Published: January 4, 2026
That day, I found myself in the heart of Nishil.
Almeria's provincial capital, Nishil, is famously known as the City of Water, continuously supplied with abundant water from a total of eleven aqueducts.
In the city center square, there stood a grand fountain built from a branch of one of these aqueducts.
A crowd of Nishil’s residents gathered around the fountain at a distance.
Guarded by soldiers, I approached the ornately decorated fountain prepared for the ceremony.
Above the fountain hung a banner that read, "First-Class Aqueduct Opening Ceremony."
Reaching the fountain, I drank directly from the flowing water, cup after cup.
Instantly, a roar of cheering erupted.
“Wow, he really drank it—the esteemed lord himself!”
“You used to have to boil even the First-Class water before drinking, but now you can drink it straight. That’s amazing.”
“I heard it was his imperial highness the prince who made the First-Class water happen.”
“Incredible…”
Amid the murmurs, I took one final drink before slowly leaving the scene.
I entered a tent set up a short distance from the fountain plaza, where my subordinate Don greeted me.
“Thank you for your hard work, Lord Noah.”
“Yeah, that concludes the ceremony.”
“Yes. With the ceremony complete, we officially upgrade the Appian Way Aqueduct to First-Class status.”
I silently nodded.
Upgrading the Appian Way to First-Class was the biggest accomplishment since I assumed control of my fief.
“Well, I was surprised when I came to Almeria. Water everywhere, everywhere you look.”
Don said with admiration.
His gaze was fixed on the flushed toilet in the back of the tent.
“You barely see these even in the Imperial Capital.”
“Ah, that one.”
Since I, the prince, was using it, the tent was built to include this public restroom, but public toilets like this are common throughout the city.
The provincial capital Nishil draws from its abundant surrounding water sources via eleven aqueducts, allowing clean water to be available day and night.
The amount of water available to each citizen is actually three times that of the Imperial Capital.
“But isn’t it wasteful to leave the water running like this?”
“If you don’t, things get bad.”
“Huh?”
“The water used in public restrooms is Third-Class water. First-Class water is for drinking and cooking; Second-Class water is for baths and cleaning—things you shouldn’t put in your mouth but are safe for skin contact; Third-Class water is used here in this toilet to flush and keep the sewers from clogging.”
“Sewers…?”
“Used water gets dirty. If left alone, the system clogs. So it has to keep flowing.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Well, unused First and Second-Class water also runs continuously like this to keep sewers clear.”
“Got it! I always thought it would be better to install some kind of device at the end of the pipes so water only flows when needed. But it’s actually to protect the sewers.”
“Exactly. …Currently, only one pipe is First-Class, but eventually, all ten others will be upgraded too.”
“Why is that?”
“Same as a river. Water with sand and dirt gradually deposits sediment and clogs. It’s the same with aqueducts. Maintenance on clogged Third-Class water pipes costs surprisingly much.”
“Wouldn’t First-Class water be more expensive?”
“At first, yes. But in the long run, it’s cheaper. Plus, cleaning clogged aqueducts sometimes kills people.”
People are precious.
Such risks should be minimized.
“I see you’ve thought this through... as expected of Lord Noah.”
I smiled at Don, then listened carefully to the sounds outside.
The opening of the First-Class water supply, drinkable straight from the source, was greatly celebrated by Nishil’s residents.
☆
A few days later, inside the study of the mansion’s outer garden.
After receiving a letter from Brother Oscar, I couldn’t help but click my tongue.
“Is something wrong?”
Don, who was handling administrative tasks in a corner of the room, noticed my reaction and stood to come over.