Chapter 10

  As Favio and I sat in the war room, I used my skill, Shadousutorēji, and pulled a bell out of my shadow. Unlike the simple bell I used to summon butlers and other servants, this one was made of pure gold and adorned with expensive jewels. I rang the bell once, but it didn't make a sound.

  Favio chuckled. "What's the point of having that fancy bell if it doesn't even ring?"

  I raised my hand. "Just wait."

  Less than a second later, King Tomo emerged from one of the shadows in the room. Favio's eyes widened in amazement, and he started to ask questions about the bell, but King Tomo cut him off, turning to me with a serious expression.

  "Why have you summoned me, Alex?"

  "I have a question about these abandoned buildings," I said, pointing to the map.

  King Tomo's eyes widened, but he quickly composed himself and spoke. "The buildings are old military barracks that were used to house soldiers and their equipment."

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  I asked excitedly, "Are they being used for anything now?"

  He shook his head. "No, but I have two questions for you, Alex. One, what would you do with these buildings, and two, how would they help the kingdom?"

  I met his gaze confidently. "I want to start helping the Kingdom of Starfall as soon as possible, with something that the people will see immediate change from. Favio and I want to get the sewer system and rain drains back in working order, but we've run into two major problems."

  King Tomo interrupted me. "Your two problems are the people living in the sewers and the monsters, right?"

  I nodded. "Yes, but how did you know?"

  He sighed. "We tried to kick out the people living in the sewers about two years ago, but it didn't work out. Down there, they have their own society, their own currency, jobs, living arrangements, and culture. They didn't like the idea of having no jobs on the surface."

  I began to understand. "So even if we convinced them to come live on the surface, they might feel out of place and jobless."

  I turned to Favio. "How many people do you think it would take to maintain the sewer system and the water drainage system?"

  Favio stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Bare minimum, 50. To keep it running efficiently and without issues, maybe 210."

  "And how long would it take you to train those 210 people to run the whole operation without you?"

  He considered for a moment. "Depending on the job, two to three months."

  I looked back at King Tomo. "Then I think we’re all in agreement. We'll move the humans and demi-humans into the army barracks and charge them little to nothing to live there. We'll also give them jobs working in the sewer system. This way, they’ll have employment that they're comfortable with and a place to live."

  King Tomo nodded. "I can agree to this. I'll make the necessary arrangements to ensure the army barracks are in livable condition."

  The plan was set. By addressing the immediate needs of the sewer dwellers and integrating them into the kingdom's infrastructure, we could improve their lives and the overall health of Starfall. It was a small step, but it was a start.