Honey Trap! ~The Honey Trap Encirclement to Ensnare the Summoned Hero~ - Chapter 133 & 134 & 135

Chapter 133: The Not-So-Deep Reason for the Runaway Daughter

Nemed Forest was a serene place encircling the World Tree.

Beneath the tree’s canopy, where sunlight barely reached, only grass grew.

Instead, a forest ringed its perimeter, and nestled within stood a wooden palace.

Wooden houses lined the area around it.

This was Rasil Island’s sacred ground, the Nemed Forest village. A solemn place where elf elders resided and the political heart of the royal family.

The elders of Nemed Forest were said to be particularly strict about tradition and decorum.

But…

“It’s the Blue Demon!”

“Not again! I won’t forgive you brats! Call me Pretty Magical Girl!”

“Eeeek!”

The fleeing elders showed not a shred of the rumored dignity.

Luti-sensei, the source of this info, gave a wry smile, while Sophie just flailed in panic.

“Old hag, act your age. Magical girl? That’s pushing it.”

“I hear you, you brat! I’ll teach you and those snotty kids how to treat a lady!”

“Gah, don’t blast magic in someone else’s forest! Where’s your manners, hag?!”

Lucius, the demon king, was relatively sensible.

He knew firing off magic in someone’s home was bad… at least that much!

“…Ha. What did Luwi even do? I gotta ask her properly sometime.”

Lily shook her head, acting uninvolved.

The elf warriors who’d brought them looked deeply troubled.

“Uh… that blue-haired girl… Is she a renowned mage?”

“Oh, yeah. Luwi, Sage of the Dark Continent. I don’t know how famous she is, though.”

“Luwi, Sage of the Dark Continent…! Oh, the legendary Blue Demon?! Tales paint her as a fiendish terror, but to think she’s such a child…!”

“…What kind of legend did you make, Luwi?”

“Dunno. I know nooothing.”

Agamemnon, the ancient Dragon King, deployed the ultimate skill of seasoned dragons: “Plausible Deniability.”

Yuri and Eremia played along, planning to dump the cleanup on Lucius.

Meanwhile, Rieze, back in her hometown, seemed oblivious to Luwi and the elders, fidgeting restlessly.

It was a rare sight for the bold elf.

The cause? Two figures approaching from the palace—a man and a woman.

“Hey, Rieze. You’re back?”

“…Yeah, just checking in. You look healthy, Dad.”

“You’re the same as ever, haha.”

Rieze’s father—the elf king—was tall, slender, and remarkably gentle.

The casual father-daughter reunion left Yuri and crew deflated.

This was Rieze’s dad, after all.

They’d imagined something like:

“Welcome back, daughter… Let us speak—with our fists!”

“Bring it on! I’m ready!”

But no!

“Well, Rieze, welcome home. We were worried.”

“Been a while, Mom. I’m fine, doing my thing.”

“Still, you’re my precious daughter. I can’t help but worry.”

Rieze’s mother was a soft-spoken beauty, smiling warmly.

How did this family produce her? Yuri tilted his head.

And got a fierce glare for it.

“You’re thinking rude stuff, aren’t you?”

“N-No way!”

The hero’s eyes darted.

Meanwhile, Luwi, done brawling, returned with the exhausted elders.

Seeing the worn-out Lucius and battered elders, it was clear what went down.

“O King… Allow me to introduce the Sage of the Dark Continent, Pretty Magical Girl☆ Luwi-sama.”

The elder’s trembling lips spoke.

Lucius’s eyes were heavy with grief.

“P-Pretty Magical Girl…? Quite an eccentric title, but a charming lady. Nice to meet you. I’m Luid, Rieze’s father.”

“Oh, dear, she’s like a young Rieze. A bit wild but adorable.”

Rieze’s parents were pure naturals.

Facing the ferocious girl who’d chased and magicked the elders, they responded with oblivious warmth.

Even Luwi was delighted.

“Oh, I’m late to introduce myself. I’m Effie, Rieze’s mother.”

“Luwi, Sage of the Dark Continent! Glad to meet folks who get it! Rieze’s been a big help.”

“No, no, we were worried when she ran off, but seeing she’s made so many friends puts me at ease as a father.”

They were amazingly well-adjusted!

Yuri couldn’t fathom why Rieze ran away, scratching his head.

Maybe she just yearned for the city?

“Hey, Rieze. Why’d you run away?”

“…There’s a real reason. One that involves you guys too.”

“Eh?”

Her blunt question got a grimace, like she’d bitten a sour bug.

Stepping forward, she faced her parents with a stern look and asked,

“Hey, both of you… Have you thought about it at all? That thing.”

“‘That thing’…”

The laid-back duo suddenly turned serious.

“…I can’t agree to it. It doesn’t suit us elves.”

“I think it’s still too soon. We need more time.”

“Figures.”

Rieze shook her head, exasperated. Then came the root of their family rift.

“Making ale in Nemed Forest! Why’s that so bad?!”

“Ale’s too harsh! Elves prefer sweet, smooth drinks!”

It was a ridiculously petty fight.

Chapter 134: Seeking a Mother, Triggering a Hidden Boss Flag

Luid, the king of Nemed Forest.

Rieze, his runaway waitress daughter.

Between them, an unyielding dispute had erupted.

“Now, putting this silly talk aside… where should we crash tonight?”

“Aye, forget that pointless argument. I’m worried about our sleeping arrangements.”

“Eek, not the Blue Demon… I mean, Pretty Magical Girl Luwi-sama! W-We’ve prepared fine lodgings, so please, this time, have mercy…!”

Lily blatantly ignored the family feud, while Luwi extorted beds from the elders.

The elf warriors, pretending not to notice the royals, began preparing to guide the group through the village.

As for the Troublemakers’ quartet?

“What a grave conflict… The ale faction versus the mead faction, a battle with no retreat…!”

“This is bad. Look, there’s sour ale, sweet ale—why not start there for peace talks?”

“Hold on. If my memory’s right, Rieze’s all about that bitter punch. Meddling could be risky…”

“This is a minefield. Both sides have unyielding convictions. The roots of this clash run deep…”

They were getting all serious.

The four watched Rieze’s standoff with her parents, palms sweaty.

Mind you, all four could drink anything.

Yuri, though, had completely forgotten.

They weren’t here to settle the ale-mead debate.

Luti-sensei, ever the adult—perhaps the only one here—caught it.

“Excuse me, can I interrupt? We’re here looking for someone. Your Majesty, do you know a human woman named Aida?”

Bypassing the family drama, Luti cut to the chase. The rare, perhaps sole, respectable grown-up among these overgrown kids.

“Oh, I got carried away… Our family gets heated about drinks. Aida, yes, she was here. She spent days stargazing atop the World Tree, very focused.”

“As expected. Is she still here?”

“No, about a week ago, she came to say goodbye, looking grim. She said something curious… ‘Beware the obelisks.’”

Twitch. Luwi’s ear flicked faintly.

“I’m no scholar, so I barely understood half of it… Something about bad star alignments, weights coming loose in various places, that sort of thing.

She said she had to check the next place and left the island.”

“I see… Star alignments, weights… and obelisks…”

Luti bowed her head, sinking into thought with a grave expression.

Even Yuri sensed something. This is loaded with flags, he thought.

“(Hey, guys. This is screaming ‘hidden boss revival flag’ vibes.)”

“(Hidden boss revival flag? We slaughtered all the Evil Gods, didn’t we?)”

“(Every time you start yapping about flags, it’s never good. Ugh, trouble in a place like this…)”

“(Tch, this is gonna be a hassle.)”

Yuri, the world-saving hero.

His constant game-brain rants about flags and tropes, sadly, had a near-perfect hit rate in this world.

※

That night, the bothersome crew was treated like royalty by the terrified elders.

Guest houses galore.

A feast brimming with forest bounties.

And the kicker: heaps of Rasil Island’s signature mead, paired with snacks. The quartet was thrilled.

They scurried out under the World Tree, using its grandeur as a drinking backdrop, kicking off a rowdy banquet. Sacrilegious bunch.

“Hey, you guys, we need to talk.”

Rieze approached with a scowl, freezing their expressions.

The four exchanged looks, swallowing hard—until Yuri, mustering courage, spoke up.

“W-Wait! B-Bullying’s not cool!”

“What are you even thinking!?”

Her words sounded like a classic “Lend me your face” threat.

Rieze shook her head, exasperated, and plopped down with a thud.

She thrust out a bottle.

“Try this, will you?”

“Sure… Is this ale?”

“Yup, ale. My special reserve.”

““““Special reserve?””””

The four thrust out their cups in sync. All honest to their desires.

They brought the poured ale to their lips—then froze at the same moment.

“Hm? T-This aroma…!”

“What…!?”

“Incredible, I can’t believe this…!”

“Wow, citrus bomb…!”

A citrusy scent tickled their noses irresistibly.

They inhaled deeply, then sipped.

For a moment, the four were speechless.

They gazed skyward, overwhelmed, and…

“Superb. Superb…!”

“This… is divine…”

“Citrus bursting in the nose. Yet that bold bitterness…”

“Epic!”

Rave reviews.

Rieze sighed in relief.

“Good… That’s the ale I made at the tavern.”

“What!? No way!! You made this!?”

“It’s Nemed Forest hops and Luan Kingdom barley. The trick? Don’t skimp—pile on the hops.”

“Put this on the menu! It’s a guaranteed hit, I swear!”

“Hm, I want barrels of this. Bring it to the Dark Continent, and dominion’s mine…!”

“Not just a poster girl, but a brewmaster… The heavens grant double gifts… though princess is a stretch.”

Agamemnon’s stray remark earned a sharp glare from the elf.

But she lacked the energy to snap, just sighing.

“I’d love to serve it at the tavern, but I want to make it here, as a Nemed Forest specialty.”

“I see. But… given their reaction, that’s tough, huh?”

“Yeah, even the last village was all about mead. Maybe start with fruity ales to ease them in…?”

“Ha… You guys think so too, huh? Fine, I’ll drop brewing here for now and just take the hops. I’ll sell it as ‘Elf-Brand Ale’ and chip away at their resistance!

Once my ale’s famous, Nemed Forest will be known as the Ale Forest, and they’ll feel awkward not accepting it! How’s that!?”

Her passionate pitch won the Troublemakers’ roaring approval and applause.

“That’s a brilliant plan!”

“Going for the outer moat, nice. Avoiding the minefield is the way to go.”

“Aye. Even if it’s not their taste, fame makes it a local pride thing. I’ve seen that plenty.”

“Right!? Man, I’m on fire today! Coming home was worth it!

Alright, let’s drink tonight, you guys!”

“Yay!” they cheered, diving into a booze-fest under the World Tree’s disapproving gaze.

What seemed like a serious conflict was neatly sidestepped—happily ever after!

…And so, Aida’s blatantly flag-heavy remarks were completely forgotten.

Chapter 135: Moonlit Rendezvous (1)

“Nn…”

Late at night, Yuri rose like a zombie.

He was in a house assigned by the elf elders.

“Oh, right, we were chugging ale together…”

The booze-fest under the World Tree had been unusually fast-paced.

As a result, the five, utterly smashed, crawled back to their beds.

Thanks to his comrades’ warm words—“The playboy’s over there”—Yuri scored a whole house to himself!

Grinding his teeth a bit was only natural.

“Maybe a walk to sober up.”

Cracking his neck with a koki-koki, he stepped out of the unfamiliar house.

It was a full moon tonight.

On Rasil Island, the moon appeared larger and brighter than usual.

The elf village was carved out of the forest, so a short walk led straight into mystical groves.

Inhaling deeply, it felt like his impure thoughts were fading away.

For a hero living a life full of such thoughts, a detox was overdue… As he took deep breaths—

“~~~♪”

A faint, tiny singing voice reached his ears.

Drawn by it, he wandered deeper into the forest until the trees abruptly parted.

There was a small lake.

Moonlight poured down like a shower, rippling across the water’s surface.

At the water’s edge, dipping her feet and singing with a bell-like voice, was a golden-haired elf—Sophie.

“Uh, hi…”

“Eh? Y-Yuri-san…! G-Good evening…”

Embarrassed that her singing was heard, she covered her mouth with both hands, shrinking with a shun.

What is this adorable creature…?!

Yuri was floored.

Among all the beautiful girls he’d met, her femininity was unmatched.

“Sorry, your voice was so pretty…”

Even as he said it, the line felt cringeworthy. What are you, an otome game prince? he wanted to roast himself.

The playboy hero knew his limits.

“R-Really…? Ehehe…”

Sophie’s shy blush was pure heroine material.

“Wanna join me? It’s cool and feels nice!”

“Let’s see!”

They sat side by side, dipping their feet in the pristine lake.

Far from sobering up, the lake’s purifying power seemed to melt his impure thoughts. Yuri nearly dissolved into sparkles.

After a silent moment, Sophie’s face took on a determined look, and with a cute “Yosh!” she psyched herself up.

Peeking at her, he saw her gazing at him with moist eyes.

“The moon’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yup.”

It was a full moon, after all. Rasil Island’s clear air made the moon and stars vivid. No wonder Lunaria’s mom came here for stargazing.

“The forest’s so quiet.”

“Yeah.”

After the rowdy banquet, the forest’s calm was soothing to Yuri.

But Sophie, face red and trembling, looked miffed. Huh?

“The spring’s so clear tonight.”

“Super transparent, right?”

A heavy, bad kind of silence fell.

The seasoned hero realized he’d stepped on a landmine.

And, as expected, it detonated.

“Ugh, Yuri-san, you’re so dense!”

Suddenly, Sophie puffed her cheeks like a hamster, fuming!

Her adorable, puffed-up face was begging to be petted, but that aside.

As he panicked, wondering how to calm her, she dropped a bombshell.

“I confessed three times! Why are you being mean!?”

“W-What…!? That was a confession…!?”

“It’s an elf classic!”

Uuu, Sophie covered her face.

A confession event from a picture-perfect elf girl left Yuri petrified.

To be confessed to by such an ideal elf…!

It felt undeserved, but a confession deserved a proper response! He decided instantly.

“Uh, Sophie-san.”

“Eh…?”

He pulled her close by the shoulders.

Her floral scent wafted, her soft skin making his heart race. Yuri spoke.

“I think the moon’s beautiful too.”

“T-That means…!”

“I… like you, Sophie-san…”

“Ah… nn, fuu…”

He didn’t know elf nuances, but a smooth kiss after a confession should get the message across…!

Hamu, muchu, fuu… nn, nnn…!

“!? Uh, nn, chu…”

It got across too well.

Her slender arms locked around his head, pulling him into a deep, fiery kiss.

Her tongue dove in, far too passionate for a first kiss.

Puha! “W-Wait, why…?”

“‘Cause… that’s what you did with Luti-sensei…”

A massive boomerang.

Yuri closed his eyes, then realized.

(*Oh no… Did she… see me and Luti-sensei…!?)

Too late.

Of course, Sophie had witnessed every bit of Yuri and Luti’s wild night.

It was so intense she couldn’t sleep a wink.

For a pure, innocent elf, it was a shocking sight.

Just recalling it made her heart race uncontrollably.

“Yuri-san… Will you do to me… what you did with Luti-sensei?”

“Of course…!”

Her pleading, longing gaze left him no choice.

Yuri gently pressed her body down onto the grass.