Can Someone (Anyone!) Please Turn Off the Auto-Skill Setting?! - Chapter 77
They had clearly lingered too long. Nancy hurriedly tried to pass the hero’s sword to Aaron through the bars. Aaron glanced at the sword and then at her, letting out a heavy sigh.
Hearing that sigh, Nancy felt her heart drop. Somehow, it hurt more than when he had glared at her. It was strange for her to feel this kind of pain.
‘But why would something like this hurt?’
Aaron approached her, confusion clear in her eyes, and grabbed her hand.
“I’ve failed. This door is never going to open, and I’ll just starve to death here.”
“Hey! Don’t give up like that! That’s not like you!”
Nancy tried to comfort him, though deep down, she felt like a coward. It was actually her who had given up hope of opening the door first, even though she pretended otherwise, hiding her true feelings from the start.
‘That’s it… It’s guilt that’s causing this pain.’
Aaron kept pressing her guilty conscience.
“Let me leave you with what might be my last words.”
“Aaron, stop being so serious and just try to act cute!”
“If we had another companion, we wouldn’t be in this mess. But I never wanted more companions. Because then, I wouldn’t be able to keep you all to myself.”
“…..”
“I admit I can’t be your only companion. But I want to be your only man, even if I never make it out of here.”
It was essentially a declaration that she should never meet another man for the rest of her life. How could he say such a thing? She was still young, with so much life ahead of her.
And yet, Aaron said those absurd words with the utmost sincerity, without the slightest hint of a commanding tone. His eyes, carefully watching her reaction, wavered with insecurity.
“I love you, Nancy.”
Despite the nervousness in his eyes, he confessed his love to her directly. As if it were his last chance, he brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them gently.
In a whisper so soft it was almost inaudible, he repeated,
“I love you.”
Clink!
The door opened. The door that refused to open no matter what they did, the door Nancy had been convinced was impossible to unlock—it had just opened.
“If it were that easy, I could’ve said it sooner,” Aaron said with a cheeky smile, as if he hadn’t just been serious moments ago.
Nancy’s face flushed with embarrassment as she saw the sudden confidence and smugness on his face.
“No! This is wrong! I didn’t—! I absolutely did not think you were cute! I was just surprised when you said l… lo… that stuff!”
She stammered over the word “love,” unable to bring herself to say it aloud.
Aaron, seeing her flustered state, casually walked through the open door. He approached her, and before she could move away, he pulled her into a kiss.
Lenny, who had been watching, gasped and covered her eyes with her hands, peeking through her fingers.
“So cute. I love you. I want to keep kissing you.”
Aaron whispered in her ear, sending her heart into a wild flutter. Nancy felt completely overwhelmed. She couldn’t deny it anymore—he was cute, and his confession made her heart race.
What had started as a lie to save her life had turned into something real without her even realizing it.
‘What do I do now…’
Aaron kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly.
“Say you love me too,” he whispered.
“I… I won’t!”
“Why not? You love me.”
“……”
“Too shy to say it? You really, really love me, huh?”
Aaron’s delighted laughter only made her bite down on her lip harder. Nancy always tried to deny it, but now, she couldn’t even do that. Her face just kept growing redder.
She was in trouble. If this continued, she feared the heat in her head would make her faint.
Aaron, seemingly unconcerned about whether she might pass out, continued to tease her.
“Your heart’s beating so fast. It’s going to explode at this rate.”
Thankfully, Nancy’s heart was spared by the loud BANG— of Dije bursting into the room, slamming the door open.
“Damn it! How did you manage to get out?!”
