As soon as I suggested it, the protagonist Rogue suddenly flipped a switch.
For some reason, he got really angry.
"What's wrong, Rogue? What do you want me to stop doing? I didn't say anything strange, did I?"
"I told you not to explain my 'Skill Granting Ability' to everyone! It'll cause problems!"
"Why?"
"Because secretly giving buffs is the whole point!"
"Huh?"
What the heck is this guy saying?
I have no idea what he's talking about.
Then Rogue's lips curled into a sly grin.
It was a cunning smile, the first I had ever seen from him.
"Actually, it's like a surprise! The big reveal will be that it was me, Rogue, supporting everyone from the shadows. When they realize it, their hatred will turn into gratitude and envy... I've been dreaming of that day, enduring all the scorn and the abuse, being treated like a servant lower than a slave!"
Yeah, this guy's definitely doing this on purpose.
In the end, before that day could come, he got kicked out after Alfred stole Shannon from him!
I mean, aiming for some big "It was me all along!" moment is pretty ridiculous, isn't it?
What kind of protagonist are you, really?
Does he already know how the original story plays out or something?
"Enough already; I'm done talking about this! Just stop using your skills without permission! If you keep buffing the team without explanation, you're not going to get off easy!"
"Whaaat? Alfred, that's so unfair!"
No, it's not unfair! Stop acting like the victim; this is common sense!
"If you really want to buff people, at least get their consent first! Otherwise, I'll spill everything, got it?"
I forced the conversation to an end and kicked Rogue out of the room.
Now, in the hallway, he's bawling his eyes out, wailing, "Waaah, this is too much!"
Ugh, whatever... Let's just ignore him.
It's exhausting, seriously.
About a month has passed since then.
Rogue seems to be following my orders and refraining from using his unique skill.
But I've heard whispers that sometimes, when no one's around, he screams to himself.
Things like, "Uwaaah! I want to use my skill! Let me use my skill!"
He sounds like a man possessed.
It looks like he's experiencing full-blown withdrawal symptoms from his skill addiction...
I'm starting to wonder if I should just let it slide as an act of mercy or if I need to take further measures.
One night, as I was pondering this, Shannon visited my room.
Unlike her usual priestess attire, she was in a thin nightgown.
Her pure, beautiful face contrasted with the way her voluptuous figure and sensual curves stood out.
For a moment, my heart skipped a beat, thinking, "Is Shannon making a move on me!?"
But no, she's a bit airheaded sometimes. She probably just lacks a sense of caution.
Still, this is not appropriate attire to wear in front of a man like me. If it weren't for my iron will, I'd have thrown her down already... Seriously.
"Alf, I'm sorry to disturb you so late at night, but I have something I need to discuss with you."
"I see. Come on in."
I invited Shannon into the room, careful to avoid anyone else seeing us and starting strange rumors.
She sat on a chair while I sat on the edge of my bed.
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
"It's about Rogue... Lately, I've noticed something strange about him."
Shannon's soft lips moved as she began to explain what had been happening.
Apparently, Rogue had been staying in his room more and more recently.
When Shannon, worried, went to check on him, she found him sitting on his bed, knees drawn to his chest, biting his thumb while muttering something incomprehensible as he stared into space.
"What exactly was he saying?"
"He kept repeating things like, 'Why can't I use my skill?' and 'Let me use it. Please let me use it."
So, he's finally started showing his skill addiction in front of Shannon too, huh?
And it sounds like his mental state is deteriorating.
Even though Shannon is supposedly his childhood friend and romantic interest, Rogue never told her about his unique skill.
In this world, when a person reaches a certain age, they go through a 'Skill Bestowal Ceremony' at a church or temple.
Rogue has always claimed his skill was just something minor that added small enhancements to others' abilities, never going into detail, playing it off like it was a "worthless skill."
He probably wanted to keep it secret from Shannon as long as possible, to have that dramatic "It was me all along" moment.
It seems his obsession started a long time ago.
"I understand. I'll talk to Rogue about it."
"Thank you, Alfred. There's something else I need to tell you about Rogue."
"There's more? Okay, go ahead."
It was a rare chance to hear Shannon's concerns.
Even though I was getting tired of hearing about Rogue, I couldn't brush her off.
"Yes. It seems Rogue has been secretly keeping a monster in his
room."
"What? Are you sure?"
"Yes, it's a low-level slime he found during a quest with the second squad, but... it seems to have an unusually high level of magic power. Rogue's been trying to hide it, but I could feel the magic leaking from under his bed."
A slime with high magic power... wait a second!
I remembered-Slimey!
In the original story, that was Rogue's first monster partner.
If I recall, after Rogue was kicked out, he used all the experience buffs he'd stolen from us to power it up into an insanely strong slime monster.
What? You think the name "Slimey" in a fantasy world sounds weird?
Blame the author, Tanaka Daichi. It's his creation, after all.
Besides, Rogue's not even a tamer, and he's raising a monster? The story's full of holes.
Anyway, the real issue here is that Slimey is already becoming powerful.
I suspect that since I've forbidden Rogue from using his 'Skill Grant' on people, he's been secretly buffing Slimey instead.
Knowing his junkie-like obsession, it's totally possible.
This is straight-up monster abuse.
"I get it. I'll talk to Rogue about that too. Leave it to me, okay?"
"Thank you... I'm so glad I came to talk to you."
As she spoke, Shannon's cheeks turned pink, and she fidgeted slightly.
She usually has a dignified air, but something felt off.
"Is something else bothering you?"
"N-no... It's just that, um, this is my first time coming to your room, so I'm a little nervous... I'm sorry."
"Really? Now that you mention it, we've always just talked in the hallway."
"Yes... so I'm happy. It means you trust me enough to let me in."
Huh? I mean, if any member of the group came to visit, I'd let them in.
This must be Shannon's airheaded side showing again.
But still, this is the first time she's come to my room.
And in her nightgown... Wait a minute.
Does this mean... I have a chance here?
Deep down, the devil inside me-Alfred's darker personality-began whispering to me.