The last of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King’s army was Dragon King Helg.
 
Despite his title, Helg wasn’t a dragon. He was a Lizard King, the apex monster among the lizardmen.
 
Lizardmen are humanoid lizards covered in hard scales. Known for their strength, they are excellent warriors.
 
Lizardmen revere dragons as their superior species. Helg calls himself the Dragon King to borrow their power.… Read more

 
The news of the Demon King’s defeat quickly spread across the world.
 
Kings from various countries praised Trao for forming the hero party and promised rewards.
 
In response, Trao didn’t show any heroic humility but instead demanded money and privileges without hesitation.
 
He requested “one million gold coins,” “mining rights,” “semi-permanent use of ports,” “tax exemptions for Trao Trading Company,” and other very practical and troublesome rewards.… Read more

 
The hero’s party advanced through the Demon Lord’s territory with ease.
 
Since the Beast King’s army had already marched through, there were no organized groups of monsters to hinder their progress.
 
Even though powerful monsters typical of the Demon Lord’s domain did appear, they were easily defeated thanks to the experience gained from battles in the Fairy Forest and the legendary equipment the party possessed.
 
“This isn’t quite how I imagined a Demon Lord subjugation would be.… Read more

 
Gordon, the leader of the goat tribe left in charge by Raiga, was a moderate within the Beast King’s army. He took a tolerant stance towards the purple potion and thus wasn’t eliminated by Trao.
 
Known for his intelligence among the beastmen, Gordon didn’t openly try to stop Raiga’s rebellion. However, foreseeing its failure, he volunteered to stay behind and didn’t join the rebel army.
 
He had already secretly informed the Demon Lord about Raiga’s rebellion.… Read more

 
The hundreds of volunteers Trao had gathered for the Demon King subjugation gradually dropped out during their journey to the Fairy Lake. Now, only slightly over a hundred chosen ones remained.
 
These became Trao’s hero unit.
 
The legendary swords, shields, and armor they had prepared were prioritized for the vanguard, making their equipment impregnable.
 
Trao and Rio also planned to don this gear.
 
“Now, we just wait for the right time,”
 
Trao said as they continued training the hero unit in a secret location.… Read more

 
“Come forth, heroes! Seeking those who aspire to defeat the Demon King!”
 
Such recruitment calls were made across various countries. The one behind this recruitment was Trao. He had finally taken concrete steps towards defeating the Demon King.
 
A reward of a thousand gold coins was offered for success, attracting those who believed themselves capable. Their numbers reached into the hundreds. From adventurers seeking fortune to knights who had resigned their posts to participate, a diverse group of people gathered.… Read more

 
In Oria, a country known for its art, Mario was struggling to make ends meet. Although he was once a promising young painter, the prolonged war against the Demon King’s army had drastically reduced the number of people willing to buy paintings.
 
“Why has it come to this… Do I have no choice but to give up painting and find a job?”
 
Mario had been praised as a genius since childhood for his artistic talent.… Read more

Trao smiled pleasantly.
 
“It’s cheap for your sake.”
 
‘…What’s this? I’m not happy at all. I wish he’d say such words when giving a more thoughtful gift.’
 
“Oh, don’t worry. This isn’t the only one. I’ve prepared plenty.”
 
“Plenty?”
 
‘I felt like I’d been sentenced to death.’… Read more