I Became the Academy’s Hidden Skill Master – Chapter 94

—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
—————————————————————–

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

While Lee Seok-hyun was easily conquering Tanteroi, Bellos was diligently following Lee Seok-hyun’s instructions.

‘This is too easy.’

He used the three commoner students to improve the Velutos camp’s food supply and living conditions, and subtly shared information about Lee Seok-hyun to gain their trust.

Both processes were remarkably smooth, which, ironically, made Bellos feel somewhat bored.

He’d almost welcomed some resistance or discord, just to have an excuse to exert his authority, but absolutely nothing happened.

In fact, he was already gaining their trust, even receiving requests for his opinion on certain matters.

‘Of course, they’re just pretending, but still…’

–Never let your guard down. Even when they seem to trust you, assume they’re just pretending. They’re only tolerating you because you’re a prince. If it weren’t for your status, they would have killed you already. Even Elua will only feign trust while constantly suspecting you.

It was obvious advice, yet ironically, this seemingly simple truth perfectly described the situation.

Bellos mulled over Lee Seok-hyun’s nagging words, which continued to replay in his mind, as he entered the meeting room.

Inside, only Elua and Raymay awaited him.

It was supposed to be a meeting between Velutos and Ruamos, but now, a Mirinae student had unexpectedly joined them.

‘How convenient. Every academy is represented here now.’

If everything had gone according to Lee Seok-hyun’s plan, he would have already conquered Tanteroi.

From that perspective, this meeting was essentially a gathering of all the academy representatives.

‘Except for me, of course.’

Two official representatives and one acting in a representative’s stead.

Whether intentional or not, Lee Seok-hyun was orchestrating everything from the shadows, radiating a distinctly villainous aura.

–You’ll probably be invited to the alliance meeting between Velutos and Ruamos.

–Why would they do that? A traitor is always a traitor. Why would they invite someone they can’t trust to such an important meeting?

–Because you’re useful, despite being untrustworthy. And that makes you even more dangerous, so they’ll want to keep an eye on you.

–So they’re keeping me close because they don’t trust me? That’s a very political move.

–It’s not just political; it’s standard practice in noble society.

The commoner had spoken as if he knew everything about noble society, which Bellos found incredibly presumptuous. Yet, he couldn’t formulate a proper rebuttal.

And now, witnessing the events unfold exactly as Lee Seok-hyun had predicted, Bellos found himself questioning the commoner’s true nature even more.

He wasn’t actively participating, merely observing from a distance, yet everything was going according to his plan. It was almost unbelievable.

“I thought this was a private meeting between the two of us.”

Raymay, unsurprisingly, expressed her displeasure at Bellos’s unexpected presence.

As a Saintess, she wasn’t obligated to defer to royalty, and freely voiced her opinions.

“He’s a valuable ally and a highly capable individual. His presence will be beneficial.”

However, Elua readily defended Bellos.

Bellos, unfazed by their exchange, calmly took the seat of honor.

He carried himself with the regal bearing expected of an Imperial prince, his eyes scanning the room.

‘If I just killed everyone here…’

The thought of launching a surprise attack and eliminating both Elua and Raymay crossed his mind.

If he succeeded, it would be a game-changer.

However, the situation wasn’t that simple.

–What? Don’t even think about doing something so foolish… Honestly, these sheltered kids…

–You just called me foolish…?

–Yes, you idiot! Think about it! Do you really think they’d be sitting there, completely unprepared, just waiting to be killed? They’re ready for you. They’ll have either a contingency plan or an established chain of command that won’t be easily disrupted.

–That makes sense.

–Arak charged in blindly, relying solely on his own strength. Tanteroi is different. And while they might be academy representatives, they’re not necessarily the key players in this game. So, don’t do anything rash.

Lee Seok-hyun had anticipated this possibility and warned him against acting impulsively.

That’s why he’d instructed Bellos to focus solely on stalling the meeting.

–…Idiot…?

–Focus on that later… Your job is to drag out this meeting as long as possible. Just act aloof and superior, and Elua will take the lead. She’s easily swayed by authority.

Lee Seok-hyun had instructed Bellos to control the pace of the meeting.

–They’ll be too busy focusing on you to notice what’s really happening.

Bellos had listened intently to Lee Seok-hyun’s plan, a plan so audacious it had left him speechless.

He’d masked his surprise with a smile and casually glanced towards the door.

While Elua and Raymay were preoccupied with keeping Bellos in check, the real attack was already underway. Neither of them suspected a thing.

‘I followed your instructions, Class President.’

Thousands of students, their actions dictated by a single commoner.

The game, where victory or defeat hinged on Lee Seok-hyun’s presence, was about to begin.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

Smoke curled lazily into the air.

It wasn’t the smoke of a raging fire, but the gentle wisps rising from a cooking fire.

On the plains, such smoke would have taken time to become visible. However, rising from the mountainous terrain, it quickly reached the sky, a clear signal.

Normally, smoke from a cooking fire wouldn’t reach Velutos Academy. But this smoke was different. It rose in thick plumes, its purpose clear.

“I… I can’t believe you can cook meat like this!”

“It’s so much better than our usual spice-laden dishes!”

“Is this how commoners eat? How… refreshing.”

“I haven’t had a decent meal in so long…”

“I can’t believe you can use fire magic for cooking! This smoking technique is incredible! You’re infusing the smoke with mana to cook the meat!”

The source of the abundant smoke: the culinary skills of the commoner students who had accompanied Bellos.

The Velutos Academy students, accustomed to only having a place to sleep, were now being treated to a feast, a level of comfort and convenience they’d never experienced before. They were quickly becoming enamored with the novelty of camping.

While the Territory Capture event was a competition, the Velutos students, fully expecting to win, had grown complacent.

This made them easy prey for the simple pleasures of a well-cooked meal.

“Wild boar is usually so gamey, how did you manage to get rid of the smell?”

“This herb-roasted rabbit is delicious!”

“And the stew!”

The commoner students hunted, prepared, and cooked, while the Velutos students ate, their bellies full and their guards down.

Elua and Raymay, focused solely on Bellos, had neglected to monitor the other Mirinae students.

Or perhaps they’d simply dismissed the commoners as insignificant, believing a few cooks couldn’t possibly pose a threat.

The combination of aristocratic arrogance and the assumption that a small group of commoners couldn’t possibly disrupt their plans, had created the perfect opportunity for the Mirinae students to move freely.

“I hate to keep asking, but… the cooking is a bit slow. Could we have more cooking fires?”

“Ah, well, we’re still getting used to things here, so… three… no, four fires should be fine. We’ll add another.”

“Really? Thank you!”

The Velutos students cheered at the prospect of more food, their anticipation growing.

More cooking fires meant more food! That was their simple logic.

Among those cheering was Akuaku, a master of fire magic disguised as a commoner student. As soon as Bellos entered the meeting room, she intensified the smoke rising from the fires.

Billowing smoke.

Rising from the higher elevations, the smoke pierced through the trees, a thick, dark plume visible even from afar.

Akuaku ensured the signal was unmistakable, a beacon visible even from the farthest reaches of the island.

She stoked the flames, her gaze fixed on Mirinae Academy’s territory.

‘Everything’s done, Class President.’

Bellos’s instructions had been clear: once he was inside the meeting room, she was to increase the number of fires to four.

Using the prince as bait to divert attention while she signaled the start of the next phase of their plan.

While she’d initially questioned the logic of the strategy, she now trusted Lee Seok-hyun implicitly.

‘Please…’

Mission accomplished.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

Beacon fires.

One of the oldest long-distance communication methods, a simple yet effective way to convey information across vast distances.

Bellos, along with ten other students, had infiltrated Velutos Academy, using smoke signals to communicate with Lee Seok-hyun.

The challenge, of course, was how to differentiate between ordinary cooking fire smoke and signal smoke. Akuaku had provided a simple solution.

–Just infuse the smoke with mana.

–Can you even do that?

–Of course. Infuse the smoke with mana, call it “mana-smoked meat,” and they’ll eat it up.

–Ah.

Her straightforward solution had impressed Lee Seok-hyun.

The signals were simple.

Two fires: preparation phase. Three fires: preparations complete. Four fires: execute.

‘They never suspected we’d use such a primitive method. They assumed all long-distance communication would be through magic—that was their mistake.’

Accustomed to the conveniences of modern technology, they’d overlooked the simplest, most basic form of communication.

And that oversight was about to cost them dearly.

“Class President! Akuaku has lit four fires!”

“Bellos did it.”

Four fires meant Bellos had successfully infiltrated the meeting room. It also meant that the leaders of Velutos and Ruamos were currently occupied, their attention focused on the prince.

This left Ruamos Academy vulnerable, their base camp practically undefended. After all, the Saintess wouldn’t travel without her elite guard.

“All forces, prepare for battle!”

“”ALL FORCES, PREPARE FOR BATTLE!!!””

Ruamos Academy was at its weakest.

The idea of the Territory Capture event being a drawn-out affair? A laughable misconception.

‘I’ll end this game in three days.’

With that thought, Lee Seok-hyun reorganized his troops.

“Let’s go.”

–Clang, clang, clang, clang.

At Lee Seok-hyun’s signal, the Mirinae students moved as one.

The war had begun.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇