One month has passed since I broke up with my ex-fiancée.

The introduction of the banknote system was announced and promulgated with frightening speed.

The system will go into effect next year after a one-year preparation period. During that year, banknotes are prepared and exchanged for gold coins.

With that prospect in sight, plans for the development of slums and the construction of a large theater have finally begun.

Right now, I'm currently visiting the land that used to be a slum for an inspection.

"It looks like they are using the military cavalry for construction and other purposes."

I muttered while looking up at the five-meter-tall, three-headed armor that was walking in front of me with loud footsteps.

If I compare it to my previous life, they look like those miniature versions of those humanoid manned robots from a very famous franchise.

The cavalry deployed in the city guard is versatile due to the variety of duties that were assigned to them; that's why it is possible to use them for construction purposes.

Old buildings are being demolished in the blink of an eye, and large pieces of rubble are being carried away while the residents of the slum help the knight by picking up the small rubble and putting it on a large cart for the other cavalry to carry it away.

They are really efficient at their jobs.

"It seems that the slum residents’ joint dormitory has already been completed, and the residents have already moved in."

Lloyd, a royal guard knight who is accompanying me, explains.

His bright red hair and clear blue eyes are sparkling in the sunlight.

This guy is the most popular knight amongst the royal guards among the daughters of a lot of nobles, but he's a workaholic, and it looks like he's not interested in women. Seriously, you're already twenty-two; hurry up and settle down already.

Hmmm? Did Lloyd say something?

Lloyd usually wears the white uniform of the royal guard, but today he's wearing a light armor to protect him.

"Are there dissatisfaction or complaints from the people in the slums?"

I was thinking that no matter how much I prepared a different place for the people to stay, some people would still be dissatisfied with my policy.

"Originally, the people who live on these streets are those who only have the clothes they are wearing. That's why if you give them a new home, job, food, and clothes, then they won't complain."

"Is it possible that the soldiers are threatening and silencing them so that they can't complain?"

After all, it's a project led by me, the crown prince. So there's a possibility that the soldiers are silencing them for my sake.

I know I'm assuming negatively, but still, I can't help but think that.

"I don't think that's really happening at all; after all,  many of our soldiers were originally from the slums, and thanks to them for taking the initiative to properly explain the prospect of this project, the residents seem to happily accept this proposal, and they themselves relocated to the new dormitories."

"So there are no complaints from the slum residents. Then are there any complaints coming from somewhere else?"

Lloyd nodded at my words.

"Yes, from the nearby places. They are saying that it's unfair to only give preferential treatment to the slum residents."

"If they want to complain that much, then tell them to just become slum residents themselves. In the first place, they should have been the ones to reach out to help the residents of the slums, but because they didn't do it, the state had no choice but to help the people of the slums. That's why they have no right to complain. If that explanation didn't deter them, tell them to come work at this site, and I'll pay them a fair wage."

I don't think anyone would quit their current job to exchange it for manual physical labor anyway, but if there's a person with that much guts, then I would love to hire them, and I welcome them with open arms.

After I said that, Lloyd bowed his head and then called out one of his messengers. It looks like he must've sent that messenger to the nearby government office to tell them about my solution to the people's complaints. Because of his quick thinking and decision-making, I'm starting to like this guy.

"Anyway... thank you very much, your highness."

"What are you thanking me for?"

Did I do something to make this guy thank me?

"It's for saving the slums. Uhmmm... it's Ellis, my little sister; she's worried about the people of the slums."

When he said that, I remembered something.

Lloyd's father, General Grecia, a martial arts expert, is a well-known womanizer who spreads his seeds in a lot of places.

Then there's also the Chief Mage Listello, who has a similar story to General Grecia, but in his case he married a commoner, who was once a dancer after a great love affair, and their relationship is so strong that they are still together to this day. In a sense, I could say that Chief Mage Listello and General Grecia are on two opposite sides of the pole.

General Grecia, on the other hand, is a righteous warrior, and if a woman from one of his love affairs bore him a child, he would recognize it as his own, and if they wanted, he would be willing to welcome them at his house. I could say that he's a really great man.

I just wish that any monkey that wants to form a harem could learn from him.

Ellis, the one whom Lloyd called a little sister just a few moments ago, is the result of one of the affairs of General Gracia.

Ellis's mother is a street singer, and she died when Ellis was still young; that's why she lived in the slum until she was eight years old.

"Her mother, even though she was a commoner, is still a person with great pride. That's why, until the very end, she refused to accept any assistance from my father and attempted to raise Ellis entirely on her own. When Ellis's mother died, the people who were close to them took care of Ellis. That is why Ellis can live happily on her own, even in the slums. And even after we took care of Ellis, she would still go to the slums to look after them."

The relaxed expression on Lloyd's face while she talks about his sister shows that for him, Ellis is a proud and irreplaceable younger sister.

"As a result of this, my sister is extremely grateful to His Highness for saving the slums... to the point that she worships you."

"Hmmmm? What did you say?"

Lloyd's last words were so low that I couldn't hear them.

"Ah, no, uhmmm... If it's possible, would you like to meet my sister the next time you have free time? It seems that she wants to show her gratitude to you herself."

"Yeah, I don't mind. Wait? Did you just say that Ellis' mother is a singer?"

"Yes, it seems that when she was alive, her name was really well known from the bar downtown."

"Did Ellis perhaps inherit that talent?"

"I'm embarrassed to say it, but she was always praised by our relatives for having a good singing voice; in fact, in school she is referred to as a singer with an angelic voice."

Lloyd said that while scratching his head.

"That's really great! I would like to meet her tomorrow! Wait, does a noble lady take her time to get ready for an occasion such as this? Well then, I guess the day after tomorrow is fine, so take her to the castle on that day, as I just came up with something good."

Ellis is a daughter of a noble; not only that, she is also well educated, and she's a good singer who is loved by the commoners.

There's no way I would leave such a talented person behind.

At this rate, I might be able to use her to do a test performance at the grand theater that I'm building.