The meadows were bathed in the golden glow of the afternoon sun.
I stood watching the land as it was cleared for development. All around me, laborers of various races were busily engaged in construction. Here and there, site foremen barked out instructions to their crews.
If I cast my gaze a bit further, I could see a familiar cityscape. It was the heart of the Demon King's Domain—the Royal Capital. We were currently on the city's outskirts, where a new district was steadily taking shape.
Six months had passed since the battle with the Demigod. Changes, both large and small, were manifesting across the land, and the Royal Capital was no exception.
Driven by relentless development, the population had exploded. The primary drivers were refugees from every corner of the continent, groups who had abandoned their struggling villages, and demi-human tribes fleeing their homelands in secret. They had all been drawn by rumors that anyone, regardless of race, gender, or social standing, could lead a prosperous life within the Royal Capital.
In truth, that perception was accurate. By delegating all menial labor to the undead, we had established large-scale agricultural operations. This had further bolstered our already stable food supply, bringing prices down to an affordable level. Furthermore, we were constantly recruiting new workers; the construction project unfolding before me was a prime example of the opportunities available.
Through the confluence of these factors, the Royal Capital continued to thrive.
Of course, dark rumors must have been circulating as well. This was, after all, a city ruled by a Demon King who sought to dominate the world. I was known as History's Worst Slaughterer, a monster who turned the living into undead puppets. To any ordinary person, immigrating here should have seemed like a suicidal gamble.
Indeed, I had gone out of my way to cultivate that terrifying image. And yet, the people kept coming. The citizenry continued to grow, and the economy only became more vibrant.
The cause of this phenomenon was already clear to me. It all came down to human psychology.
To commoners and those of even lower status, the grand affairs of the world were of little interest. Their priority was simply surviving until tomorrow. That was why they took the initiative to seek out the occupied territory of the Demon King, even if he was considered the Root of Ruin.
Naturally, not everyone in the world shared this perspective. Those who came here were but a small fraction of the whole. Even so, there were more than enough of them to keep the Royal Capital in a state of constant expansion. The number of people reaching the same pragmatic conclusion would likely continue to rise.
It would be a lie to say I didn't feel a sense of exasperation. Ultimately, people didn't truly care about the fate of the world. To put it bluntly, it simply didn't matter to them. The pursuit of self-interest was far more important than any grand ideology.
This was the unchanging essence of humanity. After all, it was this very mindset that had led to the execution of both myself and her.
While I couldn't view such a trait positively, I couldn't change it by denying its existence, either. Overcoming that fundamental nature would surely be more difficult than achieving permanent world peace itself. It was the very element that made humans what they were.
Now that I had become the Demon King, I had learned to utilize that aspect of them. As a result, the Royal Capital had reached its zenith. I was hardly in a position to complain.
Just as I had intended, conflicts between humans were steadily decreasing. My methods were sound; there was no reason to hesitate.
As I continued to watch the laborers, a spy appeared silently behind me. Likely out of professional habit, she completely masked her presence. It was a splendid display of skill; the people nearby hadn't noticed her at all.
Without turning around, I spoke. "What is it?"
"Luciana-sama has a matter she wishes to discuss with you," the spy reported.
"I see. I will head there at once."
If Luciana was calling for me, it likely meant the matter was of some importance. I located her position using Sensing Magic and immediately teleported to her side.