6 months later.
Standing on open ground, Sukuna tightly held a spear in his hand.
The spear's body, made of metal, was filled with intricate black patterns. Its unique spearhead glittered under the sun, seeming to be surrounded by an always-active magic.
Sukuna summoned a hexagonal shield around him using magic, then touched the shield with the spearhead.
And without any obstruction, the spearhead cleanly pierced through his hexagonal magic shield.
Crack
The magic shield broke and scattered away under the magic cancellation power of the Inverted Spear of Heaven.
With a smile on his face, Sukuna tightly held the weapon, then spun it around in a familiar manner based on his memories.
The air swirled, the ground underneath him cracked as the spear in his hand moved with incredible power, speed, and precision.
With a wave of his hand, he summoned countless magic swords and rained them down at himself.
The Inverted Spear of Heaven in his hands moved with power, breaking the magic swords and making them disappear with but a single touch from its spearhead.
Seeing the number of swords increasing, Sukuna detached the spear down the middle, revealing a shimmering chain.
CrackCrack
The spearhead turned into a knife attached to a chain, moving around him in a semi-spherical zone.
None of the magic swords managed to break the dome, as they all disappeared after approaching it.
After a little more practice, Sukuna stopped and reattached the shaft, turning it back into a spear.
Grabbing a wooden box from the side, he placed his weapon inside before sealing it with barrier magic and going back to the city.
Arriving inside, he greeted his hardworking citizens before arriving at the academic building, which he renamed Dawn Magic Academy.
Although it only had 20 students for now....
Sukuna saw Erde and the other students practicing diligently, trying to form the hexagonal magic shield.
In the past 7 months, these guys had improved significantly, from complete beginners to somewhat better mages.
Though still, the majority of them only knew a pentagonal defensive magic shield and a half-baked attack spell.
About three months ago, he and Solitar managed to decipher Zoltraak and started teaching it, as it was the most effective magic spell in Frieren according to the story.
In about another five or so years, these guys will become pretty powerful mages, as long as they keep practicing only a few spells.
As Sukuna was thinking about giving them some advice, he stopped and turned his head.
'I didn't think she would return.....'
Carrying the wooden box on his back, Sukuna disappeared and quickly appeared before the city's gate.
There he saw a familiar figure covered in disguise, sitting at the front seat of what seemed to be a caravan consisting of injured and depressed-looking people.
Demon Solitar also saw him and raised her hand, waving at him as a sign of greeting she had learned from humans.
Sukuna was a little taken aback by the whole scene and instinctively waved back at her.
The long line of carriages stopped before his castle's gate. Demon Solitar, along with an old man, stepped down and came before him.
"You're back."
"Yes."
She walked up to him, then gestured for him to lower his head.
Sukuna followed and brought his ear near her mouth. Demon Solitar started speaking in a hushed voice.
"I saved these humans from a village which was being attacked by monsters."
"The city had too few people for your experiment, so I brought them here after telling them about you."
"I've already checked, there are no spies hidden within them....."
Sukuna listened to Solitar, then looked at the old man wearing beggar-like clothes.
The old man lightly clasped his hands and looked at the horns on his head with some fear and desperation.
It was a normal reaction.
Not only him, every other human inside the carriages Solitar had brought with her was also staring at him with fear and confusion.
But at the same time, although hidden, he saw a hint of hope as well as a lot of desperation.
Sukuna turned his head and saw many of his citizens standing at the city gate, looking at the people in curiosity.
Smiling lightly, Sukuna patted Demon Solitar's head and praised her.
"Well done."
"....."
Demon Solitar remained calm, her gaze hidden under the hood, focused on the small smile he had just shown.
Her mind contemplated deeply, unable to understand why he seemed happy.
Sukuna didn't sense her anomaly and looked at the old man, who seemed to be their leader, and said in a calm tone,
"My name is Ryomen Sukuna, The Lord of Dawn City, a demon."
The old man trembled after hearing "demon."
"If you do not have a problem with my race, then I will gladly accept you as the citizens of my land."
The old man fell silent, his face filled with a variety of emotions.
His gaze lingered on the humans standing by the gate, their faces looking healthy and full of color and hope.
Finally, after some thinking, he slowly nodded his head and said,
"Sir, please accept us....."
"Alright, from now on, all of you are citizens of Dawn City."
Sukuna smiled and gestured to his people who had been anxiously waiting by the city door.
Seeing his agreement, they all quickly came outside and started talking with the new residents.
Sukuna told Erde to help them settle down and provide food and clothing for them.
600.
That was the number of people Solitar had brought with her.
Feeding them was not a problem. They had already started harvesting their own grains, plus several small wooden ships were built by him and Solitar, which allowed his people to go fishing in the sea.
Plus, they had also started harvesting sea salt, storing it in large quantities, using it on food as well as preservatives.
Mind you, salt was a very rare commodity in this world, as most still didn't know how to harvest it from the sea.
To build familiarity with the new citizens and gain their trust, Sukuna personally started helping them as well by carrying heavy things, healing their injuries, etc.
Demon Solitar stared in silence as Sukuna helped the new villagers with a smile on his face which didn't seem to be fake.
'Has his acting reached a level where even I am unable to distinguish it from the truth?'
She couldn't help but think in confusion.
Just then, Sukuna turned to her and said,
"Stop standing there and come help."
Solitar came up to him and asked,
"That healing magic you used, why am I unable to learn it even after trying for so long?"
"It's because you are dumb."
Reverse Cursed Energy, or now called Reverse Magic Energy, is something which he found the people of this world, whether humans or demons, were unable to use, just like his magic technique.
"Perhaps you are right, I am a little dumb."
Solitar nodded her head and agreed to his words.
Sukuna handed her a wooden box and said in a calm tone,
"Don't worry, even dumb people can help move boxes."
"..."
Demon Solitar looked down at the wooden box in her hands, then quietly helped move it.
On a random day.
"Yes, yes! Right there! You see that port? That's Dawn City!"
Sukuna shouted in a loud voice while pointing at the harbour in the distance.
Turning back to the stiff sailors and merchant, he said with a big smile on his face,
"Aren't you glad? To become the first ones to trade with the best city in the world??"
"O-of course!"
"Y-yes, Mr. Demon...."
"P-please don't kill us...."
"Hahaha, why would I kill you guys? I'm a good demon! A good demon, don't you know?"
'You're the 8th Demon Sage of Severence!!!'
The humans cried out loudly in their minds. They were routinely going to Warm City when suddenly Sukuna flew through the sky and landed on their ship.
Then, in a very 'friendly' manner, he 'convinced' them to dock at his own city's harbour instead.
"Don't worry! I guarantee you guys will make a lot of profit. Do you know we have salt, food, clothes, and even some magic tools for sale!"
"And you know what? We have even started making rubber tires! Though the quality is still limited....."
The merchant who was listening to him talk raised his eyebrow and fell into thought.
As the ship docked at the clean harbour, the people on board walked out and were stunned by the sight they saw.
The architecture, the clean stone roads, the well-decorated area.....
They even saw a hooded person riding a weird thing with two round wheels...
Demon Solitar, who was already prepared, looked at the ship, then started doing tricks with the bicycle to attract their attention.
A wheelie, a backflip.....
Her actions left them feeling stunned.
Meanwhile, Sukuna silently gave her a thumbs-up.
His training seemed to have borne results. She was doing great!
Attracted by the unique things offered by Dawn City, the merchant's eyes lit up as he quickly used money and the barter system to exchange for several goods.
Though he regrettably couldn't buy the bicycle, as it was the only one they had, and Solitar seemed to have grown a liking to it.
Well, at least he thought she liked it, considering how she wouldn't stop pedaling it. Still, who knows? She was a demon. Maybe she was just pretending.
With the first trade done, Sukuna silently watched the merchant ship float away.
At least they took the first step.
Seeing that it was getting dark, he came back to the castle and lay on his bed.
Demon Solitar took off her hood, revealing her teal-colored hair, and lay beside him on the same bed.
Sukuna couldn't help but look at her in confusion.
"Why are you in bed?"
She would usually just read the entire night while sitting on the leather seat as he lay on the bed to relax.
As a demon, he didn't need to sleep, but relaxing on a soft bed still felt incredibly comfortable.
"I am trying to understand how you feel."
Demon Solitar said as she placed her head on the white pillow and pulled up the blanket.
"Hm..."
Sukuna gave her a look and then lay on the bed as usual before closing his eyes.
Some time passed by.
As Sukuna was randomly imaging some sick fantasy from his last life, he felt Solitar slowly move towards him on the bed.
Without any warning, she laid her head on his arm and placed a hand around his stomach.
Feeling her soft chest pressing against his side, Sukuna slightly opened his eyes and asked.
"What are you doing?"
"Understand you."
"....."
Sukuna remained silent and felt her body press tightly against his own as her hand sneakily tried to reach for the wooden box Sukuna always kept by his side.
Understanding her devious intention, Sukuna grabbed her hand and turned to his side, staring straight at her.
"You're trying to undo the barrier on the box."
"You are wrong; I was merely trying to relax like you."
"Don't lie."
"Actually, it's not a lie—"
"Just stop."
"Sorry....."
Having been caught, she apologized in a calm tone.
Sukuna snorted, then thought of something and said.
"A thief deserves a punishment."
Then he grabbed the confused Solitar, turned her around, placed a leg over her hips, and placed a hand around her chest before pulling her into a hug.
She was just the right height for a body pillow.
"What are you trying to do?"
"It's your punishment for lying.
"Punishment? Is this considered punishment?"
"Yes, now you will be unable to read your magic books and stay like this until I let you go."
"... I apologize; can you free me now?"
"No."