It Seems That the Demon King Is Among the Members of the Hero’s Party

11. Suspect No. 4, Fighter Tora-san

If my concerns are correct, it’s highly possible that the Demon King is also a reincarnator involved with Mirabel.

In that case, I need to ask why Mirabel doesn’t know the Demon King’s true identity and why they kept quiet about it.

In the worst-case scenario, I might lose the only person I can trust.

Wait, I think I can come up with a reason why Mirabel doesn’t know the Demon King.

“Durandal, can I confirm something? Maybe the current Demon King isn’t the first one?”

“Yes, that’s correct. The current Demon King is not the first one. He’s the fifth generation, sealed by the previous hero.”

I knew it. There was a change in generations a long, long time ago.

Since demons live longer than humans, I thought they might still be alive, but it seems they died after all.

“The first Demon King was recorded to have been poisoned by an elf.”

“Poisoned…”

“The first Demon King’s son took over as the second generation and intensified the battle against the demons, fueled by hatred for his father’s death.”

About two years ago, the elf queen was killed by poison, and the culprit is still unknown, but the demons are suspected.

Considering the first Demon King’s story, it’s highly possible that the cycle of revenge has come full circle.

“The demons have their own struggles, but we can’t just take it lying down either.”

“Well, it was your distant ancestors who did it, Master. It’s difficult to take responsibility for that.”

“That’s how it is.”

I also have things I want to protect.

I can’t just die in silence.

“The demons have been greatly reduced in number after a long and fierce battle. That’s why they hide their presence when the Demon King is gone.”

“There are still some powerful demons who survived the great war, so they’re not to be underestimated.”

“They’re a race that has continued to fight since their rebellion. No wonder they’re strong.”

“That’s right, we’re overwhelmingly inferior in numbers, so we’ll use tactics like ambushes, poison, and hostages to make up for it. We can’t afford to choose our methods.

Never let your guard down!”

“Thanks, Durandal. I’ll be careful.”

I’ve come to understand why the demon tribe is strong.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the demon tribe is a combat species. The reason they’ve continued to fight is a sad one, indeed.

Recognize it once again. Demons are cunning and can’t be underestimated.

Since they’re inferior in numbers, they won’t hesitate to use any means necessary to survive, and they have no future other than winning this survival game. They’re more desperate than we are.

Don’t let your guard down, even if you corner them.

It’s rare to find a demon like Beliel who’s friendly towards humans.

“Hey, I hear a voice calling for Master from the first floor.”

“Really? I didn’t hear it.”

I didn’t hear Durandal’s voice, but…

Just in case, I open the door and listen carefully.

“Mr. Kyle! Are you there? We have a guest!”

I definitely heard it. It’s the voice of the inn’s owner.

“I’ll be right there!”

I respond loudly. They’re really calling for me.

“You have good hearing, Durandal.”

“I guess I do have good ears.”

Is it weird to make a joke about where my ears are?

Anyway, it seems I have a guest. While chatting with Durandal, the evening sun is setting. What could it be at this time?

I wonder while descending to the first floor with Durandal, and I see the inn’s owner standing next to a guard.

I get a bad feeling at this point.

───By the way, our inn is a two-story building. There are a few rooms on the first floor, a reception area, and a space for eating.

The owner’s wife, a former chef, cooks delicious meals.

We’re staying in separate rooms on the second floor. We have the money to spare, after all.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Are you Kyle Grahem, the Brave Party’s leader?”

The guard bows and confirms. We’ve had this kind of exchange many times before.

I know what this is about without needing to be told.

───Someone from the Brave Party has caused a problem.

Basically, when the Brave Party causes a problem, I’m the one who solves it.

Sometimes I use my wealth to persuade them, and sometimes I take on their requests and gain their trust.

Luckily, it hasn’t become a major issue yet. The fact that everyone is expecting us to defeat the Demon King is also a big factor. The moment we’re no longer the Brave Party is terrifying to think about.

As a result, it’s become common knowledge among the guards that when a problem arises, they should contact me first.

It’s an unpleasant recognition.

“Tra Vilcas Helsteim Nozenskazura has been caught trying to commit indecent acts on a boy in the park. Can you handle it?”

“Understood. I’ll take care of it.”

───The one who got caught is our comrade, the martial artist Tra.

His full name is Tra Vilcas Helsteim Nozenskazura F Tiger White Silverfurk. It’s so long that we call him Tra.

By the way, it’s Nozen Kazura until the family name.

In the Brave Party, the one who gets caught the most is Torasan.

This time, it seems he committed an indecent act against a boy. I think he should just get caught and stay that way, but since Torasan is a powerful fighter, we have no choice but to deal with it.

Personally, I think it would be better to lock him up in prison for good after defeating the demon king.

I exchanged a few words with the guard and then went to retrieve my luggage from the room. After that, I followed the guard to the station.

The sympathetic gaze of the innkeeper who saw me off was painful.

“Oh! Isn’t that Kaoru? Have you come to pick me up?”

As I entered the station, a familiar beastman greeted me with a cheerful voice.

He was Torasan, a tiger beastman.

───Let’s talk about beastmen briefly.

There is a country called the “Jungle Emperor” in the southern part of the continent, where 90% of the population is beastmen.

Initially, it was a small country, but it grew in power during the period when the elf and human forces were weakened by the demon wars.

They have extremely high physical abilities and are skilled in martial arts rather than magic, which is a characteristic of their race.

Torasan is also from the Jungle Emperor and comes from a prestigious family that has produced many martial artists.

His appearance is like a human-sized tiger, with two legs and the same number of fingers as humans. It’s as if a tiger had been shrunk down to human size.

His muscular body is robust, with thick thighs and arms like tree trunks. It’s as if he’s wearing a suit of muscle armor.

Since he was resting, he wasn’t wearing armor, but instead wore a casual outfit of a white shirt and black pants.

Even from above his clothes, his robust muscles were visible.

In the case of half-human, half-beastmen, they often have features like ears and tails, but since he’s a pure-blooded beastman, he doesn’t have those.

When he’s silent, his face looks stern, but when he smiles at me, he gives off a lovable big cat impression.

His voice, however, is low and robust, matching his appearance.

“What did the other party say?”

“It seems the boy’s parents are willing to settle for compensation, so they’ll forgive him if they receive the money.”

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“I understand. Please take it from me. And also, the bail.”

“Yes, I’ve confirmed. I’ll take responsibility and deliver it to the family.”

Torasan ignored me and continued talking to the guard.

It seems this problem can be resolved with money.

I took out the luggage and handed over the amount the other party had specified, along with the bail. I added a bit extra as a nuisance fee.

I thought it would be resolved smoothly, but the guard suddenly remembered something and exclaimed.

“Ah, the boy who was victimized wants to ask the Brave Party for something.”

“I’ve caused trouble, so I’ll take responsibility.”

“I understand. I’ll tell them when I deliver the money. Please hear the details directly from the boy. Apparently, goblins have started appearing in the playground and it’s causing trouble.”

“Goblin subjugation, then. Can I tell them to expect us at noon tomorrow?”

“That’s fine, please take care of it.”

The guard handed me a scribbled note with the address and I put it in my pocket.

I bowed to the guard, who then left the station. He must be going to deliver the message now. Good luck to him.

“Torasan, I’ll ask for your help with the goblin subjugation tomorrow.”

“Oh! Is this a date invitation from Kaoru?”

I’m free, so it’s all good!

Tra-san let out a cheerful voice, but this isn’t a date.

However, tomorrow’s schedule is set.

Goblin subjugation. It’s not a difficult task, but we can’t be careless.

After thanking the guard, I left the station with Tra-san.

“You’re still got a great butt! How about tonight, Kyle?”

I regretted touching Tra-san’s butt on the way to the inn.