmers' faces.

Princess Milissa was surprised.

This place had once been an enclave belonging to the Duke of Silverbrook's family. She had heard of it before and knew that most of the land here was unsuitable for growing crops. Yet what she saw before her now completely contradicted that understanding.

"How is this possible?" Princess Milissa couldn't help asking.

The old knight driving the carriage seemed to understand her confusion. His aged, resonant voice came from outside.

"Your Highness, are you surprised?"

"Yes, Uncle Romon."

Princess Milissa looked at the vast patchwork of fields beyond the city walls, her eyes full of bewilderment.

"This land..."

"That's right. We couldn't do it. But Count Silverclaw did." The old knight continued, "Just like the cement he introduced, this Bittervine, which can grow in coastal soil, is equally priceless."

After a pause, he added, "Our Count Silverclaw is even more mysterious and capable than we imagined."

"You mean... a wizard?"

Princess Milissa hesitated before uttering the somewhat taboo word.

The old knight did not answer.

Only after a long silence did he speak again in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Who knows?"

Princess Milissa fell silent.

The carriage continued forward with a rhythmic clatter across the cement road.

Soon, her attention was drawn elsewhere.

The closer they came to the city walls, the more imposing they appeared.

Several craftsmen stood on either side of the gate, polishing the final bronze studs on the massive doors. Others pushed carts loaded with fired bricks, hurrying between the walls and the city interior. Footsteps, the clang of tools, and shouted instructions blended together into a lively scene filled with energy and everyday life.

Yet despite the bustle, everything remained orderly, without the slightest hint of chaos.

That level of order was no simple thing.

The carriage continued onward. After passing through the gate and undergoing inspection by the guards, it slowly entered the city's main thoroughfare.

The streets here were broad and level.

Flat stone slabs paved the roads, reinforced underneath by a cement foundation. The surface was smooth and stable, free from bumps and jolts.

Compared to the muddy dirt roads common throughout this era, the difference was striking. Everything looked cleaner, more orderly, and far more comfortable.

Even Aetherlan, the capital of the Duchy of Silverbrook, could not achieve such standards. There, only the most important roads received this level of treatment.

Yet in this city, everywhere the eye could see, the roads were paved with cement.

How much money must that have cost?

Even as a princess, Milissa found herself deeply shocked by the scale of Levi's undertaking.

She turned her gaze to both sides of the wide avenue.

Rows of low stone-and-wood houses were nearing completion. Their walls were built from fired bricks, while wooden shingles covered the roofs. Craftsmen stood atop scaffolding, filling brick joints with cement or constructing eaves from timber. Every detail reflected meticulous care and precision.

A few houses had already been completed.

Their doors and windows stood open, revealing simple wooden furnishings inside. Villagers could occasionally be seen moving in and out, their faces carrying anticipation for a better life ahead.

All the houses stood perfectly aligned along the same horizontal line.

Though construction was still underway, the overall appearance was already pleasing to the eye.

Princess Milissa noticed several carpenters nailing plaques beside the doors.

There were words written on them.

"What are those?" she asked curiously.

The old knight glanced over.

"Your Highness, I've heard they're called house numbers. Another invention of Count Silverclaw."

"They assign a number to every house. It makes things much more convenient."

"Like street names," Princess Milissa immediately replied.

At once, she understood the advantages.

If nothing else, simply locating an address would become far easier. As long as one knew the house number, finding the exact location would be quick and simple. It would also greatly improve administration and management.

The benefits were endless.

"Exactly, Your Highness. As clever as ever."

A faint smile appeared in the old knight's eyes.

Princess Milissa responded with a bitter smile.

Gone was the spoiled pride of the Duke's most beloved daughter.

She knew her own limits.

"Uncle Romon, perhaps I possess a little cleverness."

"But compared to Count Silverclaw, it's utterly insignificant."

She looked ahead and said, "You know, I'm incredibly curious now. I can't wait to meet this Count Silverclaw!"

"We're already on our way to meet him, Your Highness," the old knight replied after a brief pause.

"Mhm."

Princess Milissa nodded.

Excitement filled her heart, though a trace of nervousness lingered as well.

At that moment, she noticed a steady stream of people entering a certain building.

Not long afterward, they would come back out.

Some wore anxious expressions before going in, but when they emerged, they seemed much calmer and more at ease.

The people entering and leaving included craftsmen, farmers, merchants, and all kinds of others.

Princess Milissa found it rather strange. Pointing at the building, she asked, "Uncle Romon, what are they doing there?"

The old knight looked over, an odd expression appearing on his face.

"Your Highness, that's a public toilet."

"A public toilet?"

Princess Milissa froze for a moment. She knew what a toilet was, but the term public toilet took her a moment to process.

As an important member of the Duke of Silverbrook's household, the old knight had done extensive preparation before accompanying Princess Milissa on this visit to Levi's territory. The Duke's family had gathered a great deal of information about Levi's domain, and he had read all of it. As a result, he knew quite a lot.

He explained, "Yes, Your Highness. A public toilet means that anyone who needs it may enter and use it free of charge."

"However, relieving oneself in the streets is strictly prohibited and punished severely."

"That's why you'll notice that Count Silverclaw's city appears very clean. You haven't smelled any foul odors, have you?"

"I've heard that Count Silverclaw has built public toilets on every street throughout the city."

Only then did Princess Milissa realize it.

He was right.

Although the city was busy and crowded, it wasn't dirty. There was none of the human waste that could be seen everywhere in most noble territories.

If only a particular district were this clean, that would be understandable. Many noble quarters in towns and cities could achieve that.

But for an entire city to maintain such standards?

Almost no lord could accomplish that.

That fact alone was already remarkable.

After a moment of thought, Princess Milissa murmured, "With so many public toilets, wouldn't Count Silverclaw need to hire a huge number of people to carry away the waste?"

Surprise flickered across the old knight's eyes.

He had not expected a princess raised in luxury to ask such a practical question.

It proved that Her Highness truly had matured.

Smiling with satisfaction, he replied seriously, "That won't be necessary. I've heard that Count Silverclaw used that same cement to construct a vast network of pipes. The pipes connect these public toilets and the waste outlets of every household."

"As long as water is used to flush them, everything is carried into a specially designed underground chamber where the waste is processed."

"How ingenious," Princess Milissa said.

"This Count Silverclaw is truly extraordinary."

"Of course he is, Your Highness," the old knight replied.

"Not only has Count Silverclaw built numerous public toilets, but I've also heard he has constructed public waste collection stations, public theaters, public libraries, academies, and more."

"Many of these buildings are things we had never even imagined before."

"I have a feeling that once this city is truly completed, it will become the brightest jewel on the continent."

"Perhaps one day it will house hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of people."

"Even the capital of an empire couldn't achieve something like that. If such a day truly comes, Count Silverclaw's influence and power..."

A shock ran through Princess Milissa's heart.

The old knight nodded.

"That is why the Duke places such importance on maintaining a good relationship with Count Silverclaw."

"I understand. I won't disappoint Father."

Princess Milissa's expression turned solemn inside the carriage.

"I'll handle my relationship with Count Silverclaw properly, even if..."

"Your Highness, I believe you can do it," the old knight said with a smile.

What he did not tell her was that while Levi, Count Silverclaw, certainly had a promising future, he first had to survive the coming challenge from the Church.

By papal decree, Archbishop Cologne was to be officially installed within Levi's territory.

His arrival was anything but simple.

If Count Silverclaw failed the Church's test, the Silverclaw Peninsula would soon have a new master.

The Duke of Silverbrook had sent Princess Milissa here partly to prepare for the possibility of claiming a share of the benefits afterward.

Count Silverclaw was simply too conspicuous.

His actions practically announced to the world that a wizard stood behind him.

And that was something the Church could not tolerate.

Many kingdoms secretly sheltered wizards but dared not reveal it, fearing retaliation from the Church.

In truth, the Church was aware of most of it. They simply turned a blind eye, provided things did not go too far.

But Levi had clearly gone too far.

'Count Silverclaw is still too young. What a pity.'

The old knight secretly shook his head.

'If he had been willing to proceed more gradually, he wouldn't be in this situation now.'

With those thoughts in mind, the carriage continued forward.

Passing through the newly planned Residential District, it eventually entered the Harbor District.

There, they saw fixed cement piers extending out into the sea.

Large numbers of ships were docked in neat rows.

Harbor officials directed traffic efficiently, while laborers unloaded cargo into long rows of cement warehouses nearby. Other workers carried bundles of goods out of another row of warehouses, loaded them onto ships, and sent them sailing toward the open sea.

Princess Milissa watched with curiosity.

"Uncle Romon, it's so prosperous! Are they bringing goods from other regions to sell here, and then transporting local products elsewhere for trade?"

The old knight nodded.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"What does Count Silverclaw's territory produce?" she asked.

The old knight answered, "Salt, Your Highness."

"Refined salt," he emphasized.

"His territory produces that as well? But refined salt can't have a very high output, can it?"

Princess Milissa was not entirely ignorant of such matters.

"On the contrary, Your Highness. Count Silverclaw's territory produces refined salt in enormous quantities."

"Why?"

"I've heard that Count Silverclaw discovered a plant called Bittervine that can be grown along the coast. This plant concentrates salt on its leaves."

"With only a simple refining process, the salt can be extracted—and it's all top-quality refined salt."

"It is estimated that refined salt alone will earn Count Silverclaw tens of thousands of gold coins in profit every year. As time passes, that income may continue to increase."

"That much?"

Princess Milissa was astonished.

Tens of thousands of gold coins was already an enormous sum. Even the Duke of Silverbrook would be moved by such wealth.

More importantly, it was a stable and continuous source of income.

A subtle gleam appeared in her eyes.