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Occasionally, the demonkin give birth to unique individuals who are hailed as “heroes.” These individuals, through their extraordinary abilities, protect and lead their people toward progress.
Among them, the truly exceptional are called “Demon Lords,” and they command all of demonkind.
Centaurs like Firniel or beast-ogres like Dog may be far less powerful than the Demon Lord, but they are still worthy of being called heroes of their own races.
I’m just a reincarnated werewolf, so I don’t count.

On the other hand, humans also produce heroes. Those with power comparable to the Demon Lord are called “Brave Heroes” by humans.
We sometimes refer to our comrades as “heroes,” but the human title of “Hero” is an official one, recognized at a national level. No matter how seasoned a warrior is, one can’t just claim the title on a whim.

“So a Hero has appeared…”

Aylia muttered with a slightly worried look after learning the situation. Now that she’s with the demon side, heroes are her enemy too.
Kurtze, the dragonkin technician seated nearby, asked her a question.

“I’ve wondered about this for some time. Why is a human warrior of such strength called Hero and not Brave King, like a counterpart to the Demon Lord?”
“Oh, let me take this one.”

Since Aylia looked unsure how to respond, I jumped in to explain.

“Demons worship strength and call their strongest ‘kings,’ but humans don’t work that way. Only those of royal blood can become kings. If you don’t like it, you either found your own country, or take the country for yourself. That’s why a hero can’t be a king.”
“Hmm. Curious indeed.”

Kurtze tilted his head while scribbling notes.

“But a weak individual would surely fall in times of crisis. If a weak king were to die, what happens then?”
“The king’s child becomes the next king.”
“And what benefit does that bring?”

I was born in a democracy, so hell if I know.

Aylia lifted her head and continued.

“Royalty and nobility are educated in the knowledge and skills necessary to govern the people. No one will follow an incompetent fool who only throws their weight around. Such nations eventually collapse.”

As expected of someone who led a city-state—her explanation was spot on.

“And there’s another benefit to heroes not being national leaders.”
“What is it?”
“Heroes can dive deep into enemy territory without regard for their own safety. Even if they fall, the king remains to lead the people.”
“I see… That’s a very clear explanation.”

Watching a conversation between a human like Aylia and a dragonkin like Kurtze was oddly fascinating.

But this wasn’t the time to be fascinated.
We’re talking about a hero—the human counterpart of the Demon Lord.
Naturally, the average demon has no chance against them.
Sometimes an underpowered or unlucky hero might get killed by low-ranking demons and become some kind of “tragic legend,” but realistically, we have almost no chance of winning.

According to the report Kurtze brought, the hero is somewhere on the northern front.
The Second Division has been splintered by prolonged combat. Isolated squads have gone guerrilla, surviving through self-sufficiency.
In other words, they’ve basically turned into bandit-like stragglers. And the hero is hunting them down, one by one.

Because of the communication breakdown with these scattered units, it took the Demon Lord’s army a while to notice the hero’s presence. After all, the hero leaves no survivors.
Thanks to that, we’ve obtained almost no reliable intel about their appearance or abilities.
My desire to avoid the northern front grew stronger, but there’s one thing I can’t ignore:
The hero’s final goal is usually the Demon Lord’s defeat.
No way I’m letting that happen.

“I want to gather information on the hero. Any ideas?”

When I asked, Aylia thought for a moment before answering.

“No matter how heroic, the hero is still human. They can’t be camping in the wild forever. There must be a temporary base somewhere.”

Come to think of it, in RPGs from my past life, heroes always had bases they moved between as they aimed for the Demon Lord.

“Why not send spies to northern cities? If the hero is staying in one, it would surely be publicized. Monsters and bandits wouldn’t dare get close.”

That makes sense. Heroes are symbols of justice, after all.

“I’m thinking of sending the werewolf squad, but there’s a risk of detection by magic. Long-distance reconnaissance has its dangers, and I want to conserve valuable forces.”

“If that’s the case, leave it to me,” Aylia said with a warm smile. “Lüenheit is a city of trade merchants. I’ll ask the local traders to help.”

“Are you sure about that?”

I didn’t doubt the people of Lüenheit, but turning them into spies made me nervous and a little guilty.

But Aylia just smiled.

“It’ll be fine. In exchange, I’d like your permission for them to freely sell whatever goods they bring back from the north.”
“Ah, I see. That would make it a great business opportunity.”

They’d get direct access to the north and travel expenses covered—a perfect chance to profit. I had to admire their merchant spirit.

“Alright, we’ll go with that. I’ll cover the costs. If they’re interested, they can also buy the silverwork made by our dogfolk squad—at a discount.”
“Perfect. Everyone will be thrilled.”

As Aylia and I started to veer off-topic, Kurtze quietly muttered:

“Sir Veit, you’ve clearly started to absorb the merchant spirit.”
“…Yeah.”

What can I say? Trade in this world is fascinating.
The underdeveloped logistics system just adds to the sense of adventure.
When peace returns, maybe I’ll team up with the Demon Lord and start a business.

But before that, it looks like I have a bit of bloody business to take care of.