episode_0005

Two women lay sprawled naked. Now, I could discern their identities as well.

The notorious High Priestess Emelia Elsine Lawrence and the Kamph Patroller Irina Winter, whose mere speech incited a sense of true education.

Both were original members of the protagonist Freit’s party, suffering endlessly in the novel as characters betrayed by Freit. Just like the original owner of this body, Brunhilde Eisenstein.

“Ugh… This feeling… First time… Life… Loss……”

“Ah… Even mixed blood… Quite……”

…It seemed both women had already succumbed to ruin. Seeing them prattle on incoherently, it was evident they had lost all sense.

It was the same in the original game setting and in the novel based on it. It appeared to be no different here.

“If you have nothing to say, don’t waste time and just strip. Or perhaps, are you asking me to do it myself?”

And now, it’s my turn, isn’t it?

In Gunter’s scrutinizing gaze, his green eyes held unhidden lust, superiority, triumph, and desire.

A face like a senior in college who got a freshman drunk and led them to a hotel bed.

The message conveyed by that look was so clear that anyone could understand it at a glance.

Like the other two women, he probably wanted me to strip everything off and lie exposed on the bed.

Just as the original Brunhilde, for the sake of the Eisenstein family, reluctantly yielded to his coercion and offered herself.

…I’m going to lose it, really.

Not only was I reincarnated as an NTR character in a novel, but I was also about to groan beneath some trashy guy right at the moment of my reincarnation.

Truly, it was the worst timing for a reincarnation.

…

No, was it really the worst?

Come to think of it, I don’t know who brought me to this place, but… they seemed to possess at least a minimal, truly minimal, amount of conscience.

What nonsense am I spouting?

Well, that’s how it is.

The moment he delayed the possession by just about 10 minutes, I wouldn’t have been in my current state, lying sprawled on the bed, pinned down by that guy, rather than being perfectly fine.

…Ugh.

Was it because of some absurd imagination that popped into my head? A sudden dizziness surged along with nausea.

Really, I’m lucky. Truly. If it had been 10 minutes later, there would have been no way to handle it at all.

Different from now.

“Phew….”

I gritted my teeth, tensing my whole body and slightly bending my knees.

My thigh, filled with tension, swelled slightly, and the armor clad on my body made a creaking metallic sound as it rubbed against itself.

“Don’t worry. You’ll surely be satisfied once you try it, right? Like those kids. So, give up now and—”

Satisfied, huh? Maybe that’s just your wishful thinking.

“Screw you.”

I showed him my middle finger and gripped the hilt of the dagger at my waist with my other hand.

“Huh? What’s with the sudden craziness… Wait, are you insane?!”

Was he surprised by my sudden drawing of the sword?

“Kuk…! This lunatic is…”

Gunter distorted his face like a leech and then, as if throwing his holy sword leaning against the edge of the bed, he flung himself towards it.

It was a golden opportunity.

What opportunity?

Isn’t it obvious?

Of course, it’s a chance to escape!

Crash!

I forcefully kicked the marble floor, shooting my stiffened body like an arrow.

– Crash!

Towards the window covered by velvet curtains.

“The window?!”

Yes, this is my escape route!

The impact of a person in armor crashing like a shell. The glass, larger than me, shattered into pieces, emitting an incredibly sharp scream.

“No, what the hell…!”

Gunter’s perplexity faded into the distance.

Beyond the shattered window frame, his bewildered face looking down at me was truly comical.

Didn’t he expect me to run?

I let out a relieved laugh as I fell towards the ground like a parabola.

It was a success. At least, it’s a start.

◆◆

Contrary to Gunter’s misconception that I would wield the sword, I had only thought of escaping from the very beginning.

Of course. His character might be trash, but at this point, Gunter is an incredibly capable and competent warrior, unlike Fred who’s just starting to raise his stock.

How could an ordinary person who has only lived through novels and everyday life possibly defeat someone like him? It doesn’t make any sense.

He was bare-chested and I was fully armored with a sword, yet the thought of being able to win didn’t even occur to me.

Even if I don’t know, wouldn’t I have been immediately overwhelmed and defeated the moment I swung my sword?

If that had happened, everything would have been over. In several ways.

That’s why I chose to flee.

Rather than recklessly wielding a sword against a monster slaughtering expert, it’s a hundred or a thousand times better to give it your all and run away.

That was the best and only plan I, who had never even tried to learn swordsmanship, could attempt with this body of mine.

And so.

◆◆

Whoosh!

With a heavy thud as I landed on the ground, I threw back the curtain wrapped around me and sprinted with all my might.

As fast as a deer with its tail on fire.

My body felt as light as air, and despite leaping from a three-story height, I didn’t feel an ounce of pain.

It must be thanks to the curtain and armor. If I had been bare, the shattered glass would have cut and embedded itself all over my body, leaving me bleeding profusely.

To leap from the third floor unscathed and to run at such an animal-like speed must be due to Brunhilde’s body.

Perhaps she’s a knight affiliated with the Hero Party. Even though it’s still early in the story, her physical abilities are on a completely different level compared to an ordinary person.

With each step hitting the ground, my body surged forward, and before startled passersby could even blink, I swiftly passed by them.

Just like accelerating a scooter and dashing along the road.

The speed was beyond my expectations. It filled me with an overwhelming sense of relief.

◆◆

And so, I fled. Without stopping even when my breath was at its limit. Until I reached the outskirts of the city near the deserted forest path.

“Haa… haa….”

This should be enough.

I sat down heavily next to a large tree, gasping for breath. I massaged my aching thigh with both hands.

There was no pursuit. Or at least, it seemed that way.

I had pushed through the castle guards blocking my way and worried they might consider me a criminal and chase after me…

Was it my bluff?

Even as I sharply scanned the direction I fled, all I heard were the cries of forest animals and the rustling of footsteps. No sounds of hoofbeats or cursing reached my ears.

Thank goodness.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

Whether they gave up the chase or never pursued in the first place, I couldn’t be sure, but at least it seemed I wouldn’t be caught and dragged away by soldiers.

Gunther?

I hadn’t even feared his pursuit from the start.

He may have displayed thuggish behavior in front of me, but Gunther, as depicted in novels, was obsessed with maintaining his reputation to an almost pathological level.

In public, he pretended to be a righteous and just warrior, but everyone knew it was all a sham.

Could someone like him openly chase after me, who was causing a commotion in the streets?

If so, not only the city, but the entire country would be turned upside down with all sorts of rumors.

It was somewhat within the acceptable range to pull members from other adventurer parties.

As long as the risky maneuver wasn’t exposed, those party members could explain their defection as having ‘voluntarily’ joined Gunther’s party due to disappointment with their own adventurers.

It wasn’t entirely untrue.

Emilia, Irina, and Brunhild had defected to Gunther’s party not because of coercion or threats, but by their own choice.

Their reasons were all different, but well, there’s no need to dwell on that now.

There’s only one thing that matters.

To maintain Gunther’s image as a celebrated hero, it was crucial to assure everyone that the members of Freet’s party had defected voluntarily.

That’s why he couldn’t pursue me.

I revealed myself engaging in a chase with the enemy, but if I do, it will only fuel suspicions that not only me but all of the members of the Freit party were forcibly brought here.

A hero party should be composed of talents who will eventually become the representatives of each country’s power. At present, it might just end as an issue where these three women, who betrayed the Line Kingdom and defected to Brugunt, are insulted as traitors, but if rumors spread that Gunter forcibly took them away…

Could it lead to war? Perhaps. If things worsen to that extent, it will become a fatal flaw in the image Gunter has worked so hard to maintain.

That’s why he couldn’t pursue me. At least not in front of others.