Can Someone (Anyone!) Please Turn Off the Auto-Skill Setting?! - Chapter 15

No one could answer when Nancy asked if she could cancel it. No one had ever asked such a question, nor had anyone ever thought of it. Even Nancy realized how absurd her question was.

But she was desperate.

What would happen to the promise she made with the little demons if she really became the hero? Would she have to go deal with the Ferrons or whatever they were called? Would she have to go all the way to the Demon King’s castle and fight the Four Guardian Kings who were plotting the Demon King’s resurrection?

How could she do any of that when she couldn’t even fight?

As Nancy’s mind swirled with confusion, her screen suddenly flickered off and then back on.

【 Preparing to download the patch 〈I’m the One Who Wins Anyway〉 due to acquiring hero status. 】

【 Scanning 30 items for the application of hero-exclusive skills. 】

She vaguely remembered seeing something about ‘someone unexpected’ earlier, but it seemed the system had accepted Nancy as the hero and was busy running some process.

“A-Am I really the hero?”

Nancy couldn’t believe it as she watched the checkboxes turn red one by one.

【 28 out of 30 items are unsuitable, excluding 〈Commerce〉 and 〈Flexibility〉. 】

【 Patch download rejected. 】

…Download rejected?

Does that mean I can’t be the hero after all?

Nancy’s mind raced. Each person’s screen was visible only to them. From what she could guess, they might decide it was a mistake and choose a new hero.

If that was the case, she didn’t have time to hesitate.

“Aaron!”

Nancy called out to Aaron and gestured for the popcorn. When Aaron tossed the sack to her, the spectators’ eyes followed the arc of the flying bag.

Becoming the hero meant she could now capitalize on the hero’s premium herself. Before they could take away her status, Nancy turned to the crowd and shouted,

“This is your first and last chance to taste popcorn popped by the hero herself!”

As she shouted, the screen in front of her changed from white to blue with a chime.

【 The 〈Can’t Stand Losing〉 automated defense system for underqualified hero Nancy has been activated. 】

【 Download restarting. 】

【 Successfully downloaded 144 hero-exclusive auto-skills. 】

【 Each skill’s automation can be lifted as abilities improve. 】

Just when she thought she might lose her status, it seemed the system was determined to make her the hero by any means necessary. This was even better for her. Nancy confidently held up five fingers to the crowd.

“Only 5 gold per handful, first come, first served!”

She slapped a hero premium on the price and marked it up fivefold. Nancy’s heart pounded with guilt as she made her pitch.

But there was one thing she wanted to make clear: while she might have been greedy, she hadn’t intended to create the chaos that followed.

【 〈Provocation〉 activated: The crowd is provoked by the hero’s words. 】

【 Activation condition: A crowd of 10 or more focused on the hero. 】

The crowd, who had previously ignored her, suddenly had a change of heart.

Why do I always turn opportunities into disasters?

Nancy wondered as she watched the crowd go wild. In an instant, the sack was ripped from her hands, and the mob tore it apart like a rag. Popcorn flew everywhere, just as it had when it was first popped.

“Wait, wait, calm down…!”

Nancy shouted, but the provocation was in full swing. No one paid attention to her weak voice.

Instead, those who didn’t get any popcorn turned their angry gazes on her.

“Popcorn!”

“Give us the popcorn!”

They charged at her, eyes bloodshot, desperate not to miss out on their first and last chance. No matter how much she shouted that there was no more popcorn, they didn’t listen. Some grabbed her arms, others pulled her hair.

At this rate, she felt like her skin might be torn off just like the popcorn sack.

‘Oh, dear God, I’m sorry… I was wrong… I promise I’ll be more careful and not be greedy anymore…!’

Tears welled up in her eyes as she prayed fervently to be saved just this once. She believed that God were punishing her for her greed after making her a hero. Charging five times the normal price had been too much.

But didn’t you say something about not letting the hero lose?

She didn’t care about losing—she was more worried about losing her skin at this point. She prayed for help, whether from the system or God, anyone who could save her.

Then, as if in response to her prayers, a miracle occurred. Someone pushed through the crowd, grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, and lifted her up. Or rather, they threw her.

Nancy flew over the heads of the crowd with tremendous force.

“Ahhhhhh!”

At least her arms and head weren’t ripped off by the crowd.

The problem was, humans aren’t meant to fly. Even though Nancy wasn’t supposed to be airborne, she spent an unexpectedly long time enjoying the unwanted freedom of flight that day.

It was fortunate that she was thrown clear of the mob, but unfortunately, she was heading straight for the stone pavement. Flailing her limbs wildly, she desperately tried to find a way to land safely.

Just as she was floundering, someone caught her mid-air. When Nancy saw Aaron’s helmet, she felt both relief and a sudden realization that she still hadn’t learned her lesson.

Why won’t he just take that dang helmet off?

In the midst of all this chaos, the fact that she was still thinking about wanting to see his handsome face again clearly meant she hadn’t been scolded enough.