Fairy Tale Survival with Ability Copying

After emerging from the tomb where his wife had been buried alongside him, the old king's son-in-law began making use of the effects of the White Snake Meat. Through animals, he learned countless people's secrets and gradually built up his own power within the kingdom.

By the time the old king realized what was happening, it was already too late. His son-in-law's influence had grown strong enough to threaten him, and his two sons had died one after another.

That filled the old king with a profound sense of crisis, and he began considering eliminating his son-in-law.

The son-in-law was well aware of this and waited patiently for the right opportunity. By then, the old king's daughter had already borne him a daughter.

Later, the son-in-law and his wife went on a voyage at sea. His wife, together with her lover, pushed him into the ocean.

His loyal servant then used The Three Snake-Leaves to bring him back to life and secretly escorted him to the royal capital.

While the old king's daughter and her lover were sorrowfully informing the court of the "fact" that the king's son-in-law had tragically fallen into the sea and died, he suddenly appeared. He exposed the truth about how the princess and her lover had conspired to murder him and even produced evidence.

Of course, he did not reveal that he had been resurrected through The Three Snake-Leaves. He merely claimed that he had miraculously survived and been rescued by his servant.

After all, the effects of The Three Snake-Leaves were simply too heaven-defying.

Who wouldn't want a second life?

But that is another matter.

Before the eyes of the entire court, the scandal involving the old king's daughter and her lover was exposed.

Faced with the tremendous pressure brought by his son-in-law's growing power, the old king could no longer protect either his daughter or her lover and was forced to have them executed.

Yet the throne did not pass to the old king's son-in-law.

Because before her death, the old king's daughter had already given birth to a daughter.

This granddaughter, who carried the old king's bloodline, was the most legitimate heir to the Kingdom of Valeria.

The old king devoted himself to raising his granddaughter while quietly investigating the secrets of his son-in-law.

In the process, he discovered the effects of the White Snake Meat and The Three Snake-Leaves.

The moment realization dawned on him, he stole The Three Snake-Leaves and completely broke with his son-in-law.

Then the old king died unexpectedly in a tragedy that filled everyone with grief.

Vanishing alongside him was his granddaughter—the kingdom's most legitimate heir.

As for the old king's son-in-law, amid the calls and support of countless people, he had no choice but to ascend the throne and become the new king.

Using the effects of the White Snake Meat, he secured his position on the throne. He entered a political marriage with a powerful noble family and took a new queen as his wife—the woman who lost the ring in the story White Snake.

Under his rule, the kingdom expanded continuously, allowing many nobles to reap enormous benefits.

As a result, those nobles became even more loyal in supporting him.

As for the old king and his granddaughter?

Who cared?

The old king truly died.

But his granddaughter, who had been seven or eight years old at the time, survived under the protection of loyal guards and lived on until the present day.

Watching her biological father grow ever more powerful, the exiled princess had nearly fallen into despair.

Then she learned that the combined forces of the Kingdom of Valeria and Viscount Silverclaw had been defeated by a newly risen noble whose reputation had previously been unremarkable.

For a princess who had lived in despair for so long, it was like seeing a ray of light in the darkness.

She deliberated for a long time before finally deciding to come.

Looking at the handsome Levi, she took a deep breath, cast aside the anxiety in her heart, and addressed him with flawless court etiquette.

"Good day, esteemed Count Silverclaw."

"I am Meriel. Meriel Dres!" She deliberately emphasized the surname Dres.

For reasons known to everyone, the House of Dres had once been the royal family of the Kingdom of Valeria.

Of course, her father had long since usurped their place.

Meriel had assumed that since Levi had gone to war against her biological father, he would have investigated him thoroughly and would immediately understand the significance of her surname.

Little did she know that Levi had never regarded her father as a serious threat. He had never bothered using Detection to investigate him, so he genuinely knew nothing about these matters.

But now, through Meriel, Levi had learned everything via Detection.

So he nodded, glanced at her, and said, "Very well, Princess Meriel Dres. What is the purpose of your sudden visit?"

Levi was asking a question whose answer he already knew.

"So you really do know who I am, Count Silverclaw."

Meriel's pupils contracted slightly, betraying the turmoil in her heart.

"It seems my father's defeat at your hands was no accident."

"You appear to know my father quite well, my lord."

"Let's get to the point..." Levi interrupted impatiently. "If you keep wasting my time like this, our conversation is going to end."

He had never liked the way nobles spoke in circles.

Meriel's expression stiffened for a moment, but she quickly recovered, her face returning to normal.

"As you wish, my lord Count."

After a brief pause, she continued, "I want you to help me defeat my father... or, more accurately, I will help you defeat my father."

"There are still people within the Kingdom of Valeria who remain loyal to House Dres. They are merely waiting for an opportunity."

That was definitely an embellishment.

The forces of House Dres had long since been almost completely uprooted by her father.

Otherwise, the princess would not have spent all these years living like a rat hiding in the sewers.

However, she still had one final trump card.

A strange look flashed through her eyes as she said, "My lord Count, don't you want to know how my dear father rose from being an ordinary man to seizing control of the entire Kingdom of Valeria?"

"Wasn't it because the White Snake Meat lets him understand the thoughts of animals?" Levi answered directly.

Meriel froze.

She stared at Levi in disbelief.

"How do you know that?"

"That's not something you need to know." Levi shrugged. "If that's your bargaining chip, then I'm afraid, Princess, today's conversation has accomplished nothing."

Meriel immediately became anxious.

"I have something else."

"What is it?"

"Something that can bring the dead back to life! That's how he resurrected my mother back then," Meriel said.

"The Three Snake-Leaves?" Levi immediately named it.

Meriel suddenly felt as though Levi knew everything.

It was as if she had no secrets whatsoever in front of him.

A trace of fear surfaced in the depths of her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it and regained her composure.

"My lord Count, your understanding of my father far exceeds anything I imagined."

"Since you know about The Three Snake-Leaves, then you must also know its value."

"It is absolutely the kind of treasure that could drive people mad!"

"And now, the opportunity to obtain it stands right before you."

"My lord Count, as long as you agree to help me defeat my father and restore House Dres to its rightful position, I guarantee that you will obtain what you desire, along with the friendship of the entire Kingdom of Valeria."

Levi laughed.

"You're trying to catch a wolf with empty hands."

"What does that mean, my lord Count?"

Meriel hesitated for a moment before continuing, "My lord Count, my sincerity is more than sufficient. You know as well as I do that a treasure capable of giving someone a second chance at life is something no amount of wealth could ever buy."

She was still trying to persuade him.

After all, Levi was her last hope.

What she had not expected, however, was that Levi knew far more than she imagined.

"You're right."

"That thing is priceless. Even I would be tempted by it."

"But the problem is... do you actually have it?"

Levi looked at her.

Though he made no deliberate effort, the natural pressure of someone in a position of power still made it difficult for Meriel to breathe.

Especially because she had a guilty conscience.

Of course, none of it showed on her face.

She even curled her lips into a confident smile.

"My lord Count, why do you think my father has spent all these years hunting down his own daughter?"

"Because The Three Snake-Leaves is in my possession."

"It is a treasure he will never give up on."

"And, my lord Count, if you agree, it will become your reward—after our agreement is fulfilled."

Levi shook his head.

This little girl was still trying to play games with him.

Through Detection, he had already seen through everything.

That was right.

The Three Snake-Leaves had indeed once been in the princess's possession.

But...

The Three Snake-Leaves could only be used three times.

The first use had been on her mother.

The second use had been on her father.

The third use had also been consumed.

As a result, The Three Snake-Leaves had already turned to ashes.

The princess was trying to lure him into cooperation with something that no longer existed.

"Princess, honesty is the first virtue in human interaction."

"And I don't see it in you."

"The final resurrection granted by The Three Snake-Leaves was already used by you."

"You don't possess The Three Snake-Leaves at all, yet you're trying to use it as a bargaining chip in a deal with me."

"Do you know that being deceived tends to make people angry?"

Meriel was stunned.

"How could you possibly know that?"

"So you admit it. The Three Snake-Leaves no longer exists."

Levi looked at her coldly.

Meriel instantly felt as though she had fallen into an icy abyss.

Her mind raced frantically.

Then she raised her head and looked at Levi.

"My lord Count, The Three Snake-Leaves may be gone, but beneath the royal palace of the Kingdom of Valeria, there are more Snake-Leaves!"

"As long as you help me reclaim the kingdom, the royal palace of Valeria will become your private garden."

"You'll obtain even more Snake-Leaves!"

"You could even become immortal!"

Meriel painted a beautiful fantasy for Levi.

---

I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> /TitoVillar

---