Growth Characteristic Pt1

Why did he feel like he was going through a messy divorce? And that Sidmund was their lawyer?

It took only a flick of his finger to gift his 'Bestowed Miracle' to the butler, all for the sake of 'fairness'.

[Your Miracle has been gifted to the target.]

[Target has accepted your power.]

Since the secretary wasn’t in the right state of mind to accept his Miracle, Sidmund held onto it.

There wasn’t a rush for it to be passed…

There was no way the cunning gentleman could misuse it anyway. The power required consent.

Julie gave the hysterically laughing ghost a look to give them some privacy. It had been some time…

How long had it been since they talked privately?

The short conversation they had on the tram felt like it had occurred all to far distant in the past.

"Ben." She called out to him, but the Delusionist felt uncomfortable having to talk to her like this.

It felt like she was bringing him to reality…

"I'm not going to apologise." He couldn't at this point. Anything he said would be useless now.

"…Yeah. I didn't expect one."

"Then what?"

"I just wanted to say that… I… was wrong."

"About…?"

"I thought we were similar." This was the first time he'd heard this. It was different than he'd expected.

"You worked directly for our boss, and I was in charge of those who were lazy or outsourced."

"And yet, we found a common ground."

"Yeah…" Ben agreed that it was the first time that happened. He never knew they were so similar.

"However, I was mostly wrong."

"Huh?"

"You fantasise about things you WOULD do if given the chance. I just fantasised about things that were fun to look at… but not things I'd want. I mean, it's not like the things in porn are ever 'realistic'."

"Dark fantasies also weren't realistic."

"But you wanted to do them if you could."

"What's the point in bringing this up?" Something like that was obvious, so he couldn't understand it.

"…I'm saying that if I ever see you again. I'm going to kill you, fucking stalker." Ben's hair stood on end.

Her words were so soft and emotionless that you might miss them, but the Delusionist heard well.

He realised that she must've somehow saw his status window. That was the only explanation.

Sidmund switched over with her when he saw how she was walking away from the world's 'author'.

He watched as her back slowly got further away.

This 'waiting room' had no walls, so she could go far enough to not see them if she wanted to.

And that was exactly what she did.

"So… Let's talk about this transaction in-depth." It felt refreshing to hear the tall gentleman's voice.

"…Are you able to erase Skills?"

"I'm guessing you want 'Possessive Stalker' to go away." The former butler pretty much understood.

"Yeah… Am you able to?"

"You can't act like you don't know how tethered skills are to the user. I can't erase a part of you."

"Then… What CAN you do?" Seeing that Ben was sure he had a solution, Sidmund rolled his eyes.

"There are some ways."

"Which are?"

"Either you evolve it by combining that skill with another, or use the method I came up with."

"Please tell me everything. You can't just pretend I didn't just give you an amazing power earlier."

"That's fine, but is that all you want to ask?" After taking in the Miracle, Sid seemed a lot stronger.

To the point he was able to 'alter' the title screen they were on. Something not even Ben could do.

Despite having taken the Miracle from the original owner, it seemed to recognise the gentleman more.

With a fling of the sleeve, the world changed to become a mansion. They were in a luxury room.

Though Sid knew this was just a servant's quarter.

It was the place he grew up in his old world.

A detail that had been glossed over in his creator's novel. The proof that Ben was no 'God' to him.

Even after taking in the omnipotent writer's Bestowed Miracle, he felt like it wasn't that big.

Though he sensed a resonance between powers…

Regardless, there was one personal question Ben had for him. One to do with the nice girl outside.

"…You think she noticed?"

"She's isn't a fool." These words were prickly, but the former writer had no way of responding to that.

"You say it like you're cussing at me."

"Never. That would be beneath me."

"Then what's above you."

"Gods?"

"Funny…"

"I'm being serious though. Don't pretend you don't remember their influence matters to humanity."

"…You have a point." It was then Ben realised the subject was changed. He glared at the gentleman.

"Don't go looking at me like that. I'm hesitating because I know you're a… 'problematic' person."

"…" The Delusionist didn't disagree.

"You found out so much about her without getting too close… just for 'story consistency'. Never once had you cared of her real personality. The only thing that brings you joy is running from reality."

"Are you going to lecture me for it?"

"I have a better opinion of her than I do of you."

"Don't forget: You wouldn't exist if it weren't for me!" The world's author leaned forward angrily.

His face twisting with creases…

However, Sidmund made an interesting face in return. His chuckle only made his creator wary.

"Don't forget: We're still assimilating together. I know you only agreed to give me your Miracle only because of that. After all, you'll gain this power back later." The gentleman poured himself a cup of tea, then continued after making a refreshed look:

"Anyway, do you expect me to have gratitude?" A finger slid around the soft edges of the fragile cup.

"…No. You don't have to."

"Don't be like that. Let me 'thank' you~"

"Stop it…"

"Stop what~? Shouldn't I be more straightforward when giving gratitude?" The figure eyed him down.

Sweat dripped from Ben's face…

The gentleman continued while casting a shadow:

"You… 'God'… Never knew your creator, but you still cursed him for making you exist. If you hadn't been born in the first place, no one would ever feel sad from having known you after you'd passed away."

"Don't say anything further!" Seeing that Ben looked ready to attack, Sid stopped his prodding.

He got his finger off the side of the cup.

He knew it was better to cool things down a little.

"So… You know of 'Growth Characteristics', right?"

"I'm the one who made them."

"But only because you wanted easy descriptions. I know you found character writing too tedious."

"There were a lot of ideas I was trying out. What was the point in staying still for such things?"

"So they're just descriptors to you?"

"…Aren't they?" Ben felt like he'd missed something. How was he, the author, not seeing it?

"I know what you're thinking… and don't worry about it. Anyway, I have my own opinion about it."

"Which is?"

"Your Growth Characteristic is your talent."

"So my talent is being Dark Fantasiser, Perverted Delusionist, and a… 'Horny Materialistic Couch Potato'…?" His mouth started to twitch. However, it looked like Sidmund was being serious about this.

"That's what your 'Talent' is."

"…I don't want them."

"Then change your personality or zip it." Seeing as Ben didn't believe in change, he shut his mouth.

He found himself becoming more and more reliant on Sidmund, but he couldn't stop himself from it.

It was hard to not rely on someone so perfect…

After a short while, the author spoke again:

"Please… I'll do whatever you ask of me. Just get this skill off me… I don't like seeing it whatsoever."

The gentleman lifted lukewarm cup of tea and drank it down in one gulp. He was quite lucky.

There were some things he wanted to try out to stop Ben from eventually regaining his Miracle.

For him to do that, 'trust' was key between them.

'How do you betray someone… without first gaining their trust?' Of course, Sid wasn't lying to him.

There was a high chance of evolving that skill since it seemed to vaguely relate to his 'characteristic'.

He never cared WHAT it turned into, though…