Can Someone (Anyone!) Please Turn Off the Auto-Skill Setting?! - Chapter 48
“Isn’t that helm heavy? Doesn’t your neck hurt?” Aaron asked gently.
“Yeah, it’s really heavy. My neck has been stiff lately.”
“It’s not good to keep straining your neck like that. If the tension builds up, you could get hurt. Don’t you think it’d be better to take it off?”
He tried to sneak in his true feelings at the end, but Nancy pretended not to hear him and changed the subject.
“Why are you wearing such a heavy helm all the time? Can you manage with your armor too? Isn’t the weight a problem?”
“Because of the armor, I can’t carry much else with me. That’s why I don’t usually carry money.”
“Doesn’t that cause any problems? I mean, don’t you need money to buy things, eat, or at least have a drink?”
“If I need money for something, I just withdraw it from the bank when necessary. Or I use other methods.”
“A bank? You’ve got money in the bank?”
“Why are you so surprised? It’s a pretty common practice.”
“When I opened my shop, old man Rivel told me to never trust the banks. He made me swear not to use them because he once lost all his money when a bank took everything decades ago. He absolutely despises them.”
“That was back when the king controlled the banks. Now, the Council of Five ensures the banks operate independently and monitors them, so it’s safe.”
“It’s the Council of Five I don’t trust. For commoners like us, there’s not much difference between the tyrant they overthrew and the council ruling now.”
For now, it seemed like the Council of Five was maintaining peace. But Nancy had learned that even the tyrant Manaha was praised as a virtuous ruler in the early days of his reign. There was no guarantee the Council wouldn’t turn into the same thing.
“That’s why the five households share power. They’re in a cooperative relationship, but they also keep each other in check. All decisions are made through votes in the council, so no single household can dominate.”
The more Aaron explained, the more it seemed like he was defending the council. Nancy couldn’t help but think of old man Rivel arguing with others about politics. He was one of the council’s biggest critics.
She had thought Aaron and Rivel would get along, but it seemed they differed on this topic.
“Honestly, I don’t care much about the Council of Five, but since they put a halt on my business recently, it’s hard not to be upset.”
“That was your fault. You can’t blame them for it.”
“What? You’re not going to take my side? After you said you liked me? You can’t even pretend?”
“I can’t support you when you’re in the wrong.”
Nancy was dumbfounded and pouted as Aaron calmly stuck to his point. His lack of guilt or hesitation only made her sulk more.
“Well, aren’t you righteous. Must be because you were a paladin once, huh?”
“I may not always support you, but I can still worry about you.”
“Sure, you’re just all talk.”
“Why don’t we rest in a village for the night? We’ve been camping outside for days now.”
He could tell from her pattern that she was starting to feel the strain and would appreciate a break in a comfortable bed. His suggestion, while reasonable, somehow rubbed her the wrong way.
“…What are you scheming?”
Nancy couldn’t help but suspect he had ulterior motives.
“There’s no scheme,” Aaron replied, smiling innocently while keeping his real plan hidden.
He figured she wouldn’t want to keep wearing that heavy helm while trying to relax in a village. At first, she might stubbornly keep it on, but once he removed his armor and got comfortable, she’d feel envious and take it off herself.
However, Aaron’s plan didn’t quite go as he expected.
As soon as they entered the village, it was clear they wouldn’t get the quiet, peaceful rest he envisioned. Somehow, word had spread about their arrival, and the townspeople quickly recognized them.
“A man in armor and a slender woman with blonde hair! You must be the hero’s party!”
“Oh my, the handsome hero!”
Curious townsfolk swarmed to catch a glimpse of the hero. Especially the women, who squealed and swooned over Aaron, some peeking at him from afar while others boldly approached.
“There’s nothing but run-down inns here!”
“Come stay at our house! We’ll serve you a warm meal.”
“What are you talking about? Your house is worse than the inns!”
They started arguing among themselves, competing to invite the hero to their homes. Aaron, surrounded by eager women, awkwardly tried to decline, saying they would just stay at an inn.
Nancy watched the scene from a distance, feeling inexplicably annoyed. There wasn’t a real reason for her to be upset, but something about it bothered her.
It was probably because everyone assumed Aaron was the hero while she was either just a companion or, at worst, some servant of his.
She pushed through the crowd, grabbed Aaron’s arm, and led him out of the throng. Then, she asked the village chief for the quietest inn and headed there.
