ISEKAI? More like I See Crap!-Chapter 112: Laces and Lies ( )

"Oh, by the way, buddy," Ridan floated beside Hazuki, his voice casual but his eyes subtly scanning the trees.

Hazuki blinked. "Hmm? What now?"

"It’s better if we follow this path here," Ridan said, gesturing with a flick of his spiritual aura.

Hazuki narrowed his eyes. "And why exactly?"

"Hey, just trust me," Ridan said with a smug air. "Didn’t I save you before? I warned you about Bernardina, remember? If I didn’t tell you to run, you’d already be at his house right now—dessert and main course."

Hazuki shivered at the memory. "Ugh... you didn’t have to put it that way."

"Then take the path," Ridan said, floating ahead like a ghostly tour guide. "Or... you know, take your chances with more guys wearing lipstick and asking you to ’stay for tea.’"

Hazuki crossed his arms. "Fine. But if you try to trap me again, I swear I’ll bury you. Or better yet, find some high-ranking exorcist to draw creepy seals on you."

"Oho~ spooky," Ridan teased.

Hazuki sighed and adjusted his bag. "Alright, this road then?"

"Yeah," Ridan nodded firmly.

Hazuki groaned and stepped onto the path. "Why do I feel like this is going to be another disaster?"

"Because you attract them like flies to honey, muffin boy."

"I’M NOT MUFFIN BOY!!"

Ridan snickered. "Keep walking, muffin boy. Adventure awaits." freewebnσvel.cøm

What Hazuki didn’t know... was that Ridan wasn’t choosing this path randomly.

Up on the hill, hidden among the trees, two figures watched from a distance—grinning. They signaled Ridan with a simple hand gesture, one that only the spirit recognized.

Ridan knew them. He feared them.

They weren’t just ordinary wanderers—they were the same two mysterious beings who had disguised themselves as the blacksmith Hesbeirn, the cigar vendor, and even the halflings who "accidentally" dropped the map.

He couldn’t tell Hazuki. He wasn’t allowed to tell Hazuki.

If he defied their plan... well, getting sealed for another thousand years sounded mild compared to what they could actually do.

"This road, huh..." Hazuki muttered again.

"Yeah," Ridan said, his voice softer this time. "Trust me."

Hazuki, oblivious as ever, smiled and whistled, enjoying the scenery again as the two walked onward—one idiot and one bound spirit, both caught in a fate neither of them fully understood.

And somewhere, far above the forest canopy, the two watchers vanished with a smirk.

Meanwhile, in the Beastkin Kingdom...

Princess Ellyna lay sprawled across her bed, her tail lazily flicking as boredom clawed at her like an itch she couldn’t quite reach.

Haaah... if only something exciting would happen...

Then—

A sudden flurry of voices echoed outside her room.

She sat up. "Hmm?"

Getting to her feet, she padded toward the door and opened it just as two royal maids rushed past, nearly bumping into her.

"Umm... What’s going on?" Ellyna asked, blinking.

One of the maids gasped and turned around. "Ah! Princess Ellyna! The merchant who brings supplies to the palace—he’s brought in some new items! Hot items!"

Ellyna tilted her head. "Hot items?"

"Yes, something that just arrived from the southern trade routes! Everyone’s curious!" the other maid chimed in with a bright smile.

"We were just about to go check them out, Princess," the first added. "Would you like to come with us?"

Ellyna crossed her arms and gave a thoughtful hum.

"Hmm... I am bored..." She tapped her chin, her ears twitching.

Then she grinned.

"Alright. Let’s go see what all the fuss is about."

When Ellyna arrived at the merchant’s display area, a large crowd of maids had already gathered, eagerly inspecting frilly dresses, elegant nightgowns, ribbons, perfumes, and various other trinkets that made any girl’s heart flutter.

Ellyna stood back with a faint smile, allowing them to enjoy the moment.

After the initial excitement settled and the maids began chatting among themselves, Ellyna finally stepped forward to browse.

Fragrances... silky fabrics... oh, this lace is adorable...

Her eyes landed on a particularly cute frilled dress in soft pastel tones. She reached out and gently brushed her fingers over the fabric.

"Oh, this is cute..."

At that moment, the merchant—a middle-aged beastkin with fox-like features and a long striped tail—stepped forward from behind the stand. He immediately lowered his head and placed one hand over his chest in a formal bow.

"Ah, Your Highness Princess Ellyna. What an honor it is to have you grace my humble stall. I am truly privileged to present these goods before you."

His voice was smooth, respectful, and just the right amount of reverent—typical of someone well-trained in dealing with nobility.

Ellyna offered a graceful nod, her expression composed, though her ears twitched ever so slightly in amusement.

"Oh? You flatter me. I’m just here because I was bored," she said with a soft chuckle.

"If I may say so," the merchant added with a smile, "the moment you stepped near, it’s as if the air itself brightened."

The nearby maids giggled, whispering about how smooth the merchant was.

Ellyna, however, narrowed her eyes just slightly, still smiling.

"I have a variety of perfumes here, Princess," the merchant said, gesturing to a delicate row of bottles arranged neatly on a velvet-lined tray. "This one is from the Human Kingdom... and this one here comes all the way from the Halfling Kingdom."

Ellyna leaned in slightly and gave a soft sniff to each sample. "Mmm... they smell good."

"Yes," the merchant smiled. "But... if I may be so bold, Princess... I have something even more exquisite."

Ellyna raised a brow. "Oh?"

The merchant lowered his voice just a little, his tone conspiratorial. "There’s more inside the carriage, Your Highness. A special batch—extremely rare. From the Dragonkin Kingdom. Nearly impossible to get, but I managed to acquire just a few."

Ellyna’s eyes sparkled with interest. "Really? From the Dragonkin?"

"Yes." He gave a subtle glance around.

The guards nearby were laughing and chatting with the maids, who were still fussing over accessories and gossiping about fabrics and colors. No one was paying attention to the merchant or the princess.

With a courteous, almost whispering tone, the merchant leaned slightly closer. "If Your Highness would like to take a look... they’re right inside the carriage. Just over here."

He gestured politely to the ornate, covered wagon parked just off to the side of the courtyard.

Ellyna tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "...Very well. I’ll take a look."

( End of Chapter )