Can Someone (Anyone!) Please Turn Off the Auto-Skill Setting?! - Chapter 14
Aaron praised Leo, saying you could tell how good he was by how much people liked him. Nancy frowned and shook her head.
“That’s just other people’s opinions. But as for me, I know you, Aaron.”
“…….”
“From what I can see, you seem like a good person, so I think you’re more than worthy to be a hero.”
Wasn’t that a bit touching?
Nancy admired her own words and smiled brightly. She wanted to tell him to take off his helmet so she could see his touched expression, but there was no time for that.
“Nancy!”
A woman holding the list of challengers called out Nancy’s name. It was her turn.
“Please take good care of the popcorn.”
Nancy handed him the sack, reminding him not to eat too much since she still needed to sell some. Aaron glanced at the sack and nodded.
“Alright, you’re up!”
Nancy walked to where she was being called and waited as the announcer shouted at the man currently attempting the challenge at the center of the sanctuary.
“No matter how hard you try, if it’s not meant to be, it won’t happen. You haven’t been chosen by God to be the hero! Get down! There are others waiting!”
The announcer, clearly annoyed, chased off the stubborn challenger who refused to give up.
“Alright, who’s next?”
“It doesn’t matter who! Just get on with it and bring on the paladins!”
The spectators jeered. The announcer raised his hands to calm them down, then glanced at the list.
“The next contestant is a woman. And she’s only 22 years old! Let’s see which beauty is here to challenge for the hero’s role! Nancy!”
As Nancy approached, the announcer looked her up and down. Something about his gaze made her uncomfortable, and he smirked.
“Apologies, everyone. I need to correct that. She’s not 22 years old but a 12-year-old little lady!”
The audience burst into laughter at the announcer’s joke. Nancy frowned and glared at him. She had been teased about her height before, but this was neither funny nor clever—it was just rude.
“I’m 22, not 12.”
Nancy glared at him until he straightened up and stopped laughing, though a smirk still lingered on his lips.
“Alright, Miss Nancy, care to introduce yourself briefly?”
“I run a small shop next to Rivel’s blacksmith…”
“Oh, please don’t go on too long. There are many others waiting.”
“…and today I’m selling popcorn, so please come by and buy some.”
Ignoring the announcer’s interruption, Nancy finished what she wanted to say and headed toward the hero’s sword before he could further provoke her.
The hero’s sword was even larger up close than it had appeared from a distance, much bigger than the swords Old Man Rivel usually crafted. It looked like it would be difficult to even lift, let alone pull from the stone.
“Don’t waste time—get on with it!”
“We’re not here to see you!”
Nancy hadn’t come expecting to become the hero, but the constant jeering was starting to get on her nerves. She tried to endure it, but as more people joined in, she felt a surge of anger.
“Shut up! It’s not like I wanted to be here either!”
Nancy snapped back at the hecklers, pointing her finger at them.
“Boo! Get down from there!”
“Get down! Get down!”
The spectators only got more riled up when Nancy lost her temper. The announcer leaned in and whispered for her to hurry up and get it over with.
Fine. I’ll get this over with and get out of here. I still need to sell my popcorn.
Nancy snorted in annoyance and grabbed the sword’s hilt, giving it a light tug forward and back. To her surprise, something strange happened—the sword budged slightly.
Maybe the last contestant had loosened it up a bit, struggling so much.
Or maybe it was just loose enough to give people false hope and make them keep trying.
Without expecting much, Nancy pulled on the sword.
The sword slid out smoothly, as if it were a radish being pulled from the ground.
A voice seemed to speak in her mind, like someone muttering to themselves. When Nancy tried to focus on it, the voice vanished as if it had never been there.
Nancy blinked and looked around. The announcer and spectators, all stunned by what had just happened, were silently watching her with their mouths hanging open.
“…….”
The birth of a hero was always supposed to be a moment of overwhelming emotion. People were supposed to cheer and celebrate the arrival of a new hero. But on that day, there was only silence, as if the scene had been frozen in time.
“So, uh…”
The new hero broke the silence, her words heavy with uncertainty. It was tradition for the hero to make a speech—something about being a righteous hero or vowing to defeat all demons.
Everyone held their breath, eager to hear what she would say.
“Can I put this back in and cancel it…?”
Nancy’s official first words as the new hero, which would go down in history as a source of endless discussion.
“I can’t?”
Nancy asked the announcer, who stared at her as if to say, ‘Why’re you asking me?’
