The original novel’s protagonist, Kim Seung-woo moving was either a bonus or a disaster for me.

Looking at the bigger picture, it felt more like a bonus.

Kim Seung-woo would probably act as the hero just like in the original story, saving the world. That’s a good thing for me too, right? If the world goes to ruins, wouldn’t my life go to ruins as well?

So, him taking the lead to prevent that was, of course, something to be grateful for. Definitely a bonus.

… As long as we don’t meet.

What happens if we do meet? Isn’t that obvious? No need to answer, really.

It would definitely lead to a life-ending crisis.

Why?

Well, I’m the traitorous heroine from a harem novel.

As someone who rimmed into Brunhilde’s body, I had to avoid entangling myself with the characters in the original novel at all costs.

Like a last sergeant before deployment, having to be cautious of even falling leaves.

Why do I have to be so careful?

It’s not like I completely sold out to Gunther like in the original, right? I can just explain myself, get forgiveness, and laugh it off, can’t I?

No way.

That’s something you can say if you don’t understand the harem genre well.

The heroine in harem novels is like a wallet stuffed with cash in the back pocket of someone’s pants.

If it’s tossed into the washing machine, it’ll lead to a disaster, and that sort of thing happens surprisingly often.

◆◆

Washing.

It’s a term that implies characters who’ve betrayed should meet their demise or crumble in misery, but instead find redemption and forgiveness.

It’s often due to the author’s affection for the characters they set up as traitors…

To be honest, it was an act that should be avoided as much as possible.

The moment a traitor receives a heartwarming rescue instead of deserved punishment, the work itself usually plummets or outright bursts.

The reason is simple.

Those who come to read such novels want to see the villains faced with a tragic downfall, not some ‘sucker’s play’ filled with forgiveness and salvation.

Especially when the betrayals are mixed with elements of ‘NTR,’ any attempt to redeem them would be like suicide for the author.

As soon as they toss those characters into the wash, readers filled with boundless hatred would smash the washing machine with their comments crying out loud.

It’s better to throw away a rag than to wash it.

They had a belief.
That soiled clothes aren’t recyclables, but single-use items. A rag is still a rag, even if it’s cleaned.

…Wasn’t that the work of a textile company’s spy?
Oh, no.

Thinking about it, I too commented back, transformed into the horned white horse spirit, saying something like, ‘Let’s just not wash it and kill it.’
◆◆

…Anyway, maybe that’s why in the novel I reincarnated into, the fates of the traitorous heroines were terribly grim.

They either die, or meet ends so miserable that it’s better to have died. There were only those two outcomes, nothing else.

Brunhilde was the former.

In the original novel, Brunhilde allowed Gunther to have her body as a condition for joining his party, then fell into oblivion, drugged and hypnotized, becoming his concubine.

She flaunted her complete downfall before Friet when they met again.

Of course, by that point, Friet already had Kim Seung-woo’s consciousness, so it was all meaningless anyway.

Then, when the story reached its midpoint, Brunhilde was abandoned even by Gunther, heading for a crisis… and it was, of all people, Kim Seung-woo who rescued her.

Not only did he rescue her, but he also took her back into the party.

Yeah. That’s where the washing machine controversy flared up, flames and all. I had my say too.

…I assure you, I didn’t start the fire. Really.
I merely posted a legitimate critique on the reader community site questioning if this made any sense.

Anyway, the washing plot I dreaded didn’t materialize.
Whether it was because the comment section was burning like a forest fire, or because they never intended to wash, who knows… there was no washing grace for Brunhilde.

Naturally, there were no salvatory endings either.
In the novel, moved by ‘Friet’s’ mercy, Brunhilde regrets abandoning him and vows to atone.

However, the real Friet had long since departed this world. Plus, the novel’s Kim Seung-woo was literally the embodiment of a ‘shark’s cider’ path!

Would a guy like that, who’d betrayed Friet once, treat a woman who showed herself off as Gunther’s property in such a warm manner?

No way that’d happen!

Within Kim Seung-woo’s newly formed party, Brunhilde’s position was literally beneath dirt! A mere fighting slave and pretty toy.

Having her heart broken from life with Gunther’s party, Brunhilde quietly swallowed her regrets.
She assumed it was due to her that Friet had changed…?!

I think there was some monologue scene like that. But the comment section was just filled with mockery.

Anyway, in wanting to atone to the changed Friet, Brunhilde devoted herself in various ways, ultimately meeting her end alongside Gunther.

That was the fitting fate for one who wasn’t washed.

And our shark’s cider protagonist, Kim Seung-woo, used her corpse’s heart as material for armor enhancement.
…….

…Thinking back, isn’t this dude completely insane?

When I was immersed in the protagonist called Kim Seung-woo, I didn’t notice, but looking at him objectively, he might not be any better than Gunther.

Even though he wasn’t the one betrayed, to abuse and exploit another merely because they’d been traitors, how can a person do that?

Didn’t I praise it as a glorious resolution when I read the novel back then?

…Yeah, I admit it. I definitely did back then.

I even commented, ‘At least the rag did clean up the filth.’
Because I had no clue back then.

I never even imagined I’d end up becoming Brunhilde.
Would I have acted that way if I had known?

Looking back, I regret it immensely.
At that time, when I was in Gunther’s party, I felt that becoming a part of that catastrophe wasn’t even pitiful, but simply representative of the shark’s cider!

But thinking now, that was no cider; it was hydrochloric acid, hydrochloric acid.

…And here I was, tumbling straight into that acid, in place of the original Brunhilde who should’ve been submerged and dead.

◆◆

Anyway, that’s why encountering Kim Seung-woo was risky.
Unlike the Brunhilde of the novel, I escaped but permitted my body to Gunther… Yet, whether that would allow me an ounce of leniency was uncertain.

In the worst-case scenario, he might want to rip out my heart the instant he sees me.

I debated whether revealing myself as the reincarnated person could work, but ultimately had to give it up after deep consideration.

The strength of the novel’s Kim Seung-woo is a result of his own talent combined with monopoly over the game’s ‘Hidden Piece.’

In other words, if he couldn’t monopolize the Hidden Piece, he’d never grow strong as he intended.

And the existence of other reincarnated beings would be the greatest threat to disturbing that monopoly.
Would he ever let such beings roam freely?

Of course not. If I revealed I was reincarnated, the future awaiting me would only be either a giant sword or a slave mark from Kim Seung-woo.

So, I had to live hidden, thoroughly as I am now.
Unless I could find all Hidden Pieces mentioned before him and take on the arduous task of defeating the demon king instead of Kim Seung-woo.

Even if I managed to do that, there’s no guarantee I’d succeed.
Unlike Kim Seung-woo, who bore the Holy Sword and the Hero’s mark, I was just an underwhelming female knight.

Well, for all those reasons, I was now walking like this—

“…We’re almost there. Everyone, get ready to disembark. We’ll arrive in about a minute.”

Not as Brunhilde of the Hero’s party, but as the steel-armored adventurer Hilde.
Hoping that Kim Seung-woo, who had reincarnated into Friet’s body, wouldn’t come looking for me.

◆◆

With just a minute until arrival, Amy chimed in.
“Oh, have we arrived? I lost track of time when I was praying to Elianel.”

Bolton, who had been mumbling prayers since who-knows-when, picked up the spear he’d laid on the carriage floor and replied.
“Cluck! Cluck!”

Next to him, Kikel showed energy, shaking with excitement. “It’s cold, cold! We need to fight soon!”

…Was he just shivering from the cold? How silly.
Watching him yell about needing to throw down to warm up, I thought if I ever re-partied with this lizard, outdoor hunts must be avoided at all costs, considering the chance he’d become dead weight in bitter winds.

And one minute later.
Just as Amy had said, we finally arrived at our target ruins for this request.

“…Is this the place?”

It looked less like ruins and more like a pile of crumbling bricks.
Moss and dust filled the cracked walls, and weeds grew up to our knees below us.
Every single pillar had collapsed, leaving only ugly debris behind. Bright afternoon sunlight illuminated the ruins with no ceiling left above.

“It’s not ruins; it’s a wasteland. A wasteland.”

“Of course. It’s been abandoned for at least hundreds of years. There’s no value in these ruins at all.”
Amy added to my impression, lifting her staff to point at somewhere deep inside the ruins.

“The only valuable place is that suddenly emerged underground dungeon. So let’s hurry down and see what comes out!”

Her slightly flushed cheeks, deepening freckles, and shining brown eyes filled with excitement. Amy showed no intention of hiding her thrill.

Well, considering her job, it was understandable.
For wizards who conjure magic via spellbooks, there’s nothing more delightful than discovering a new spellbook, right?

“Yeah, exactly. I’m quite looking forward to it too.”

I chuckled, shrugged my shoulders slightly, and moved toward the ruins’ interior, where Amy pointed, hand resting on the hilt of my sword.

It was work time.