As expected, Jadam possessed the Bewitching Eyes of the Aluring Eye.
Alfred secretly retrieved this cursed item, merging it with his own right eye to enchant and seduce Shannon. He made sure to flaunt this scene in front of Rogue, delivering a double blow with a banishment announcement soon after. It was a dismal, lowest of lows kind of development.
So, what do we do now?
If I take it back, things will proceed just as they did in the original story. But leaving it here might lead to even worse consequences if it falls into the wrong hands.
Especially if it ends up with Rogue, the skill junkie. With his protagonist's privilege, it's hard to predict what he might do. We've already seen his true nature during this exploration.
I crouched down behind my companions, discreetly picked up the Bewitching Eyes of Aluring Eye, and slipped it into my pocket.
I'll take care of it for now. It's only a matter of not using it.
While Alfred of the past might have used it, I have no intention of doing so now. I was a 35-year-old virgin in my previous life, after all. Besides, I'm a staunch believer in pure love. I have no intention of using such an item to manipulate anyone.
"Alf, what's wrong?"
Gaizen's voice came from behind.
"It's nothing... We defeated Jadam, so the quest is complete. Well done, everyone."
"But Pal and the others didn't do anything, right?"
"Alf-san was the one who defeated him all alone, wasn't he? I can only say it's impressive."
"And it was a swift defeat. It must be due to the difference in our levels. Well done, Captain."
Praised by Shannon and Kanade, I laughed awkwardly, trying to deflect, "Hahaha."
"But honestly, I wanted everyone to get stronger with my Ability Grant, to show off a bit. I'm the one who can enhance everyone the most!"
Rogue, seriously?
He's openly boasting now. This guy is really something.
But is it his protagonist privilege? No one seems to take notice. Even Shannon, his lover, ignores him.
Actually, there is one person paying attention.
Daniel, the second-string sorcerer, is the only one who listened to Rogue's mutterings with interest, his round glasses gleaming.
He probably had some realizations during this battle. Maybe he's beginning to understand how the entire Holy Sword of Heroes group is getting stronger.
Well, that's fine.
I had planned from the start to demonstrate Rogue's competence. With his addiction to skills now known, I don't need to handle him directly.
As long as I keep him from using skills, he'll eventually suffer
withdrawal and expose himself. He's already shown his flaws repeatedly, even if they're not obvious due to his poor settings.
He might even end up blurting out, "Actually, I've been secretly boosting everyone's abilities and evolving unique skills, Teehee!"
That might just be the natural course of things.
And so, our quest came to an end.
With the defeat of a high-ranking demon general, the adventurer's guild and the entire Rumirio Kingdom were abuzz with celebration.
The Holy Sword of Heroes was finally recognized as a platinum-class party.
Moreover, the king wanted to meet me and bestow upon me the title of hero.
-But I politely declined.
After all, it's a title that would eventually be revoked, and I have no interest in pursuing such an honor.
Reflecting on my previous life, I was a corporate drone, so busy that I might have died from overwork. Even in the world of Bird-Maki Number 8, I want to enjoy my second life freely.
Aim for a slow life!
That's not a bad goal at all.
In the captain's private room, I indulged in these thoughts.
I placed the Bewitching Eyes of Aluring Eye on the shelf.
"Ah, what a waste..."
During dinner, Gaizen kept saying the same thing while stuffing chicken into his helmet's mouth opening.
"What's a waste? And why don't you take off your helmet while eating? Why hide your face?"
"I've explained before, right? I'm shy... Anyway, Alf, it's such a waste."
"So what?"
"It's the hero's title, of course. It's the highest honor for an adventurer. If things go well, you could even become a noble. You could get land... And yet, you just turned it down. It was a great opportunity."
Well, being from an orphanage and becoming a noble is indeed an
honor.
But...
"It was only if we defeated the Demon King. Until then, we'd be forced into dangerous quests like demon hunts. It's a thankless job."
"Really? You've become so unambitious... You used to be incredibly greedy. Hey, Pearl and Shannon, don't you have anything to say?"
"Pal will follow whatever decision Alf makes. That's all."
"I don't have much to add... Indeed, as Gaizen says, a hero helps the weak and brings light to the world. It requires a great deal of resolve. It's understandable that Alf-san might hesitate to accept such a role."
Shannon, who had spoken coldly a few days ago, now showed concern for me. I shouldn't let her develop feelings, but I can't help feeling a bit pleased.
Gaizen accepted my decision with, "Well, it's your choice, so I'll support it."
He's a good-natured companion, after all.
But I'm sorry, Gaizen... In the original story, Alfred's interactions with royalty never led to good outcomes.
Rejecting the hero title was a form of self-defense.
A few days later.
I took Rogue to the adventurer's guild in the capital to collect our reward.
Why bring Rogue, you ask?
It's not unusual.
In the original story, Alfred frequently took Rogue along to carry luggage and use him for other purposes. It seemed Rogue was also made into a witness for some reason.
"-Alfred, aren't we going to the brothel today?"
There you have it. Rogue is my alibi for visiting the brothel.
For some reason, Alfred didn't engage in many relationships with the female members of his party until he obtained the Bewitching Eyes of Aluring Eye. The only notable exception was Larissa, the "sex friend."
So, he's often depicted as having a lavish time at the brothel with his rewards.
Of course, that's not my intention at all.
"I'm not going... I'm trying to change myself now. So please, Rogue, work on changing too."
I need to correct his skill-junkie tendencies.
That's why I'm taking him out to build rapport.
Otherwise, even if I manage to avoid the expulsion event, another problem might arise.
"... I don't quite understand, but I'll try my best. I can't rely on Shannon forever."
Rogue seems to have improved recently, flashing a brighter smile. He's originally a kind-hearted and gentle guy.
Aside from quests, he's relatively normal, though the phrase "I don't quite understand" seems to linger.
As we walked, a woman's voice echoed from an alleyway: "Stop it! What are you doing? Let me go!"