Can Someone (Anyone!) Please Turn Off the Auto-Skill Setting?! - Chapter 72
The next morning—
“The priests might want to tear me apart if they knew I was lounging so casually in a land swarming with demons.”
Nancy’s voice was hoarse from the cries she’d let out all night.
Aaron laughed quietly, holding her limp body close. The priesthood held purity in high regard. The paladins would probably look at him like he was a carrier of some contagious disease.
He hadn’t just done it once. He’d committed countless obscene acts.
If he said that out loud, they might start praying to God to punish him. But he was curious—what would their reaction be when they found out the one involved was the hero?
‘How am I supposed to face your father after this?!’
The head of the knights might pull his hair out in fury. Meanwhile, the prophet would probably say, Didn’t I tell you this would happen? with a serene look on their face.
“No one has any right to criticize you,” Aaron said, addressing Nancy’s concerns.
Even if someone were reprimanded, it would be the paladin who broke his vow of chastity. The temple had no authority to reprimand her for what she did or where she did it.
After all, she was the hero, a divine agent, essentially considered equal to the high priest. Who would dare tell her to abstain?
“As long as you don’t announce that you’re going to do something lewd in front of the temple’s altar, everything will be fine.”
“If I did that, I’d be struck down by divine punishment before the temple even had a chance to say anything.”
Nancy furrowed her brow and shot Aaron a suspicious look.
“Don’t tell me you want to do that?”
Was he suggesting this because he secretly wanted the thrill of sneaking up to the altar? No matter how much of a twisted pervert he was, she believed he was still somewhat pious. Surely not…
Aaron quickly clarified that it was just a joke, but Nancy found it hard to believe.
***
The Demon King’s castle… Nancy had always imagined it would be cold. She had vaguely thought that the closer they got, the more snow they would see, signaling they were nearing their destination.
That’s why she was so shocked when, without any warning or sight of snow, the Demon King’s castle suddenly appeared right before them.
“Is this really the Demon King’s castle?”
When Nancy asked again, unable to believe her eyes, Aaron pointed to the banner hanging from one of the turrets. It was the old Demon King’s banner, the kind you only saw in books. This was the very castle where the Demon King was sealed, and where his resurrection ceremony was currently underway.
A wave of emotion washed over Nancy. Six months had passed since they left Verus. It had taken twice as long as Aaron had originally planned—he had estimated they would get here in three months—but they had finally arrived.
They were standing before the Demon King’s castle, a place she had once thought they might never reach!
“Aaron, this is going to sound a bit corny, but if I don’t say it now, I won’t get the chance.”
When a long-awaited goal is finally within reach, people tend to get emotional and say things they usually wouldn’t. Nancy was no exception.
Even though she felt a surge of emotions, it was still hard to face him and say what was on her mind. Instead, she took a step toward the castle, its moat surrounding the towering structure.
Aaron was likely watching her back, his expression one of curiosity.
“Thank you for coming with me. I wouldn’t have made it here without you.”
Was he smiling right now? Or maybe he was getting choked up? Or perhaps he was just feeling awkward, wondering why she was suddenly saying all this when she usually just complained?
She didn’t turn around, too embarrassed to check his reaction. Despite her rising anxiety, she continued to speak.
“It was exhausting dealing with your never-ending stamina, but I can’t deny that it’s because of that stamina that we made it here. You’re a good… a good partner.”
Having said everything she wanted, she was immediately overcome with embarrassment. Why had she said all that? They hadn’t even completed their mission of stopping the Demon King’s resurrection yet, and now she was getting ahead of herself. What’s more, even after completing the mission, they would still have to travel back to Verus together.
“Just… keep that in mind!”
It would’ve been less awkward if he had responded, but Aaron remained silent, making Nancy feel like she was going crazy. Her face turned red as she quickly walked across the drawbridge.
“Nancy!”
Aaron called after her, but she didn’t have the courage to turn back. She just quickened her pace. If the gate had been closed, she would have been stopped and caught, but fortunately, it was wide open.
Nancy, overwhelmed by embarrassment, couldn’t think clearly. She should have realized something was off when the gates to the Demon King’s castle were wide open, almost as if they were welcoming the hero inside.
The moment she crossed through the gate, the stone beneath her feet sank into the ground.
