Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

Chapter 1378 59: Farsighted Future (Part 2)

"Take this path, remember to tell me if you want to buy something on the way, don't just grab things, otherwise you'll be punished..."

On the pavilion, Tilan finished today's official duties, and hearing the voices from the street below, she got up, pulled the curtain slightly open, and watched the group of Mouse-Ear Clan passing by.

After a lengthy journey lasting nearly a month, these Mouse-Ear people finally arrived at a place where they can rest. They were full of dust and grime, with hair and clothes covered in dirt. Their short stature seemed quite restrained and timid as they walked through the bustling street.

Thankfully, leading them was a local Mouse-Ear guide familiar with the area. He skillfully introduced the environment to these new arrivals and told them all they needed to know about living here.

"If you want to earn money, you can go to the public hall in the north of the city to find work; there are usually notices there for job recruitment."

"Remember to sign a contract there before taking any work so it'll be guaranteed by the Chasing Star Covenant."

"If you're hungry, you can get basic porridge at the tent area set up for temporary accommodation. If you want something better, you can buy food at the bakery; the bread there is very fragrant and filling, and makes excellent reserve food — I go there myself."

"Go to the bathhouse for a bath, where three buckets of clean water only cost 2 Star Coins."

"If you get sick, it's quite tricky because there aren't many doctors in the city; many of them were temporarily trained by Miss Hexia."

"But don't be afraid; if the situation is serious, Miss Hexia will assist at the medical center. Her medical skills are famous throughout the grasslands. It's said she can even pull someone back from the grave, like that legendary resurrection of our Knight Captain, my friend from the clan said with a tone of admiration and excitement."

"Lord Hyacinth is our leader now; she's also the Captain of the disciplinary forces in the city, maintaining order and law. With her around, even as Mouse-Ear people, others wouldn't dare bully us recklessly."

"So impressive, Lord Hyacinth."

"Is it the Captain of the Guard Knight Order, Lord Hyacinth?"

"She was once a celebrity in the kingdom and is now our hero." Hearing the name Hyacinth, these little mice felt a sense of anticipation, gradually letting go of their fears and worries about this new place.

"Yes, yes, it is her." The Mouse-Ear guide replied with pride.

As they walked further down the street, Tilan let the curtain down, returning to her desk.

Recently, everyone's work has slowly become more organized, making things easier for her, and everything has become quite manageable.

Only, it has been over half a month since Celestia left. She wondered how things were after returning to the Silver Wings tribe; hopefully she wasn't being blamed by her elders too much. Even if Celestia were reprimanded by her elders, it shouldn't be too severe, so there's no need to worry excessively about that.

Letting go of these thoughts, Tilan wondered what to have for dinner tonight when suddenly the door swung open, and Loloria entered with Ores.

"Tilan, Tilan~" Loloria excitedly held a clay pot.

"Look, this is honey! Ores and I just harvested it from the farm's beehive."

"It's incredible how these tiny bees can create such golden, sweet food. I read somewhere that if honey is preserved properly, it almost never spoils, meaning it can be stored indefinitely. So even if I sleep for a thousand years, I can still dig it up and enjoy it." Loloria excitedly explained to Tilan about the amber-colored honey.

Considering the residents needed some culinary diversions, Tilan had instructed people to try beekeeping and honey production a while ago, and this month finally saw some results.

Tilan took the honey pot from Loloria, scooping out a bit with a spoon to inspect it closely while trying a small amount with her finger.

The sweetness of the nectar melted in her mouth, but there was still a slight bitterness, possibly due to the average condition of local flowering plants and some toxin pollution.

Tilting her head in thought, she knew this couldn't be rushed; only after extensive environmental purification could they achieve higher-quality nectar.

By using Purification Crystal, the taste could be improved. Tilan told Loloria and Ores, who then eagerly went to fetch Tilan's stock of Rhythmic Purification Crystal.

Seeing Ores and Loloria filled with joy, Tilan felt somewhat comforted. Her work had been quite demanding lately, leaving her unable to accompany Ores daily. Typically, Loloria took Ores sightseeing, serving as a walking encyclopedia while imparting much practical knowledge, saving Tilan a great deal of effort.

...

In October, the climate on the grasslands gradually cooled, and the harvest was almost complete. The barns and storage rooms were filled with grain and straw, and everyone felt a deep sense of relief and assurance passing by the abundant reserves.

Food scarcity always troubled the people on this land; opportunities to eat adequately were few, even for powerful settlements that couldn't afford to waste food casually.

"Come on, stop staring; there's food for you." An elderly resident patted a new young man, leading him to the public hall in the north of the city to find work for the day.

On this day, a notice was posted in the hall, drawing a crowd eager to see it.

"Lord Hexia has issued an order to construct 300 heated warm houses before winter. Recruiting laborers from city residents, offering 60 Star Coins per person per day, with additional pay for good work."

"Wow, 60 Star Coins, that's generous."

"Of course, it's official, and signed personally by Lord Hexia."

Currently, city residents can live well on 20 Star Coins a day, with adequate food, safe communal lodging, and a bath; typical job pay ranges between 30-40 Star Coins.

Numerous residents and wanderers eagerly signed up, vying for this job opportunity, making the entire public hall quite lively.

On the third floor, Tilan listened to the voices from downstairs, with several others responsible for public management present in the room.

"There's quite a crowd; we should be prepared before winter this time."

"Your Highness, as mentioned earlier, the coal and firewood are also being prepared; we've established three charcoal plants in the northern forest area, currently operational, and horses stably transport supplies to the city every few days."

"Good." Tilan nodded slightly.

"The current city population isn't large; a few years later, charcoal might no longer suffice. This planet isn't Earth; there's no vegetative epoch, nor coal deposits. For future development, we'll rely on nuclear energy, solar, wind, and hydropower."

With the growing population, various needs and projects have begun to materialize, accumulating personnel and technology from nothing, the expansion of cities and satellite bases. This has gradually allowed her a clearer understanding of the patterns of civilization's development, beyond the brief lines in books."

Historically, the prosperity of the Central Star Domain surpassed other regions, benefitting from various advantages, leveraging resources across districts to raise efficiency and lower costs by concentrating industries. However, this also led to regional imbalances, widening gaps, and over time, excessive wealth disparity accumulated tensions.

Solving this issue isn't easy, and Tilan empathized with the dilemma economists face; forced fragmentation and control inevitably raised costs and incurred discontent, yet leaving this issue unaddressed risked instigating unrest, reminiscent of the Western Star Region's turmoil.

This was merely broader star domain categorization; regional disparities occurred on each planet, in every region.

Complete elimination of disparities is impossible, yet she felt that reducing gaps and bridging national and civil fractures could be achieved. To alter this plight, a fundamental social metamorphosis was necessary, a notion brewing within Tilan's mind.

With transcendent abilities, transcendent species naturally emerge, ultimately leading to transcendent societies breaking free from prior structures.

Patchwork solutions merely addressed symptoms. True resolution required a fundamental overhaul.

Future humans would no longer be confined by genetics, appearance, or lifespan... Only by then could humanity genuinely advance past history, surpassing the majestic shoulders of the Transcender Era.