Honey Trap! ~The Honey Trap Encirclement to Ensnare the Summoned Hero~ - Chapter 83 & 84

Chapter 83: The Female Knight Becomes an Adventurer (Part 2)

The world is a stage, and life is a story.

Lily Klein believes this fiercely. Whether devouring tales on a sickbed plagued by illness or reveling in her hard-won youth after cheating death, this conviction never wavers.

That said, she’d rather play a thrilling role. Having already starred as a tragic heroine, her creed now is to embrace the most exhilarating parts. After all, it’s a life she once thought lost—what’s there to fear? In a way, it’s the ultimate brazenness.

So, she begins singing her love for Yuri with gusto—only to be met with boos from the guild’s adventurers.

“Oh, my beloved… Without you, my frail heart threatens to shatter in these lonely days…!”

“You saw him a few days ago!”

“Frail, huh, Lily-chan? What’s that make us? That’s a harsh joke!”

“Yeah, yeah! I don’t smash houses with a hammer!”

“Or punch holes through an ogre’s gut!”

Macho adventurers pile on, mocking her “frail” claim. Lily’s monstrous strength and ferocious combat prowess are already legendary.

“Ugh, so harsh. I was a delicate maiden until recently, you know?”

“Sure, until recently.”

“Muu!”

Puffing her cheeks in cute protest, Lily draws Kris’s sympathy, who sees only a delicate beauty—until she spots the warhammer slung across Lily’s back. Definitely not a frail maiden’s weapon.

“Lily-dono… You’re quite skilled, aren’t you?”

“Nah, just E-rank. A lowly newbie adventurer.”

“I’m E-rank too.”

The Vampire Lord and the Dark Continent’s sage, both claiming newbie status. Rank fraud at its finest.

※

“So, I’m an adventurer now.”

Kris murmurs, finishing her registration paperwork, flanked by Lily and Luwi.

Their constant chatter slowed things down considerably. The receptionist had to scold them before it was done.

“Let’s grab a quest! Newbies usually start with gathering kukkuri grass, but… you can also just observe a senior’s quest! What a fateful coincidence!”

“Watch our quest, and you’ll clear your first task! Opportunities like this don’t come often!”

A bad feeling creeps in. Wouldn’t gathering kukkuri grass be safer…?

Kris prepares a polite refusal when—

“Heya! Guildmaster in?”

“Oh, my beloved! This is truly fate!”

“Yo, Lily, been a day. Heard Reza-san and Beatrice wrung you out after?”

“Ugh, they grilled me about sneaking through windows. But I think it’s romantic! A silent night, a window gliding open, a lover’s shadow slipping in… Romantic, right?”

“Pick your moments better…”

“What! Not days ago—you just met! That’s cheating!”

The trio erupts into lively banter, but Kris watches with jarring seriousness.

“Lily-dono, this is…?”

“Right, Kris, meet my beloved, Yuri!”

“Uh? Lily, who’s this…?”

“Kris, a female knight starting as an adventurer today.”

“Female knight! Awesome!”

The term “female knight” sends Yuri’s excitement into overdrive.

“Kris-san, right? I’m Yuri, a humble D-rank adventurer. Nice to meet you! You’re really a female knight?”

“…Yes, I am. My apologies for the late introduction. I’m Kris Barato. Pleased to meet you.”

“Y-Yeah, likewise!”

Yuri shakes her hand with idol-fan fervor. Over half a year since his isekai transfer, he’s met maids and princesses but never a female knight. He’d half-given up on the trope—until now, a stunning one in the flesh. Naturally, he’s hyped.

But Kris is baffled. Why’s the world-saving Yuusha-sama this thrilled about a female knight? Of course, she’s oblivious to his inner monologue:

(Wonder if there’s a ‘Kuh, kill me!’ moment in store… No way, with me here, I won’t let that happen!)

Utter nonsense, far beyond her imagination.

“By the way, Yuri, why’re you alone? You’re usually with the four.”

“Oh, not here for a quest. Sonia-san asked me to pass a message.”

“Got it, for the guildmaster? Be blunt, beloved, but watch your words. You’re prone to slipping up.”

“R-Really? Uh, yeah, I’ll be careful.”

※

Yuri’s mission is simple: relay Sonia’s message to the guild. She’s not home but staying at a safe friend’s place and will return to work after her break. Easy peasy.

With a spring in his step, he heads to the guildmaster’s office, blissfully unaware of how it looks—a guy delivering a girl’s “staying at a friend’s” message. Meanwhile, Lily and Luwi pick a quest for Kris to observe.

“YOU BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU!”

Argos’s roar echoes from the guildmaster’s room, and Kris bolts upright.

“What’s happening!?”

“Ugh, he blew it, huh? Hey, Onee-san, we’re taking this quest—cool?”

“Huh? Y-Yes!”

In the chaos, Lily snags a quest, urging haste. Luwi, shaking her head, holds the guild door open. Then—

“Lily, Luwi, Kris-san! I’m outta here—cover for me!”

A pitifully panicked Yuri sprints past, bolting through the door like a gale. Lily grins, delighted.

“Don’t be a stranger, beloved! We’re in this together—to the ends of the earth! It’s more fun that way.”

Grabbing Kris’s hand, she chases Yuri at breakneck speed. Luwi floats after, laughing merrily.

A beat later, Argos storms in, his already grim face twisted with fury, veins bulging, greatsword in hand.

“GET BACK HERE! Sonia’s like a daughter to me!”

The adventurers catch the gist. Sonia, the guild’s beautiful, busty receptionist, is a fan favorite. But her tight defenses and—

“YOU’RE DEAD, YURI-BŌZU!”

—Argos’s ferocious (physical) protection kept suitors at bay.

“That guy…”

“He really is a hero…”

In different senses, the adventurers nod solemnly, offering silent prayers.

Chapter 84: The Female Knight Becomes an Adventurer (Part 3)

“Phew, made it this far—safe at last…!”

“Still, you should properly explain things to the guildmaster, beloved.”

“I’ll talk it over with Sonia-san… Man, I thought I was a goner…”

Reaching the capital’s downtown and confirming safety, Yuri slumps with relief. Kris, panting heavily, catches her breath.

“Haa, haa…! Lily-dono, you’re… incredibly fast…! Just keeping up was all I could manage…”

Dragged at full sprint by Lily, even a seasoned female knight like Kris is winded by the Vampire Lord’s pace. Luwi, casually floating alongside with magic, is no slouch either. Kris nods to herself—these two are definitely tied to Yuusha-sama. Lily’s speed outstrips the knight order, and Luwi’s magic is masterful.

“Sorry, sorry! Got caught up in the fun and lost myself. As an apology, let me treat you to some top-notch fruit water. Hang on a sec!”

“Then I’ll grab some skewers.”

What boundless energy. Kris tracks their movements, eyes widening as Yuri blends seamlessly into the downtown bustle.

“Hey, old man! Four skewers!”

“Well, if it ain’t Yuri! My daughter owes you big time—here, one extra on the house!”

“Whoa, thanks!”

His Excellency the Marquis is apparently chummy with the stall vendor. Unbeknownst to Kris, this is the father of a girl Yuri saved from Baron Yoram’s clutches.

“Here, Kris-san, dig in!”

“Oh, thank you… I’ll accept gratefully.”

“Gallant lady, this fruit water’s my top pick.”

Sipping fruit water and biting into rustic skewers, they pause to regroup. The four then head outside the capital for their quest, targeting a nearby barley field.

“Let’s see… ‘Recently, a herd of red boars has been troubling the fields. Please drive them off.’”

“Simple quest, right? Kris, we figured you’d get a feel for adventurer work by watching.”

“Red boars, huh… I’ve faced them with the knight order.”

Red boars, as their name suggests, are red-furred pigs—pests that ravage fields but not overly ferocious. Their combat strength is moderate; a civilian would be mauled, but a standard adventurer party can handle them easily. Thus, low-rank adventurers often take these quests.

Kris steals glances at Yuri. This seems like a waste of his strength, but he appears unbothered.

“Pigs, so traps maybe?”

“Nah, red boars are strong. Half-baked traps get shredded. Gotta go head-on.”

“Alright! My magic’s gonna blaze!”

“No way, it’s near a field—magic’s off-limits!”

“What? Then I can’t use magic either! And Lily, isn’t your hammer risky too?”

“…Oh.”

Already, the trio’s sidelined. Kris, under their hopeful stares, manages a twitching smile.

“Well, I’ve got a portable spear and bow…”

“Sweet! I’ll tie up the boars, and you finish ’em off!”

“I’ll, uh, less elegantly, pin them down to stop their movement!”

“…Couldn’t you just punch them normally?”

Kris nods vigorously in agreement. No magic, so let’s wrestle monsters? This group’s got some screws loose.

※

“Take this! Eremia-style… Hell Lock!”

“No grudges, but for the farmers… Ugh, they reek! Tch, this is rough!”

Near the capital’s barley fields, they spot a small herd of red boars. Yuri and Lily dive in with gusto. Normally, you’d tackle them one by one, but strategy’s not their thing.

“Yuri-dono, you’ll get blood on you like that…”

“It’s fine, I’ll deflect it with magic—no worries!”

“Then, pardon me!”

Kris thrusts her spear, piercing a boar’s vitals in one strike. With them politely holding the beast in place, exposing its weak spot, it’s almost too easy. But is red boar hunting supposed to be like this? Normally, you scatter the herd, surround one, weaken it, then kill. Doubt nags at her.

“Alright, next!”

“Ugh, I’m definitely bathing later…!”

Watching boars dragged like caught rats, Kris can only muster a wry smile. Then—

“BUOOOOO!”

A red boar emerges from the nearby woods, clearly the herd’s leader—but its scale is all wrong. Easily three times a normal boar’s size.

“No way, an alpha species…! Why here!?”

Alpha species—rare, dangerous variants of monsters. For red boars, they’re massive, with uncontrollable strength. Kris’s knightly instincts scream to retreat and call reinforcements. But personally… a small part of her wonders: Isn’t this the perfect chance to see Yuusha-sama fight?

(No. I’m no opportunist. My duty is to neutralize threats to the kingdom.)

Shaking off temptation, she refocuses on the alpha—only to see Yuri grappling with the giant boar.

“Alright, this one’s a big catch!”

“BUMO!? BUMOOOO!”

The alpha resists fiercely, flailing limbs slamming into Yuri, but he doesn’t even flinch.

“…Huh?”

Kris rubs her eyes. No mistake. By some absurd strength, the alpha boar is pinned to the ground, thrashing helplessly.

“Kris-san! I’ve got it held—one strike, please!”

“Uh? R-Right… Understood…”

Fighting alongside the world-saving hero—a dream her revered father, Mikel, once voiced, the aspiration of warriors everywhere.

This should be that moment. But something’s… off.

“Hmph!”

Her spear pierces the alpha’s throat in one blow. After a brief struggle, the massive beast stills. For a normal knight, this would be a career-defining feat, but Kris feels no triumph.

“Nice, now for bloodletting… This big, wonder what we’ll use it for?”

“Yuri, keep the fangs—proof of subjugation!”

“Got it!”

As they start field dressing, Kris stands frozen, thinking, Something’s definitely off.