Honey Trap! ~The Honey Trap Encirclement to Ensnare the Summoned Hero~ - Chapter 1: A Loose-End Happily Ever After

Chapter 1: A Loose-End Happily Ever After

T/N: Chaotic ero-comedy fantasy! I might also do the light novel after I catch up to the WN.

In the heart of a vast, desolate desert.

Even though it’s midday, the sky looms darker than midnight. Not a single star twinkles—just an inky blackness, as if painted over with a brush.

Below, a crater-like hole gapes in the sand dunes, and from it crawl iridescent, nauseatingly radiant tentacles, slithering like an antlion’s trap.

※

“Wooow, that’s insane! It’s like the end of the world out here!”

One fool stands gawking, practically bouncing with excitement.

A young man named Yuri, whisked away to another world as its hero, is absolutely thrilled by the apocalyptic scene before him.

“I vouch for it—thou art utterly mad. That’s a genuine, bona fide evil god down there.”

“I agree. Yuri, you’re completely unhinged. Listen, this is the real deal—the end of this world. And the only ones who can stop it are the four of us. Do you even grasp the situation?”

On either side of him stand a dignified man and a silver-haired beauty, both speaking in unison, their voices dripping with exasperation.

The “fourth” raises their voice from beneath their feet.

“Even I can’t mimic Yuri’s antics… This truly is the end of the world…”

A rumbling, earth-shaking voice.

Yuri and his companions stand atop the head of a massive dragon, easily a hundred meters long.

Even this dragon, facing the apocalyptic vista, lets its voice tremble.

“Well, it’s the final boss fight, right? If we don’t save the world, the ending’s gonna fall flat!”

Yuri cracks his neck, stretches his fingers, and limbers up.

To him, this is just another “event.” Having achieved his long-dreamed-of isekai adventure, he’s barreled through one event after another, and this is the grand finale.

He’s already defeated the puppet boss, turned them into an ally, and now faces the true final enemy—the evil god. The stage is perfectly set for the ultimate event. How could he not be pumped?

“Alright, prep done! Let’s do this, rock ‘n’ roll!”

“R-Rock ‘n’ roll? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Yuri smacks his fist into his palm, brimming with enthusiasm, while the silver-haired beauty blinks at him, bewildered.

Yuri scratches his head for a moment, then explains.

“It’s a battle cry from my old world. You shout it before a fight to get fired up. Here we go—charge, charge!”

“Ugh, this utter fool! Fine, I, the demon king, shall steel myself!”

“You’d better remember this after the fight, you idiot!”

“…Goodness, is this really alright…?”

※

“Phew! That was wild—we’re alive! A miracle!”

In a desert now bathed in the midday sun’s return, the first to leap up is the otherworld hero.

Springing from the sand, Yuri spits out grains with a ptoo, ptoo, his battered face beaming with a wide grin.

“You’d better remember this, you idiot… I thought we were done for…”

“I, too… It’s a wonder I’m still alive…”

“I’m… barely sure if I’m alive or not, to be honest…”

The other three, equally battered, still have enough energy to trade barbs.

Somehow, they’re all laughing.

“We won, didn’t we?”

“Aye, we won.”

“Yeah, we won.”

Basking in the desert sun, they exchange smirks.

“Man, but is this really the end?”

“Oh, right, Yuri, you said you’d return to your world, didn’t you? Something about it being ‘the rule’ that once the final enemy’s defeated, you go back in a flash of light.”

“I don’t quite get it, but thou didst say it’s some sort of ‘convention,’ yes?”

Yuri nods solemnly.

To him, everything so far has unfolded like a game, following every “convention” to the letter. So, naturally, the end should be a bittersweet farewell, right?

“You’re crazy, but you’re a hero. I’ll make sure your story is passed down through the ages.”

“Thou art a lunatic, but the greatest contributor. I shall erect a statue in thy honor.”

“Thy head’s missing a few screws, but thou art the dragonkin’s benefactor. We’ll ensure thy tale is told for generations.”

“Wait, hold on, why’s my reputation so weird?”

What a bunch of loose ends they are.

Their adventure together lasted a mere six months. To Yuri, it was half a year of pure, chaotic fun.

It feels a bit like the end of summer vacation—a faint pang of loneliness lingers. But in a world without the internet or convenience stores, he’s not exactly confident he could keep going.

Surely, any moment now, a sparkly effect will kick in, ushering in a tearful farewell scene. Yuri’s certain of it.

※

One hour passes.

Two hours pass.

And yet, somehow, nothing happens.

“Hey, Yuri, even I’m getting tired of standing in this desert.”

“As a demon king, I must say, lingering under this open sky is… a bit much.”

“I’m quite comfy in this warm sun, but… shouldn’t we report the evil god’s defeat or something?”

Yuri crosses his arms, deep in thought.

Everything had followed the “conventions” perfectly until now, but at the very last moment, something’s off. Which means…

“Oh no… What do I do?! This is the ‘stay in the world’ ending, isn’t it?!”

The man who was humming a tune before facing the evil god now clutches his head and squats in despair.

And that’s not all.

“This is bad! I set up so many flags to disappear… How am I supposed to face everyone now? No, wait—what am I even gonna do starting tomorrow? If I’m not a hero anymore, I’m… I’m unemployed! I’ve never even had a part-time job, and now I’m jobless?!”

As Yuri groans and mumbles, the other three exchange puzzled glances.

Like true comrades who’ve entrusted their lives to one another, they pat his shoulders, offering words of encouragement. Even the dragon, with surprising dexterity, nudges him with a claw.

“Well, this is the first time things haven’t gone your way, huh? But that’s just how it goes sometimes.”

“Even thy predictions can fail, it seems. Well, no helping it.”

“Yuri, when thou livest long enough, these things happen. But, what was that phrase thou taught us? That otherworld saying… Oh, yes, I remember…”

“““Zamaa!!!”””

Their voices unite, and a loud, raucous laugh echoes vulgarly across the desert.

Thus begins the tale of the world’s salvation, one that will be told for ages to come—a story with a delightfully loose-ended backstage.