Honey Trap! ~The Honey Trap Encirclement to Ensnare the Summoned Hero~ - Chapter 123 & 124

Chapter 123: A Motley Crew’s Skyward Journey

Elves.

The symbol of fantasy.

With their long, pointed ears, they’re beings of mystical beauty. Secluded deep in forests, living quietly with nature, a delicate and ephemeral race…

““““(Hmmm…)””””

But the tavern’s poster girl, Rieze? She was robust, brazen, and unfazed by even the toughest adventurers, smacking her tray with gusto and laughing heartily.

Sure, her face was shockingly beautiful, her eyes a mystical emerald green. Her ears were properly pointed.

—Her looks were unmistakably elven. Her looks.

The four Troublemakers’ hearts aligned as one.

As one, they tilted their heads…

“Well, now. Looks like you’ve got something to say.”

““““Not at all!””””

With impeccable teamwork, the four snapped to attention.

Rieze, who’d just made a once-in-a-lifetime confession, sighed as her moment was deflected sideways.

These guys were, as expected, a weird bunch.

※

“…Huh?”

A few days later.

Rieze, now headed to Rasil Island, stood frozen on a suburban plain before a massive dragon.

“Alright, hop on Agamemnon, and it’s a straight shot!”

“Hm. If we don’t get lost, we’ll arrive in no time.”

“Times like these are so convenient, aren’t they?”

“Honestly, you say the most convenient things…”

The Troublemakers clambered onto the dragon’s back.

Lily gently patted the gaping Rieze’s shoulder.

“Well, yeah. I get it’s shocking… but that’s just how it is.”

“That’s how it is, indeed.”

“…Uh…”

Rieze was bewildered.

A deadbeat adventurer party. Their catchphrase? “We’ll make it big someday!”—utterly trivial.

But their scale… their scale was insanely big…!

She almost thought they might actually be incredible.

“Nah, Rieze, you’re a lifesaver. Agamemnon’s got a terrible sense of direction.”

“What’re you talking about? Look, when you fly high, human settlements are hard to spot.”

“Didn’t you once try flying to the North Pole, only to circle around and land at the South Pole?”

“Wasn’t there a story about mixing up the Eastern and Western Seas, circling around, and stumbling on a continent?”

“…I’m a dragon who’s lived for eons. A little mistake isn’t that strange…!”

“““A little?!?”””

The scale was massive.

Massive, but what was with this air of disappointment…!

To avoid a catastrophe like mixing up north and south, Rieze focused on navigation.

※

“It really is a quick trip…”

Agamemnon soared over northern Luan Kingdom, reaching the northern sea in no time.

From there, crossing the strait to Rasil Island was a breeze.

In truth, the sea separating Luan Kingdom and Rasil Island wasn’t vast. It was just that krakens often appeared, making travel tough without counter-magic.

But by taking the aerial shortcut, Rasil Island was surprisingly close.

“Man, you saved us. I can’t cross flowing water, you know.”

“Indeed. Though, casting levitation magic on a ship is a viable trick…”

“What, Luwi, that’s a thing!?”

“It’s a thing. No seasickness, perfect for vampires. But once I did it, I got treated like a major suspicious character… Grr…!”

“That’s some wisdom, though. Hey, Luwi, let’s write a book, Vampire Sea Travel Tips, and spread the word! There’s gotta be tons of people who need your knowledge!”

“Lily…! You really are on my side…!”

Rieze desperately swallowed a scream of “No one needs that!”

It sounded like a heartwarming moment, but… were these two even vampires?

Strutting around in broad daylight, they didn’t seem like it at all…

“Oh, levitation magic? That playboy once floated a few centimeters, all smug like, ‘No seasickness!’”

“Heh, my magic control’s top-notch…!”

“You mean when you floated ‘a few centimeters with the deck,’ swaying with the waves and puking your guts out? Truly pathetic.”

“…Yeah, I remember. Lily, if you’re gonna do it, float a few meters up. No footing makes it extra nauseating…”

“Yeah… that’d definitely look suspicious.”

A directionless dragon, vampires hunting seasickness cures.

Rieze felt embarrassed for hiding her elven heritage so dramatically with this crew.

(Alright! I’m done thinking about it!)

After several mental loops, Rieze gave up.

With this group, a rough-and-tumble, bold elf didn’t seem out of place…!

Chapter 124: A Maiden’s Slight Past (Or the Legend of the Terrifying Witch)

The mystical land of the elves, Rasil Island.

On a hill near the coast, a massive dragon landed with a thunderous thud.

From the village at the hill’s base, elves rushed out in a panic, screaming.

“Phew, we’re here, we’re here. But why’s everyone screaming? Did something happen?”

“Hm. Perhaps remnants of the Evil God’s Apostles. Let’s deal with them quickly and boost our reputation!”

“Right. A good first impression can make anything work out later.”

“…I think it’s already hopeless.”

To anyone watching, the village’s greatest crisis was clearly the dragon invading their airspace.

But Agamemnon merely yawned nonchalantly.

The Troublemakers, meanwhile, spouted nonsense about nonexistent Evil God Apostles, scanning the surroundings.

“Now hold on. Our entrance was a bit too flashy. Oi, there’s a cute kid like me here! Look, we’re harmless, totally harmless! Come on over, it’s safe!”

Luwi, with her perfectly suited adorable appearance, waved enthusiastically at the elves.

It looked like an innocent child’s greeting. Looked like it.

“Eek…! I-It’s the Blue Demon…!!”

An elderly elf, likely the clan chief, collapsed, trembling.

All eyes turned to Luwi.

Called a Blue Demon, Luwi was furious. Absolutely livid.

“How rude! To call a delicate maiden like me such a thing! Fire magic, no holding back!”

“C-Calm down, please—! Calm down!”

Rieze, with a wry smile, tried to soothe the panicking clan chief (provisional).

“Sorry, this entrance was a bit much, huh? I’m Rieze, from the sacred Nemed Forest. These guys, well, they’re a weird bunch, but they’re not bad. Can you cut them some slack?”

“Ooh… for the sake of our kin, please intercede with the Blue Demon. Spare our forest from being burned, I beg you…!”

“…Uh, did something happen with Luwi?”

“I’ll never forget it. When I was young, a child… or rather, a terrifying witch visited this island. She crushed elf warriors who dared oppose her, laughed off the magic unleashed by countless clan chiefs with a ferocious grin…! Burning forest monsters and the forest itself, cackling wildly—I can’t forget that sight…!”

Everyone’s gaze on Luwi turned sour. She had it coming.

“W-Well, uh, you know! That was ages ago! Statute of limitations, right? A maiden’s embarrassing secret, teehee♪”

“You old hag, you caused trouble not just on the Dark Continent but here too?!”

“The Dark Continent mess was your fault, you brats! Calling me a savage hag or a fiery fiend!”

“And how many landscapes do you need to reshape before you’re satisfied?! Even our minister was lamenting!”

“It’s just a few craters, so picky!”

Conflict only arises between equals.

The sage and the demon king showcased this sad reality.

“Honestly… we’ll clear up the misunderstanding. Hey, playboy, what’re you doing?”

“Praying… Oh, elf-sama, so divine…!”

Ignoring Rieze, Yuri began worshipping the elves in their simple, classic attire.

It took a full hour for the elves to finally calm down.

※

The elderly elf finally settled down.

As expected, he was indeed the village’s clan chief.

The village at the hill’s base was small, with just a few dozen residents. A nearby forest gave it that quintessential “elves coexisting with nature” vibe.

Glancing at Rieze, Yuri got a fierce glare. City life changes elves, apparently.

But Yuri’s group hadn’t come to gawk at nature-loving elves.

They were searching for Lunaria’s wandering mother.

Her name was Aida. Supposedly, she resembled Lunaria, so they’d recognize her on sight.

“…Right, let’s regroup. Uh, has a woman named Aida come around here? She’s from the Luan Kingdom across the sea.

Super curious, like…”

Like our university professor.

Yuri stopped himself from saying it.

From what he’d heard, Lunaria’s mother was a dead ringer for those eccentric university professors.

Insatiable for knowledge, she’d jet off to the ends of the earth the moment a topic piqued her interest, never returning.

“Oh, Aida-dono? Yes, I know her. She was constantly excited, asking about our way of life and the island’s geography. Said she was writing a book about the island. She was very enthusiastic…”

The clan chief’s face bore an unmistakable wry smile. Typical.

“Uh, we’re looking for Aida. Do you know where she went?”

“Hmm… Actually, there’s a scholar living beyond that hill.

She and Aida-dono were deep in discussion, so she might know something…”

A lead already.

A promising start, yet Yuri couldn’t shake a bad feeling.