"Rogue, before you leave, can I ask you something?"
"What is it, Alfred, the loser?"
Huh? This guy really thinks he won? Seriously. I'd love to punch him right now, but I hold back and keep my cool.
"What about the current executives... and Shannon? What will happen to them?"
"They're all still capable adventurers, so I won't be expelling anyone.
However, they will be demoted. That said, it's just a switch in status with Daniel and the others. As for Shannon, I'm thinking of leaving her in her current position if that's what she prefers."
"You're... quite generous. I feel a bit relieved."
As long as everyone else is safe, that's all that matters.
There's no need for them to fall into the same trap I did.
At least my companions won't end up on the 'karma comes back' route like me. That's something, I guess.
"Well, Shannon might've lost her virginity to you, but I've lost mine too, so I guess we're even now."
I didn't take anything! And, jeez, this guy is persistent. Wait... Did he just say he's not a virgin anymore?
Just then, Larisa steps up, as if to flaunt it in front of me, and shares a deep kiss with Rogue.
"-Mm. That's right, Alfred. I helped him out by being his first."
Is that so? Whatever.
Still, it stings a little that he beat me to it when I'm carrying the memories of being a 35-year-old virgin.
"Well then. Do your best."
With that, I left the room, pretending to stay confident.
I headed to my own room and quickly packed my belongings.
"Screw those guys. I don't need them!"
Let's face it, I don't have Alfred's charisma.
I've always known that.
Even in my previous life, I was just an average office worker-a corporate drone forever stuck at the bottom rung.
Of course, the role of a leader is too much for me to handle.
I thought I'd done my best, but it seems like most of the guild members didn't get it.
In the end, this world, much like Tanaka Daichi's original story, seems to reward the idiots and punish the decent ones.
-But still...
"Yeah, I planned for this."
I took out a bag that I had hidden under my bed. Inside were stacks of gold coins-my savings from over time.
I hadn't spent much of the reward money I received as guild leader, choosing to save it instead.
With this much, I won't have to worry for a while.
I still have all my gear too, so I can continue as a solo adventurer,
going at my own pace. Honestly, ever since I managed to avoid being kicked out, I've had a feeling something bad was going to happen to me, the 'villain' of the story.
After all, this is Tanaka's original work.
The plot armor always favors the protagonist, and it's only natural to expect that things will go the typical route.
"And now, what should I do with this?"
I opened the drawer and pulled out a palm-sized magic item.
-A cursed artifact, The Alluring Eye.
"I can't leave this behind. If it falls into Rogue's hands, who knows what he'll do with it?"
I muttered to myself and stuffed it into my pocket.
I could destroy this wretched artifact and erase it from existence.
But in the right hands, it could be an incredibly useful tool, so I decided to keep it as a last resort, a hidden ace up my sleeve.
With that, I left the headquarters of The Sacred Sword of Heroes after being officially expelled.
I was still pissed off, no doubt about it.
But strangely, I felt lighter, even somewhat relieved.
Why?
"Compared to the gruesome fate in the original story, maybe this is its own kind of happiness."
That's what I had started to think.
Right now, I'm still in one piece.
I have decent gear, and I've got enough money to get by for a while.
If I live a low-profile life, I should be able to manage.
However...
"Being expelled means I can't use God's acceleration anymore. On top of that, my abilities seem to have taken a big hit too."
I could feel it, even without checking my stats.
Rogue's unique skill Grant had been removed, and the boosted abilities and experience points I'd gained from his skill were all taken back. No doubt, those stats are now fueling Rogue, making him even stronger.
But I'd already expected this, based on the original plot.
That's why I had been working hard, training with Kanade, without relying on Rogue's buffs.
I'd also taken on quests without leaning on his skills, so I had retained some of my own experience.
By the way, while this world seems to have a concept of stats and window displays, only Rogue, as the protagonist, can open and view them. Another ridiculous part of this world's flawed design.
"With my current strength, I'd be a fourth-tier adventurer. Maybe even lower, a powerless nobody without any skills. The road ahead isn't easy."
But if you look at it another way, I can't fall much further from here.
Maybe it's because I feel like a burden's been lifted, but I think I'm more positive than I used to be.
I arrived at the adventurer's guild.
It seems word of my expulsion had already spread, as I could feel the strange stares from the other adventurers.
This must be the famous "serves you right" look.
There were plenty of adventurers who didn't like Alfred anyway, so whatever.
As long as they don't bother me, they can laugh all they want.
"Alfred, are you okay?"
The only person who treated me kindly was the receptionist.
Her name is Lucia.
A beautiful older woman with brown hair neatly braided down her back.
She has a stunning figure, which you can still appreciate through her guild uniform.
Especially how her blouse is straining to contain her ample chest.
In the past, Alfred used to hit on her every time they met, so she despised and looked down on him.
However, after her village was destroyed in a monster attack, I helped with the reconstruction efforts as part of a charity initiative, and that's how she came to appreciate me.
See? My year of hard work wasn't for nothing after all.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Actually, I feel lighter... By the way, Lucia, can you hold onto this for me?"
I handed her the bag of gold coins.
The adventurer's guild also acts as a bank, so you can store money and
valuables with them. As long as you have the receipt, you can withdraw your funds from any guild branch.
Despite all the plot holes in this world, this is one of the few decent systems that I actually approve of.
"That's a lot of gold coins... Are you planning to start a new party?"
"No, I'm going solo for now. Also, since I'm no longer a first-tier adventurer, I need to have my guild card updated."
"What? Oh... Wow, it dropped all the way to fourth tier.
Even when someone gets expelled, their rank usually doesn't drop this much.
Just as I thought.
I don't quite understand the guild card system either, but it ranks adventurers based on their personal achievements and abilities, from first tier to seventh tier.
The higher your rank, the more difficult and rewarding quests you can take on.
So, I've been downgraded to the fourth tier-about average for an adventurer.
Honestly, it's not as bad as I expected.
That's probably thanks to Kanade training with me.
If I had been relying solely on Rogue's buffs, I bet I'd have fallen to the sixth tier by now.
So, yeah, big thanks to Kanade.
After finishing the necessary paperwork, I prepared to leave the guild.
It looks like I'll be able to continue as an adventurer for now.
Not that I'm particularly attached to the idea, but let's face it-Alfred's character isn't exactly suited for any other job.
I've spent a year in this body, and it's clear to me-he's a born adventurer.
Still, it's probably best to get out of this country soon.
As long as I'm playing the villain, getting mixed up with Rogue and his crew is bound to bring trouble.
Luckily, I've got enough money, so I might as well start fresh in another country.
Just as I was thinking that...
"—Alf!"
I heard someone call my name, a man and a woman's voice from somewhere nearby.