Can Someone (Anyone!) Please Turn Off the Auto-Skill Setting?! - Chapter 97
“Come at me, Hero! I’ll show you that I won’t lose to someone like you!”
The Ferron leader shouted confidently as he drew her in, only to suddenly dart to the side. Nancy chased after him, but the quick turn made her slash too short. She managed only to wound his hand, failing to finish him off.
The Ferron leader, now with a cut on his hand, ran towards the crowd of imps. They screamed and scattered, and in the chaos, the elder stumbled and fell hard to the ground.
“Elder!”
The Ferron leader picked up the elder, leaving his fallen comrades behind as he fled.
He had realized that Nancy was indeed the hero. Letting him escape wasn’t an option. Nancy chased him but lost sight of him in the maze of alleys.
“No!”
“It’s okay. He’s a stubborn one, so he’ll come back. You can finish him off then!”
Chuck, still in her pocket, tried to console her.
Nancy didn’t feel consoled at all. A sense of dread crept over her, the feeling that she had made a big mistake.
“No, it’s not okay. The Ferrons might not go to the temple and reveal his identity… but what if he sends an anonymous accusation?”
Nancy returned Chuck to his family and headed back to Aaron’s mansion, filled with anxiety.
If only the automation system hadn’t been deactivated, maybe she wouldn’t have lost him. And why did he take the elder with him at the last moment? Could it be that he planned to extract information about her connections as the hero?
Her mind was racing with thoughts as the carriage brought her quickly to the mansion. She was still trying to come up with an excuse when she stepped out of the carriage and came face-to-face with Aaron.
She hadn’t even had time to prepare her story!
“Where have you been?”
“Uh, um… just out for a walk…”
“And that mask?”
“I bought it at the market during my walk… It looked interesting.”
Nancy quickly hid the mask behind her back, avoiding his eyes and stammering her words—clearly suspicious to anyone who looked.
But Aaron didn’t press further. He had something more urgent to discuss.
“The temple has sent an emergency summons for both of us.”
“The temple? Why?”
Aaron shook his head, indicating he didn’t know.
“It might be for the official certification.”
“They wouldn’t call us this urgently just for certification. Something serious must’ve happened. If the Council of Five has been called, it must be a major issue,” David said, looking exhausted as he stood next to Aaron.
He thought for a moment before narrowing his eyes and glaring at Nancy.
“Did you do something? Like secretly selling popcorn and causing a scene again?”
If it’s for something like that, it would be a relief, Nancy thought, hoping that it was just about the popcorn incident. She could even handle another scolding about how the punishment for that had been too light.
But she had a bad feeling. She couldn’t stop thinking about that Ferron, the one who got away.
“We’ll find out once we get there,” Aaron said, offering Nancy his hand to help her into the carriage.
She felt a strong urge to refuse. If the automation system were still active, it would probably be telling me to run away right now.
“Did you really do something?”
Seeing her frozen in place, Aaron asked gently. When she didn’t answer, he smiled and took her hand.
“Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it together. Maybe it’s even because of me. And if it is, then you can share the scolding with me.”
Aaron comforted her, guiding her into the carriage despite her tearful expression.
* * *
When they arrived at the temple, all of the Council of Five members were already gathered, except for David. In addition, the High Priest, several other priests, and even the oracle, who stared into space, were present. All the important people were there.
Next to the High Priest and one of the council members stood a knight holding something—or rather, someone—that made Nancy squeeze her eyes shut.
It was the elder imp.
