Can Someone (Anyone!) Please Turn Off the Auto-Skill Setting?! - Chapter 65
“Truthfully, I received a prophecy that I wouldn’t be able to become a hero.”
Nancy nodded her head as she listened to his story. The temple didn’t grant prophecies to just anyone—it required a special day or a substantial donation to the temple.
Was he really the scion of a prestigious family? Then, wasn’t it true that he wasn’t lacking money before but was keeping it in the bank? Considering that even the items he carried were too ordinary and frugal, except for his armor…
Nancy was about to ask where his family was, but decided against it. After all, he wouldn’t know even if she told him. He wasn’t a merchant dealing with nobles, and the only nobles Nancy knew of were the five noble houses from Verus, the most famous in the west.
“But still, you couldn’t give up and insisted. In the end, you sacrificed your younger brother and couldn’t even become a hero, so by now, you’d probably be cursing me.”
Perhaps his curse was why he was so sick now. Aaron remarked that he didn’t want to see his younger brother anymore, leaving Nancy unsure whether he was joking or serious.
“Even if you had continued your family line and your younger brother became a paladin, there’s no guarantee he would have become a hero.”
“Yes, it probably wouldn’t have worked. After all, the hero’s place would have been yours anyway.”
“Well… Maybe?”
Nancy vowed once more.
Let’s keep it a secret for life that it was the gods’ mistake.
“If I had given up back then, I might not have met you. My choice wasn’t just foolish. Thank you for making me realize.”
“…What do you mean?”
She pondered his words before asking. But Aaron simply kept saying what he wanted and fell asleep before she realized.
She thought she had seen his sleeping face many times, but that day was a little different. He had a relaxed face, letting his tension go.
For some reason, his face made her want to keep watching him. He was so defenseless that she forgot the difference in power and even thought that she should protect him.
Despite his discomfort, she couldn’t let go of his hand. Nancy quietly lay down next to him to keep him from waking up.
***
The next morning, Aaron woke up feeling very refreshed. Nancy was not by his side.
“Nancy.”
As he searched for her and went outside the tent, he saw her standing near the entrance of a nearby cave. As he approached, the morning sunlight was dazzling, making him frown involuntarily.
“You’re awake, young master.”
Nancy noticed him and made a playful voice. Aaron squinted and looked at her, then hesitated.
“Do you still have a fever?”
He asked, but Aaron was dazed and couldn’t respond.
Nancy wondered if his condition had worsened and approached him, placing the back of her hand on his forehead.
“I’m not sure. If you’re still sick, let’s go to the village and get medicine. It seems like there’s a village where smoke is rising over there.”
Nancy pointed with her hand to the direction where she saw the smoke, but Aaron suddenly embraced her. Surprised, she asked what he was doing, and Aaron held her tighter.
“Let me hold you for a moment.”
“Aren’t you asking me to do everything because you’re sick?”
Nancy scolded him while patting his back with her hand, still hugging him. She was surprised by his sudden action and didn’t notice, but at that moment, she had briefly taken off her helm.
The two set off again. As they walked towards the direction where they saw smoke from the cave, they heard a thumping sound. They immediately guessed what the sound was.
In such a forest, it was a common sound of people hitting trees with axes.
“Dad! It’s a human!”
What they encountered was not a human.
It was a Ferron, a race with heads shaped like dogs. The bigger Ferron, who seemed to be the father, was about an arm’s length shorter than Aaron, and the son was about half his size.
His face was canine, making it hard to guess his age, but the son’s voice sounded quite young.
Father Ferron pushed his son back and held his axe, wary of the two.
“Why are humans venturing into the demon’s land… Wait a minute, a man in armor and a thin blonde woman. Could you be the heroes’ party?”
“Our fame is so great that even without telling our names, everyone knows us.”
Nancy made a joke to ease the tense atmosphere. However, as soon as Aaron saw the demon race, he went into battle stance. Seeing him draw his sword, Father Ferron shouted to his son to run.
“But!”
“What would you have taught me to do in such a situation!”
Father Ferron pushed his son away and swung his axe at Aaron. He seemed to lack experience in fighting, making his movements clumsy. Aaron easily dodged his attack.
