Honey Trap! ~The Honey Trap Encirclement to Ensnare the Summoned Hero~ - Chapter 131 & 132

Chapter 131: A Noisy Carriage Journey

Pako-pako.

Riding a carriage driven by Luti, the Troublemakers moved leisurely.

Their next destination: the World Tree, where Lunaria’s mother, Aida, reportedly went.

Swaying in the carriage, the world-saving hero clutched his head.

Eremia’s iron claw and Rieze’s tray attack were, frankly, tougher than an Evil God Apostle’s strike.

“Ugh, that hurts…”

“Your own fault! Ugh, picking up women on a trip…! Cheating on Lily-san like that, that’s not okay! Isn’t this, like, three-timing?!”

“Hmm. From what I know, it’s more like… twenty-something-timing?”

“Worst.”

Rieze’s glare turned to one reserved for filth.

The world-saving hero had no retort.

“But Yuri, every place you go, this happens… Isn’t it, like, seriously, a curse from the Evil God?”

“Aye. With this many in a row, maybe… you know, that reward we got. Shouldn’t you get an exorcism from Goddess Mutras?”

“Maybe it’s time to officially change your name to Playboy Noble?”

His comrades piled on mercilessly.

Yuri was furious.

Furious, but with too many guilty moments to argue back.

Plus…

“Yuri-san, are you okay? Ehehe, I can use simple healing magic! I’ll rub the pain away♪”

“W-Wow, thanks!”

In the carriage, Sophie, the elf, stayed glued to his side, rubbing his head at every chance.

Her sparkling blonde hair, blue eyes, red flower hairpiece, and white ethnic dress were the distilled essence of every boy’s “elf” fantasy.

Her curvy figure, with soft breasts occasionally brushing against him, felt amazing. Stretching his nose was just unavoidable.

“Ahh, it’s starting to feel good…”

“Pain, pain, go away! ♡”

The softness of her chest made him forget the pain… and actually, a mysterious light from her fingertips genuinely eased it.

Seeing this, the Troublemakers looked exasperated, and Rieze stared skyward.

Then, the Dark Continent’s sage, fidgeting with her fingers, muttered with an upward glance.

“Honestly, this lad keeps adding rivals… But, you know, I might get all vulnerable too! Maybe drink till I pass out! If you go crazy for my cute, defenseless self and make a move… that’s fine, right?”

“Old hag, you’re too desperate, it’s pathetic!”

“You brat, I’m still a proper maiden!”

As the demon king and sage started a high-level scuffle in the carriage, Agamemnon tilted his head.

“Hm? There’s some weird stick stuck in the ground.”

“Stick? That’s an obelisk, isn’t it?”

Dozens of obelisks pierced the Rasil Island plains.

The stone pillars, standing vertically, each seemed over 100 meters tall.

“Whoa, that’s wild. How’d they even set those up?”

“Oh, those were here long before the elves came to Rasil Island. How they were built is still a mystery.”

“Huh.”

Luti gave a teacherly explanation while guiding the horse between the pillars.

Up close, they were remarkably well-preserved for their age.

The carved reliefs were intact, though Yuri couldn’t read them.

“What’s this say? Agamemnon, can you read it?”

“Dunno. I’m a dragon, and humans have too many languages…”

“Guys who leave stuff like this are usually ‘edgy’ like Lucius, right? Probably something like, ‘The great me is too great, so I built this obelisk’ or whatever.”

“I’m not that tacky! If I built something, it’d have more… dark flair! The text would have cryptic riddles or subtle phrasing, properly crafted!”

The noisy Troublemakers bickered as the carriage passed through the obelisks.

Amid the clamor, Luwi stared at a relief, muttering in a voice no one heard.

“Praying they never wake from their slumber, we erect this gravestone… Heh, sounds intriguing.”

※

After swaying in the carriage for a while, with no sign of their destination, Eremia finally lost patience.

“Hey, why don’t we just have Agamemnon lift the carriage?”

“…The World Tree forest would lose it, so please, no…”

Rieze clutched her head, but Yuri piped up with an “Ah!” as if struck by genius.

“Right! Remember that levitation magic we talked about? The seasickness trick.”

“Oh, the one you spectacularly botched?”

“Heh, laugh now! What if we tweak it to float the carriage?”

“…Hm?”

Lucius looked intrigued, as if thinking, That’s an idea.

Agamemnon nodded, impressed, and Eremia crossed her arms, agreeing.

“Not bad for a playboy. Let’s try it.”

“Eh, you can use magic like that? Could you, maybe? I wanna see what happens.”

“Alright! Leave it to me! Here goes—Levitation!”

Fwa. The carriage bed floated, and the horse neighed hihin in confusion.

No wonder, with the weight suddenly gone.

“Wow, amazing, Yuri-san! It’s really floating!”

“…You’re kinda impressive sometimes, huh?”

“Your mana control’s as sharp as ever.”

Praised by everyone, Yuri basked in it.

But the next moment, the horse bolted, nearly tipping them over.

“Wah! H-Hey, Luti-sensei!?”

“Hahaha! This is wild! It’s running like crazy!”

Luti, clearly having a blast, drove the horse at top speed.

It didn’t shake since it was floating, but carriages weren’t built for this pace.

“Kyah! Y-Yuri-san, don’t let go of me!”

“Got you!”

Sophie clung to him in fear, an unexpected perk.

Arms wrapped tightly around the elf, Yuri was in bliss. Her breasts pressed against him occasionally, but it was unavoidable, right?

Meanwhile, Rieze clung to the carriage, shooting him a sour glare.

Chapter 132: The Princess of Nemed Forest

“Wow! That’s the World Tree! It’s huge!”

“No way, we’re already here!?”

After half a day of blazing through at high speed, Yuri’s group reached a spot where the World Tree loomed.

Its height was immeasurable, rivaling a mountain.

Its branches spread like an umbrella, some parts shrouded in clouds—a fantastical sight.

“Man, that felt amazing! Thanks, Yuri-kun!”

“Ehehe… I can do this anytime!”

Luti, who’d driven the carriage like a maniac, was buzzing with excitement. She hugged Yuri, planting a chu kiss on his cheek.

The world-saving hero’s face melted into a goofy grin.

“…Yup, a dimwit’s a dimwit. I was crazy for thinking you were impressive for even a second.”

Rieze pressed her temple, groaning as if fighting a headache.

But she switched gears fast—befitting a tavern poster girl.

“Alright! Since we’re here, wanna swing by my forest?”

“Your forest? What’s that mean?”

“Oh, outsiders wouldn’t know. I said I’m an elf from the sacred Nemed Forest, right? It’s nearby.”

“Ho, a homecoming, eh?”

At Agamemnon’s comment, Rieze looked a bit troubled.

“Thing is, I kinda ran away from home. Hearing your stories, I thought it might be a good chance to go back.”

““““Ran away?””””

The Troublemakers’ four voices harmonized perfectly.

A bold elf from a mystical forest? Half made sense.

But this elf? Wouldn’t she just strong-arm her way through home? That was the other half.

“…What? Got something to say? Spit it out.”

All four flinched visibly. They couldn’t let their true thoughts slip.

With a quick glance, they decided their next move.

These grown adults knew how to dodge a situation!

“N-No, well! I mean, sometimes I don’t wanna go home either! Gramps comes at me with no mercy, so I get the urge to hit the road…”

“Dragons’ home is the sky…! So I’m fine without going back…!”

“Necropolis is great. I just toss all the hassle to my minions.”

“My place is so comfy when I’m back… I mean, not comfy, but super cozy! Lots of cute… uh, cute, kind, great girls!”

The scoundrels cleverly wrapped their own baggage in sugarcoating.

By exasperating Rieze, they escaped the crisis.

Yuri, though, spectacularly self-destructed. Rieze’s eyes glinted with murderous intent.

“Hm, ran away, huh… Are those folks coming to greet you?”

“Ho, some well-trained warriors.”

Approaching were about ten young elf warriors.

Armed with bows, their swift advance was flawless.

“Ha… They’re already here…”

Rieze sighed, her face unusually meek.

Meanwhile, Luti, steering the carriage, greeted the warriors loudly.

“I take you for elves of the sacred Nemed Forest! I’m Lutiana from Mill Village! These are my guests!”

“Oh! From Mill Village! Apologies, we’re here for another matter…

We’ve been searching for you, Princess!”

Princess?

Apparently, this carriage carried a princess of Nemed Forest.

The Troublemakers, Luwi, and Lily’s gazes zeroed in—on the golden-haired, fairy-like elf in a pure white dress: Sophie.

“Eh!? N-No, it’s not me!”

Sophie frantically waved her hands, shaking her head.

Now they were stumped. If not her, who was the princess?

The six, arms crossed, pondered…

“You guys have some guts.”

““““““EHHH?!”””””

Rieze’s sulky glare made everyone freeze in shock.

※

“It’s kinda embarrassing to say formally, but I’m Rieze, third princess of the royal family of the sacred Nemed Forest elves.”

“Whoa.”

The Troublemakers gaped in unison.

The word “princess” was being redefined at its core…!

“No way, this is earth-shattering! The world’s vast. There are things under this sky I’d never imagine! I’m moved!”

“Lily, you’re trying to spin this into a feel-good story, but it’s backfiring…”

“Ugh.”

Lily clutched her head.

Meanwhile, the elf warriors were equally baffled by this motley crew of “guests.”

“Lady Rieze, who are these people…? Uh, demons, dragons…? Quite a mix of races…”

“There’s a human too. That guy, Yuri.”

“A human… Hmm, Lady Rieze. Bringing a human male into the sacred forest is… There are rumors, but some humans harbor ill feelings toward elves.”

Humans with ill feelings toward elves? They existed—mostly in this carriage.

But Rieze, a girl with a strong sense of justice, wouldn’t tolerate slander based on rumors!

“Hold it! Sure, this dimwit hits on every woman, has who-knows-how-many flings, and is the worst kind of cheater… Okay, you’ve got a point.”

“Hey! Back me up!”

She concluded it herself!

All Yuris wept, but his comrades nodded, mostly convinced.

Yet where one god abandons, another saves. Luti stepped in with solid support.

“Now, now. Yuri-kun might be a bit naughty, but he’s super strong and kind. Our village had a crisis when the ancient serpent woke, but he took it down in no time!”

“What, the ancient serpent?! That’s a true warrior! I misjudged you—forgive me.”

“Haha, no biggie!”

To Yuri, it was just cooking a convenient beast. Plus, the serpent probably woke because of Agamemnon’s landing, so he felt a twinge of guilt.

“No need for modesty. Defeating the ancient serpent? You must be a renowned warrior. As a fellow fighter, I respect you. Please, rest in Nemed Forest!”

“Aw, thanks! Saved me there.”

Scratching the back of his head, Yuri snagged an invite to the forest.

Thus, the group set foot in Rieze’s homeland.